Alaska Airlines Unveils Business Class Suites and Starlink

Alaska Airlines is rolling out a new international business class experience on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners, featuring private lie-flat suites and expanded connectivity plans that include Starlink installation in fall 2026. The airline’s brand leadership frames

Summer travel is creeping closer, and for many people that means one familiar stress: the scramble to find the “right” flight. For Alaska Airlines, the pitch is that the journey shouldn’t feel like one more thing to manage.

When the SI Swimsuit team traveled to Loreto. Baja California Sur. Mexico last December for the 2026 magazine. they flew Alaska Airlines—and were “particularly blown away by the hospitality the airline displayed when it came to customer service.” The experience is now being positioned as the foundation for what comes next.

Eric Edge. Vice President of Brand and Marketing for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. said the airline is dedicated to delivering a premium brand experience whether guests are flying domestically or internationally. “We want people to feel taken care of when they fly with us,” Edge said. He added that travel can be stressful. and that the airline’s focus is on creating a brand experience that feels thoughtful. reliable. and genuinely welcoming from start to finish.

A major centerpiece of that pitch is the airline’s new international business class suites experience aboard its brand-new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Announced in March. the premium long-haul product includes private lie-flat suites. premium bedding. elevated dining. and other thoughtful touches aimed at greater comfort and care throughout the journey.

Connectivity is the other half of the upgrade. In fall 2026, Alaska Airlines will install Starlink on its Dreamliners, giving guests “even more opportunities to stay connected, stream content and work while traveling.”

Behind the upgrades is a message Edge keeps returning to: safety and care aren’t treated as slogans. He said the airline is distinguished by a culture that prioritizes safety and care above all else. “We want the experience to feel warm, human and personal, not just efficient,” Edge said. He added that airlines play a role in important moments in people’s lives—whether that’s a vacation. a family visit. or a major milestone—and that the airline never wants to lose sight of that.

With Alaska Air Group’s service to more than 140 destinations across North America. Central America. Asia and the Pacific. the company says travelers have more ways to find flights that match their needs while still “going above and beyond.” Alaska Airlines has also introduced new international service and continued evolving its Atmos Rewards program this year.

The brand’s roadmap for the rest of 2026 includes more Starlink connectivity rolling out across the fleet. new destinations added to its growing global network. and “even more ways we’re bringing together the best of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines to create a more seamless travel experience overall. ” Edge assured.

In a travel season that often begins with tension and ends with relief, Alaska Airlines is betting that the difference is how the experience feels—up front, in the air, and on the way to wherever people planned to go next.

Alaska Airlines customer service Boeing 787 Dreamliners Starlink international business class suites Atmos Rewards premium travel Hawaiian Airlines