Alaska Airlines to Launch Anchorage to Tokyo Flights in May 2027

Alaska Airlines has announced plans to launch a new transpacific route connecting Anchorage and Tokyo Narita starting May 13, 2027, Paddley Too, One Mile at a Time, and The Points Guy reported. According to One Mile at a Time, the service will run daily through September 7, 2027, on a single-aisle Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Simple Flying reported that ticket prices start at $605 and the route remains subject to government approval. [1][2][4][5]

Outlets differ slightly on the defining characteristics of the new service. Paddley Too reported that the eight-hour journey is the carrier's longest flight on record by duration for its Boeing 737 fleet and its second-longest by distance. One Mile at a Time reported that the route spans 3,434 miles. Paddley Too noted that the aircraft operating the over eight-hour transpacific route has no flat beds or seatback entertainment screens. [1][4]

Under the planned schedule detailed by One Mile at a Time, flight AS21 will depart Anchorage (ANC) at 2:10 PM and arrive at Tokyo Narita (NRT) at 3:25 PM the following day. The return flight, AS22, will depart Tokyo Narita and head back to Anchorage. [4]

Alaska Airlines introduced the Boeing 737 as its primary aircraft in 1986 and operates out of its headquarters in SeaTac, Washington, serving destinations across North America, Asia, Oceania, and Europe [9, 11]. Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport serves as a major cargo hub for transpacific traffic [10]. As FTMQ Travel reported earlier, the carrier previously announced plans to expand its Asian flight network from Seattle, including a route to Osaka set to launch in May 2027 using Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 aircraft. [9][10][11][13]