Alaska Airlines Goes Global: Guide to the New 787, ‘Aurora’ Livery & Long-Haul Flights

On August 5th, Alaska Airlines did something huge. They announced a massive leap from being a beloved West Coast airline to a true global player. This isn’t just adding a few new flights, it’s a complete change in their business plan and model. It’s all built around three exciting things (at least for us): a new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, a new “Aurora” livery, and a bunch of new long-haul international routes.

For years, we’ve known Alaska for its amazing service and one of the best loyalty programs out there, Mileage Plan. Now, they’re taking that great experience and aiming it at the rest of the world, starting with new flights to Europe and Asia. This whole plan got a massive boost from their merger with Hawaiian Airlines, which helped them get the big planes they needed to make this happen.

So, we’ve dug into all the details for you. In this post, we break down the new Alaska Airlines 787, show you the new livery, give you a summary of all the new long-haul flights, and explain how you can be one of the first to book them, and how AwardFares can help you secure a spot. Let’s start!

TL;DR

Alaska’s Dreamliners: Alaska is building a long-haul fleet of up to 17 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. They’ll all be based in Seattle, and this is the plane that will fly you across the ocean.
New “Aurora” Livery: They’ve designed a brand-new look just for the 787s, inspired by the Northern Lights. The iconic “Chester” face is staying on the rest of the fleet.
Big International Expansion: New non-stop flights from Seattle to London Heathrow (LHR) and Reykjavik (KEF) starting in Spring 2026. This is on top of other new routes to Asia and Europe.
A Better Way to Fly: The 787s will have a true international-grade cabin, with 34 lie-flat Business Class suites that have their own privacy doors.
The Big Plan: This move makes Seattle a major global hub for Alaska and its oneworld partners.

Alaska Airlines New 787 Fleet

The star of this whole new plan is the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. If you’re not an airplane nerd, the 787 is a modern, fuel-efficient plane that can fly for a very long time, which is perfect for these new trips across the ocean.

Alaska is building a fleet of up to 17 of these 787s, and they’ll all be based in Seattle. So, how did they get so many big planes so fast? The merger with Hawaiian Airlines helped significantly. It gave them a head start with existing 787s and orders for more, letting them jump into the long-haul game much faster.

Alaska’s New ‘Aurora’ Global Livery

To go with their new global feel, Alaska designed a new look, or “livery,” just for the 787 fleet. It’s inspired by the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. Think deep midnight blues and bright greens flowing across the plane. They even added a sharp horizontal stripe as a nod to their old-school logos from the 70s and 80s, which is a nice touch.

This new look is only for the 787s. The famous “Chester” face (the Alaska Native emblem) that we all know and love is staying right where it is on the tail of all their other planes. This way, they get a fresh look for their global flights while keeping their classic heritage alive.

The new Alaska Airlines global livery on a Boeing 787, inspired by the Aurora Borealis.

Interactive Explorer: Check Out Alaska’s New Global Routes

Alaska’s international route map from Seattle is getting a major upgrade. The table below gives a complete overview.

Destination	Launch Date	Frequency	Aircraft	Key Highlights
London (LHR)	Spring 2026	Daily, Year-Round	Boeing 787-9	Connects to Seattle's #1 international market; deep integration with oneworld partners.
Reykjavik (KEF)	Spring 2026	Daily, Seasonal (Summer)	Boeing 737-8 MAX	Targets leisure/adventure travelers; provides a convenient gateway to Europe.
Seoul (ICN)	September 12, 2025	Daily	Boeing 787-9	The inaugural route for the new global experience, connecting to a key Asian hub.
Tokyo (NRT)	January 7, 2026 (787)	Daily	Boeing 787-9	Upgrades an existing popular route to the flagship 787 experience.
Rome (FCO)	Spring 2026	TBD (likely seasonal)	Boeing 787-9	Highly anticipated leisure route connecting the Pacific Northwest to Italy.

Alaska Airlines new routes with the 787-9.

To explore more details such as starting date and which plane will be used, click on a route below.

🇬🇧

Seattle (SEA) ⇆ London (LHR)

Launch Date: Spring 2026
Frequency: Daily, Year-Round
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
The Skinny: This connects Seattle to its #1 international market. It's great for both business and vacation trips and connects perfectly with partners American Airlines and British Airways.

🇮🇸

Seattle (SEA) ⇆ Reykjavik (KEF)

Launch Date: Spring 2026
Frequency: Daily, Seasonal (Summer)
Aircraft: Boeing 737-8 MAX
The Skinny: A smart route for summer adventures in Iceland. Note that this flight uses a smaller, super-efficient 737 MAX, not the 787.

🇰🇷

Seattle (SEA) ⇆ Seoul (ICN)

Launch Date: September 12, 2025
Frequency: Daily
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
The Skinny: This was the very first route for the new 787 global experience, creating a key link to one of Asia's most exciting cities.

🇯🇵

Seattle (SEA) ⇆ Tokyo (NRT)

787 Service Starts: January 7, 2026
Frequency: Daily
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
The Skinny: They're upgrading this already popular flight to the new flagship 787, which means a better experience and more premium seats to Japan.

🇮🇹

Seattle (SEA) ⇆ Rome (FCO)

Launch Date: Spring 2026
Frequency: To Be Announced (Probably seasonal)
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
The Skinny: A much-wanted route for summer travel, connecting the Pacific Northwest directly to the heart of Italy. Pasta, here we come!

A Look Inside: The New Alaska Airlines 787 Cabins

Inside the 787s, you’ll find a top-notch cabin experience designed to compete with the best airlines in the world. The real showstopper is the new Business Class. It will have 34 enclosed suites, which are basically a private pod in the sky, as many other competitors are doing. Each one has a seat that goes completely flat for sleeping, a big 18-inch TV, and a privacy door.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the seats on the plane:

Cabin Class	Seating Capacity	Key Features
Business Class	34 Suites	Your own pod with a lie-flat bed, privacy door, and a huge TV.
Premium Economy	79 Seats	A new cabin with more legroom and better service (more details soon).
Main Cabin	187 Seats	Upgraded comfy seats for a better long-haul experience.

How to Book Alaska Airlines 787 Flights with Miles

The new routes are cool, but how do you actually find seats using your miles? For example, if you are a Mileage Plan user, we assumed you’d be looking forward to booking these flights and curious to see how much they cost. This is where AwardFares comes in.

Our newly revamped alert system is perfect for this! It’s built for two kinds of travelers: The Planner (you know exactly where and when you want to go) and The Explorer (you’re flexible and just looking for a great deal).

For The Planner: Use a Live Alert

When you have a specific trip in mind.

Let's say you want to fly to London in that fancy new Business Class next May. Instead of checking the website every day, you can set a Live Alert on AwardFares. The second a seat opens up, we'll notify you so you can grab it.

Live Alert

From → To: SEA → LHR
Dates: May 10-17
Frequent Flyer Program(s): Mileage Plan
Details: 2 Business seats on Alaska Airlines

For The Explorer: Use a Flex Alert

When you're open to adventure.

Maybe you're not picky. You just want to fly on the new 787 somewhere cool in Europe next summer (any of Alaska's new destinations in Europe). This is where a Flex Alert comes in. You can set a broad search and our system will look for great deals and let you know when it finds one.

Flex Alert

From → To: Seattle → Europe
Dates: Summer (Jun-Aug)
Frequent Flyer Program(s): Mileage Plan, AAdvantage
Details: Business Class on any Alaska Airlines

Book It!

The final and most fun step.

Once your alert fires, you'll get a direct link to book the flight. No more endless searching. Just click, book, and start planning your amazing trip. It’s the easiest way to make sure you get to fly on these brand new routes.

Learn more about our new alerts

Announcements
Introducing Intelligent Alerts: Find Award Flights Faster Than Ever

When is All This Happening? A Quick Timeline

Things are moving fast. Here are the most important dates to keep in mind.

Sep 12, 2025

First 787 Flight!

The new global experience officially started with the first 787 flight from Seattle to Seoul.

Fall 2025

Time to Book

Tickets for the new London and Reykjavik flights are expected to go on sale. Get your miles ready!

Jan 7, 2026

The New Look Debuts

The first plane with the new "Aurora" livery will start flying. 787 service also begins on the popular Seattle-Tokyo route.

Spring 2026

Europe, Here We Come

The brand-new flights to London, Reykjavik, and Rome are all scheduled to take off.

So, Why is Alaska Going Global Now?

You might be wondering, why the big change? It all comes down to a really smart plan.

The Hawaiian Merger was Key: This deal gave Alaska the big planes and the bigger size they needed to compete on the world stage.
Making Seattle a Fortress: They are turning Seattle into their own global hub, where their massive US network can connect passengers to these new international flights.
Fighting with the Big Guys: By offering a top-tier product (like those fancy Business Class seats), they are directly challenging airlines like Delta for valuable international travelers.
Using their oneworld Team: This whole plan works so well because of their partners like American Airlines and British Airways. You can fly Alaska to London, and then easily connect to almost anywhere in Europe on a partner airline, all with your Mileage Plan miles.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Your Questions Answered

What is the new Alaska Airlines 787 livery?

The new livery, inspired by the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), is an exclusive design for Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. It features a palette of deep blues and greens and is designed to create a distinct visual identity for the airline’s new global, long-haul service.

Will the new livery replace the Alaska Native ("Chester") face on all planes?

No. The new ‘Aurora’ livery is exclusive to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The iconic Alaska Native emblem will remain on the tail of all Alaska Airlines narrowbody aircraft, such as the Boeing 737.

What new international routes is Alaska Airlines adding?

As of Spring 2026, Alaska Airlines is launching new long-haul routes from Seattle (SEA) to:

London Heathrow (LHR): Daily, year-round on the 787-9.
Reykjavik (KEF): Daily, seasonal (summer) on the 737-8 MAX.
Rome (FCO): TBD frequency on the 787-9.

These join existing and upcoming 787 services to Seoul (ICN) and Tokyo (NRT).

When can I buy tickets for the new flights to London and Reykjavik?

Alaska Airlines has stated that tickets for the new London and Reykjavik routes are expected to become available for purchase in the fall of 2025.

How did Alaska Airlines acquire its Boeing 787 fleet?

The acquisition of the Boeing 787 fleet was a direct result of the merger with Hawaiian Airlines. This strategic move gave Alaska Air Group access to Hawaiian’s existing 787 Dreamliners and their future aircraft orders, significantly accelerating its entry into the long-haul market.

What is the cabin configuration on the Alaska Airlines 787-9?

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is configured with 300 seats across three cabins:

Business Class: 34 enclosed suites with fully lie-flat seats and privacy doors.
Premium Economy: 79 seats in a new dedicated cabin.
Main Cabin: 187 standard economy seats.

Can Mileage Plan miles be used on the new 787 routes?

Yes, all new international routes operated by Alaska Airlines will be fully bookable using Mileage Plan miles. This expansion also increases opportunities to earn and redeem miles on connecting flights with oneworld alliance partners.

What is the hub for Alaska's new 787 Dreamliner fleet?

All of Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners will be based at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The airline is establishing this as its primary global gateway for long-haul international flights.

What will happen to the Airbus A330s from Hawaiian Airlines?

The Airbus A330 aircraft acquired through the merger will continue to be operated by Hawaiian Airlines, primarily for long-haul and transcontinental flights to and from its hub in Honolulu (HNL). These aircraft are also scheduled to receive upgraded interiors to align with the new global experience.

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