Alaska Airlines celebrated a historic, long-awaited moment for Western Washington Monday with the first commercial flights at Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport in Everett. Paine Field is now home to Alaska's newest destination, and the nation's newest commercial air terminal. The first departure this morning headed for Portland, Oregon.
The new service provides our guests – especially those who live north of Seattle – with an easier, more convenient option for catching a flight. By mid-March, Alaska will have its full flight schedule of 18 daily nonstop departures to eight West Coast cites – places our customers have told us they want to fly to.
"The opening of a brand-new commercial air terminal at Paine Field is history in the making. We're extremely proud to be a part of a growing, thriving Pacific Northwest and West Coast," said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines' chief commercial officer. "From Everett, our guests can travel more easily and more quickly to eight terrific West Coast cities, and then continue on to nearly anywhere else they'd like to go, especially with our 15 Global Partners that fly to 900 destinations around the world."
New commercial air service at Paine Field is expected to save time and money for the more than one million travelers who live in North Puget Sound. They'll enjoy shorter commutes to Paine Field, easing traffic congestion and hopefully reducing stress levels.
All Alaska flights at Paine Field are operated by Horizon Air with the Embraer 175 aircraft, which features a three-class cabin, including an exceptional first class, and premium class with complimentary cocktails, wine and craft beer, plus extra legroom.
"Our team is excited to deliver an enjoyable, hassle-free travel experience for our guests at Paine Field," said Gary Beck, Horizon Air president and CEO. "This is a new destination for us, but we have a lot of experience in providing outstanding service. We're eager to welcome everyone from our long-time Mileage Plan members to those who are flying with us for the first time. And to all of our employees who are working so hard at Paine Field, thank you for your dedication and commitment."
Commercial flights from Everett are expected to ignite economic development by increasing visitors to the area and attracting new businesses. Over the years, Alaska has remained extremely proud of its contributions to Washington's economy. Along with local vendors, manufacturing partners and technology providers, Alaska contributed $7 billion to Washington's economy in 2017. Alaska is grateful to have a role in the airport's continued success, and very appreciative of the support of the Snohomish County community, business partners, government officials and agencies, plus employees who all came together to make this launch possible.
"Paine Field offers so many new opportunities. The sky's the limit," said Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports, the company that built and operates the state-of-the-art terminal. "Along with Alaska, we're ready to provide amazing service to our guests along with a dynamic new travel experience."
Every seat on the E175 is either a window or an aisle – there are no middle seats. Guests can enjoy more than 500 free movies and TV shows on their own devices, free texting, and new, West Coast-inspired fresh food items and beverage selections onboard. It's all a part of Alaska's award-winning service and focus on offering low fares, great value and outstanding service to our guests.
From Paine Field, guests can fly to eight West Coast cities: Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Orange County, California; Phoenix; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; San Francisco; and San Jose, California. Tickets for all Paine Field flights went on sale Nov. 15, 2018.
From Alaska's gateway airports – such as Los Angeles or San Francisco – guests can then connect with our Global Partners to fly to amazing cities around the globe. Flyers can also earn and redeem miles with Alaska's highly-acclaimed Mileage Plan program, with award travel that starts at only 5,000 miles.
Source: Alaska Airlines