Alaska Air Group to launch new routes to Osaka, Papeete from Seattle

The Alaska Air Group announced the expansion of its Pacific network from its hub at Seattle with new routes to Osaka, Japan and Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia. Both routes will be operated using Hawaiian Airlines’ widebody Airbus A330 aircraft.

From May 14, 2027, the Hawaiian A330s will be operated on the four-times weekly Seattle-Osaka Kansai service. According to the Alaska Air Group, the new route will offer convenient connections between Japan and destinations across Alaska’s domestic network. The outbound flight will depart Seattle every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1210H before arriving at Papeete at 1600H. The return flight will depart 1800H before arriving back at Seattle at 1220H.

The new Seattle-Osaka route will add to the Seattle-Tokyo Narita route which is operated using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Hawaiian Airlines A330s are operated on flights from Honolulu to Tokyo Haneda and Osaka.

“We are delighted to welcome the launch of Alaska Airlines’ new Seattle service,” said Fabien Gourdon, Corporate Executive Vice President, CCO of Aeronautical, Kansai Airports. “We are especially pleased that Kansai International Airport has been selected as the airline’s third destination in Asia. Kansai Airports has been working to expand its network to North America, and we are truly grateful and delighted to welcome Alaska Airlines, whose service to KIX we have long looked forward to. We hope that this new nonstop connection between Kansai and Seattle will further strengthen both tourism and business ties between Kansai and North America.”

In addition to the Seattle-Osaka route, the new thrice-weekly Seattle-Papeete service will be launched on June 11, 2027. The new service will offer a convenient one-stop access from across the US to Tahiti, departing every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The outbound flight will depart at 2355H and arrive the following morning at 0720H. The return flight will depart every Sunday, Thursday, and Saturday at 1700H before arriving back at Seattle the following morning at 0600H.

The new route to Papeete will build on Hawaiian Airlines’ services to Tahiti which has been served since 1987. Alaska/Hawaiian customers will the choice to fly to the island destination directly from Seattle or Honolulu.

“As Hawaiian Airlines celebrates 40 years of connecting Hawai‘i and French Polynesia, Tahiti Tourisme is pleased to welcome this new milestone in our shared Pacific story,” said Vaihere Lissant, CEO, Tahiti Tourisme. “The integration of Hawaiian Airlines into Alaska Airlines’ extensive network creates new opportunities to connect a broader and more diverse range of North American travelers with The Islands of Tahiti. Beyond greater connectivity, this new service is an invitation to discover Tahiti itself, a vibrant cultural capital, and to explore the remarkable diversity of our five archipelagos, including islands beyond our best-known destinations.”

Image: Screenshot of flight schedule for Alaska Air/Hawaiian new routes from Seattle to Osaka and Papeete.

The addition of the two new routes from Seattle are part of Alaska Air Group’s Alaska Accelerate plan. Osaka and Papeete will become a part of Alaska Airlines’ 15 long-haul routes from Seattle which currently includes London, Tokyo, Seoul, Rome, and Reykjavik. New services to Athens and Paris will soon be added.