Until this spring Alaska Airlines had never operated a long-haul flight of its own. Since 21 May 2026 it flies daily, year-round between Seattle and London Heathrow on a Boeing 787-9 with 34 enclosed Alaska Airlines business class suites — the first international business class in the airline’s history, inherited along with the Dreamliner fleet from its merger with Hawaiian Airlines. Rome came first, on 28 April; Reykjavík followed on 28 May, with Seoul and Tokyo scheduled later in the year.
For a carrier known for narrow-body domestic flying, it is a full repositioning: Seattle as a global gateway with 15 long-haul destinations by 2030. Here are the facts, what the Suites deliver, and one seat to avoid.
Alaska Airlines Business Class Suites on the 787: Key Facts
- Launched: Seattle–Rome 28 April 2026; Seattle–London Heathrow daily from 21 May 2026; Reykjavík 28 May (737 MAX 8); Seoul and Tokyo Narita later in 2026
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, 34 Suites plus 266 economy seats; no premium economy for now, planned in the coming years
- Suites: 1-2-1 across nine rows, fully flat beds, sliding privacy doors, direct aisle access, 18-inch HD screens, noise-reducing headsets, power outlet and wireless charging at every seat
- Dining: multi-course, pre-orderable menus under the Chef’s (tray) Table programme, with West Coast partners including Salt & Straw, Straightaway Cocktails and Stumptown Coffee
- Ground: Alaska Lounge in Seattle; oneworld lounges at Heathrow Terminal 3, where Alaska departs
- Wi-Fi: Starlink on the 787-9 fleet from autumn 2026, free with an Atmos Rewards login through the T-Mobile partnership
- Alliance: oneworld member since March 2021; Atmos Rewards loyalty programme
- Fares: not published; see below
Hawaiian Florals at the Door, a Door on Every Seat
The 787-9s came from Hawaiian Airlines, and it shows in the best way: Head for Points, on board the first London–Seattle flight in May, noted the wood-panelled entrance and floral overhead panels inherited from Honolulu before reaching a cabin of 34 doored Suites in nine rows of 1-2-1. Every seat converts to a fully flat bed with direct aisle access; screens are 18 inches HD, and there is a power outlet and a wireless charging pad in every suite. It is a conventional modern business class rather than a headline-grabbing one, and that is the point — Alaska is pricing itself between the US legacy carriers and the European flag carriers on the route.
The soft product leans hard on Seattle. Menus are West Coast-led and can be pre-ordered, Salt & Straw supplies the ice cream, Stumptown the coffee and Straightaway the cocktails. One practical warning from that first flight: row one has only two seats, 1A and 1J, and the reviewer sat in 1J both ways and recommended against it.
Seattle as a Gateway to Europe and Asia
London is the fifth intercontinental destination from Seattle and the largest long-haul market from the Pacific Northwest, positioned to feed connections from across the West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii. The Europe schedule stacks Rome (28 April), London (21 May) and Reykjavík (28 May, on the 737 MAX 8 with its own upgraded product); Asia follows with Seoul and Tokyo Narita on the 787-9 later in 2026, and industry reporting has flagged Seattle–Sydney as the next likely target. Alaska says it wants 15 long-haul destinations by 2030 on a Dreamliner fleet based in Seattle.
For oneworld flyers the practical gain is a Pacific Northwest hub with Qantas, Cathay, Japan Airlines and British Airways connections on the same alliance.
Tip: avoid 1J. Pick a window suite from row two back for the most privacy, and pre-order the meal — the Chef’s Table dishes sell out on board.
What a First-Year Airline Product Can Do, First-Hand
I have not flown Alaska’s Suites and this stays a preview. The nearest comparison in my own reviews is beOnd, an airline I flew from Malé to Milan in its first year: the product was new, the ground experience through a chaotic airport was where it earned its keep, and the fast-track alone saved me 60 to 90 minutes. Alaska starts with an advantage beOnd never had — an existing lounge in Seattle and the oneworld lounges at Heathrow Terminal 3. On Etihad a good seat with a mattress topper and the catering cost it half a point; Alaska’s bet on pre-ordered West Coast menus is aimed squarely at that weakness.
How Much Does It Cost?
Alaska does not publish rack fares for the Suites; pricing on Seattle–London is dynamic and, by the airline’s own positioning, sits between the US legacy carriers and the European flag carriers on the route. Atmos Rewards award seats are also released on the 787 routes.
Flight prices do move between platforms. The same business class seat on the same date is not always the same price on the airline’s own site, Aviasales, Kiwi.com, Trip.com and Expedia: point-of-sale currency, consolidator fares and what is bundled into the ticket can shift the fare by a few percent — and occasionally by much more on premium cabins booked out of Asia. So before I pay I run the same dates through Aviasales, which scans dozens of booking sites at once, then cross-check Kiwi.com, Trip.com (often the sharpest on Asian routes) and Expedia (strongest when you add a hotel to the same booking). One caveat: a ticket bought through a booking site is changed or refunded through that site, not the airline, so read the fare rules before you buy.
A new long-haul business class from the West Coast, with a door on every seat and Stumptown in the cup — Alaska has arrived on the transatlantic.
Photos © Alaska Airlines
This preview is based on official announcements — I haven’t flown Alaska’s Suites yet. Read more about how I review or visit my Work With Me page.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy.
