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Modern Seward wasn’t the first Seward town in Alaska, or even the second

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Modern Seward wasn’t the first Seward town in Alaska, or even the second


A postcard containing a picture of Seward from around the 1920s. (Provided by David Reamer)

Part of a continuing weekly series on Alaska history by local historian David Reamer. Have a question about Anchorage or Alaska history or an idea for a future article? Go to the form at the bottom of this story.

Seward is not the first Seward in Alaska, nor the second one either. It is the third Seward worth noting, unless features besides settlements are included, in which case it falls further distant in the count. After all, creeks and glaciers and peninsulas matter. Then there was Fort Seward, completed after Seward was founded but, of course, not actually located in Seward.

Seward, not to be confused with antecedents or forgotten forts, is the fishing, whale-watching, aquarium-visiting port on Resurrection Bay. And indeed, it was not the first attempt at naming a town for William H. Seward, only the most successful, certainly the most enduring. From the 1890s into the earliest years of the 1900s, there was something of a rush to name things Seward, and that in a territory known for its mad rushes.

As regards Alaska, the existence of William H. Seward (1801-1872) is a never-to-be-forgotten piece of trivia. He was secretary of state from 1861 to 1869 and personally negotiated the 1867 purchase of Alaska. In fact, he was an avid expansionist with dreams of unifying the entire North American continent and more besides, including Greenland.

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[When America considered trading part of Alaska for Greenland]

There is a longer history of Alaska place names encumbered by attempts to curry favor with, or otherwise honor, people who never set foot anywhere near this land. Fairbanks is named for Sen. Charles Warren Fairbanks of Indiana. Prince of Wales Island is named for George Augustus Frederick, later King George IV. Whittier — glacier and town — are named for Quaker poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier.

A portrait of Secretary of State William H. Seward, photographed by the studio of Mathew Brady between 1865 and 1872. (Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Yet, Seward at least visited Alaska, though not any of the locations that would later bear his name. In 1869, he made the trek north and gave a speech at Sitka, when he naturally talked about the weather like any other wandering politician. “The weather of this one broad climate of Alaska is severely criticized in outside circles for being too wet and too cold,” said Seward. “Nevertheless, it must be a fastidious person who complains of climates in which, while the eagle delights to soar, the hummingbird does not disdain to flutter.” He added, “It is an honest climate, for it makes no pretensions to constancy.”

The first earnest effort at a Seward town was Seward City, a gold-mining town established around 1890. It was located at the mouth of Sherman Creek, on the east side of the Lynn Canal, a little north of Berners Bay. It was between Haines and Juneau if that helps. The long-since abandoned settlement and its adjoining mine never quite developed enough for any permanency, let alone a significant population.

The limited documentation of Seward City suggests it may have been a rough place to live, particularly because of food shortages. In 1900, James Mathers and Alexander Irving died there after eating mussels contaminated by mine runoff. Two other men barely survived.

Fred and Marie Hanilla ran a hotel and general store there for over a decade but left due in large part to failing health. Their great-granddaughter, Beverly Keithahn, attributed their decline to the food. In 1998, she told the Juneau Empire, “Their diet, with little or no fresh food and improperly canned food, probably caused their untimely deaths in their 50s. There is no good winter anchorage at Comet, so it is supposed that they had no ships bringing food or anything else during the winter months.”

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The steamer schedule for Seward City is included in an 1899 edition of the Douglas Island News.

From an 1899 letter published in the Douglas Island News, Seward City was a “half dozen cabins — a fisherman’s hut and the two-story frame hotel under the direction of the genial Mr. (Hanilla).” In 1908, Seattle lawyer John W. Brown traveled north, the basis for his “Abridged History of Alaska” published the next year. He wrote, “Just as we were passing the north end of the gold belt, the captain wanted to know if I saw a town on the bank. I told him I did not; but he insisted there was one, and with the aid of the glasses we observed it to be one house, and which he said was Seward City.”

Seward City’s amorphous status was reflected in its names, plural. Some called it Seward City. With the arrival of the third Seward — that is the modern town of Seward — Seward City mine owner Thomas S. Nowell renamed the outpost after himself, Nowell City. It would later be called Kensington by presumably dozens of Alaskans.

However, for the brief periods when the town possessed a post office (1901-1902, 1936-1938), the stubborn Postal Service referred to it by another name in relatively common usage, Comet. There is a long history of post offices determining place names. Residents used to disagree on how to spell Soldotna. From 1949 to 1967, it was officially Soldatna. Note the “A” in the middle. In 1967, the Postal Service changed it to Soldotna. And more close to home, the Postal Service is why Anchorage is called Anchorage instead of Ship Creek, Woodrow, Alaska City, Terminal, Gateway, Mearsville, Strongov, Dgheyay Kaq’, or any of the other names tossed around.

A photo of Seward in 1915. (Photo by August Cohn / Library of Congress)

[In 1915, Anchorage residents voted on an official name for the new city. The name ‘Anchorage’ came in 3rd place.]

The second attempt at a Seward town was on Kachemak Bay, by McNeil Canyon and near what would become Homer. In support of yet another mining operation, a post office was activated there on Oct. 26, 1895. Some sources incorrectly list this as being the site of modern-day Seward on Resurrection Bay, for the understandable reason of why wouldn’t Seward be at Seward. It closed a year later when a new location opened on the Spit, this time named Homer after con man mining promoter Homer Pennock.

Before introducing the third Seward settlement, there are all the other features adorned with Seward’s name, many of them likewise gaining the moniker before the modern town of Seward existed. The Seward Mountains are a small part of the Boundary Ranges in Southeast Alaska, named in 1868 by Staff Cmdr. David Pender of the British Royal Navy, who was surveying the adjacent Portland Canal region. Geologist Israel Russell named Seward Glacier in 1891.

Alaska Gov. John Green Brady proposed the Seward Peninsula name sometime around 1898. That moniker eventually won out over other contenders, such as Nome Peninsula, Kaviak Peninsula and Sumner Peninsula. The Seward Creek southeast of Eagle gained its name during the Klondike gold rush. There are other creeks, a passage and so many streets. There were and are ships and businesses. Certainly, there are more common place names in Alaska, but the state is absolutely lousy with Sewards.

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As for the Seward Highway, it was built in increments over decades. In 1923, the road out of Seward ran 18 miles to Kenai Lake. By the late 1930s, it was possible to drive from Seward to Hope but not to Anchorage. Motorists from Anchorage would have their cars delivered via railroad to Moose Pass, where they could continue driving. The highway was completed in 1951, then paved and widened to two lanes throughout in 1954. The term “Seward Highway” was in use by the late 1920s, an informal designation that gained gravitas over the years, from back when the road was definitely not a highway as people would understand it now.

Vehicles travel north along the Seward Highway in Indian on Oct. 6, 2022. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

Then there is Seward, the third and most successful settlement of its name. In 1901, Seattle businessman John E. Ballaine decided to, in his own words, “organize and promote a railroad from the Pacific Coast through Central Alaska to the Yukon valley.” The Alaska Central Railway was organized in March 1902, and construction began the following year.

For a base of operations, he wrote, “my first aim was to establish the ocean terminus on a harbor easy of access and free from obstruction every hour of every day of the year.” Several locations were considered, including Cordova Bay, Iliamna, Resurrection Bay, Seldovia, Tyonek, Valdez, Whittier and Knik. The latter location was opposite Ship Creek on the Knik Arm. Ballaine narrowed his choices to Cordova Bay, Valdez and Resurrection Bay, settling on what would become Seward, where he “found every requirement to my complete satisfaction.”

That left the name of the new settlement. If Terminal and Lane sound like dire options for Anchorage, consider the alternatives for Seward. The other contenders were Almouth and Vituska, both given serious consideration by Alaska Central Railway bosses. Almouth was supposed to suggest the port was the mouth of Alaska. And Vituska was a combination of “Vitus” from Vitus Bering and the last two letters of “Alaska.” Bering was the Danish-born leader of two 18th-century Russian expeditions to Alaska.

In 1902, a group of Alaska Central Railway engineers made the acquaintance of Seattle journalist and historian Edmond S. Meany while traveling north aboard the steamer Bertha. Meany taught at the University of Washington and established the Washington Historical Quarterly journal. In 1907, he published an article in that journal that included relevant correspondence. So, the name of Seward is surprisingly well documented for Alaska of that era.

When one of those engineers wrote to Meany for place name suggestions, the professor quickly offered Seward. He wrote, “I thank you for the opportunity of suggesting a name for the southern terminus of the new railroad. The name above all others most appropriate for a prominent city in Alaska is Seward … More than any other one man is he responsible for American ownership of Alaska.” As regards the naming of Seward, that was essentially that. It speaks to the relative anonymity of Seward City that a Seattle journalist well familiar with Alaska was seemingly unaware of its existence.

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An undated postcard featuring Fort Seward and Haines. (Provided by David Reamer)

As the concluding offering of trivia, there is Fort William H. Seward. From 1925 to 1940, it was the single permanent military facility in Alaska. And naturally it was not in Seward. Construction began in 1902 outside Haines and was completed in 1904. After it was deactivated in 1945 and eventually sold, it became Port Chilkoot, which was later merged into Haines.

The Alaska Central Railway was less successful than the town formed in its wake. The railroad only made it about 50 miles out of Seward before bankruptcy in 1907. But consider the opportunity costs, what was lost. Alas, scenic Almouth that we never had. ALMOUTH. It just rolls off the tongue and lands on the floor with a thud.

• • •

Key sources:

Ballaine, John E. “Where Seward Got Its Start and Name.” Seward Weekly Gateway. January 6, 1906, 1, 4.

“A Breezy Letter.” Douglas Island News. September 13, 1899, 1.

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Brown, John W. An Abridged History of Alaska. Seattle: Gateway Printing Co., 1909. Washington D.C.:

Knopf, Adolph. Geology of the Berners Bay Region Alaska. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1911.

Meany, Edmond S. “The Naming of Seward in Alaska.” Washington Historical Quarterly 1, no. 3 (1907): 159-161.

Orth, Donald J. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Geological Survey, Professional Paper 567. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1971.

“Seward City to Become Nowell City.” [Skagway] Daily Alaskan. September 23, 1904, 3.

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Seward, William H. Alaska Speech of William H. Seward at Sitka, August 12, 1869. Washington, D.C.: James J. Chapman, 1879.

Thomson, Lori. “Area’s Early Mining Days Detailed.” Juneau Empire. February 17, 1998, 1, 8.

“Two Men Killed at Seward by Poison.” [Skagway] Daily Alaskan. June 14, 1900, 1.





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Best Alaska schools for athletes? According to one study, these are top 25

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Best Alaska schools for athletes? According to one study, these are top 25


While you may not think of Alaska first when thinking about high school sports, there is no shortage of elite talent that has come from the northernmost state in the U.S.

Carlos Boozer, who won a championship with Duke and made multiple NBA All-Star teams, hails from Alaska. So does Curt Schilling, who dominated the mound over a 20-year MLB career. Jessica Moore of the WNBA played here, as did Olympic gold medalist Kristen Thorsness and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth.

Simply put, it’s a crowd of athletes who made names in a variety of sports.

Which schools from the biggest state in the U.S. are the best for high school athletes?

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According to a study conducted by Niche, which includes for survey feedback from students and parents as well as data from the U.S. Department of Education, the following make up the top 25.

25. Napaaqtugmiut School (Noatak)

Total number of sports: 3

24. Thunder Mountain High School (Juneau)

Total number of sports: 11

23. Wasilla High School

Total number of sports: 18

22. Petersburg High School

Total number of sports: 8

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21. West Valley High School (Fairbanks)

Total number of sports: 12

20. Haines High School

Total number of sports: 6

19. Seward High School

Total number of sports: 5

18. Soldotna High School

Total number of sports: 10

17. Susitna Valley High School (Talkeetna)

Total number of sports: 11

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16. Homer High School

Total number of sports: 9

15. Barrow High School (Utqiagvik)

Total number of sports: 8

14. Sitka High School

Total number of sports: 14

13. Catholic Schools of Fairbanks

Total number of sports: 15

12. Eagle River High School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 25

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11. Bartlett High School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 25

10. Service High School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 26

9. Mountain City Christian Academy (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 6

8. Colony High School (Palmer)

Total number of sports: 18

7. Juneau-Douglas High School

Total number of sports: 16

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6. Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School

Total number of sports: 23

5. Grace Christian School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 11

4. Chugiak High School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 26

3. West High School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 26

2. South Anchorage

Total number of sports: 27

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1. Dimond High School (Anchorage)

Total number of sports: 26



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8 Of The Best Affordable Towns To Retire In Alaska

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8 Of The Best Affordable Towns To Retire In Alaska


Retiring in Alaska can make more financial sense than many people expect, thanks in part to the state’s lack of an individual income tax. Alaska’s average home value sits around $390,000 in spring 2026, slightly higher than the national average. Plenty of affordable towns offer lower housing costs and wallet-friendly amenities. Seward pairs coastal beauty with a tourism-based local economy. Haines holds Alaska’s highest median age and the title of the state’s oldest borough. The eight Alaska towns ahead make the case for a retirement that is both beautiful and budget-conscious.

Fairbanks

Aerial view of Fairbanks, Alaska.

The average home value in Fairbanks is just under $300,000, falling well below Alaska’s state average. Therefore, Fairbanks is an affordable city to retire to, and that’s not its only advantage. For example, there is an excellent university, the University of Alaska, known for its arctic research, and a great hospital, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. There is much to do here in this active city, and even with the long winter to contend with, there are many things to keep you entertained in every season.

Fairbanks has many perks for seniors, such as free bus fare for those over 60, and many retail stores offer a senior discount to those over 55. The city also has a property tax rebate for senior homeowners. The University of Alaska offers classes for adults aged 65 and older with no tuition required.

Hope

Old cabin, library, and other sites in the town of Hope, Alaska.
Old cabin, library, and other sites in the town of Hope, Alaska. Image credit: hw22 via Shutterstock.

Hope was one of the original gold rush towns. Now with fewer than 200 residents, it is a sleepy little town with average home values around $240,000. If you choose to retire here, you will be surrounded by the history of 1899, when a gold nugget was discovered in a nearby creek, and the town was named for the youngest gold rusher to step off a boat. His name was Hope. You can retire here to a pastoral life of fishing, hiking, birdwatching, and belonging to a close-knit, friendly community. The 100-year-old Hope Social Hall, situated in a log cabin, is a venue for weddings, dances, and community events. There are a few local restaurants here, including the Hope Hand Dipped ice cream shop across from the rafting outfitter.

You can enjoy the outdoors in your retirement years. You can hike the Resurrection Pass Trail through the Kenai Mountains along the Kenai River. The Hope-Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum exhibits photographs and artifacts from the 1896 Turnagain Arm Gold Rush and the years that followed. An earthquake in 1964 destroyed part of the town and left a salt marsh in its wake. This marsh attracts many birds, so if you want to enjoy birdwatching in your retirement years, this town would allow you to indulge in that pastime.

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Seward

Overlooking Seward, Alaska, in early summer.
Overlooking Seward, Alaska, in early summer.

When you choose to retire to Seward, you will be part of a tourist town. Seward is a popular stopping spot on cruises, so it is busy in the summer months, but despite its popularity, the average home value still sits just below the state average at $389,000. There are modern conveniences in Seward, such as the Providence Seward Medical and Care Center and drugstores like the full-service Safeway Pharmacy. The Seward Community Library and Museum will be a place you can visit to enjoy workshops and community events, such as movies, as part of your retirement social life. You will never feel isolated in this town, as you can get involved in community events like the Summer Solstice Festival. This is a multiday festival celebrating the longest day of the year, featuring bonfires, art fairs, street performers, and concerts.

Police, fire, and emergency ambulance services are right in town, so you can feel safe when you retire here. There are parks and loop trails to hike on, such as the Mount Marathon Trail, where you can explore and enjoy the outdoors on nice days.

Copper Center

Historic Copper Center in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Historic Copper Center in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. Image credit: Joseph Sohm via Shutterstock.

This town is small, with a population of only 308 residents, and way off the beaten track, so if you retire here, you will have a tranquil lifestyle. The average home values hover in the low $300,000s, well below the state average, making housing more affordable for retirees on a fixed income. If you desire a rugged, adventuresome landscape to retire to, one where you can fish for Copper River salmon, hike, kayak, and enjoy natural beauty, you will like this town. Rafting is a popular pastime on the fast-running, glacial-carved Klutina and Copper Rivers. The cold winters will not deter you when you are part of such a close-knit, caring community.

Hike the huge 13 million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska’s largest national park, and the largest in the US, which is a marvel at glaciers like Root Glacier. You can learn all about the history of mining, including at the old Kennecott Copper Mine, by visiting the George Ashby Memorial Museum. There is also the Copper Center Museum. It is beside a log cabin that was originally a roadhouse for miners in the 1900s. If you are staying here before you retire and move here, you will get a view of the beauty of the surroundings at Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge.

Should you choose to retire here, you will still have access to many amenities. You are not far from larger cities with hospitals and medical services, such as Anchorage, which is approximately 200 miles away.

Haines

The town of Haines, Alaska.
The town of Haines, Alaska.

Haines is situated at an important junction on the shores of Lynn Canal between the Chilkoot and Chilkat Rivers. It is important because it is an ice-free deep-water port, and many people transit through here on their way to British Columbia, the interior of Alaska, and the rest of the USA. Situated on the north end of the Inside Passage, Haines is a hub for the Alaska Marine Highway System. Ferries drop people off here on their way north to the Alaska Highway. If you decide to retire here, average home values are around $330,000, making home purchases cost-effective. The Tlingit Indians’ culture is an important part of this town historically and today. Haines was always in the midst of things, whether it was the Dalton Trail during the famous gold rush or local mining activity. If you retire here, you will have all the conveniences of a larger town, such as a barber shop, The Hair Shop, a chiropractor, Arctic Chiropractic Rehabilitation, and more.

This is a cruise ship port, so it is busy in the summer tourist season. The annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival is an amazing look at thousands of bald eagles that come here every year to feast on a late run of salmon in the Chilkat River.

According to the census, over 23% of the population is 65 or older, and state population data show it has Alaska’s highest median age, making it one of the state’s oldest boroughs.

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Valdez

The beauty of nature in Valdez, Alaska.
The beauty of nature in Valdez, Alaska.

For a small town, there is a strong sense of community here, and housing is affordable. The average home value in Valdez is around $330,000. In addition, there are fun community events all year, such as the Fat Bike Bash, extreme downhill racing, the Mayor’s Cup Snowmachine Race, the Alaska Snow Kite Festival, fishing derbies, and Gold Rush Days, which include an annual parade, to name a few.

Valdez has existed since the gold rush days of 1898. It was said there was a trail here to the Klondike, but when the miners came, they found no such trail existed, so Valdez became a tent city. A severe 1964 earthquake destroyed the town, and it was completely rebuilt afterward. The Kelsey Dock Interpretive Center is a place to visit to learn more about the history and enjoy both people and nature. You might see sea lions, sea otters, or whales from the dock. Cruise ships come in, as well as large oil tankers and other ships. Across the bay is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, the end of the pipeline from the northern tip of Alaska.

North Pole

The Santa Claus House, near the North Pole, Alaska.
The Santa Claus House, near the North Pole, Alaska. Image credit: Kit Leong via Shutterstock.

With a name like this, this town has an appeal at the onset. And with average home values below $330,000, owning a home here is wallet-friendly. The town was named North Pole in 1953 and was established on the original parcel of land named Davis years earlier. There is a fire department and a police department in town, and a branch library, too. They say the Christmas spirit lives here year-round, so there is a theme with streets named after Christmas symbols, a Santa House to visit, and more. There are conveniences like a hair salon, a Safeway grocery store, Ds Burger Shack, which serves burgers, chicken, and reindeer sausage, and the Country Cafe, with its signature croissant French toast.

Willow

Looking south on the Susitna River from Willow Creek, Alaska.
Looking south on the Susitna River from Willow Creek, Alaska.

Situated north of Anchorage, about one hour and 20 minutes away by car, this quiet town, with a population of 1,692, might be a good choice for your retirement life. The average home value is $244,000, which is lower than the state average. There are community events, such as the Willow Winter Carnival and the summer Honey Jam music festival, that you can enjoy with your neighbors and friends.

The world-famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race starts here every year on Willow Lake. You may have watched it on TV when the ceremonies are held in Anchorage. Dog mushing is popular year-round here, with mushers opening their kennels year-round to go across the snow in winter by sled or in summer by cart.

If you love to fish, you will have a happy retirement in this town. You can fish for king salmon, silver salmon, or trout. With kayaking, canoeing, snowmobiling, hiking the trails, riding an ATV on the trails, and rafting on Willow Creek, you will be able to live an active and healthy lifestyle in this town. Viewing bears and bald eagles in their natural habitat, seeing the northern lights in the fall and winter, and enjoying a small, friendly, close-knit community life make this town the best of both worlds for retirement.

These are some of the best affordable places to retire in Alaska. Depending on the type of retirement you imagined, you can choose to live in a tourist-oriented town with a busy summer season or a small, remote town with historical beginnings. It depends on individual taste and what is important to the retiree. Perhaps having a hospital in town is crucial to you, or your goal is to enjoy a rich community, make new friends, and be involved in community life. Others may want a life of solitude, enjoying remote scenery, nature, seeing wildlife in its natural habitat, and fishing. Whatever one of the towns you choose, you will surely not regret retiring in Alaska.

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Airlines are absorbing up to 50% of surging jet fuel costs. Alaska is still betting on premium international flights

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Airlines are absorbing up to 50% of surging jet fuel costs. Alaska is still betting on premium international flights


Despite rising fuel costs, Alaska Airlines is pushing ahead with its plan to attract more premium passengers as it celebrated the launch of its newest route atop a London skyscraper on Thursday evening.

The Seattle-to-London service is part of a rapid European expansion, following last month’s launch of Alaska’s first-ever transatlantic route, to Rome. A third service, to Iceland, is set to begin next week.

But it comes at a cautious time for the industry since the Iran war sent jet fuel prices skyrocketing.

“You’ve seen a very significant drive to get airfares up,” Andrew Harrison, Alaska’s chief commercial officer, told Business Insider. “I think on average, most carriers, even what we’re selling today, are still only covering 50, 60, 70% of the increased cost of fuel.”

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While most European airlines hedge against fuel costs using financial derivatives, most US carriers do not, leaving them more exposed to the surge in prices. Fuel is typically an airline’s second-highest expenditure, after labor.

United Airlines plans to “fully offset the increase in fuel prices,” but that would require an extra 8.5 percentage points of revenue for each seat it flies, CEO Scott Kirby said in March.

Even with higher airfares and checked bag fees, Harrison’s comments show how fuel costs are still eating into most airlines’ profits.

“What we tell ourselves at Alaska is just control what we can control. We are an industry that faces crises all the time. If it’s not one thing, it’s another,” Harrison told Business Insider.

“So we just feel actually very good about our expansion and what we’re doing here. In fact, it gives us even greater wind in our sails to continue and work hard during these difficult times.”

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Jet fuel prices change summer vacation habits


Alaska Airlines staff stand by one of the company's planes to celebrate its new route from Seattle to Rome.

Alaska Airlines staff stand by one of the company’s planes to celebrate its new route from Seattle to Rome. 

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Despite rising prices, many people are still keen to fly — especially those rich enough to fly in premium cabins, which are particularly profitable for airlines.

Around 30% of people won’t change their summer travel plans due to rising gas prices, according to a Bank of America survey of 4,000 people conducted in April. Plus, the survey found middle- and higher-income households are seeing stronger travel spending.

Alaska is leaning into the trend with new international business-class suites, including sliding privacy doors and lie-flat beds. By 2028, it also plans to introduce a premium economy cabin on its long-haul widebody aircraft, like the Boeing 787 operating the London route.

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Starlink’s high-speed in-flight WiFi also helps attract premium travelers. Alaska has equipped some planes with Starlink, but it isn’t yet certified for the 787. Harrison said the airline expects it to be ready in the fall.

Alaska has expanded to long-haul transatlantic flights thanks to its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, which had a fleet and order book of 787s. It’s timely, given the popularity of Europe with American travelers.

The Bank of America survey found Europe remained the most attractive location for vacationers this year. Compared to 2025, it’s become at least 10% more popular with middle- and higher-income households — but less popular with lower-income households, according to the survey.

On the other hand, this means strong competition. British Airways and Delta Air Lines already fly between Seattle and London, although Virgin Atlantic is suspending its route for the winter season.

Harrison pointed to Alaska’s “state-of-the-art aircraft” on the route, manufactured in the last 12 months, as well as its Seattle hub with 105 destinations.

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To bypass Heathrow’s capacity constraints, Alaska is leasing its slot at the London airport from American Airlines, a fellow member of the Oneworld alliance.

“Working together with our Oneworld partners has just given us amazing opportunity in what we know is a very highly congested and competitive airport,” Harrison said.

BA is also a Oneworld member, so Alaska customers can connect on its flights to other destinations on the continent.

Surging fuel prices have made it a testing time for aviation, but Alaska isn’t too concerned, backing its international expansion.

It’s going to build a new foundation for growth, long term, for the airline,” Harrison said. “These are large investments, don’t get me wrong, but we’re building the company for the future, we’re building the brand for the future, and this is one area where we’re going to just keep going.”

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Alaska is aiming for 12 international destinations out of Seattle by 2030, and plans to announce more later this year.





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