Alaska Airlines has announced its plan to launch a new direct flight from Seattle, Washington to Rome, Italy in May 2026. The bookings for this flight will open in fall 2025, as per the airline’s announcement.
It is interesting to note that Alaska Airlines intends to obtain a single air operator’s certificate (AOC) before the launch of these flights. This means that the airline itself, and not its recent acquisition Hawaiian Airlines, will operate the widebody flights across the Atlantic Ocean. This will mark the first time that Seattle and Rome will be directly connected by a flight.
First Direct Seattle-Rome Route
Photo: christopheronglv | Shutterstock
On June 3, Alaska Airlines revealed its plans to add Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO) as a destination in its continuous international expansion. The flights are scheduled to begin in May 2026 from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), with bookings opening in fall for passengers.
According to the airline, this will be the first non-stop flight connecting Seattle and Rome. For Ben Minicucci, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alaska Airlines, this is a dream come true. Being an Italian American with parents who immigrated to the US from Italy, this addition holds a personal significance for Minicucci.
“Our guests have been requesting an easier way to travel to Italy for years, and we are thrilled to provide it to the people of the Northwest and beyond. Andiamo – let’s go!
Four Weekly Flights From Rome To Seattle
Photo: Alaska Air Group
Apart from being the first direct flight between Seattle and Italy, Alaska Airlines has also noted that Rome is the most popular European city not currently served with non-stop flights from Seattle. The airline also mentioned that Rome has consistently been one of the most requested destinations by its Mileage Plan members. This new route will also offer convenient one-stop flights between the West Coast, Hawaii, and Rome. In its statement, Alaska Airlines also shared that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will merge the AOCs of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines this fall. As a result, the flights will be operated by Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 aircraft, offering a new global experience. In December 2024, when Alaska Airlines presented its ‘Alaska Accelerate’ plan, it was revealed that Seattle is closer to 90% of the world’s population than other major West Coast hubs like Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). This means that flying from Seattle to Rome will have a 10% distance advantage compared to flying from Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The flights from Seattle to Rome will depart on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 18:00 local time (UTC -7) and arrive in Rome at 13:45 local time (UTC +2) the following day.