Seattle is quietly becoming one of America's most interesting gateways to Europe. Alaska Airlines, which only launched its first-ever transatlantic flights in 2025 with Rome, London and Reykjavik, has now announced two more European destinations for summer 2027: Athens and Paris, both nonstop from Seattle-Tacoma.
The Athens service is the headline act. Starting in May 2027, it will run three times weekly and become the first nonstop link between Seattle and Greece — in fact, the only nonstop between the entire US West Coast and Athens. Paris gets five weekly frequencies, also on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. That puts Alaska head-to-head with the Air France–Delta joint venture, which already flies twice daily on the Seattle–Paris route, raising the question of whether the market can absorb 19 weekly flights between the two cities.
The expansion fits a bigger plan. Under CEO Ben Minicucci, Alaska is building Seattle into a genuine international hub with more than a dozen long-haul destinations planned, on top of its first Asian routes to Tokyo and Seoul following the Hawaiian Airlines merger. For years, international flying from Seattle was dominated by Delta and foreign carriers; now the home-state airline is staking its future on long-haul growth.
But the route map is the easy part, and the airline's own early European flights show some cracks. A recent review of the Seattle–Rome business class product praised the hard product — the 787 suites are comfortable and private, with Filson-branded bedding that ranks among the best from a US carrier — but flagged weak catering, menus that didn't match what was served, and disorganised service. There are labour tensions too: the AFA-CWA flight attendant union has filed a grievance alleging the long-haul service model is understaffed, noting Alaska flies its 787s with 10 crew — one fewer than Delta on similarly sized A350s, though still well above FAA minimums. Rome flights, per one frequent observer, haven't exactly been full either.
So who should care? Seattle-based travellers, mainly. Nonstop access to Greece from the West Coast is a genuine first, and more competition on Paris rarely hurts fares. Alaska loyalty members also get new earn-and-burn opportunities on two of the most requested destinations in the programme. Just temper expectations on the dining until the airline sorts out its catering game — the seats are already there.