June 2 Launch Date for Northern Pacific Airways
Northern Pacific Airways CEO Rob McKinney aboard a refurbished 757-200.
Northern Pacific Airways
Over the Mojave
The first route will not be out of Anchorage, however, and it is entirely within the continent: a one-hour hop from Ontario International Airport, inland from Los Angeles, to Las Vegas. The normal schedule will depart for Las Vegas on Fridays, with a return flight on Sundays.
Northern Pacific Airways CEO Rob McKinney calls the announcement a major milestone. “The airline now has a live flight schedule, purchasable tickets, and refurbished aircraft ready to go, and I can’t wait for passengers to meet our team onboard and fly with us,” he says.
Routes through Anchorage, to the East Coast, and international destinations in Japan and South Korea are still in the planning stages. The first domestic route enables the startup to earn revenue.
Current Issue
September 2026
“I know that our weekend getaway flights will be an incredibly convenient and cost-effective way for people to enjoy themselves in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas,” says McKinney. “I’m especially thankful to our team around the world and especially to those in Anchorage for their dedication and hard work.”
Initial bookings are available only on select online travel agencies and through travel agents; direct booking will be available soon. Fares start at $69 one way.
Northern Pacific is the sister airline of Ravn Alaska, the in-state carrier that McKinney’s California-based FLOAT Shuttle bought at a bankruptcy auction in 2020 for $8 million. Northern Pacific Airways began acquiring a fleet of refurbished Boeing 757-200 aircraft in 2021.
What happens when a city with fewer than 300 residents becomes a major freight and tourism hub, despite being accessible only by boat, plane, or a one-lane highway/railroad tunnel managed on a strict schedule?
If you’re in the City of Whittier, you get busy. The city has two separate transportation planning efforts underway, including a safety action plan under the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative, which focuses on improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and emergency responders. The second is Whittier Moves, the city’s transportation master plan, which serves as the long-term roadmap for growth.