Alaska Airlines has launched its first route to Europe, inaugurating daily nonstop service between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO).
The 5,673-mi. (4,930-nm) route will operate daily using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, up from the 4X-weekly schedule originally planned, reflecting stronger-than-expected demand. Rome becomes the first of three new Europe routes Alaska will launch from Seattle this summer, followed by London Heathrow on May 21 and Reykjavik Keflavik on May 28.
The move comes as Alaska begins to expand the long-haul capabilities gained through its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, using the carrier’s 787 fleet to expand beyond its traditional domestic and short-haul international network.
“Launching our first flight to Europe is a significant step in executing our long-term growth strategy,” Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci says. “Service to Rome expands how we connect our guests to the world [and] strengthens Seattle’s role as a global gateway.”
The Rome addition gives the airline a foothold in one of Seattle’s largest unserved long-haul markets. Sabre Market Intelligence data shows nearly 48,200 two-way passengers traveled between Seattle and Rome in 2025, making the Italian capital the largest unserved European destination from the U.S. city prior to Alaska’s entry.
However, the launch comes as Delta Air Lines plans to start its own SEA-FCO service on May 6, operating four times per week with Airbus A330-900neos. Once both carriers are in the market, OAG Schedules Analyser data shows about 6,448 two-way weekly seats will be available between the cities, with Alaska holding about 65% of total capacity.
The overlap opens a new competitive front in Seattle, where Alaska has long been the leading domestic carrier while Delta has steadily built up its long-haul presence over the past decade.
By peak summer, Alaska plans to offer about 10,650 two-way weekly seats from SEA to Europe, while Delta will offer around 19,700. In addition to entering the Rome market, Delta is also launching Seattle-Barcelona service on May 7, expanding its transatlantic network from SEA to five destinations.
Related Content
