Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Alaska Airlines made the biggest route news of the past 24 hours. On October 27 it announced its first nonstop flights between Anchorage and Tokyo Narita, set to start May 13, 2027 on a single-aisle Boeing 737 MAX 8. The same release adds three Saturday-only summer routes from Anchorage to Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth and Nashville. On the cutback side, Aviation Week reports that Air France and KLM have again pushed back the restart of several Gulf services.
New Routes
Alaska Airlines: Anchorage (ANC) – Tokyo Narita (NRT)
- Starts: May 13, 2027 from Anchorage; first return from Narita May 14, 2027
- Frequency: Daily through the summer (last summer departures Sept. 7, 2027 from ANC and Sept. 8 from NRT), then 3x weekly in winter starting January 2028 (exact winter date TBA)
- Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 8
Alaska’s schedule has the eastbound leg leaving Anchorage at 2:10 p.m. and reaching Narita at 3:25 p.m. the next day. The return leaves Narita at 9:45 p.m. and lands in Anchorage at noon the same calendar day (all times local). In its FAQ, Alaska says it picked the MAX 8 over the newer MAX 10 for range, calling it “the only 737 in our fleet capable of serving this route.” Alaska also notes the route is still subject to government approval. A transpacific sector on a narrowbody makes this one of the more unusual 737 deployments in the U.S. fleet.
Alaska Airlines: Anchorage (ANC) – Austin (AUS)
- Starts: June 12, 2027 (seasonal, last flight Aug. 7, 2027)
- Frequency: 1x weekly (Saturdays)
- Aircraft: TBA
Alaska Airlines: Anchorage (ANC) – Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
- Starts: June 12, 2027 (seasonal, last flight Aug. 7, 2027)
- Frequency: 1x weekly (Saturdays)
- Aircraft: TBA
Alaska Airlines: Anchorage (ANC) – Nashville (BNA)
- Starts: June 12, 2027 (seasonal, last flight Aug. 7, 2027)
- Frequency: 1x weekly (Saturdays)
- Aircraft: TBA
Source note: Alaska Public Media quoted an Alaska executive saying the three domestic routes begin “this summer.” Alaska’s own release dates them to summer 2027, and this article follows the release.
New Routes at a Glance
| Airline | Route | Starts | Frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | Anchorage (ANC) – Tokyo Narita (NRT) | May 13, 2027 | Daily in summer; 3x weekly from January 2028 | Boeing 737 MAX 8 |
| Alaska Airlines | Anchorage (ANC) – Austin (AUS) | June 12, 2027 (seasonal, to Aug. 7) | 1x weekly (Sat) | TBA |
| Alaska Airlines | Anchorage (ANC) – Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) | June 12, 2027 (seasonal, to Aug. 7) | 1x weekly (Sat) | TBA |
| Alaska Airlines | Anchorage (ANC) – Nashville (BNA) | June 12, 2027 (seasonal, to Aug. 7) | 1x weekly (Sat) | TBA |
Routes Being Discontinued
No airline announced a permanent route exit in the past 24 hours. Two European carriers did extend existing temporary suspensions in the Gulf, as reported in Aviation Week’s daily routes log. Neither item named the European origin airport.
Air France: Riyadh (RUH) service
- Effective: Suspension extended through Nov. 14, 2026 (restart date TBA)
Air France: Dubai (DXB) service
- Effective: Suspension extended through Oct. 31, 2026 (restart date TBA)
KLM: Riyadh (RUH) and Dammam (DMM) service
- Effective: Suspension extended through Nov. 27, 2026 (restart date TBA)
KLM: Dubai (DXB) service
- Effective: Stays suspended until the summer 2027 schedule begins on March 28, 2027
Discontinued and Suspended Routes at a Glance
| Airline | Route | Last Day / Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Air France | Riyadh (RUH) service (origin TBA) | Suspended through Nov. 14, 2026 |
| Air France | Dubai (DXB) service (origin TBA) | Suspended through Oct. 31, 2026 |
| KLM | Riyadh (RUH) and Dammam (DMM) service (origin TBA) | Suspended through Nov. 27, 2026 |
| KLM | Dubai (DXB) service (origin TBA) | Suspended until March 28, 2027 |
Sources
- Alaska Airlines Newsroom, “Alaska Airlines to launch nonstop service between Anchorage and Tokyo Narita” (Oct. 27, 2026): news.alaskaair.com
- Airline Geeks, “Alaska Grows in Namesake State With Four New Routes” (Oct. 27, 2026): airlinegeeks.com
- Alaska Public Media, “Alaska Airlines announces direct flight to Tokyo from Anchorage” (Oct. 27, 2026): alaskapublic.org
- Alaska’s News Source, “Alaska Airlines adds new nonstop route from Anchorage to Japan” (Oct. 27, 2026): alaskasnewssource.com
- Aviation Week, “Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates | W/C Oct. 26, 2026” (Oct. 27–28 entries for Air France and KLM): aviationweek.com
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