Fleet Order for 100+ 737s the Largest in Alaska Airlines History
A rendering of the new aurora-themed global livery in flight, while the traditional “Chester” character in the background remains active for North American routes.
Photo Credit: Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines executed an option to order 105 new Boeing 737-10 aircraft and five new 787 aircraft. The airline also secured rights for an additional 35 737-10s. This order represents the largest order in the airline’s history and secures delivery slots from Boeing while extending the fleet delivery stream through 2035.
The first 787-9 painted with a new global livery was rolled out at a ceremony in Seattle on Wednesday. The design interprets the company’s brand colors of midnight blue and emerald green as the northern lights.
More Planes, More Destinations
Alaska Airlines flies the youngest fleet of all US airlines. The company welcomed its first Boeing 737-8 in late 2023 and anticipated adding fifteen to twenty-five new aircraft every year through 2027. That plan included purchase rights to those 105 737-10s, with the first delivered in 2025.
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The order brings Alaska Airlines’ total to 245 Boeing aircraft, in addition to the 94 737 MAX aircraft currently operating. With a current fleet of 413 aircraft, Alaska Air Group’s carriers will operate a fleet of more than 475 aircraft by 2030 and more than 550 aircraft by 2035.
“This fleet investment builds on the strong foundation Alaska has created to support steady, scalable, and sustained growth,” says Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci. “These planes will fuel our expansion to more destinations across the globe and ensure our guests travel aboard the newest, most fuel-efficient and state-of-the-art aircraft. We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Boeing, a Pacific Northwest neighbor and a company that stands as a symbol of American innovation and manufacturing.”
Alaska Airlines already operates a narrowbody fleet that includes 737-9 and 737-8 aircraft. The five additional 787 widebody aircraft support the Alaska Accelerate strategic plan to fly a dozen long-haul international routes from Seattle by 2030.
Those international flights will be flashing the new aurora-themed livery. Utilizing a new aircraft painting technique, it took artists nearly 1,000 hours across thirteen days to paint the aircraft exterior from nose to tail.
Minicucci says, “As we transform into the country’s fourth largest global airline, we are proud to introduce a new global livery for the Alaska brand. The design is a tribute to Alaska’s rich history and a reflection of our bold vision for international growth and our commitment to connect the Pacific Northwest to the world.”
The livery is meant for global destinations; the core Alaska Airlines brand expression remains the character nicknamed “Chester” on the tail of narrowbody aircraft flying throughout North America. The Hawaiian Airlines brand continues to be expressed by the character Pualani on the tail of Airbus A321, A330, and Boeing 717 aircraft flying to, from, and within the Hawaiian Islands.
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