Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday that it would buy 110 Boeing planes, part of an ambitious plan for growth fueled by its recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. The order is the largest in the airline’s history and will support Alaska’s expansion, including to destinations abroad.
“This fleet investment builds on the strong foundation Alaska has created to support steady, scalable and sustained growth,” Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s chief executive, said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Boeing, a Pacific Northwest neighbor and a company that stands as a symbol of American innovation and manufacturing.”
For Boeing, the deal contributes momentum to its turnaround since a harrowing incident two years ago when a panel blew off one of its 737 Max planes operated by Alaska Airlines. No one was seriously injured, but that flight raised concerns about the quality of Boeing’s planes and prompted major changes at the company.
Alaska did not disclose the value of the deal with Boeing, but typically an order of this size would cost billions of dollars. The airline will receive five 787 Dreamliners, two-aisle planes that it plans to use for long-distance international flights; and 105 Max 10s, the model’s largest version. The Max 8 and Max 9, single-aisle planes used for short and medium-haul routes, have been flying for years, with the Max 10 widely expected to be certified by federal authorities later this year.
Alaska has a long history with Boeing, which makes the Max miles from the airline’s Seattle headquarters. The airline has historically operated an all-Boeing fleet, though it acquired a few dozen Airbus planes in its merger with Hawaiian Airlines, which will continue to fly under Hawaiian’s own brand.
Alaska has a fleet of 413 planes, which it expects to grow to 475 by 2030, and to more than 550 by 2035. The airline is the fifth largest in the United States, though its 8 percent market share is still only about half that of United Airlines, which ranks fourth. United, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines dominate the U.S. market.
Alaska is in the middle of a major expansion, both on the West Coast and abroad. Last year, the airline began flying from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul. This summer, it plans to add flights to Rome, London and Reykjavik, Iceland. Alaska recently revamped its loyalty program and is adding more premium seats to its planes while also building new airport lounges, all in an effort to attract and retain high-spending travelers.
Niraj Chokshi is a Times reporter who writes about aviation, rail and other transportation industries.
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