Should You Book Alaska's New Seattle Flights to Osaka and Tahiti?
Maybe, but only if you are comfortable with an older cabin and want to book by the October 26, 2026 sale deadline. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines announced on October 20, 2026 that they will fly nonstop from Seattle to Osaka starting May 14, 2027 and to Papeete, Tahiti starting June 11, 2027, with introductory round-trip Main Cabin fares from $1,199 to Osaka and $999 to Papeete, according to the Alaska Air Group release.
The catch is that both routes are still subject to government approval, schedules can change, and the planes will be Hawaiian A330s whose interiors are not scheduled for new seating until 2028. If you are flexible on cabin quality and want a nonstop from Seattle, it is worth a look; if you need a modern business-class seat in 2027, read the cabin section first.
What was announced and when you can fly it
Per the Alaska Air Group release, the two routes are year-round and are the eighth and ninth long-haul intercontinental routes from Seattle. The airline says they will be the only nonstop service between Seattle and either city. Hawaii News Now reports the announcement came on October 20, 2026.
- Seattle to Osaka (KIX)Starts May 14, 2027, four times weekly, departs 12:10 p.m. (Alaska)
- Osaka to SeattleStarts May 15, 2027, departs 6 p.m., arrives 12:20 p.m. (Alaska)
- Seattle to Papeete (PPT)Starts June 11, 2027, three times weekly, flight AS987, departs 11:55 p.m. (Alaska)
- Papeete to SeattleStarts June 12, 2027, departs 5 p.m., arrives 6 a.m. (Alaska)
- AircraftAirbus A330-200 (Alaska)
- Block timeOsaka 11h 50m westbound, 10h 20m eastbound; Papeete 10h 25m southbound, 10h northbound (One Mile at a Time)
Alaska lists Osaka departures from Seattle on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and Papeete departures from Seattle on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Schedules are subject to change and government approval. One Mile at a Time gives the distances as 5,040 miles to Osaka and 4,782 miles to Papeete (source).
What the fares are, and the deadline
The introductory round-trip Main Cabin fares from Seattle start at $1,199 to Osaka and $999 to Papeete, for sales from the announcement through October 26, 2026, subject to availability, with terms and conditions applying (Alaska Air Group). Tickets are on sale at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com.
The cabin is the catch
Both routes use Hawaiian-branded A330s. Alaska says they have lie-flat business class Suites, free Starlink Wi-Fi for Atmos Rewards members, and nearly 200 new releases and classic movies plus more than 500 TV shows (Alaska Air Group). One Mile at a Time lists 278 seats, 18 in business and 260 in economy, and calls the interior outdated (source).
The Points Guy notes that Hawaiian's A330 business class is a legacy 2-2-2 layout, and that the nose-to-tail retrofit with new business suites and premium economy will not be ready for summer 2027 service. Alaska says new interiors for the Hawaiian A330 fleet begin in 2028. The Points Guy also says the planes are used "at least to start", so the aircraft could change.
Who else flies these routes
Per One Mile at a Time, the competing options start from the California coast:
- Osaka. United from San Francisco and Japan Airlines from Los Angeles.
- Papeete. French Bee and United from San Francisco, and Air France and Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles. The same report says Air Tahiti Nui tried Seattle to Papeete and discontinued it.
Hawaiian also keeps flying Honolulu to both cities, having served Osaka from Honolulu since 2011 and Papeete since 1987, per the Alaska Air Group release.
What the Tahiti route connects to
The release says the combined airline is the only U.S. carrier offering same-day connections from Papeete to Bora Bora and Moorea. Through an expanded Air Tahiti partnership it also lists same-day connections to Rarotonga.
Where this fits in Alaska's plan
The routes are part of Alaska Accelerate, which targets at least 15 long-haul intercontinental destinations from Seattle by 2030, per the release. Existing Seattle long-haul routes include London, Tokyo, Seoul, Rome and Reykjavik, with Athens and Paris recently announced. The Points Guy says Alaska and Hawaiian will operate nine long-haul flights from Seattle once the four newest routes launch in 2027. The 2030 figure is a target, not a commitment.
Questions people ask
When do Alaska's Seattle to Osaka flights start?
May 14, 2027, four times a week from Seattle, with the first Osaka to Seattle flight on May 15, 2027, per the Alaska Air Group release. The route is subject to government approval.
When do the Seattle to Tahiti flights start?
June 11, 2027, three times a week to Papeete, with the first return flight on June 12, 2027, per the Alaska Air Group release.
How much are the introductory fares?
Round-trip Main Cabin from Seattle starts at $1,199 to Osaka and $999 to Papeete, on sale through October 26, 2026, subject to availability.
What plane will fly the routes?
An Airbus A330-200 in Hawaiian branding, per Alaska. The Points Guy says "at least to start", and that the new business-class seats will not be ready for summer 2027.
Will Hawaiian still fly Honolulu to Osaka and Papeete?
Yes. Alaska says Hawaiian will keep both Honolulu routes.
Sources
- Alaska Air Group: new nonstop service connecting Seattle with Osaka and Papeete (October 20, 2026) · Dates, schedules, fares, cabin, network, quotes
- One Mile at a Time: Alaska launching Seattle to Osaka and Tahiti flights (October 20, 2026) · Block times, distances, competitors, seat count
- The Points Guy: Alaska adds 2 more transpacific routes from Seattle (October 20, 2026) · Cabin retrofit timing, long-haul network count
- Hawaii News Now: Hawaiian Airlines to launch new nonstop Seattle flights (October 21, 2026) · Announcement date, Honolulu service history
Figures were read from the linked pages on October 22, 2026. Schedules, fares and aircraft can change and the routes need government approval; this page is not an official airline statement.
Top photo: Hawkeye UK / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons