Alaska Airlines launches Nonstop Flight From Seattle to Rome

On Tuesday, June 3, Alaska Airlines announced that it will begin operating nonstop service from Seattle to Rome in the upcoming year.

The Seattle-based airline claims that this is the first nonstop route from Seattle to Italy, and that Rome is the largest European destination without nonstop service from Seattle.

In a statement, Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci stated, “Since we announced our new global gateway out of Seattle, Rome has been at the top of the list.” “We are excited to offer the Northwest and beyond an easy way to travel to Italy, as our guests have been requesting for years.”

In May 2026, flights will start, and tickets will go on sale this autumn. A flight to Rome is scheduled to depart from Alaska on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 6 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time or PDT). On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, a return flight from Rome to Seattle is scheduled at 3:45 PM (Central European Summer Time or CEST).

Alaska is launching its third international widebody flight from Seattle. In addition to starting service to Seoul Incheon on September 12, Alaska previously started service to Tokyo Narita on May 12.

The popularity of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) as a travel destination has been increasing. Only 25 airlines were using SEA Airport for international flights just two years ago. It will increase to 30 by the end of 2025.

Seoul, Zurich, Copenhagen, and 34 other international locations will be served nonstop by SEA by the end of this year. Direct flights to Taipei, Manila, Toronto, and Munich were added to the airport in 2024.

As of May 2026, Alaska will run flights from Seattle to Rome.

In May 2026, Alaska Airlines will begin operating four weekly flights between Rome (FCO) and Seattle (SEA). The schedule for the 5,688-mile flight is as follows:

• Seattle to Rome departing 6:00 PM (PDT) arriving 1:45 PM (CEST) (+1 day)
• Rome to Seattle departing 3:45 PM (CEST) arriving 6:00 PM (PDT)

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the flight will run westbound with a block time of 11:15 minutes, and eastbound on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays with a block time of 10:45 minutes.

It is anticipated that the flight will begin selling in the fall of 2025. There is currently no set date for the flight’s official launch or when it will be on sale.

As the first long-haul route operated by Alaska Air Group out of Seattle using the Dreamliner instead of the Airbus A330, this is a significant development.

New flights to Rome on Alaska Airlines

In addition to becoming the third of a dozen long-haul flights anticipated to depart from Seattle by the end of this decade, the new flights to Rome will mark the beginning of Alaska’s long-haul era and its first trip in Europe.

This is how Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci explains the new route:

“It’s a dream come true to serve Rome continuously from Seattle. This is a significant addition to our network as an Italian American whose parents left Italy. Since we announced our new global gateway out of Seattle, Rome has been at the top of the list. We are excited to offer the Northwest and beyond an easier option to travel to Italy, as our guests have requested for years. “Andiamo, let’s go!”

Rome will be more than just a new Alaskan destination. Rome is undoubtedly the largest European city to which the Pacific Northwest lacks nonstop service, and this new route will be Seattle’s first direct connection to it.

The long-haul flight industry in Alaska is entering a new era.

Naturally, the opening of Alaska Airlines’ first flight to Europe is cool. However, the most exciting aspect of Alaska’s long-haul aviation is that this will be the state’s first long-haul route operated by a Boeing 787 and under its own name.

In terms of branding and the passenger experience, it’s unusual because Hawaiian Airlines’ Airbus A330s now operate the long-haul routes out of Seattle. The soft product is comparable to what you typically get on Hawaiian Airlines, and the business class seats are arranged in a 2-2-2 layout.

The airline will undergo a sea change due to this new route. Later this year, Alaska and Hawaii are anticipated to receive a single operating certificate. Thus, this will be the first Alaska-marketed long-haul route. This implies that the flight number for the route will be Alaskan.

Additionally, Alaska is anticipated to introduce a new long-haul experience that is more Alaskan than Hawaiian on this route. It’s interesting to see how this turns out, because Hawaiian’s 787s are stunning. Seeing a Dreamliner with the Alaskan logo will be intriguing.

Bottom Line

Alaska Airlines is about to undergo a significant transformation. The airline has operated only domestic and small international routes for decades, thanks to its fleet of renowned narrow-body aircraft. Alaska Airlines plans to use a Boeing 787 to start a new service between Seattle and Rome in May 2026.

It will be the first flight to Europe, the third long-haul route from Seattle operated by Alaska Air Group, and the first journey to be advertised as Alaska. However, it will soon introduce a brand-new long-haul service, marked with the opening of this new nonstop route between Seattle and Rome.

A Dreamliner painted in Alaska Airlines’ iconic livery and anything else the airline has planned for its long-haul flights is something to look forward to! Stay tuned!

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