Alaska Airlines to fly Anchorage to Tokyo, first nonstop Asia route since 2011

Alaska Airlines will begin daily nonstop flights between Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Narita International Airport in Tokyo on May 13, 2027, its first nonstop service from Anchorage to Asia since China Airlines flew to Taipei in 2011. The airline has not served Asia since 1998, when it operated routes to the Russian Far East from Anchorage.

The Tokyo flights will run daily through Sept. 7, 2027, then shift to three times weekly beginning in January 2028. Tickets are on sale, though the Alaska Airlines website notes the route is pending government approval. The flight covers about 3,400 miles and lasts roughly 8 hours, 15 minutes, making it the longest route in the airline's network, surpassing the Anchorage-to-New York service that began in 2024.

The route uses the Boeing 737-8, the only 737 in the Alaska Airlines fleet with the range to reach Tokyo. The MAX 8 airframe has longer range than the MAX 10. Aircraft for the route are configured with 16 recliner seats in first class and 145 economy seats, with six rows sold as Premium.

Marilyn Romano, the airline's regional vice president for Alaska, said the route responds to long-standing demand. "This long-requested route will open new opportunities for tourism and commerce, bringing our distinctive hospitality to more travelers and strengthening our growing global network," Romano said. Alaska Airlines has operated since 1932.

Governor Mike Dunleavy said the flights connect both directions of travel. "As the only US domestic carrier serving Tokyo with scheduled service, the opportunities to see the Northern Lights or visit Denali National Park are closer than ever," Dunleavy said. He also noted business ties with Japan.

The Tokyo service anchors a wider Anchorage expansion in 2027 that adds seasonal nonstop flights to Nashville, Austin, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Together, the additions form the largest nonstop schedule from Alaska in the airline's history. The 737-8's range also avoids the issue New Pacific Airlines hit in 2022, when its refurbished Boeing 757-200s required special permits for long-haul flights complicated by closed Russian airspace after the invasion of Ukraine; that carrier redecorated a passenger lounge in the North Terminal but launched no passenger service.