Alaska Airlines has introduced its new International Business Class as it prepares to expand further into long-haul flying. The new product will launch this spring on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and will be part of the airline’s growing push into Europe and Asia from Seattle.
The airline said the new cabin is designed for long-haul passengers while keeping the style and service Alaska is known for on the West Coast. The seats will be fully lie-flat suites with privacy doors, direct aisle access, and lounge-style seating that converts into a flat bed. Each suite will also have an 18-inch HD entertainment screen, noise-reducing headsets, personal power outlets, and wireless charging.
The onboard experience will also focus heavily on food and comfort. Alaska said passengers in International Business Class will get a multi-course meal service with menus shaped by both West Coast flavors and the destination being served. The airline said the service starts with a cheese and charcuterie board, paired with wines, Champagne, cocktails, West Coast craft beer, mineral water, and Stumptown coffee.
Food, bedding, and lounge access take a bigger role
After the opening service, passengers will get an appetizer followed by a main course with up to six entrée choices depending on the route. Alaska said examples include roasted chicken with pasta carbonara on flights to Rome and Gochujang chicken with traditional banchan on flights to Incheon. Travelers can also choose Alaska’s Chef’s (Tray) Table entrée, created with Seattle chef Brady Ishiwata Williams and built around his short rib dish from Klingemann Farms. Alaska said meals can be selected in advance through its pre-order feature in the airline’s app.
Dessert will also get more attention. The airline said passengers will be offered a dessert cart with a customizable Salt & Straw sundae service and other desserts. Before landing, travelers will get a pre-arrival drink and a destination-inspired meal, such as a full English breakfast on flights to London.
The sleep setup is also getting a stronger premium feel. Alaska said the bedding and amenity kits were developed with Filson and will include a mattress pad, sleeping pillow, lumbar or lounging pillow, oversized duvet, and a collectible amenity bag in two West Coast-inspired colors. The kits will also carry Salt & Stone skincare products and other travel items. Business Class passengers will also get a reusable PATH Water bottle.
Lounge access is part of the offer as well. Alaska said International Business Class travelers will be able to use Alaska lounges across its network and oneworld partner lounges around the world. Oneworld Emerald members will also have access to First Class lounges, no matter which cabin they are flying in.
New long-haul routes arrive with the new cabin
The new cabin will debut as Alaska grows its international network from Seattle. The airline said the product will be offered on non-stop flights from Seattle to Rome, which begin April 28, London on May 21, Seoul starting in April, and Tokyo this fall. Reykjavik will also be added on May 28, though that route will use a 737 MAX 8 with its own upgraded premium service.
Alaska said the long-haul rollout comes as it marks five years in the oneworld alliance. Since joining in 2021, the airline and its partners now offer access to more than 900 destinations on a single ticket. That broader reach is one reason Alaska is putting more focus on premium international travel as it builds out its network beyond North America.
The new Business Class is clearly meant to show that Alaska wants a bigger place in long-haul flying, especially from Seattle, where it is building a wider global network tied to both its own flights and oneworld connections.
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