Alaska Airlines will operate its longest route yet…on a Boeing 737 MAX 8. The Seattle-based carrier plans to launch new service between New York and Anchorage–quite a distance for such a jet, particularly in its current configuration.
Alaska Airlines Will Fly Anchorage – New York On 737 8 Max, Its Longest Route Yet
Alaska Airlines has now placed on sale a summer 2024 daily flight between Anchorage (ANC) and New York (JFK). The fight will operate between June 13 and August 19, 2024 per the following schedule:
- AS11 // Anchorage (ANC) – New York (JFK) // dep 8:00PM arr 7:05AM+1
- AS549 // New York (JFK) – Anchorage (ANC) // dep 9:45AM arr 1:30PM
Alaska will utilize a Boeing 737 MAX 8 on the route, featuring 159 seats:
- 12 first class seats
- 147 economy class seats
Although labeled “first class,” the seats are standard recliners in a 2-2 configuration with a bit more legroom, width, and recline than economy class, but not approaching lie-flat.
At 3,385 miles, the route is blocked at 7 hours, 45 minutes on westbound flights and 7 hours, 5 minutes on eastbound flights.
One Mile At A Time offered a couple of interesting observations about this new route:
- A New York to Anchorage route is just 65 miles shorter than a New York to London route
- An Anchorage to New York route is just 47 miles shorter than an Anchorage to Tokyo route
And yet it is not necessarily distance that determines the type of aircraft or configuration, but the market and Alaska views this as a leisure market during the peak summer season.
If there ever were an Alaska flight in which a lie-flat seat would be appreciated, it would be AS11, but as the only nonstop operator on this route (United Airlines will offer nonstop service from Newark using the same aircraft and similar seating), Alaska reasonably figures that people will pay a premium for not having to stop and a lie-flat seat is unnecessary.
Alaska’s decision to eschew lie-flat seating is an interesting discussion, but not for this story.
CONCLUSION
Alaska Airlines will launch nonstop service between New York and Anchorage next summer and the flights are now on sale. This is a long flight, but Alaska figures that passengers will pay a premium for avoiding a connection.
I’ve been on a 737 MAX 8 flight with a similar flight time, but it was on Copa and there were lie-flat seats in business class. This is quite a long flight with only a domestic recliner.
image: Boeing
There’s really nothing extraordinary about a 737 operating this route. United has flown the MAX on their seasonal EWR-ANC-EWR service. This is a 100% leisure route, to service the cruise industry. Not sure what you expect AS to put on this route? A leased, all business class plane? This route will do well for the season and the market it is targeting. DL served JFK-ANC in 2021. It did not return. Believe it used a 757 or something larger.
surprised no airlines have tried to fly NYC – LON on a 737
As for the Leisure comment, has the last 3 years not taught the OPM flyers anything? You guys are not the only ones who pay for J. Leisure travelers also pay for J (they are also the main F buyers). In fact, leisure seems to be paying for more J these days than will OPM travelers
Narrow bodies though have been flown in the NYC-LON market in the past. CO did it from EWR on the 757 (and UA continued it for a time, until it went all 767-300ER + 777-200ER from EWR). BA flew A318s in an all biz cabin from JFK to LCY and back (LCY-SNN-JFK). EOS flew 757s to STN. BA flew 757s from JFK to BHX and I think GLA for a time. B6 is flying 321LRs and NEOs on its TATL services.
Hah! Alaska airlines is beginning to live up to its name!
Original Aaron here…doesn’t it already have flights to and from Alaska?
IcelandAir SEA-KEF or PDX-KEF is roughly 7.5 hrs in recliner seat joy
Just a thought. KEF to PDX is a big change in temperature. I wonder which nonstop route has the largest difference in average temperature?
Alaska runs a few flights a day from Seattle to Fairbanks. Being a Fairbanks resident, I know it can be an extreme temperature change when it’s -40 during the winter. Fairbanks average January temperature is -8F, while Seattle is about 45F, so 50+ degrees on average.
American runs a flight from FAI to DFW, but only during the summer. Prime Air runs a daily cargo flight from PDX to FAI as well.