Thursday, July 18, 2024
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At Alaska Airlines, enhancing your travel experience is always at the forefront of our endeavors. We understand the importance of choice, offering a range of options from the upscale comforts of Premium and First Class to the economical flexibility of our Main Cabin and Saver Fare choices.
This September marks the beginning of an exciting expansion for us. We are set to increase our First Class and Premium Class seating across over 200 aircraft in our fleet, including the 900ERs, 800s, and MAX9s. This initiative will add an impressive 1.3 million premium seats each year to our mainline fleet. Additionally, earlier this year, we completed a significant retrofit of our entire regional fleet by incorporating 400,000 Premium Class seats into our E175 aircraft.
Expanding Premium and First Class Seating
With the addition of more seats in these classes, we are streamlining the upgrade process for our passengers, making it more straightforward than ever to enhance your travel experience while accommodating the increasing demand for premium seating.
Aircraft | First Class Changes | Premium Class Changes | Number of Aircraft Retrofitted | Conversion Timing |
---|---|---|---|---|
737-800 | Increasing from 12 to 16 seats | 30 seats will remain | 59 | Conversions will begin in early 2025; to be completed by summer 2026 |
737-900ER | 16 seats will remain | Increasing from 24 to 30 seats | 79 | Conversions will begin in fall 2025; to be completed by summer 2026 |
737-9 MAX | 16 seats will remain | Increasing from 24 to 30 seats | 80 | Conversions will begin in spring 2025; to be completed by summer 2026 |
For decades, our patrons have cherished our pioneering Premier Travel Experience. In collaboration with RECARO, we’ve elevated this experience, ensuring unparalleled comfort. Our newly upgraded Premier Travel seats on the 737-800 series now offer the most spacious legroom, featuring amenities like calf supports, innovative seatback device holders, a versatile 6-way headrest with neck support, and USB-C charging ports.
Across the Economy and Premium sections of our 737-800 aircraft, travelers will enjoy enhanced comfort and convenience. Upgrades include the latest device holders that integrate cup holders, USB-C ports, and a 6-way headrest with specialized neck support.
As we update our 737-900ER fleet to expand the Premium section by transforming six Economy seats, these planes will undergo a stylish interior makeover. This includes adding modern device holders across the Economy section, reinforcing our commitment to core fleet enhancements. Furthermore, our latest MAX9 planes will also see six seats transitioned to Premium, augmenting the comfort and luxury our passengers expect.
The expansion in Premier and Premium seating is a direct response to the heightened demand we’ve noted from our esteemed passengers. We recognize the growing preference for enhanced comfort and exclusive benefits offered by these travel classes and are dedicated to accommodating these needs. Upgrading has never been easier, catering to both business and leisure travelers.
This quarter, we saw an 8% and 6% rise in revenue for Premier and Premium classes respectively, with Premier class occupancy reaching 71%, a 4.3% increase. Our strides in paid premium capacity have significantly evolved from earlier figures, which hovered around the 40% mark for our mainline and all-coach regional fleets.
We are pleased to confirm that despite the addition of extra premium seats, our Boeing fleet will continue to provide four lavatories. This ensures that all passengers, regardless of their travel class, experience ease and accessibility throughout their journey.
Traveling with us, whether for work or relaxation, means enjoying a range of premium services. These include no change fees, extra legroom in both Premier and Premium classes, and the most rewarding Mileage Plan offering the fastest route to elite status.
Experience our top-tier in-flight dining, which features exquisite West Coast-inspired cuisine and a select range of beverages. Our commitment to a tech-forward travel experience, ongoing airport enhancements, and our exceptional team ensures a seamless journey from start to finish.
Furthermore, we’ve simplified the process for seat upgrades. Guests can now enhance their seating to Premier or Premium class via our website up to 50 minutes before take-off, or through the Alaska Airlines mobile app.
Explore our media kit for detailed visuals of our premium seating options and layouts, available for download.
*Excluding lie-flat options compared to other U.S. legacy carriers.
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