Alaska Airlines unveils massive network expansion for 2026, adding 13 nonstop routes and two new destinations

Alaska Airlines has announced one of the most significant network expansions in its history, introducing 13 new nonstop routes and two entirely new destinations beginning in the spring of 2026. The move centers on bolstering service from key West Coast hubs—San Diego and Portland—while deepening its commitment to the heavily competitive Hawai'i ‘i market and cementing its dominance in California’s Wine Country.

The expansion is poised to increase Alaska Air Group’s network to 142 destinations by 2026—the most the carrier has ever served. Furthermore, with the addition of a new California airport, the airline confirms its status as the carrier serving more California airports year-round than any other U.S. airline.

The two new cities joining the Alaska Airlines route map are Tulsa, Oklahoma, providing connectivity to the central United States, and Arcata-Eureka, California, opening access to the famed California Redwood Coast. Alaska will offer daily service from San Diego to Tulsa, and daily service from Seattle to both Tulsa and Arcata-Eureka.

“San Diego continues to be one of our fastest-growing hubs while Portland and Hawai‘i are essential parts of our global network,” said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning at Alaska Airlines.

San Diego

Alaska is projecting growth of more than 35% in San Diego in spring 2026 compared to spring 2025 capacity.

The expansion includes five new nonstop routes set to launch next spring:

• Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
• Oakland, California
• Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
• Santa Barbara, California
• Tulsa, Oklahoma

With these additions, Alaska Airlines and its partner, Hawaiian Airlines, will collectively serve 49 non-stop destinations.

The new route connecting San Diego and Santa Barbara offers travelers in Santa Barbara a one-stop connection option to key destinations like Boston and Honolulu. Furthermore, the route between San Diego and Santa Rosa-Sonoma in Wine Country will now be served three times daily.

Portland Expansion Targets Major East Coast and Midwest Cities

Building on a successful summer of growth, Alaska Airlines is strategically adding more flights from its established hub at Portland International Airport. The new routes from Rose City focus on increasing connectivity to the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest, bringing the total number of nonstop destinations served from Portland to 62.

Four new destinations will begin service in May 2026:

• Baltimore, Maryland
• Idaho Falls, Idaho
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• St. Louis, Missouri

In addition to these new routes, Alaska is increasing service frequency on existing key corridors, adding a second daily flight to Newark, increasing daily services to Santa Rosa-Sonoma to three, and upgrading its Portland-Līhu‘e (Kaua‘i) service to year-round operation.

Deepening Commitment to Hawai‘i and the Wine Country Market

Alaska Airlines is reinforcing its long-standing presence in the Pacific and in California’s vital tourist regions.

1. New Seasonal Route: A new summer seasonal flight will be introduced between Honolulu and Hollywood Burbank Airport. This development is notable as it marks the first time the two airports will be directly connected in over 20 years.
2. Increased California Frequencies: Starting in the spring, the Los Angeles to Kahului route will increase to two daily nonstops, supplemented by an additional seasonal flight. Similarly, service from San Francisco to Kona and from San Francisco to Līhu‘e will increase to daily nonstop flights in June.
3. Comprehensive Service: By early summer 2026, Alaska will offer daily service to all four major Hawaiian Islands from five critical West Coast gateways: Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Fortifying Santa Rosa-Sonoma Leadership

Beyond the increased scheduling to Portland and San Diego, Alaska has added a new intra-California route: nonstop service between Santa Rosa-Sonoma and Ontario, located east of Los Angeles.