Alaska Airlines

Kraken fan? (Or have the t-shirt?) Wear it and get priority boarding on Alaska Airlines

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Folks in Seattle are pretty darn excited that there’s now a professional hockey team in town.

And so is Alaska Airlines, the hometown airline that’s also the official airline of the Kraken.

To celebrate the ice hockey season, Alaska Airlines is offering priority boarding out of Seattle, Everett, or Palm Springs to anyone wearing a Seattle Kraken or Coachella Valley Firebird jersey. (The Firebirds are a new professional ice hockey expansion team of the Seattle Kraken.)

That means anyone sporting a Kraken or Firebirds hockey jersey will be able to board following group B.

The offer stands for passengers Kraken and Firebirds gear-wearing fans on all Alaska Airines flights departing from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Paine Field (PAE), and Palm Springs International Airport (PSP).

Don’t have the gear just yet? We suspect you’ll find shops at these airports selling the gear. Let us know what you find.

Alaska Airlines’ new Star Wars-themed airplane

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 Alaska Airlines made good use of May the Fourth – Star Wars Day – to unveil a new Star Wars-themed aircraft.

The plane has the iconic Millennium Falcon emblazoned on the tail chased by TIE fighters and is a tie-in with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the newest land of adventure at Disneyland park.

The plane, with a tail number of N538AS, has the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Disneyland Resort logos in the center of the fuselage. And you’ll see porgs, the cute avian creatures that lived on Luke Skywalker’s remote island, on both winglets. Another porg is at the boarding door.

Here’s a cool video showing the plane being painted.

To make this happen, it took 228 gallons of paint applied during 540 work hours over 27 days.

(All photos and video courtesy Alaska Airlines)

Airlines, airports mark May the Fourth

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If you are flying across the country, or to a galaxy far, far away, on Alaska Airlines on Wednesday, May 4th, be sure to wear your favorite Star Wars clothing.

Alaska Airlines also just showed off a new Star Wars/Disneyland livery.

We know other airlines and many airports also celebrate May the Fourth, so check back here for additions throughout the day. And let us know what we’ve missed.

Here is one of our favorites from last year’s May the Fourth airport celebrations

Alaska Airlines’ subscription Flight Pass

Air Fare Deals,

If you fly a lot between cities in California, Nevada, and Arizona, Alaska Airlines has a deal for you.

Today Alaska Airlines is launching a new product called Flight Pass that is a subscription round-trip flight plan program for destinations across California, Nevada, and Arizona.

Prices start at just $49/month. 

Here’s how it works:

At FlightPass.alaskaair.com, you can select one of six plans. Subscriptions last for a minimum of 12 months and flights can only be used by the person subscribing. Charges will be made to your credit card each month.

The program has two tiers: Flight Pass and Flight Pass Pro. And there are three package options within each tier. The Flight Pass program requires a booking be made 14 days in advance; the Flight Pass Pro program allows booking up to the time of departure.

Alaska says most flights in the Flight Pass zone are included in the subscription for a fare of $0.01, plus taxes and fees of about $14.60. But the carrier also notes that some flights may require a higher premium access fare. They don’t say which flights those are.

The Alaska Flight Pass program:

Pay $49/month and you’ll get one roundtrip flight every two months. Booking must be made 14 days in advance.

For $99/month, you’ll get one roundtrip flight every month. Booking must be made 14 days in advance.

Pay $189/month and you’ll be able to take two roundtrip flights each month. Booking must be made 14 days in advance.

The Alaska Airlines Flight Pass Pro program:

Pay $199/month and get one roundtrip flight every 2 months. Book any time up to departure.

Pay $299/month and get one roundtrip flight monthly. Book any time up to departure.

Pay $749/month and get two roundtrips monthly. Book any time up to departure.

Each month, Alaska Airlines will put flight credits into your account redeemable for round-trip tickets. The credits have a time limit for use and expire once your next batch of credits is deposited into your account. But, you don’t have to travel before your credit expires; you just need to make sure to redeem the credits for travel you will take within 90 days.

You can read more details of the program here. But keep in mind that Flight Pass credits can be redeemed for travel only on nonstop Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, or SkyWest flights within California and between California and Nevada or Arizona. Flights may be operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, or SkyWest Airlines, but no connections are permitted and roundtrips must be between two airports; no open-jaw itineraries.

Why do this now?

A lot of people are just easing back into travel. So it may seem odd to introduce a subscription program that commits the plan purchaser to a flight every month or every other month.

But Alex Corey, Alaska Airlines’ Managing Director of Business Development and Products said “We’re seeing signs that demand is recovering very quickly and we think this is a good time to launch a product like this.”

And what about travelers who live outside of the cities covered by the Flight Pass program like say, the carrier’s home state of Washington? Maybe they’d like a flight pass too. “We will explore that based on customer feedback after this initial launch,” said Corey. So stand by.

Visting the North Pole with Alaska Airlines’ Fantasy Flight

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On Friday, Spokane International Airport (GEG) looks innocent enough. What with all the poinsettia trees and other holiday decorations.

But by Saturday afternoon the lobby is filled with elves waiting for the arrival of several busloads of deserving kids who have received invitations from Santa and Mrs. Claus to visit them at the North Pole.

Here’s a link to the story we wrote for the Alaska Airlines blog:

Elves, Toys, and a Holiday-Themed Plane: How Alaska Delivered an Unforgettable North Pole Adventure for Kids this Year.

For the past 25 years, the Spokane Fantasy Flight has been treating about 60 at-risk kids from the community to a magical holiday day that includes a flight on an airplane, a visit to a hangar transformed into the North Pole, and lots and lots of gifts. Alaska Airlines has been providing the airplane for the event for the past 14 years, and this year I got to go along.

Before anyone could board the flight, they had to go through airport security.

And the TSA team at GEG was nice enough to set aside a dedicated lane just for the North Pole flight passengers.

Then it was time to board the flight.

Alaska Airlines had brought in the brand new Starbucks “Merrier Together” and soon we were taking off for the North Pole, where there was unlimited candy and ice cream, lots of fun activities, and, of course, Santa.

We can’t show you the rest of the North Pole because we don’t want to ruin Christmas. But suffice it to say it is indeed a very magical place.

Airports & Airlines Having Holiday Fun

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It IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas in airports and in the air. Here are some of the fun holiday items we spotted today.

Alaska Airlines’ Holiday Perks

Alaska Airlines has a new special-edition aircraft in the skies decorated with snowflakes, the words “Merrier Together,” and those festive red Starbucks holiday cups.

Through December 12, passengers on 50 of this aircraft’s flights will receive reusable holiday cups and some bonus treats. The airline will also be offsetting the carbon impacts of these flights.

On National Ugly Sweater Day – December 17 – the airline will be offering early boarding to any passengers wearing an ugly sweater.

Holidays take flight at Alaska Airlines

And throughout December, passengers wearing ugly sweaters may purchase a day pass to any of the airline’s eight lounges around the country for $25, which is 50% off the regular price. The lounges are located in Anchorage (ANC), New York (JFK), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), and Seattle (SEA).

An Elf is Roaming Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Festive Selfie Spot at ATL

And Check out the SFO Wag Brigade

Put your name on Helsinki Airport. Plus more airport & airline news.

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Want an airport named after you? It’s easy. In Finland

Dulles International Airport. John F. Kennedy International Airport. Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.

It’s a big deal to have an airport named for you.

In Finland, though, anyone can have Helsinkin Airport named for them. At least for a few moments.

Finavia Corporation, which manages Finland’s airport network has created a way for anyone to have their name put on the front of the Helsinki Airport terminal buildl long enough to snap a selfie or two.

Here’s how to make it happen for you.

Go to www.myhelsinkiairport.fi, put your name in the form, and hit submit.

Your entry will be reviewed to make sure it’s not off-color or inappropriate. And then, depending on how many requests are in ahead of you, your name will appear over the Helsinki Airport sign on the front of the terminal.

We tested it out and filled out the form early morning Finland time from Seattle. Then we watched on the website as our name popped up on the airport sign within seconds.

Unfortunately, of course, we couldn’t get a selfie with our sign because were weren’t standing out in front of the airport in person. But we’re determined to get there so we can get that snap.

In the meatime, we’re declaring this Airport Amenity of the Week. Agree?

Holidays at Airports and in the Air

We’re gathering up news of holiday events and amenities being rolled out by airports and airlines.

Here are a few to round out the week.

Let us know what we’re missing at your airport.

Shopping at Alaska Airlines’ Company Store

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The newest location of Alaska Airlines’ Company Store is in “The Hub,” a 6-story office building the carrier opened near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in July 2020, just as the world was going into lockdown due to the pandemic.

That’s why there’s been little publicity about this great avgeek shopping destination.

Until now.

The store is filled with all manner of branded gear for fans of Alaska Airlines and its sister regional carrier, Horizon Air.

During our visit before Thanksgiving, we found lots of great gifts at very reasonable prices.

Here are some snaps of just some of our purchases, which are also available online.

Shopping for someone who’s a fan of another airline? America Airlines, Frontier Airlines,  Southwest, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines, and United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines also have branded online shops.

(Read more about our visit to Alaska Airlines’ company store in a piece we wrote for The Points Guy.)

Stuck at the Airport: Travel Tidbits

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Clyde Pangborn’s Uneaten Sandwich

An old, stale sandwich locked away in a Washington state museum is drawing fresh attention to an aviation daredevil and the 90th anniversary of a record-setting flight.

The sandwich is said to have traveled with Clyde “Upside-Down” Pangborn. But when? It could have been in 1926, when he was wowing spectators as a stuntman in a flying circus, doing aerial stunts such as loops, flying upside down, changing planes in midair, and completing auto-to-airplane transfers. Or it could have been in October 1931, when Pangborn and co-pilot Hugh Herndon, Jr. set a transpacific record by flying nonstop from Misawa, Japan, to East Wenatchee, Washington, in 41 hours and 13 minutes (some say 15 minutes).

Either way, the sandwich that is tucked away a the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center is really, really old and gaining new attention because this month is the anniversary of Pangborn’s record-setting flight. Read more about Pangborn and the sandwich in the story we wrote for The Points Guy.

(Photos courtesy of the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center).

Alaska Airlines unleashes the Kraken plane

In Seattle, the home base of Stuck at The Airport, we have a new hockey professional ice hockey team, called the Kraken.

The city is pretty darn excited. And so is Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, which is the Kraken’s official airline.

To celebrate, the airline is flying a custom Kraken-themed plane on routes to the team’s away games in cities Alaska Airline serves.

And here’s a nice perk: now through the end of the hockey season, Kraken fans who wear the teams’ jersey can board early on all Alaska flights departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Paine Field (PAE).

Phoenix Sky Harbor Int’l Airport Moves a Mural

A large 3-part mural by Paul Coze that has been greeting travelers inside Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for decades has a new home in the airport’s Rental Car Center.

Here’s a time-lapse video of the move.

“The Phoenix,” is a triptych 75 feet wide and 16 feet high and is believed to be the first piece of public art commissioned by the city that was chosen through a public process. The mural debuted when Terminal 2 opened in 1962.

The imagery in the mural includes depictions and symbols that relate to the area’s first inhabitants, the Hohokam, as well as modern tribes and Latino heritage. Also represented are wagon trains, railroads, cattle ranching, mining, and technology. Besides paint media, 52 different materials, including glass and ceramic mosaic tiles, soil and sand from around the state, plastics, aluminum, and gemstones, are used in the mural construction.

So you can imagine that moving this mural was a delicate undertaking. But it looks like it worked out just fine.

A look at Alaska Airline’s new lounge at SFO

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We stopped by the new Alaska Airlines lounge in Terminal 2 at San Fransico International Airport (SFO) to see for ourselves what the space was like.

Sadly, the sourdough toast cart wasn’t open for business during our visit. Instead, we indulged in a made-for-us Americano and treats from the serve-yourself candy bar. There are jars filled with Ghirardelli chocolate, Jelly Belly beans, and fortune cookies from the Oakland Fortune Cookie Factory. We tried them all.   

Besides the great airfield views, the best part of this lounge may be the San Francisco Giants-themed children’s play area. This space has adorable, kid-sized baseball-inspired furniture. There’s a wall of baseball bobbleheads. And an interactive display of different types of pitches.