Alaska Airlines has crossed another threshold, launching its first-ever transatlantic flight and officially bringing the Seattle-based carrier into Europe.
Alaska Airlines Launches First-Ever Transatlantic Flight To Rome
Alaska Airlines has inaugurated nonstop service between Seattle (SEA) and Rome (FCO), marking the first transatlantic flight in the airline’s history. The new route launched yesterday, April 28, 2026 and will operate daily on a seasonal basis through October 23.
The new service marks the first-ever nonstop link between Seattle and Rome, giving Alaska a headline route as it continues building Seattle into a global gateway.
Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci was on hand for the inaugural, explaining:
“Launching our first flight to Europe is a significant step in executing our long-term growth strategy. Service to Rome expands how we connect our guests to the world, strengthens Seattle’s role as a global gateway and is made possible by our people who deliver safety, care and performance with every flight. Andiamo!”
> Read More: Dreamliner To Rome: Alaska Airlines Confirms First Europe Route
The Aircraft: Alaska’s New Boeing 787-9
Rome is being served by Alaska’s newly branded Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, inherited through the Hawaiian Airlines merger and now repainted into Alaska colors.
The aircraft features 300 seats, including:
- 34 Business Class suites with doors
- 79 extra legroom economy seats branded as “Premium Class”
- 187 Economy Class seats
The Business Class product feature fully flat suites in a 1-2-1 configuration that instantly give Alaska a far more competitive longhaul premium offering and also offer a chance to showcase local businesses in the soft product.
I’m not much of an inaugural fight guy…I prefer to review flights on a “normal” flight and hope to do so this summer in both economy class and business class and I’m really excited that Alaska Airlines has joined the transatlantic market.
> Read More: Alaska Airlines Reveals 787-9 Soft Product Details, Makes Rome Service Daily
Seattle’s Global Ambitions
Alaska has been clear that it wants Seattle to become a true international gateway, with at least a dozen longhaul destinations by 2030. Rome joins previously announced or launched service to Tokyo Narita, Seoul Incheon, London Heathrow, and Reykjavik, with more to come. That is an ambitious pivot for an airline long associated with domestic West Coast flying, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Alaska Airlines is already exploring a revenue partnership with American Airlines and may be joining the oneworld joint venture partnership that currently includes Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia.
It also places Alaska more directly against Delta, which has spent years building Seattle into an international hub of its own.
This is a fun first route for Alaska and for Minicucci, who was born in Canada but traces his heritage to Italy. Rome is a globally recognizable destination with both leisure and premium demand and it’s a route that Delta does not currently serve.
I’m not sure we will ever see Alaska fly to “business” destinations like Frankfurt, Zurich, and Brussels, where there are no partners, but I think we could see destinations like Barcelona, Madrid, Dublin, and maybe Paris (despite the lack of onward connections).
CONCLUSION
Alaska Airlines launching Seattle-Rome is a milestone moment for the carrier. Its first transatlantic flight is evidence that Alaska is evolving and intends to become a very different airline over the next decade.
I look forward to giving Alaska Airlines a try.
Surprised LHR wasn’t their first destination in Europe (though it is being served starting next month).
They had issues getting a slot to serve LHR. They applied to get a free one issued by Heathrow, but failed at that unlike JetBlue. Instead they ended up leasing one from oneworld partner American. Trying to find landing rights at Heathrow delayed the start of service there later than Rome which didn’t have any such issues.
“Ciao Roma” à la AS! Well done, folks! Keep up the good work!
I was thinking of flying to Rome on AS in early May but the award levels were way too high. This was when looking late last year. Instead, I flew AA in economy class for 22.500 miles one way.
That’s a steal in Y.
An unforgettable flight for the 4.9-year-old AS B787-9 Dreamliner and its entire crew!
I was gonna say – if they dare to begin Transcontinental and transatlantic routes with single aisle aircraft like so many other carriers try to pull off. I will never book a flight on Alaska for that route. The last time I made that mistake was with Icelandic air on one of their utterly cramp 757s. Not that I have anything bad to say about a 757 but you should not be traveling more than seven hours on one. It’s pure hell.