Alaska Airlines launches Rome service and plans premium economy on 787s from 2028, plus a major Seattle lounge upgrade.
A new nonstop to Rome signals Alaska Airlines’ shift from regional player to global contender, but the bigger headline for travelers is what comes next on board and on the ground.
Alaska. which has positioned itself as a global carrier. recently launched its first European service with a nonstop flight to Rome from its Seattle base.. The route is operated with a nearly new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that originally entered service with Hawaiian Airlines.. Alaska’s takeover of Hawaiian in 2024 means the aircraft’s livery now reflects Alaska. even as the plane’s design choices carry over from its Hawaiian origins.
The Dreamliner features private suites in business class and an all-new “soft” onboard product.. Yet. moving from the suites back toward the main cabin. the aircraft underscores a gap Alaska wants to close over time: a true premium economy cabin.. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci emphasized that premium economy is the missing piece for the kind of mid-tier experience long-haul passengers increasingly expect.
While the 787 seat map shows seats branded as “Premium. ” those are not the international-style premium economy cabins seen across many major carriers in the last decade.. Instead. Alaska’s “Premium” on the 787 largely corresponds to coach-style seats with extra legroom. using the same approach as it does on its smaller Boeing 737s.. That distinction matters because the industry’s premium economy model typically offers a meaningful step up between lie-flat business class and regular economy—often with more space and a recliner-style setup in the middle of the aircraft.
Alaska now plans to bring that middle-ground cabin to its 787 fleet.. Minicucci said the airline intends to begin outfitting its 787 aircraft with premium economy recliners starting in 2028.. He also framed the decision in terms of demand and economics. pointing to premium economy as a popular and profitable long-haul product.
Hawaiian’s earlier order for the same Boeing 787-9 also played a role in where the Dreamliners start today.. Hawaiian did not include a mid-tier premium economy cabin when it planned these aircraft.. Alaska’s coming retrofit therefore becomes part of a broader rebalancing of the wide-body passenger experience across the Alaska Air Group network.
The push for premium economy and refreshed cabin design does not stop at the newest long-haul jets.. Alaska has already said it will upgrade Hawaiian’s older Airbus A330 fleet as well. introducing new business-class suites in place of the aging lie-flat product at the front and adding premium economy for the first time.. Those A330 retrofits are also slated to begin in 2028.
While Alaska works on the in-flight ladder of options, it is equally focused on improving the journey before takeoff.. The airline is planning a large premium lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.. The proposed 40. 000-square-foot venue would be located on the C Concourse. aiming to serve business-class travelers and possibly certain high-level Atmos Rewards elite members.
This lounge is meant to feel more elevated than a standard airline club.. The plan. as described by Minicucci. points toward an experience in the spirit of other premium-focused flagship-style lounges. with an emphasis on Pacific Northwest hospitality.. Alaska also indicated it wants to include shower facilities and that the venue would span multiple levels as part of a “true” end-to-end premium ground experience.
Alaska has also been careful about comparisons with rival lounges at SeaTac. even as it seeks a similar level of premium service.. Minicucci underscored that the airline wants the entire experience to match the cost of the onboard and lounge products. noting that the lounge should be “fantastic” in the way it delivers from arrival to departure.
The lounge rollout is not immediate.. Alaska expects the new premium space to open within the next two years. following last week’s unveiling of a new high-end check-in lobby at the airport.. That lobby is designed for Suites flyers and for top-tier Atmos Rewards Titanium elite members. tying Alaska’s on-the-ground upgrades to its broader premium push.
Onboard tech is also evolving, but not all changes arrive on schedule.. Alaska said its 787 Dreamliners are currently not equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi, despite the carrier’s promise for satellite connectivity.. Executives indicated the airline chose to keep the aircraft in service rather than pull them out during the peak summer season to install the internet capability.
The airline expects Starlink on its wide-body planes by fall. It also said the service would be free for Atmos members once it launches, while travelers are left to plan for what’s available today—meaning downloading movies, shows, and podcasts before boarding.
Alaska’s loyalty program updates are moving too, but not instantly.. Atmos Rewards. launched last year to bridge the separate Alaska and Hawaiian loyalty ecosystems. is introducing “choice accrual. ” allowing members to choose how they earn points and status—by money spent. miles flown. or segments flown.. For now, earnings still run exclusively based on miles flown.
According to the company’s loyalty chief, Brett Catlin, choice accrual is expected to begin later in 2026. That timing is also expected to align with the start of the 2027 status year, giving members a clearer runway for when earnings options will expand.
Alaska’s momentum is also showing up in consumer finance and loyalty acquisition.. As part of the Atmos launch, the carrier introduced a premium credit card with benefits designed to drive deeper engagement.. The airline recently surpassed 100. 000 people carrying its Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card. highlighting the popularity of the product despite its $395 annual fee.
That Summit card includes features designed to support premium travel planning. such as global companion awards. day passes to the Alaska Lounge network. and bonus points on eligible foreign purchases.. Alaska also highlighted that cardholders earn 3 points per dollar on eligible foreign transactions. a structure meant to help members build points for awards.
In parallel, Alaska celebrated another milestone tied to network growth: 100 daily departures from San Diego International Airport. The airline framed these two developments as connected, arguing that loyalty engagement and spending help influence where it expands flight operations.
Alaska’s network planning leadership said the airline is looking not only at passenger growth. but also at whether the loyalty program and the card are growing in tandem. including increases in membership and spend.. The underlying message is that the loyalty and credit strategy is increasingly intertwined with the airline’s route planning decisions. with San Diego emerging as a key focus area.
For travelers, the immediate changes include a new Rome route and the promise of expanded premium features to come.. Over the next few years. Alaska’s strategy appears geared toward a consistent premium ladder—upgrading cabins on the 787 and A330 starting in 2028. expanding lounge facilities at Seattle-Tacoma. and adding satellite Wi-Fi service by fall—while aligning loyalty improvements on a separate timetable later in 2026.
Alaska Airlines Europe launch premium economy cabin 2028 Seattle lounge upgrade Atmos Rewards choice accrual Starlink on 787 Hawaiian A330 retrofit