Alaska Airlines Plans Major New 14-Hour Nonstop Route: See Map Now

Published Oct 5, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT 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. Speculation continues that Alaska Airlines is considering its next big move, possibly long-haul flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). The airline, which has catapulted itself to the fifth-largest US carrier through its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, has gained access to the Boeing 787-9 and has launched its own long-haul network as a member of oneworld. Currently, the airline operates five nonstop long-haul flights from its hub in Seattle, with Tokyo and Seoul the first that came online late last year. Throughout 2026, the airline has added London (LHR) and Rome (FCO), with Reykjavik (KEF) also operating as a seasonal service. Athens (ATH) and Paris (CDG) are set to begin next year. Nonstop Alaska Airlines Flights To Hong Kong Could Be On The Horizon Credit: Flickr Alaska Airlines has big ambitions to transform Seattle into a global hub, and has been rather public about its intentions to add more trans-Pacific flights. Andrew Harrison, Chief Commercial Officer at the airline, recently spoke with Points Hacks and suggested that the airline will make its intentions clear before the end of this year. The airline is hoping to operate a total of 15 long-haul routes by the end of the decade, as the airline has firm orders for an additional 17 787s (which are likely to be the 787-10). These aircraft are all expected to have around 46% premium seating, in a bid to lure in high-fare-paying travelers. Loading map… Drag to explore Adding Hong Kong to the airline's route map would mark the airline's third Asia gateway, and a logical choice after Tokyo and Seoul, given the strong Asian diaspora in America's Northwest, a prominent tech scene in both cities, and international connectivity via its Seattle hub. The only existing operator on the route is Cathay Pacific: Route Airline Frequency Aircraft HKG-SEA Cathay Pacific 5x Weekly Airbus A350-900 A Broad Plan To Grow To 15 Long-Haul Destinations By 2030 Credit: Alaska Airlines Alaska has not slowed down since it acquired Hawaiian Airlines and shifted the Honolulu-based airline's fleet of 787s to the Seattle-based airline. While the airline still operates the Hawaiian A330 on flights to Asia from Seattle, its state-of-the-art 787s are featured on all major European routes, with the MAX 8 flying to Iceland. The world waited patiently to catch its first glimpse of the uniquely designed Aurora Borealis livery, which depicts the colors and shapes of the Northern Lights. For Alaska, this latest chapter is all about leveraging its extensive domestic and short-haul international network into something much bigger, and expanding its global reach from its home in Seattle. Harrison confirmed that the airline is in the later stages of confirming its next move, which has kept plenty of aviation enthusiasts dialed into where it might fly next. Many have even wondered if the airline would begin the first nonstop flights between Seattle and Australia, after the airline's first onboard safety video featured the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A Large Part Of Alaska Airlines' Growth Will Be To Asia Credit: Flickr There are many airlines operating between Seattle and Asia. These include All Nippon Airways (Tokyo), Asiana Airlines (Seoul), China Airlines (Taipei), Delta Air Lines (Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo), Emirates (Dubai), EVA Air (Taipei), Hainan Airlines (Beijing, Chongqing, Haikou), Hawaiian Airlines (Tokyo), Japan Airlines (Tokyo), Korean Air (Seoul), Philippine Airlines (Manila), Singapore Airlines (Singapore), and Starlux Airlines (Taipei). While Athens and Rome will come online just in time for next summer, the airline's Chief Commercial Officer has confirmed that the majority of its next long-haul moves will be in the Asia region. Harrison suggested that Seattle is primed for growth with services to Asia, and that has made Hong Kong a likely destination. So where else could the airline fly? Shanghai (PVG) and Beijing (PEK) are other high possibilities, or Ho Chi Minh (SGN) or Bangkok (BKK) could be other easy additions for the airline. While we might not see all of these happen at once, they may be added to the airline's network sooner than we might think.