by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:25 AM ET, Wed October 21, 2026
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will launch new
nonstop flights from Seattle to Osaka, Japan, and Papeete, Tahiti, in 2027,
expanding their international networks with two year-round routes.
Hawaiian Airlines will operate both routes using Airbus
A330-200 aircraft, with service beginning in May and June, respectively.
Flights between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and
Osaka’s Kansai International Airport will begin May 14, 2027, operating four
times weekly. The route will provide nonstop access to Japan’s Kansai region,
including connections to Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.
Hawaiian Airlines will continue operating flights between
Honolulu and Osaka.
Service between Seattle and Papeete, the capital of French
Polynesia on the island of Tahiti, will begin June 11, 2027, with three flights
per week. The route will provide travelers from across the United States with
additional access to French Polynesia, including connections to Bora Bora and
Moorea without an overnight stop in Tahiti.
Hawaiian Airlines will operate the new routes as part of
Alaska Air Group’s expanding international network. The airline group plans to
establish Seattle as a gateway to at least 15 long-haul international
destinations by 2030.
The new services join existing and planned routes from
Seattle to destinations including London, Tokyo, Seoul, Rome, Reykjavik, Athens
and Paris.
Both routes will use Hawaiian Airlines’ Airbus A330
aircraft, which feature lie-flat business-class suites. Atmos Rewards members
will also have access to complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi. The airline plans to
begin updating the A330 fleet’s interiors in 2028.
Introductory round-trip economy fares from Seattle start at
$999 for Papeete and $1,199 for Osaka, through October 26.
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