Daily Alaska Air Cargo service between London (LHR) and Seattle (SEA) takes off May 21, opening an exciting new transatlantic shipping lane between the United Kingdom and the Pacific Northwest — and beyond.  

Our growing global hub in Seattle now reaches 100-plus destinations nonstop, including widebody service to Tokyo Narita (NRT), Seoul (ICN) and Honolulu (HNL) every day, and more flights up and down the West Coast than any other airline. We also are the only U.S. airline with dedicated freighters connecting Seattle with the state of Alaska every day. 

And our multiple daily widebody flights between Seattle and Honolulu — our second-largest hub — provide smooth shipping connections to destinations across Asia and the South Pacific, including Sydney (SYD), Osaka (KIX) and Tokyo Haneda (HND). 

Seattle-London follows our successful launch of Seattle-Rome (FCO) service in April, when we became the first airline to offer daily flights between the Emerald City and the Eternal City. We are now the fourth largest global carrier in the U.S. — and the 15th largest airline in the world. 

“We are excited for our customers to see where we fit into the global supply chain,” said Ian Morgan, Alaska Airlines vice president of cargo and a London native. “With this expansion, we can connect from Japan or South Korea to Europe via Seattle, while still serving cargo needs throughout the West Coast and more remote places like Hawai‘i and communities in the state of Alaska that no one else can serve like we can.”   

Commodities from clams to car parts

As we prepare to launch LHR service, our cargo partners in London are seeing interest from freight forwarders on both sides of the Atlantic and expect to move a wide variety of time-critical products — from the wild seafood that the Pacific Northwest is renowned for, to auto parts and motorbikes, to products in the health and wellness industries. 

“We are seeing enquiries for a diverse set of commodities, courtesy of Alaska’s wide cargo network, which has been well received by the local market,” said Des Vertannes, managing director of Wexco Cargo GSSA, which handles our cargo sales and services in the U.K. “The daily schedule from London into Seattle is key, as it will organically develop the hub into a truly global gateway.”

Vertannes also noted that the timing of the start date brings unique opportunities. “One of the more interesting profiles brought into scope with the combination of the launch timing and the fact Seattle is home to one of the host stadiums for this summer’s World Cup will be the import of studio, television and video equipment from the U.K.,” he said. “An exciting potential niche to start!"

Just a few weeks into the Seattle-Rome service, interest in cargo capacity has been ramping up. We’ve shipped thousands of pounds of prized Pacific Northwest clams to Rome, and crates of espresso machines to Seattle. The shipments coming from Europe to Seattle often move onward to final destinations in Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) and Vancouver, B.C. (YVR). 

“A new direction”

Our global destinations continue to grow. Later this summer, we will start offering nonstop service from LAX to Guatemala and Costa Rica. And by 2030, we’ll have at least a dozen long-haul international destinations from Seattle. We are also investing in our fleet to support this growth, with aircraft orders in place to bring our total fleet to 550 by 2035, including more widebody aircraft. 

Even as we grow, we continue to be rooted in our decades long legacy of personalized customer service and commitment to connecting communities around the world. 

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, which combined in 2024, both started more than 90 years ago in the early days of commercial aviation. We come from regions uniquely reliant on air freight, giving us decades of experience in cold-chain logistics and shipping innovation. Today we are proud to connect some of the most remote places in the U.S. with 110 cities around the world, reaching Japan, South Korea, Australia, the South Pacific, the Americas and Europe.  

“From the U.K. and Europe, when you're looking at those Asian Pacific connections, you naturally look east,” Vertannes said. “So, to have Seattle as a hub and Alaska Airlines is a novel option. We now have a new direction, new routes to explore and a new focal point.”

Seattle-London 787-9 schedule starting May 21

Note: Schedules effective as of May 21 and subject to change. All times local.

 About Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo 

Together, Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo reach 110-plus cargo destinations around the world, including cities across Asia and the South Pacific – and now Rome and London! With more than 90 years of experience carrying vital shipments to remote communities, our air cargo teams share deep connections to the communities where we live, work and fly.