Alaska Airlines expands international reach by taking over Hawaiian's Boeing 787 Dreamliners

According to Boeing records, Hawaiian has ordered up to 14 Boeing 787-9s, although some reports suggest a total of 12. As part of the acquisition, four of these Dreamliners are being transferred to Alaska Airlines by spring 2026, with additional deliveries expected through 2028.

Alaska Airlines announced new international services using these widebodies starting with daily nonstops between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Tokyo Narita Airport in May 2025. Service from Seattle to Seoul Incheon will follow later in the year. "Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon are our first two long-haul flights from Seattle of the 12 we’re looking to add," according to an announcement from Alaska Airlines. The airline also stated that "the new service marks the start of daily nonstops between the two dynamic cities and the beginning of a new era of widebody international flying for Alaska."

Initial flights between Seattle and Tokyo will use Hawaiian-operated Airbus A330s before transitioning fully to Alaska-branded Dreamliners. The onboard service will initially mirror Hawaiian’s offerings, but Alaska plans future upgrades: "provide a premium, modern global experience" with more details expected in 2026.

Alaska aims to establish Seattle as a 'new global gateway,' targeting at least 12 nonstop international destinations by 2030—including Rome, London Heathrow, and seasonal service to Reykjavik starting in 2026. CEO Ben Minicucci told The Seattle Times that "what would have taken us decades to build is at our fingertips today. It doesn’t happen often, but we believe we got the timing right with this one."

The airline is also planning new lounges and expanded cargo operations as it grows its presence in Asia and Europe. Other potential future destinations include Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Madrid, Osaka, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.

Despite absorbing Hawaiian’s Dreamliners into its own brand—repainting them in Alaska livery—the company says it will maintain both brands: “the two airlines will continue to operate as separate brands, but as a single carrier.” However, this shift means that Hawaiian’s previously planned expansion using its new Dreamliners will not materialize as intended; instead those jets will support Alaska's ambitions for long-haul growth out of Seattle.

In summary, by acquiring Hawaiian’s Boeing 787-9s along with its existing order pipeline for these jets, Alaska Airlines seeks rapid entry into long-haul international markets—a process that otherwise would have taken much longer if pursued independently.