Alaska Airlines Unveils Improved Large Cabin, Adds Premium Seats to Boeing 737s

July 18, 2024Last Updated: July 18, 2024

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Alaska Airlines Unveils Improved Large Cabin, Adds Premium Seats to Boeing 737s

Demand for premium service is skyrocketing, and Alaska Airlines believes travelers will want to pay for premium seats on long-haul flights.

The Seattle-based airline announced Wednesday that it will add first-class and extra-legroom seats to its aircraft as part of a Boeing 737 fleet overhaul that will add 1.3 million premium seats to its flight schedule each year.

The refurbishment programme will include more than 200 Boeing 737-800, 737-900ER and 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The first aircraft to undergo cabin refurbishment will be taken out of service for refurbishment in September, with the entire refurbishment expected to be completed by summer 2026.

You’ll find a detailed breakdown of each aircraft’s cabin makeover at the end of this article, but highlights include the addition of four more first-class seats to the Boeing 737-800 fleet, bringing the total to 16 new reclining seats at the jet’s pointed end. (This news is was announced earlier this year..)

Going forward, the only major jets with 12 reclining first-class seats will be some Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 737-700s. (Interestingly, Alaska has not announced plans to uniformly accommodate first-class seats across its entire 737 MAX 8 fleet, a plane that is expected to remain in the airline’s fleet for many years. That could change as the seats on the airline’s current MAX 8s come due for replacement.)

The upgraded Boeing 737-800s will offer updated Recaro first-class reclining seats with more legroom, footrests (a rare and wonderful touch for domestic first class), seatback device holders, winged headrests, universal power outlets, and USB-C charging ports. These seats will also feature built-in cupholders, along with wider backrests and larger tray tables.

No other first class cabins are getting new product updates as part of this announcement, but Alaska is expanding its so-called Premium Class footprint. Alaska is adding six Premium Class seats on its Boeing 737-900ER and Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, increasing the cabin from 24 to 30 seats on both jets.

These extra-legroom economy seats feature four inches more seat pitch than standard economy seats, free alcoholic beverages on flights longer than 350 miles, and priority boarding.

Alaska said economy and premium passengers on all of its redesigned fleets will enjoy armrests, cup holders, USB-C charging ports and winged headrests. The airline also said it will continue to offer four lavatories across its Boeing fleet.

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The airline said in a statement that it decided to invest in the project “in response to the growing demand from our valued passengers… The performance of our Premium Class continues to support what we believe is a structural shift towards higher demand for premium products.”

Alaska isn’t the only airline seeing a shift toward the premium market in its passenger profile. For years, Delta Air Lines has relied on a premium-focused strategy that has propelled it to the top of the U.S. airlines in many ways. United Airlines New “Next” brand campaign launched in 2021 and marked with a Renew the entire domestic fleet from stem to sternenhance the premium experience for visitors.

In the second quarter of 2024, Alaska reported that its first and premium class revenues increased by 8% and 6%, respectively, with first class seat occupancy reaching 71%.

While these new premium seats may boost Alaska’s profits, they’re also good news for elite travelers looking for More prizes and upgrade space. With the higher premium seat rates, Alaska Mileage Plan members may start to notice that upgrades are issued a little more frequently than before.