Alaska Airlines inaugurates direct flight between Seattle and Rome
Alaska Airlines is celebrating a historic milestone with the debut of its first direct flight between Seattle and Rome, the first-ever nonstop service between the Emerald City and the Eternal City. The new route marks the airline's official entry into Europe and reinforces Seattle's role as a strategic international hub in Alaska Airlines' network.
The new seasonal service connects Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with Fiumicino Airport (FCO) until October 23, 2026 and is currently the only daily direct flight between the two cities. The flight departs Seattle at 5:30 pm and arrives in Rome at 1:15 pm, giving passengers a full afternoon to start their tour of the Italian capital and its attractions. In the opposite direction, the connection departs from Rome at 15:25 and lands in Seattle at 17:45, also facilitating the access of Italian Travellers to the Pacific Northwest, between natural landscapes and gastronomic scene.
For passengers, the new route also opens up a particularly interesting combination for long-haul travel: Alaska Airlines points out that the connection via Seattle offers one of the best one-stop options between Hawaii and Europe, thus expanding the possibilities for both those departing from the Hawaiian Islands and European Travellers heading to the archipelago.
The flight is operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in the airline's new global livery. Also debuting on board is the new international Business Class Suites experience, which accompanies the carrier's global expansion between Asia and Europe. The aircraft features 34 Business Class Suites, designed to offer a premium experience on long-haul flights.
For Business Class travellers, the offer includes welcome service, multi-course menus, a Salt & Straw dessert trolley with customisable toppings, a regional-inspired meal served before landing, as well as courtesy kit with Salt & Stone travel items and Filson linens and pillows. The same experience is already available on the Seattle-South Korea route, will be introduced on the Seattle-London route from May 21 and will debut on Seattle-Tokyo in the fall.
Alaska Airlines is also enhancing services on the ground for premium passengers and loyal customers. Soon, at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, Suites guests and Atmos™ Titanium members will be able to use a new dedicated check-in lane. Similar services are also planned in other hubs of the company, including Anchorage, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and internationally in London, Reykjavik, Rome, Seoul and Tokyo. In Seattle, the experience will be completed by a personal concierge who will accompany guests from the dedicated lounge to a private security access.
Check-in lanes will be reserved for Suites guests or Atmos™ Titanium members traveling with immediate family members, such as spouse and children under 21 years of age, or with a maximum of two passengers on the same reservation.
Alaska Airlines also highlights that upgrades on international flights are part of the experience for loyal customers, noting that it is the only U.S. airline to offer this benefit. Atmos Titanium members and one companion on the same booking will be able to receive upgrades on the day of departure to international Business Class Suites and lie-flat seats on flights between Asia, Europe and Oceania, subject to availability. Members with Atmos status will also be able to use upgrade certificates across the airline's global network.
For premium passengers, access also includes Alaska Airlines' network of lounges and oneworld partner lounges around the world, available to international Business Class Suites and oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members, regardless of class of travel.
The on-board experience is still enhanced throughout the cabin. International Premium Class passengers have extra legroom and a dedicated courtesy kit, while complimentary meals, soft blankets and pillows are provided in both International Premium Class and Main Cabin.
On the connectivity front, Alaska Airlines announces that by the fall the entire fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners will be equipped with Starlink, offering free Wi-Fi to all members of the Atmos Rewards program thanks to the collaboration with T-Mobile. With the completion of the installations, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will become the first U.S. airlines to offer Starlink on 100% of their widebody fleet, while also operating the most Starlink flights departing from Seattle than any other carrier.
The company also recalls that it is already the only one in the world to have the entire regional fleet equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi. The first Starlink-equipped Alaska airliner, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, entered service this month, marking an important milestone in the plan that will lead to the full installation of the system on all Alaska and Hawaiian aircraft by 2027.
For the summer, Atmos Rewards members will also be able to access a new on-board Wi-Fi portal, designed to offer seamless connectivity from boarding to disembarkation, for streaming, navigation and communication during the journey. Signing up for Atmos Rewards is free and also allows you to accumulate points for future travel.
Alaska, Hawaiian, and Horizon
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, while McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. With hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco it reaches over 140 destinations in North America, Latin America, Asia, the Pacific and Europe. Alaska and Hawaiian are members of the oneworld alliance. Atmos Rewards loyalty programme members can earn and redeem points with oneworld airlines and global partners serving more than 1,000 destinations worldwide.
