While Alaska Airlines has historically looked North, South, and West, the addition of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has allowed the airline to look East—launching direct transatlantic service from Seattle to Europe, starting with London Heathrow (LHR).
Recent buzz in aviation has focused on transatlantic narrowbodies like the A321neo LR and the upcoming A321XLR. However, those aircraft are optimized for East Coast departures (like Boston to Dublin). From the West Coast, the geography is completely different.
Seattle to London is roughly 4,120 nautical miles. A narrowbody like the A321LR cannot reach Europe from the West Coast. The Boeing 787-9, on the other hand, cruises this distance effortlessly. With a max-payload range of over 7,000 nm, the Dreamliner blankets Europe in its range ring from SEA.
Flying from Seattle to Europe also means taking advantage of the North Atlantic Jet Stream. Eastbound flights benefit from significant tailwinds, reducing flight time and fuel burn. Westbound returns face headwinds, but the 787-9's deep fuel reserves mean it can easily absorb the penalty without leaving passengers or cargo behind.
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