Alaska Airlines is heading to Rome.
The Seattle-based airline said Tuesday it will soon offer nonstop service between Washington and Italy, its first-ever direct flight to Europe.
The new route is possible thanks to the company’s purchase of Hawaiian Airlines last year, which gave it access to long-haul Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners that can fly greater distances than its own fleet.
The airline announced Rome as its third wide-body, international route out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). It already operates flights from Seattle to Toyko, Japan, and is beginning service to Seoul, Korea in September.
Flights to Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) in Rome will begin in May 2026 and will be open for purchase in the fall.
“Serving Rome nonstop from Seattle is a dream come true,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in a press release. “Rome has been at the top of the list ever since we announced our new global gateway out of Seattle.”
To make the route happen, Alaska still needs a single operating certificate of approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which the airline said it expects to receive later this year.
Alaska said the flight is part of its “Alaska Accelerate” three-year strategic plan, which aims to bring $1 billion in incremental profit thanks to its $1.9 billion merger with Hawaiian Airlines.
“We’re transforming Seattle into the West Coast’s new premier global gateway,” the company said. “Our hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is already the largest airline hub on the West Coast, serving 104 nonstop destinations across North America, and now the world.”