New direct flights from Paris and Athens open easier route to Alaska

Alaska Airlines will launch new European services to Seattle next summer, giving travellers one-stop connections onwards to Alaska, Hawaii and destinations across the US West Coast

European travellers will get new direct flights to Seattle next summer, opening up easier one-stop connections to Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S West Coast.

Alaska Airlines will begin flying from Athens to its Seattle hub three times a week from May 13, 2027, followed by a five-times-weekly service from Paris on May 26.

Both routes will operate seasonally until October and use Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

Passengers arriving in Seattle will be able to connect onwards across Alaska Airlines’ network, which includes destinations in Alaska, along the West Coast and in Hawaii.

The Athens route will become the first-ever nonstop service between the Greek capital and Seattle and the only direct link between Athens and the U.S West Coast when it launches.

Flights from Seattle to Athens begin a day earlier, on May 12, and will become the longest route Alaska Airlines has operated.

Paris flights from Seattle begin on May 25, with the return service from Charles de Gaulle starting the following day and operating five times a week through the autumn.

Ben Minicucci, the chief executive of Alaska Airlines, said: “We fly where our guests aspire to go, and Athens and Paris have been high on that list for years.

“As we build to more than 12 international long-haul routes from Seattle in the coming years, we’re giving travelers more ways to connect to the world and more opportunities to use Atmos Rewards.”

The airline already flies from Seattle to London, Rome, Reykjavik, Seoul and Tokyo and plans to add at least five more intercontinental destinations by 2030.

Its new Paris and Athens services will feature lie-flat business-class suites, onboard dining and Starlink Wi-Fi as the technology is rolled out across the fleet.

The airline said its wider network also allows passengers travelling through Seattle to connect to destinations throughout North America, including Alaska and Hawaii.

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_{Main image: Courtesy, Alaska Airlines}