American Airlines Partners with Alaska Airlines to Expand West Coast Flights
by Daine Taylor
Through a new codeshare with Alaska, American Airlines is planning an expansion of its west coast flights. Photo: Shutterstock.com.
American Airlines announced it would be expanding its partnership with Alaska Airlines to provide more options for West Coast travelers.
“Alaska Airlines has been an outstanding partner for nearly 40 years, and we’re excited to expand West Coast international service together,” said Robert Isom, president of American Airlines. “By connecting American’s strength in long-haul international flying and Alaska’s presence across the West Coast, we will build a better network for our customers than either airline could build alone.”
The move will allow West Coast travelers more service options internationally, providing access across the expanded international network of both airlines.
American will launch its first service from Seattle (SEA) to Bangalore, India (BLR) beginning in October 2020; as well as a new service connecting Seattle Airport (SEA) to London Heathrow (LHR), which is scheduled to launch in March 2021.
“Beginning West Coast international service from Seattle will complement American’s strong existing international network from LAX,” said Vasu Raja, senior vice president of network strategy, at American Airlines. “India is a grossly underserved market, despite the number of businesses with a major presence in both India and the West Coast. By adding Seattle to Bangalore, we’re giving customers from more than 70 U.S. cities access to India in one stop or less — versus the two, three or four stops they’d have to make to get there in the past.”
Alaska Airlines also plans to join the Oneworld Alliance by next summer, which, when approved, would allow Alaska’s Mileage Plan loyalty members to earn and redeem miles through Oneworld’s network consisting of more than 1,200 international destinations. It would also enable other benefits for airline members, including priority check-in and boarding, access to preferred seats, and free checked bags.
“Together, we will deliver more value, benefits and choice for customers across the U.S. and around the globe,” said Isom.
