Alaska Grows Seattle Hub

Alaska Airlines has announced an additional three new non-stop routes from its hub in Seattle to Nashville, Charleston and Raleigh-Durham.

The new service to Charleston will connect Boeing employees with one of their largest manufacturing plants outside the Pacific NorthWest, while the Raleigh-Durham service will connect two of the country’s top biotechnology hubs, according to the airline.

"Nashville and Raleigh-Durham are two of the largest destinations on a passenger basis from Seattle that aren't served non-stop by Alaska Airlines," said John Kirby, the carrier's vice-president of capacity planning, "And the Seattle-Charleston market continues to grow, as Boeing business synergies have served as a catalyst."

Service between Seattle and Nashville will commence from September 23, 2015, operating daily and departing Seattle at 09:30am, arriving into the ‘music city’ at 16:05pm local time. The return flight will depart Nashville at 17:05pm, arriving into Seattle at 20:20pm, local time.

Alaska’s new service between Seattle and Raleigh-Durham will commence on October 1, 2015, departing Seattle at 08:40am, arriving into RDU at 16:50pm local time. The return flight will depart Raleigh-Durham at 17:50pm, arriving into Seattle at 21:00pm local time.

"Service to Seattle has been at the top of our list of most wanted destinations and rounds out the service now offered from RDU to the West Coast," said Airport Authority president and CEO Michael Landguth.

Finally, the new service to Charleston will operate from November 16, 2015 four-times-weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing Seattle at 08:30am, arriving into Charleston at 16:50pm. The return flight departs at 17:50pm, arriving into Seattle at 21:10pm.

The airline will use Boeing 737NG aircraft for the three new services, which are all part of Alaska’s growing array of nonstop flights radiating from its Seattle hub. This has been a strategy for the carrier to combat its significantly larger competitor, Delta Air Lines, by offering nonstop flights where Delta doesn’t.

Delta currently connects to all three destinations from Seattle, though does not offer nonstops.

Alaska is also adding a second daily Boeing 737-800 service between Seattle and Atlanta, while adding a new daily Los Angeles – Baltimore/Washington service from September 9, 2015.

When the Alaska Airlines routes start later this year, the airline will be serving 83 destinations from Seattle.

Poppy Marello

Poppy joined the Routesonline team after successfully completing a degree in journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. Poppy has a passion for…