Alaska Airlines has spent barely sixteen months turning itself from a West Coast workhorse into a transatlantic contender, and it is not slowing down. On 20 August 2026 the Seattle carrier confirmed two new European destinations: Paris and Athens, both launching seasonally from May 2027.
The additions push Alaska to five European routes from Seattle-Tacoma, alongside Rome, London and Reykjavik. The two new widebody services will be flown by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the jet that now anchors Alaska's long-haul ambitions after its merger with Hawaiian Airlines.
They also drag Alaska deeper into a Seattle grudge match with Delta, a former partner turned full-blown rival. Here is what is actually flying, and why the fight matters.
Quick Facts
| New destinations | Paris (CDG) and Athens (ATH) |
| From | Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) |
| Total EU routes | Five (Rome, London, Reykjavik, Athens, Paris) |
| Aircraft | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner |
| Start | Athens 12 May 2027, Paris 25 May 2027 (seasonal to October) |
| Rivalry | Deepens the transatlantic clash with Delta at Seattle |
Two cities, one Dreamliner
The Athens route is the eye-catcher. Flight AS196 begins on 12 May 2027, running three times weekly, and at 6,197 miles it becomes the longest route Alaska has ever operated. The airline says it is the first carrier to link Seattle and Athens nonstop, and the only nonstop connection between Greece's capital and the US West Coast.
Paris is the bigger commercial bet. Flight AS136 to Charles de Gaulle starts on 25 May 2027 with five weekly rotations, making Alaska the first oneworld carrier to fly nonstop between the West Coast and Paris. Introductory roundtrip Main Cabin fares opened from $999. Both routes run seasonally through October and use the 787-9 with Alaska's new lie-flat business-class Suites.
With these two, Alaska will serve seven intercontinental destinations from Seattle by summer 2027, adding to Tokyo and Seoul. Management has floated at least five more by 2030.
The battle for Seattle goes global
Alaska and Delta were once allies here, feeding each other passengers until their codeshare collapsed in 2017. Now they are trading blows. By summer 2027, five of Alaska's seven intercontinental Seattle routes will also be flown nonstop by Delta: London, Paris, Rome, Seoul and Tokyo Narita. Paris is a core SkyTeam hub where Delta and Air France already offer up to twelve weekly flights.
The numbers cut both ways. Alaska Air Group carried 50.7% of Seattle's passengers in 2025, more than double Delta's 24.1%, giving it a vast connecting base. But internationally the table flips: Delta held 24.8% of Seattle's international travellers against Alaska's 14.7%. This expansion is Alaska trying to convert home-turf dominance into long-haul market share.
Inside Alaska's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the widebody that will fly Seattle to Paris and Athens.
The catch: not enough Dreamliners
Alaska's ambition outpaces its fleet. It ended 2025 with five 787-9s, expects a sixth by the end of 2026 and a seventh in 2027. Hawaiian's A330-200s stay Honolulu-based, so Seattle's growth leans on a thin Dreamliner stream that must cover Tokyo, Seoul, London, Rome, Paris and Athens. Delta, with more than 180 widebodies, has no such worry. Summer 2027 could be tight.
Sources: Alaska Airlines newsroom, Simple Flying, KIRO 7 / PR Newswire
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