Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines announce Seattle flights to Osaka and Tahiti

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are launching two new transpacific long-haul routes connecting Seattle with Osaka, Japan, and Papeete, Tahiti, in 2027. Travel Weekly reported that Hawaiian Air will operate the flights from Seattle. One Mile at a Time added that the service to Osaka will begin in May 2027, followed by the flights to Papeete in June 2027. [1][2][3][4][6][7][8]

According to One Mile at a Time, the new flights will be operated using Airbus A330 aircraft carrying Hawaiian Airlines branding. View from the Wing reported that Japan Airlines could assist Alaska Airlines in supporting the new route to Osaka. View from the Wing also noted that the Papeete service enters a market previously served by Air Tahiti Nui. [3][5]

The route expansion follows the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines by the parent company of Alaska Airlines. Hawaiian Airlines is a commercial carrier based in Honolulu and is a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group. Alaska Airlines maintains its main operational hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. [3][9][11]

One Mile at a Time reported that Alaska Airlines has increased its target for long-haul routes out of its Seattle hub by 25 percent. The carrier now aims to launch 15 long-haul international routes out of Seattle by 2030, up from its original goal of 12 routes. [3]