Alaska Airlines is making a bigger push onto the global stage — and now it has a business class to match.
The carrier this week unveiled the full experience of its first international business class suites, set to debut this spring on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The jet flies long-haul between Seattle and Tokyo and Seoul, with service to London and Rome expected in the coming months.
Alaska’s high-dollar 787 seat, Elevate Ascent, will feature its usual amenities: lie-flat beds, 18-inch seatback screens, high-end meals, and privacy doors — a fast-growing must-have in premium cabins.
The airline is also adding more entrée options, upgraded linens and amenity kits, and a dessert cart to give the plane a more distinct Alaska identity after its 2024 merger with Hawaiian Airlines and to better compete long-haul with rivals American, Delta, and United.
“We set out to design a Business Class experience that is both sophisticated and authentically Alaska: premium, comfortable and thoughtfully created for our guests,” Alaska executive vice president and chief commercial officer Andrew Harrison said in a statement.
Alaska and Hawaiian are under the same parent company but continue to operate as separate entities with individual branding.
Alaska’s overall 787 experience will be a step up from business class on its Airbus A330 aircraft, which lack the suite-style seats, privacy doors, and new amenities of the 787. The A330s are former Hawaiian planes that Alaska uses on transpacific routes.
Alaska has been slowly building out its international presence since the merger. The upgrades to the 787 particularly reflect its shift toward premium cabins to attract deep-pocketed customers willing to pay more for better comfort, in line with industry trends.
Delta and United have similarly leaned heavily on premium cabins, reporting year-over-year premium revenue growth of 7% and 11%, respectively, in their 2025 results. American didn’t break down its 2025 premium revenue but also said it “performed exceptionally well.”
Here’s what Alaska’s future 787 business class experience looks like from the inside:
There are 34 suite-like pods with doors and lie-flat beds.
The 787 hard product — meaning anything physically attached to the plane — is the same as when it first flew in January. Linens and food that can be easily replaced or removed are examples of soft products.
Doors make Alaska competitive with rivals like American and Delta, which already fly door-equipped business cabins. United is adding doors to its Dreamliners this summer, though their pending FAA certification means they can’t be closed quite yet.
Everyone has direct-aisle access.
The 1x2x1 layout means nobody has to climb over their neighbor to go to the bathroom.
This is different from Alaska’s A330s, where premium is in a 2x2x2 configuration — meaning window-seat passengers are trapped when their neighbor lies flat.
The first meal will start with a charcuterie board and end with sundaes.
Alaska said the cheese board will be served first and paired with wines from the West Coast and Europe, Roederer Champagne, cocktails, craft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages.
The dessert cart is brand new. Passengers can customize their own sundae or choose from other treats. It appears similar to the ice cream cart in United Polaris business class.
Some entrées are tailored to the route.
Alaska said passengers will have up to six entrées to choose from, reflecting the plane’s destination. For example, roasted chicken with pasta carbonara may be offered on flights to Rome; Gochujang chicken with traditional banchan may be offered on flights to Seoul.
Flyers can also choose to preorder their meals via the Alaska app instead of doing so after boarding.
Flyers get upgraded amenities and lounge access.
Alaska said the West Coast-inspired amenity kits will have Salt and Stone skincare products and other travel necessities; the bedding includes a mattress, two pillows, and a huge duvet. Flyers will also receive a reusable water bottle.
It’s easy to see Alaska’s outdoorsy blue-and-green branding on the new kits.
International business-class flyers can access Alaska’s lounges and those of its Oneworld partners. Alaska operates lounges in Anchorage, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon.
Alaska’s 787 will soon have Starlink.
Starlink is already on select Alaska aircraft, but the airline said the free service will deploy on 787s this fall. The full experience will only be available to Atmos Rewards members come May, which is free to join.
Starlink is gaining momentum across US carriers; United and the semi-private air carrier JSX, for example, also offer it.
The 787 is a significant step up from Alaska’s A330.
The A330s are older aircraft originally operated by Hawaiian Airlines before the merger and do not have privacy doors.
Travelers booking business class on Alaska should note which aircraft they’re flying, as the on-board experience will differ significantly once the more premium 787 product rolls out with upgraded amenities and food.
