Alaska Airlines’ Premium Push: New Business Suites, Premium Economy, Ground Experience, and More

Alaska Airlines is getting serious about premium experiences. At the Alaska Air Group Investor and Media Day held in Seattle, the carrier unveiled a slew of new premium experiences across the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines brands.

These include new business class suites for Alaska and Hawaiian’s wide-body jets, lie-flat suites on certain Alaska narrow-body aircraft for the first time ever, the introduction of a new premium economy product for both brands, significant upgrades to the premium ground experience, and more.

Let’s dive into all the exciting details!

Alaska’s Updated Aurora Suites Coming to 787s and Some 737 MAX 10s

Alaska Airlines operates a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners equipped with lie-flat suites in the front of the plane, and it’s already introducing the next generation of the product, which will be installed on these aircraft in 2028.

The 787 Dreamliners will feature 34 suites with an updated design featuring better materials, a fully lie-flat seat, privacy doors, a 19-inch 4K inflight entertainment screen, Bluetooth connectivity, and wireless, USB-C, and AC charging capability.

For the first time ever, Alaska Airlines will install lie-flat seating on a narrow-body aircraft. It says at least 25 of its upcoming Boeing 737 MAX 10 jets will come equipped with 12 Aurora Suites, boasting the same features as the 787 suites, minus privacy doors.

These aircraft will be painted in the same Aurora livery found on the 787 and will be used for premium transcontinental flying, which will finally make the airline competitive with its peers in this all-important market segment.

Interestingly, the renderings of Aurora Suites on the 737 MAX 10 show seats facing the window, while many competitors selected seats facing the aisle — a fact that’s led to less-than-rave reviews among the flying public, who have experienced space and service issues due to that configuration. We’re excited to see if this configuration is truly better than the aisle-facing setup.

Aurora Suites passengers will be able to access an exclusive Aurora Suites check-in and concierge service, the upcoming Aurora Lounge in Seattle (SEA), and on-demand, chef-curated dining on board.

New Leihōkū Suites for Hawaiian’s A330s

Hawaiian’s fleet of Airbus A330 jets currently feature an outdated 2-2-2 configuration in first class. Starting in 2028, these aircraft will get new interiors from front to back, including the all-new Leihōkū Suites for domestic first class and international business class flights.

Each of the 22 suites will feature lie-flat seats, privacy doors, direct aisle access for every passenger, a 19-inch 4K inflight entertainment screen, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless, USB-C, and AC charging capability, “hotel-quality bedding,” and other enhanced amenities.

Passengers will also have access to an exclusive check-in and concierge service in Honolulu (HNL) and Seattle, as well as chef-driven dining and wine pairings on domestic and international flights.

Premium Reserve: A New Premium Economy Product for Alaska and Hawaiian

Alaska unveiled its new Premium Reserve cabin class in Seattle. It’s the premium economy cabin that’s coming to Alaska and Hawaiian flights starting in 2028.

Premium Reserve passengers can expect the following features:

• 38 inches of pitch and a greater seat width compared to standard economy
• More generous recline
• Leg and calf rest
• Larger tray tables and additional storage options
• A 16-inch 4K OLED inflight entertainment screen with Bluetooth connectivity
• AC and USB-C charging capabilities
• Upgraded dining experience and amenities

Premium Reserve is coming to certain aircraft types in each fleet. Alaska’s Boeing 787s will have 35 Premium Reserve seats each, and its 737 MAX 10s will have 12 seats each.

Hawaiian’s A330s will have 28 seats each.

With the addition of Premium Reserve cabins, Alaska says its 787-9s will have about 46% premium seating, up from 38% now. Hawaiian’s A330s will feature about 40% premium seating, up from 30% today. In addition, Atmos Rewards members flying on these aircraft will be able to access Starlink inflight Wi-Fi free of charge.

Premium Reserve seats will be available for purchase beginning next summer.

Better Onboard Dining

Both Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will roll out new food and beverage offerings to accompany their new onboard products.

Alaska has partnered with chefs Renee Erickson and Brady Ishiwata, both based in Seattle, to curate dining on flights from the airline’s Seattle base. Erickson will design menus for the carrier’s European routes, including London (LHR) and Rome (FCO). The nonstop Athens (ATH) and Paris (CDG) routes will see the new menus starting next spring. Ishiwata, a James Beard Award winner, will expand his existing partnership with Alaska Airlines for menus on flights between Seattle and Asia.

International Alaska Airlines passengers will soon get a new cheese and charcuterie board, which the carrier brands as an evolution of its longstanding fruit and cheese platter, in addition to an all-new wine program for international flights.

Over at Hawaiian, the food-and-beverage program in domestic first class and international business class will continue to be formulated by Hawaiian Airlines’ executive chef, Dell Valdez. Hawaiian also launched a collaboration with Maui-based, James Beard Award finalist Sheldon Simeon for its preorder dining on most flights between the continental U.S. and the Hawaiian Islands.

New Lounges at Key Airports Across the Network

The final element of this upward push is the addition of new lounges at key stations in Alaska Airlines’ network. First, the carrier is constructing an all-new Alaska and Aurora combination lounge at its Seattle hub.

In the expanded C concourse, the new space will cover a massive 41,000 square feet and offer 2 distinct areas across 2 levels.

The first floor will be a 500-seat Alaska Lounge available to any passenger who can access Alaska Lounges under the current policies.

Eligible flyers have access to an outdoor patio with a fireplace, private workstations, local food from seasonal menus, a pizza oven, a “coffee lab,” and fresh pastries, 3 bar areas across the 2 floors offering cocktails, wine, and beer from local breweries, and more.

The Aurora Lounge will be on the second floor and will accommodate up to 200 passengers. Access will be limited to those flying Aurora Suites on international flights. These flyers can access all of the features of the Alaska Lounge plus private shower suites, wellness spaces, and made-to-order à la carte dining and table service.

This new space will become Alaska’s largest lounge when it opens in late 2027.

In Honolulu, Hawaiian Airlines will open a brand-new, 13,000-square-foot lounge in the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1 in early 2028. The new space will accommodate approximately 200 flyers.

Access will be available to anyone who can enter the airline’s current (and woefully outdated) Plumeria Lounge, as well as those flying Leihōkū Suites.

The new lounge will feature food and beverages inspired by the local flavors of Hawaii, a “signature local coffee experience,” a full bar offering craft cocktails, private workspaces, artwork from local artists, and more.

Finally, Alaska will open a brand-new, 14,000-square-foot lounge at San Diego (SAN) in 2028, though we don’t yet know any specifics about the upcoming space.

Final Thoughts

It’s an exciting time for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Soon, the 2 brands will have totally revamped inflight products, including new business class suites and an all-new premium economy product. Plus, Alaska will finally introduce lie-flat seats to narrow-body aircraft to better compete in the fiercely competitive transcontinental market.

And don’t forget the upgraded lounges, either. All of these improvements will go a long way to making the combined carrier more competitive, and we certainly can’t wait to try out all of these new experiences for ourselves as soon as we can.