This winter, we’re expanding our guests’ options with nonstop service to two exciting international destinations 

Alaska Airlines is excited to announce an expansion of our international network with two new Mexico destinations starting this winter. We’ll soon start flying between Los Angeles and breathtaking La Paz, as the only U.S. carrier serving the coastal Mexican destination. We’ll also become the only U.S. airline to offer daily nonstop flights between Los Angeles and the bustling city of Monterrey when we begin service in February. 

During the winter months, our guests search for warm-weather travel destinations. Our new nonstop service to La Paz (LAP) and Monterrey (MTY) caters to that demand by offering our guests the perfect escape to sunny skies, a vibrant city experience and warm hospitality. It’s never too early to start booking your winter vacation. Tickets are available starting the afternoon of July 3 on alaskaair.com.  

We’re proud to be the #1 U.S. carrier with the most flights, seats and nonstop routes to Mexico from the West Coast. This announcement continues our longstanding commitment and plans for growth in the region.

Our new nonstop service to LAP and MTY from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) enables guests to easily connect from cities across our network. From our hub at LAX, we continue to offer the most flights to the most destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean of any carrier – which includes almost 16 average daily departures this winter to 15 cities throughout the region. 

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La Paz, Mexico 

This year, we will become the only carrier offering nonstop service between the United States and La Paz where you’ll find some of the world’s best diving and sport fishing. We’re excited to offer flights year-round with service up to three times weekly. 

“We appreciate Alaska Airlines’ confidence in investing in the virtues of La Paz and providing it with the opportunity to expand its borders by connecting with the United States. Especially with its flight to Los Angeles, California, which we are sure will be a success,” said Maribel Collins, minister of tourism and economy of Baja California Sur.  “For the Government of Baja California Sur, tourism is one of the pillars that drives the state’s economy. Therefore, we are highly committed to promoting actions that benefit this important sector through our tourism trusts, which day by day seek alliances for the benefit of all.” 

“Connecting La Paz with Los Angeles is an important step for internationalizing this airport which has grown passengers significantly over the past three years.  We thank Alaska Airlines for offering this flight to one of the most beautiful destinations in Mexico and look forward to welcoming travelers to La Paz and continuing to provide greater ease for foreign tourists to visit this city,” said Raúl Revuelta Musalem, CEO of the Pacific Airport Group. 

Monterrey, Mexico 

We’re adding daily service from Los Angeles to Monterrey, Mexico’s second-largest metro area. The popular destination offers dramatic peaks of the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountain range and a vibrant food scene, including several Michelin-starred restaurants. Immerse yourself in history with a visit to one of the city’s many museums or satisfy your love for the outdoors with a visit to the Huasteca Canyon, a popular rock climbing area located on the outskirts of the city. 

Whether traveling for pleasure or business, our guests can take advantage of a premium travel experience on any Alaska flight with no change fees, the most legroom in First Class* and Premium Class, the most generous Mileage Plan with the fastest path to elite status, high-quality West Coast-inspired food and a premium selection of beverages. Our guests can also buy tickets and earn Mileage Plan miles with our domestic and Global Partners directly at alaskair.com.  

Alaska Airlines is making it easier for you to plan your next trip while saving money and earning Mileage Plan miles. Bundle flights, hotels, car rentals and experiences at Alaska Vacations, find deals car rentals on Alaska Car Rentals and book your next adventure while earning 4 miles for every $1 spent on GetYourGuide. 

*Out of any U.S. legacy airline excluding lie-flat seats  

Related

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Clouds and cooler temperatures will help Alaska and firefighters deal with fires that broke out during a hot, dry stretch of weather from last week. This week, more areas of Alaska will see clouds and rain move through.

Thunderstorms are still possible in the interior, where fire danger has been and remains high. The spate of fires are the result of both lightning and human-caused ignition.

Starting Tuesday over northern Alaska, cooler temperatures arrive with several rounds of rain. This is much-needed moisture. Much of the moisture will stay north of southcentral, until the coming weekend.

Southcentral will get a mostly dry 4th of July, with the wetter weather waiting for the first weekend of July.

Hot spot went Huslia, hitting 81 degrees. The cold spot was Barter Island with a temperature of 32 degrees.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.

Last week, a federal judge in Anchorage ruled that tribes in Alaska may put land into trust, essentially allowing tribes to create “Indian Country” in the state. That’s something that had nearly been done away with since the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act took effect 53 years ago. 

Alaska Beacon reporter James Brooks sat down with KTOO’s Clarise Larson to talk about what the ruling really means, and why it matters.

Listen:

This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity. 

James Brooks: This matters a lot because it allows Alaska Native tribes within the state to put land in the federal trust, protecting it from sale, from give away from anything that they don’t want — effectively. It’s a form of long-term protection that places this land under tribal law, rather than state or local law. The main idea is that putting land into trust is something that Alaska tribes haven’t been able to do since the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in the 1970s.

Clarise Larson: What is the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and why is it influencing what is happening today?

James Brooks:  We know that Alaska Natives have lived in Alaska for 10s of 1000s of years, since time immemorial, as the phrase goes. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act back in the 1970s was designed to settle what’s known as Aboriginal land claims, the idea that folks have been living here for so long, they should have title or right to the land around them — the land that they have used. 

The Settlement Act was designed to settle those Aboriginal claims to land. But what it did was it didn’t give land to tribes, instead, it created corporations to hold that land. And those corporations have rights, but they’re not sovereign governments. And in the decades since then, there have been plenty of people who are unhappy with that result. Even though corporations received millions of acres of land and millions of dollars. It didn’t answer all of the problems that Alaska Natives have had with the current system. And so by putting land into trust, you can put land under the authority of the sovereign tribal governments allowing them to exert tribal law on that land.  

Clarise Larson: In Alaska, who is going to be impacted the most by this?

James Brooks: It has the potential to impact virtually everyone in the state. There are almost 230 federally recognized tribes in the state. And until now, most of those tribes have had very small land bases. Now, tribes can take a greater influence in how land is administered here. And say, for example, Tlingit and Haida’s situation here in Juneau, they’re seeking to put a fairly notable part of downtown Juneau into trust. And that has the potential to impact all of the people who live around that plot of land.

Clarise Larson: But, the ruling wasnt exactly cut and dry, right? Explain to me some of the intricacies of this particular ruling. 

James Brooks: The ruling this week matters because it says that tribes can do this, but it wasn’t a complete win for the federal government or for Tlingit and Haida. Judge [Sharon] Gleason, who gave the ruling said that the process used in the particular case that was before her court was flawed and needs to be started over. 

That while tribes and the federal government can do this process, the process that was used in the case under question wasn’t correct. So Tlingit and Haida is going to have to go back to the federal government, they’re going to have to restart this process. And it might take a little bit for that to happen. But in the end, the most important thing is that Tlingit and Haida, and other tribes will be able to do this process. 

Clarise Larson: Why did the State of Alaska sue in the first place?

James Brooks: The state of Alaska through various governors, and various legislatures, has always been somewhat skeptical of tribal sovereignty of tribal land claims. And, in challenging tribes’ ability to put land into trust, this latest lawsuit was following in the state’s historical pattern. Because the state government, state governors feel they have a responsibility for all their state residents. And they worry that allowing tribes to put land into trust could create lots of patches of varying jurisdictions that might deprive different residents of their rights.

Clarise Larson: So, what’s next?

James Brooks: This decision could end up getting appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, it could end up reaching the US Supreme Court. And we could see changes if there’s a new presidential administration as well.

Policies on Native land claims and in putting landed the trust have varied from presidential administration to presidential administration. And so we could see that change as well. While this is an important step, it’s not the last word by any means.