Alaska Air Group is overhauling the front of the plane at both of its airlines, announcing Tuesday a pair of new flagship suite products, a premium economy cabin, and three new lounges set to roll out over the next two years.
Alaska Airlines' version, called Aurora, puts 34 lie-flat suites on every Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with privacy doors, direct aisle access, 19-inch 4K screens, and wireless charging. The carrier will also install 12 Aurora Suites on at least 25 of its 737-10 MAX jets in 2028, marking the first time Alaska has offered lie-flat first class on select transcontinental routes. Premium seating on the reconfigured 787-9 will climb to about 46% of the aircraft, up from 38%.
Hawaiian Airlines' counterpart is Leihōkū, a name meaning “lei of stars.” All 24 of Hawaiian's Airbus A330s will get new interiors starting in 2028, including 22 lie-flat suites with privacy doors for international business class and domestic first class passengers. Premium seats will account for roughly 40% of the cabin, compared with 30% today.
“We believe premium is more than a seat,” said Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group. “It's how guests feel from the moment they book their trip to the moment they arrive at the airport to when they're in the air with us.”
Both airlines will add Premium Reserve, a premium economy cabin with 38 inches of pitch, a leg and calf rest, and 16-inch 4K OLED screens. Seats go on sale in summer 2027 ahead of a 2028 debut, with 35 on each 787, 28 on the A330, and 12 on the 737-10 MAX.
On the ground, Alaska plans to open a nearly 41,000-square-foot lounge complex in Seattle's expanded C Concourse in late 2027. A 500-seat Alaska Lounge will sit alongside a 200-seat Aurora Lounge reserved for Aurora Suites passengers on intercontinental flights, with private shower suites, wellness spaces, and à la carte dining with tableside service. Suites passengers will also have dedicated check-in and concierge service in Seattle, and Leihōkū passengers will get the same in Honolulu and Seattle.
Hawaiian will follow in early 2028 with a nearly 13,000-square-foot, roughly 200-seat lounge in Terminal 1 at Honolulu, and a 14,000-square-foot Alaska Lounge is slated for San Diego the same year.
Seattle chefs Renee Erickson and Brady Ishiwata Williams will handle Alaska's international menus. Erickson takes the European routes, including London and Rome, plus Athens and Paris when they launch in spring 2027, while Williams covers Asia. Hawaiian Airlines Executive Chef Dell Valdez will continue to oversee menus in that carrier's premium cabins. Starlink Wi-Fi will be free in the suites for Atmos Rewards members.
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