I Flew Alaska Airlines’ Business Class Suite From Seattle to London — Here’s What It’s Really Like [Review]

The author was a guest of Alaska Airlines. All opinions are the author’s own, and Alaska Airlines had no input in any part of this review.

I had the pleasure of flying on Alaska Airlines’ inaugural flight between Seattle and London on May 21, 2026, in the new business class suites. This was a really exciting flight because, when we touched down in London, it was the first time an Alaska Airlines plane had ever landed in the U.K.

This flight to London isn’t the only new route for Alaska. The airline added a nonstop to Rome (FCO) in April and to Reykjavík (KEF), Iceland, in May, just a week after this flight to London. With these new routes to Europe and plans to offer a total of 12 long-haul international nonstops by 2030, Alaska Airlines is solidifying itself as a major global airline, not just a niche West Coast carrier.

Alaska Airlines Inaugural Flight From Seattle to London

• Airline: Alaska Airlines
• Flight Number: AS100
• Route: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to London Heathrow (LHR)
• Date: May 21, 2026
• Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Cabin and Seat: Business class, seat 7J

Flying on an inaugural flight is always a good time, so I didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation to join Alaska Airlines’ first flight to London. The mood at the airport was festive — there was a live band, photo ops, and British treats at the gate. After some brief remarks from Alaska Airlines and airport executives, there was a ribbon-cutting, officially marking the beginning of Alaska’s new daily nonstop flight to London.

Hot Tip:

This flight starts at 30,000 Atmos Rewards points each way for economy class. Business class seats currently start at 150,000 points each way. Saver-level cash fares for economy start at $325 one-way, while business class suites start at $3,379.

Ground Experience at Seattle Airport (SEA)

I flew to Seattle the morning of the inaugural flight and had an almost-12-hour layover. Thankfully, the new layover access rules for Centurion Lounges hadn’t gone into effect yet, so I was able to spend all day in the Seattle Centurion Lounge.

Between the bright, open atmosphere, great food, coffee bar, and Seattle-based band photos on the walls, this is hands-down my favorite Centurion Lounge now.

Check-In and Security

Even though I was already through security, I wanted to try the new business class suites and Atmos Rewards Titanium elite check-in area at SEA, so I left the secure area to get the full experience.

You’ll find 2 special Alaska Airlines check-in areas at the Seattle airport: One for first class and Atmos Rewards Silver, Gold, and Platinum elite members, and a second for Titanium members and guests flying in business class suites, which was the one I was after. Both are located near security checkpoint 6 in the North Satellite terminal.

I was greeted at the entrance to the Titanium and Suites area, then taken to a representative who checked my ticket and passport before walking me to security. I entered using the CLEAR e-gates with virtually no wait.

Alaska Airlines Lounge

After going through security, I headed to the Alaska Lounge in the North Satellite terminal. It was located on the mezzanine level above gates N13 to N18.

I arrived on a crowded Thursday evening, and the first thing I noticed was that it felt more like a cool hotel lobby or a lively restaurant than an airport lounge. Wood planks adorned the walls and ceilings, and the floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of natural light.

The focal point of the lounge was the stunning fireplace, which was near seating that overlooked the tarmac. There was also a large central buffet and a bar toward the back of the lounge.

I was looking forward to trying out Alaska’s meal service, so I didn’t eat at the lounge.

Alaska Airlines’ 787-9 Dreamliner Business Class Suites

Walking into a business class cabin knowing you have a ticket for one of those seats is a delightful feeling that never gets old. After a 4.5-hour flight to Seattle and about 11 hours at the airport, I was beyond tired, but my exhaustion was overshadowed by excitement when I saw the new business class suites on my Alaska flight.

My Seat

I sat in seat 7J, a window seat on the right side of the plane. My seat was angled toward the window with a sloped footwell and a door that could be shut during flight. There was a small side table by the window with charging plugs and a latched storage space with headphones and a water bottle.

There wasn’t much extra space to store my backpack near my seat, but I made it work. There also wasn’t a separate shoe storage area, so I just left them on the ground (just be sure to move any bags or shoes before you put your seat back so they don’t get stuck).

Each seat had an 18-inch screen that offered a variety of movies, TV, and, of course, an interactive map.

Amenity Kit and Bedding

Alaska Airlines’ business class amenity kits and bedding were designed in partnership with Seattle-based brand Filson.

I had a mattress pad, 2 pillows, a plush blanket, slippers, and an amenity kit waiting for me at my seat. The amenity kit contained an eye mask, socks, tissues, a pen, a toothbrush, and toothpaste, plus Salt & Stone hand creme, facial mist, and lip balm.

Noise-reducing headphones and a refillable water bottle were in a storage cubby at my seat. The flight attendants would refill the bottle for you at any time during the flight.

Since I was traveling on the inaugural flight, an additional Alaska Airlines-branded bag was waiting for me with celebratory gifts, including a squishy cloud-shaped eye mask, a tiny insulated mug (I’m obsessed), and a custom SEA-to-LHR luggage tag. These were given out in the economy cabin, too. Getting unique gifts like these is a good reason to book an inaugural flight yourself.

Inflight Experience

Food and Beverages

My flight was scheduled to take off at 9:40 p.m., but due to a congested runway, we were a little late. Normally, on an overnight flight that left at that time, I would have put my seat back to go to sleep as soon as we took off, but since I was reviewing the flight, I stayed awake for the meal service.

Prior to takeoff, I was offered a welcome drink — a choice of a cocktail, sparkling wine, or sparkling water. After takeoff, the full service began.

The first course was Alaska Airlines’ signature fruit-and-cheese platter, which was followed by appetizers. I had a delicious asparagus soup and a mixed berry salad with almonds.

I had preordered my main course a few days prior to the flight. I chose the chicken cottage pie, served with a flaky pastry crust and carrots and green beans on the side. It was delicious, and the vegetables were cooked just right (something that’s not always the case on an airplane).

As much as I wanted to indulge in dessert, I needed to get some sleep, so I skipped the Salt + Straw ice cream sundaes and made my bed.

After a solid 4-hour nap, I woke up just in time for the next meal service. The flight attendants offered me a refreshing mixed berry smoothie, which was just what I needed after waking up. The next meal was breakfast, and I was looking forward to ordering the overnight oats with chia. Unfortunately, the person before me got the last one, and the only option left was an English breakfast, which isn’t something I particularly enjoy.

I was disappointed, but running out of meals happens occasionally. That would be a good reason to book a seat as close to the front of the cabin as possible, since there wasn’t an option to preorder the second meal.

Hot Tip:

Want to see more? Check out my video review of this Alaska Airlines flight on Instagram.

Bathroom

The bathroom in the business class cabin on the 787-9 Dreamliner was fairly standard. However, there were some nice Salt & Stone products (hand lotion and face mist) along with a little plant, which made the space feel a bit elevated.

Service

Overall, the service was excellent. While I realize this was an inaugural flight and everyone was on their best behavior (a few Alaska Airlines executives were on board), the staff was warm, and it genuinely felt like everyone was excited to be a part of this first for the airline.

Before we landed, the flight attendants handed me an Alaska Airlines postcard signed by the captain, first officer, and cabin crew to celebrate the first flight to London. This was such a thoughtful touch that I won’t soon forget.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been a huge fan of the Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards program since it launched, so I was excited to be part of the airline’s expansion to Europe on this new London flight. I thoroughly enjoyed the business class suites. The experience wasn’t perfect — the meal service was a bit slow and the second meal options were limited — but those are minor details. The mattress pad, plush duvet, 2 pillows, and privacy door allowed me to sleep very comfortably, which is really the most important part of an overnight long-haul flight.