Alaska Airlines has taken a giant leap towards expanding its international presence by launching its first widebody services from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Tokyo-Narita (NRT), Japan, on May 12, 2025. With this inaugural flight, the airline is setting the stage for establishing a long-haul hub at its Seattle-Tacoma base.

Pilotcenter.net News reports that this new nonstop route to Japan is just the beginning of Alaska Airlines' ambitious strategy to introduce at least 12 international routes from the Northwest Pacific region by 2030. Following the Tokyo-Narita service debut, the airline is all geared up to commence flights to Seoul-Incheon (ICN) on September 12, 2025, marking its second Asian destination from Seattle.

The development of this trans-Pacific hub at Seattle-Tacoma has been made possible through the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, as Alaska Airlines did not have its own widebody aircraft. The services to Asia will initially be operated by Hawaiian Airlines, utilizing Airbus A330 aircraft with future plans to upgrade to Boeing 787-9s. Passengers can expect a premium onboard experience with three classes of service – Business Class, Extra Comfort, and Main Cabin, mirroring the service quality provided by Hawaiian Airlines on its long-haul flights from Honolulu (HNL).

Alaska Airlines is already in the works to introduce its distinct cabin product for the new long-haul services originating from Seattle, offering passengers a unique and personalized travel experience. The airline underscores the hub-and-spoke design of this operation, highlighting Seattle as a crucial connecting point for passengers from over 80 cities across the US, particularly for the Tokyo route. Interestingly, roughly 50% of the tickets sold for Alaska Airlines' new Japanese route are to transit passengers, emphasizing the efficiency and convenience of Seattle's strategic location as a transit hub.