Alaska Airlines cancels Anchorage-Paine Field route amid shifting demand

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Alaska Airlines cancels Anchorage-Paine Field route amid shifting demand

Research

Marc Ramos Contributor | The Points Guy

By Sky Industry News

Oct 10, 2024

Alaska Airlines has announced the termination of one of its recent routes from Seattle Paine Field International Airport. The route, which connected Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska to Paine Field in Everett, Washington, was last operated during the summer season ending on August 19, 2024. Initially planned to resume on May 15, 2025, the service will no longer be reinstated.

The airline's regional affiliate, Horizon Air, had been operating this route using an Embraer E175 aircraft. The decision to cancel the service comes after it transitioned from year-round to summer-seasonal operations just over a year following its initial announcement in August 2022.

Brett Catlin, Alaska's vice president of network and alliances, previously highlighted the importance of connecting workers and businesses between the two regions. He noted that there was "a significant need and demand" for such connections.

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In a statement regarding the cancellation, Alaska Airlines confirmed: "We published our exit of ANC-PAE over the weekend. Our last day of flying that route had already happened on Aug. 19 since this is summer seasonal service. The flights scheduled from May 15, 2025, to Aug. 19, 2025, are being canceled. Guests are being moved to the ANC-SEA route."

Despite this setback for local flyers and Paine Field itself—which reopened for commercial operations in March 2019—Alaska Airlines will continue serving Anchorage from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), its largest hub.

Paine Field had been closed to commercial traffic for decades before reopening as an alternative airport option north of downtown Seattle. Since then, it has been served by both Alaska and United Airlines until United ceased operations during the pandemic.

As a Seattle-based carrier with strong local ties, Alaska Airlines has managed its presence at Paine Field effectively but acknowledges that not all routes achieve expected success.