Alaska Airlines is following a well-worn trend of aspiring global carriers in launching service to London. Tickets are now on sale for a new nonstop flight from Seattle to London Heathrow, marking Alaska’s first-ever flight to the United Kingdom and a major step forward in its global ambitions.
Alaska Airlines Now Selling Tickets To London Heathrow From Seattle
Guests can now book daily, year-round flights beginning May 21, 2026. The new route will be operated by Alaska’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring fully enclosed suites in business class with lie-flat seats, direct aisle access, and multi-course dining. Economy class and extral-eroom economy (what Alaska calls “Premium” class) will also be offered.
Introductory fares start at $699 round-trip, which recognizes Alaska is entering a competitive market that is currently already served by British Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Virgin Atlantic. Points pricing via Atmos are currently not great, with one-way tickets running 42.5K miles for economy and 200K for business class.
A New Loyalty and Connectivity Strategy
This long-haul service earns one point and one status point per mile flown in Alaska’s new Atmos Rewards program. Atmos Titanium elites will even receive complimentary day-of-departure upgrades to Business Class when seats remain available. That is quite a generous perk for an airline that has never flown its own metal to Europe before and a unique distinguishing feature of its loyatly program.
The schedules are business-friendly. The outbound flight from Seattle leaves at 9:40 p.m. and arrives in London at 3:05 p.m. the next day. The return leaves Heathrow at 5:00 p.m. and arrives back in Seattle at 6:50 p.m.
- AS100 – Seattle (SEA) – London Heathrow (LHR) dep 9:40 pm arr 3:05 pm+1 (9 hr, 25 min)
- AS101 – London Heathrow (LHR) – Seattle (SEA) dep 5:00 pm arr 6:45 pm (9 hr, 45 min)
The route will operate from Terminal 3 at Heathrow, which enables easy onward connections across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa on British Airways and other oneworld partners (though I cannot imagine someone is going to fly to Alaska to London to connect on Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong or JAL to Tokyo…).
Will Alaska Join JV?
Alaska, a oneworld alliance member, starts at a disadvantage as it is not part of a revenue-sharing joint-venture (British Airways and American Airlines have one and Delta and Virgin Atlantic have one). Will Alaska join the BA-AA venture? My hunch is yes…especially since AA is the one leasing Alaska the two slots in the heavily slot-restricted airport, which makes Alaska’s service possible in the first place. Alaska will also fly to Rome and Reykjavik and already flies to Tokyo and Seoul from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
CONCLUSION
As Alaska reinvents itself as a global carrier thanks to the merger with Hawaiian Airlines, it is launching London service next spring, with tickets now on sale. The new Dreamliner product looks enticing, the pricing is attractive, and the loyalty earning is robust (we’ve got to discuss the Atmos program in more detail this month). If Alaska delivers the service quality it promises, this could quickly become a favorite way for West Coast travelers to reach London. I look forward to seeing how Alaska adapts to long-haul competition once its own aircraft begin crossing the Atlantic and I am glad to see more competition.
> Read More: Alaska Airlines Reveals 787-9 Soft Product Details
Could someone please remind Alaska that there’s an opening in the premium transcon space for bringing back actual lie-flat to SEA-NYC routes. Delta used to fly a 757 with 2-2 lie-flat, which was nice for the +5 hour redeyes. These days, no one is running anything but recliners, which is super lame. If not AS, JetBlue, send some Mint that way, please.
True… Regrettably, there are no domestic lie-flat flights out of SEA at the moment.
Looks like SEA could be on it’s way to becoming a dual international alliance hub. Here’s hoping they don’t screw it up.
Using Hawaiian Aurlines 787’s with 3x3x3 configured seating that is cramped and uncomfortable. No Premium Economy like BA or Virgin is a non-starter for me thank you
To the attention of HA management regarding its 5 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners (average age 1.6 years)…
Wonderful news for loyal and new AS guests!
Let’s add that in summer 2026, SEA to LHR will have five direct departures again. It was last available in 2023, when AA last served the route. BA will run twice daily (B777-300ER/B787-10), while AS will be daily (B787-9), DL will be daily (A330-900), and VS will be daily (B787-9).
The lack of business class saver space on a brand new route, even in moderate amounts, says a lot about where Alaska is heading.
These B787 must of been configured for 5 to 7 hour Hawaiian service.
Therefore, HA’s definition of Premium is extra leg room in the economy section.
However, looking at the Alaska website, the SEA to LHR service is projected at 9 hrs and 20 minutes.
The same jet for the SEA to FCO (Rome) is projected at 10 hrs and 45 minutes.
If AS wants its place in the Seattle trans Atlantic market, true Premium Economy needs to be reflected in the strategy.
The same for trans Pacific service.
It’s the price AS will have to pay to be recognized as a full service trunk line carrier.
Another new flight from the US?
It’s clear you are all longing to get away from the land of Criminal Trump.