Alaska Airlines Will Open New Lounges at Key Hubs, Announces ’Flagship’ Lounge in Seattle

Updated: December 10, 2024, 2:26pm CST

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New Alaska Lounges Opening at Key Hubs
Premium International Lounge Coming to Seattle
Final Thoughts

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Alaska Airlines is making big upgrades. In addition to announcing new international routes and a premium credit card, the airline plans to open new lounges in key hubs. This includes a “flagship” international lounge in Seattle (SEA) to coincide with new international routes.

These new lounges were announced at Alaska’s Investor Day event on December 10, 2024. This was the airline’s first investor event since it acquired Hawaiian Airlines earlier in the year, and much of the event focused on the combined company’s future.

Here’s what we know about Alaska’s plans to expand its Alaska Lounge portfolio.

New Alaska Lounges Opening at Key Hubs

Alaska Airlines has a relatively small network of Alaska Lounges. Right now, it operates lounges at these airports:

Today, Alaska announced plans to open new airport lounges in San Diego (SAN) and Honolulu (HNL). These are important airports for Alaska, as San Diego is an Alaska Airlines hub and Honolulu is Hawaiian Airlines‘ largest hub. Opening dates have not yet been announced.

Alaska Airlines Lounge rendering San Francisco — The Alaska Lounge in San Francisco. Image Credit: Alaska Airlines

Currently, Alaska Airlines Lounge+ members can use the Aspire Lounge in San Diego and the American Airlines Admirals Club in Honolulu. Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines operates 2 lounges in Honolulu: the Plumeria Lounge and the Apt. 1929 Lounge.

The Plumeria Lounge is Hawaiian’s standard airport lounge and is available to premium passengers and Priority Pass members. However, it’s often faced with overcrowding. Further, the Apt. 1929 Lounge is a premium lounge that starts at $500 per couple and includes priority security, bag handling, and other perks.

Premium International Lounge Coming to Seattle

The most exciting lounge announcement, however, is at Alaska Airlines’ largest hub in Seattle.

The airline will open a new “flagship” international lounge in Seattle by 2027. This lounge accompanies the carrier’s newly announced routes from Seattle to Seoul (ICN) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) using Hawaiian Airlines’ Airbus A330-200 aircraft, starting service in 2025.

Details are scarce, but we expect the lounge to compete with United Polaris, Delta One, and American Airlines Flagship lounges. These have better amenities than their respective carrier’s standard airport lounges and are only accessible to business-class passengers.

Final Thoughts

We’re happy to see Alaska Airlines announce plans to grow its airport lounge network. These new lounges are in key markets for Alaska and Hawaiian and will give travelers a more premium travel experience. Further, a dedicated international lounge in Seattle will allow the airline to position itself as a premium carrier as it launches new routes to Asia.