Alaska Airlines is planning a major premium spending spree. The Seattle-based airline on Tuesday announced a slew of upgrades for its planes and its airport lounges.
For the first time, Alaska will install lie-flat seats on domestic planes. You could start seeing those fancy new suites on key transcontinental routes as soon as 2028.
Also on deck: premium economy. For months, Alaska executives have been dropping hints about the cabin. Now, it’s actually coming.
Plus, Hawaiian Airlines’ flagship jets are getting a significant upgrade, complete with new state-of-the-art business-class suites.
We are also getting new details about new lounges the airline is planning in Seattle, Honolulu and San Diego.
All told, it’s a ton of news involving America’s fifth-largest airline — and in a lot of ways, it marks the next step in Alaska’s evolution after acquiring Hawaiian in 2024.
Let’s quickly walk through these changes and what they’ll mean for your travel on Alaska and Hawaiian in the coming years.
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Lie-flat suites coming to domestic service
The biggest surprise announcement on Tuesday was Alaska’s plan to outfit dozens of its single-aisle planes with lie-flat seats for the first time.
Earlier this year, Alaska ordered 105 of Boeing’s new Boeing 737 MAX 10 planes.
Now, at least 25 of those jets are slated to get a true long-haul style, business-class product up front.
With this move, Alaska will have a top-notch transcontinental offering that can compete with its top rivals on prime coast-to-coast routes. I’d certainly expect to see these specially configured MAX 10s on routes like Seattle-New York City.
Special livery
Alaska hopes to start taking delivery of its first MAX 10s as early as 2027. But that’s contingent on Boeing’s new jets (finally) receiving certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Alaska and Hawaiian introduce premium economy
Those new 737 MAX 10s won’t just have a new business-class cabin. They’ll also have a true premium economy section. So will Alaska and Hawaiian’s long-haul planes.
The carrier will call the cabin “Premium Reserve.”
You’ll see the new premium economy seats on:
- Alaska’s luxe new 737 MAX 10s (12 recliner seats)
- Alaska’s Boeing 787s (35 seats)
- Hawaiian’s Airbus A330s (28 seats)
Like most premium economy cabins, Alaska and Hawaiian’s Premium Reserve cabins will roughly resemble domestic first-class recliners.
The seats will come with privacy wings, leg rests, larger tray tables and more storage — along with 16-inch 4K screens.
Earlier this year, Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci told TPG that premium economy was the “true piece that’s missing” as the airline expanded globally.
Now, it’s officially coming: Alaska and Hawaiian flyers will start seeing the seats in 2028.
Alaska’s new ‘Aurora’ business-class experience
Meanwhile, both Alaska and Hawaiian will roll out an all-new flagship experience for travelers seated at the front of the plane.
Alaska’s ‘Aurora Suites’
Going forward, Alaska will debut a new business-class product known as its “Aurora Suites” on the Boeing 787 and 737 MAX 10.
Inspired by the northern lights, the name is a clear play on the airline’s state of Alaska heritage.
The business suites on Alaska’s existing 787s will get some new touches and finishes. And the carrier will roll out an all-new product on newly-delivered planes.
Aurora Lounge planned in Seattle
Passengers flying in Alaska’s Aurora Suites will get access to the airline’s new premium check-in facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which opened earlier this year.
Plus, Aurora Suites passengers flying long-haul service from SeaTac will be (eventually) able to access the upscale lounge the carrier is building on the airport’s expanded C concourse.
That club, set to open in late 2027, will fittingly be known as the Aurora Lounge.
As TPG reported earlier this year, it will include a la carte table-service dining and shower suites. There will also be an outdoor patio and fireplace, according to the airline, along with “wellness spaces.”
This facility is Alaska’s answer to the upper-echelon, business-class clubs offered by competitors (such as the Delta One Lounge or the United Airlines Polaris Lounge).
Access will be limited to passengers flying long-haul in Alaska’s Aurora Suites. Top-tier Titanium elite status members of the carrier’s Atmos Rewards program will also be allowed inside when booked on those flights in any cabin.
New Alaska Lounge at SEA
Beneath the Aurora Lounge, the airline is also working on a new 500-seat Alaska Lounge for members of its traditional club network.
The combined Seattle facility will span a whopping 41,000 square feet.
Hawaiian’s new ‘Leihoku’ business-class experience
Hawaiian Airlines is getting a glow-up, too.
Airbus A330 slated for major refresh
In the coming years, each of the carrier’s 24 Airbus A330s will get its own business-class suites with sliding privacy doors.
It’s part of a larger nose-to-tail refresh of the legacy jets, which are a fixture on Hawaiian’s routes between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii — along with its transpacific service to Asia and Australia.
Up front, Hawaiian will replace its dated business-class product with suite-style pods, complete with sliding privacy doors and updated technology.
Instead of the legacy 2-2-2 configuration, the 22 pods will be arranged in a 1-2-1 setup. And, unlike the current setup, each of Hawaiian’s lie-flats will have direct aisle access.
The new suites are a similar “hard product” to what Alaska is rolling out in business class, but they will have a classic Hawaiian Airlines look and branding. Hawaiian is calling these seats its Leihoku Suites.
In the middle part of the cabin, the A330s will have the new Premium Reserve recliners. Once the retrofits are complete, these A330s will have about 40% premium seats on board — up from 30% currently.
This refresh should be a major upgrade for passengers flying Hawaiian’s flagship jets. The new interiors will start appearing on A330s in 2028.
Other upgrades coming
We also heard about a few other upgrades in the works.
New Hawaiian lounge in Honolulu
Hawaiian is getting its own new premium lounge at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu.
That 13,000-square-foot space is on track to open in early 2028 with space for 200 guests. Hawaiian is promising locally inspired food and drinks and a “signature local coffee experience.”
The facility will be located at the entrance of the Mauka concourse at HNL’s Terminal 1.
Leihoku Suites passengers will be allowed to enter. Beyond that, access rules will be similar to those of the current Plumeria Lounge at HNL, Hawaiian said.
Alaska Lounge in San Diego
Elsewhere, Alaska shared a sneak peek of its new club planned for its hub at San Diego International Airport (SAN).
Details are sparse, but the new Alaska Lounge will span 14,000 square feet once it debuts in 2028.
Bottom line
Since the Alaska-Hawaiian merger in 2024, we’ve seen new international routes and a new loyalty program. Now, travelers can expect to see some pretty significant premium investments over the next few years.
In particular, 2028 should be a huge year for the two airline brands, as many of these new seats, lounges and luxe products start appearing on planes and in airports.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Source: thepointsguy.com
