The list of new routes includes additional connections between California and Hawaii, a short-haul flight into California wine country, and more links to Alaska’s main hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Four of these routes are resumptions of previously operated flights: Alaska last served Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) from Portland in 2019, St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) in 2018, and San Diego–Santa Barbara as recently as 2022.
Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning at Alaska Airlines, stated: "San Diego continues to be one of our fastest-growing hubs while Portland and Hawai'i are essential parts of our global network."
However, the expansion comes alongside reductions at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The airline explained: "These adjustments are firmly rooted in the need to be disciplined with our aircraft in 2026, as fewer new aircraft enter our fleet. Although these decisions are difficult, SFO and LAX remain key markets for us."
Among the three new transcontinental services—Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), BWI, and PHL—each East Coast airport will now have direct connections from two West Coast cities served by Alaska Airlines.
This move follows Alaska's introduction of its Atmos Rewards loyalty program launched with Hawaiian Airlines after their acquisition last year. The program keeps popular features such as an award chart that enables travelers to find affordable redemptions and allows direct points transfers from Bilt Rewards.
For further details on recent changes at San Diego's Terminal 1—including expanded lounges—see this coverage by TPG senior reporter Zach Griff: https://thepointsguy.com/news/san-diego-airport-terminal-1-new-lounges/.
Cirium’s data analysis on increased seat capacity for both SAN (+38%) and PDX (+19%) provides additional context for these network adjustments: https://www.cirium.com/.
The full list of announced routes includes:
- SAN–Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): April 22
- SAN–Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK): April 22
- SAN–Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU): April 22
- SAN–Santa Barbara Airport (SBA): April 22
- SAN–Tulsa: March 18
- PDX–Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI): May 13
- PDX–Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA): May 13
- PDX–Philadelphia International Airport (PHL): May 13
- PDX–St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL): May 13
- SEA–Arcata-Eureka: April 8
- SEA–Tulsa: March 19
- Hollywood Burbank Airport–Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport: May 13
- Ontario International – Charles M. Schulz Santa Rosa Sonoma County: March 18
"San Diego continues to be one of our fastest-growing hubs while Portland and Hawai'i are essential parts of our global network," said Kirsten Amrine.
"These adjustments are firmly rooted in the need to be disciplined with our aircraft in 2026, as fewer new aircraft enter our fleet," the carrier said. "Although these decisions are difficult, SFO and LAX remain key markets for us."
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