Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America.
Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand.
His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot.
As both 
Alaska Airlines and 
Delta Air Lines expand their networks at 
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), 
SkyTeam partner Delta believes there's room for two major airlines at the airport. The two carriers share the West Coast hub, and despite competing aggressively for travelers, the airline thinks both carriers can find success at the airport.
Travel demand has ballooned in recent years, and more travelers since the pandemic are looking for elevated travel experiences and willing to pay more for premium offerings. This has seen demand for full-service carriers soar, and on the global stage both Delta and Alaska are competing for that business from Seattle.
Delta And Alaska Are Battling It Out For Seattle Travelers
Despite the name, Alaska Airlines is based in Seattle and is one of the largest airlines on the US West Coast. According to a report by The Points Guy, Alaska has the highest number of flight operations at Seattle, with double the total number of services when compared to Delta.
Despite these numbers, Delta has maintained a strong international long-haul footprint, with a number of routes that Alaska is yet to introduce. In the last year, Alaska has debuted its international long-haul strategy, with the acquisition of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the launch of international routes to Asia and Europe from Seattle.
Before Alaska's acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, the airline had otherwise been a domestic and short-haul international airline, with a robust West Coast network. Today, it serves multiple destinations in both Asia and Europe with its Hawaiian fleet of A330s and 787s. Kirsten Amrine, Vice President of Revenue Management at Alaska Airlines, explained to The Points Guy:
"But where we sit is, we're the hometown carrier. Over time, as we have a larger international portfolio, we see the opportunity just to win back much of the travel that we've lost to Delta."
The Sky Is The Limit For Alaska Airlines
Alaska has not been quiet about its international long-haul ambitions, with rumours swirling that it could be about to announce its next long-haul destination. This is likely to be in Asia, given that Athens and Paris were recently announced for Europe, and will begin next summer. Looking west, it is likely that the airline will announce services to China, Vietnam, Thailand, or potentially Australia.
From humble beginnings, Alaska is now in the midst of rapid expansion, primarily thanks to the acquisition of Hawaiian and access to widebody aircraft to fast-forward these plans. By the end of this decade, the airline is aspiring to operate a total of 15 long-haul destinations from Seattle. A full list of both Alaska and Delta's international networks at Seattle is provided in the table below:
|
Alaska Airlines |
Delta Air Lines |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Total Number Of International Destinations From Seattle |
17 |
13 |
|
List Of International Destinations From Seattle |
Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, London Heathrow, Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Victoria, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Seoul Incheon, Athens (seasonal), Belize City (seasonal), Cancún (seasonal), Liberia (Costa Rica, seasonal), Paris Charles de Gaulle (seasonal), Reykjavík Keflavík (seasonal), Rome Fiumicino (seasonal) |
Amsterdam, Barcelona (seasonal), Cancún, London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Seoul Incheon, Shanghai Pudong, Taipei Taoyuan, Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita (resumes March 2027), Rome Fiumicino (seasonal) |
Not only will the airline look to attract more international travelers through Seattle, but it will also improve its domestic transcontinental offering by introducing lie-flat suites for domestic routes. Additionally, the new Aurora Lounge in Seattle will compete head-to-head with the US airline lounge of the year in 2025, the Delta One Lounge.
Room For Two In Seattle
Delta remains content cohabiting in Seattle with Alaska, with the airline's Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian calling Alaska's latest moves at the airport 'smart'. Bastian has explained that Seattle is a growing market, and demand can support two primary competitors there. Bastian is also content not to have to compete on 'every market'.
These comments are a far cry from the airline's approach in 
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where Delta has boasted it was the number one airline, ahead of its biggest rivals, American and United. Back in Seattle, Delta believes it can be the number-one global carrier as it looks to new routes and expansion from the West to Asia.
Customers will ultimately reap the rewards as the two airlines compete in Seattle; with both pushing international expansion and elevating the customer experience, this likely means better on-the-ground and in-air service, lower fares, and more choices for travelers on their next trip.