ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – As Memorial Day weekend approaches, Anchorage residents and visitors are adjusting their travel plans as gas prices near record highs.

At Westchester Lagoon on Monday, Nancy Podgorski searched for spring shorebirds, something she plans to do this Memorial Day as well.

“This is just the best time of year to go birding in Anchorage,” Podgorski said.

Due to the cost of travel, Podgorski won’t make it back to Homer for the Shorebird Festival this year.

“It was disappointing to be honest because last year we went and it was so fun and it’s such a great activity and there’s lots of festivals around,” Podgorski said.

“The jump from $3.89 a gallon to $5.19, and who knows how much higher it’s going to go, that’s really significant for people that are retired on a teacher’s retirement budget,” Podgorski said. “It’s like … that’s the difference between eating ramen noodles and not eating ramen noodles.”

Alli, an Anchorage resident who recently moved from Maryland, is planning a Memorial Day visit to Denali before cutting back on travel.

“We are going to do a trip to Denali. So, it’s early in the season, but we’re so excited,” she said.

She said it’s her last trip for a while.

“The gas has been a shock and we’re feeling it,” she said. “I think after this trip, we’re probably going to stay local in Anchorage for the summertime.”

Tourists are also noticing the high fuel costs. Tony Broussard, visiting from Florida, said he was surprised by Alaska’s gas prices.

“I would have maybe thought, because I’m originally from Louisiana, and, you know, in oil production areas, you’d think would be a little… less,” Broussard said.

The Alaska average as of Monday is $5.29 per gallon, just under $2 higher than last year, according to AAA.

“I think the gas prices is definitely something that I will consider when we’re doing trips,” Alli said.

Despite the high costs, many plan to make the most of it.

“There’s plenty of things and hiking to do in the area, but definitely is painful to fill up my car,” Alli said.

“And you know, gas prices are $5.19 a gallon now we’re staying put. But when you’ve got a beautiful lake and we go birding all the time,” Podgorski said. “We have our binocs, our camera, we’re ready to go.”

“We’re just enjoying the day,” Broussard said.

With summer approaching, the question for many drivers isn’t just how much it costs to fill up. It’s how much longer it will stay this way.

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‍ANCHORAGE — Southwest Airlines (WN) has launched its first-ever service to Alaska, beginning seasonal flights to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) from Denver International Airport (DEN) and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).

The carrier scheduled Anchorage service to begin on May 15, 2026, with once-daily flights through the summer from both Denver and Las Vegas. Southwest’s booking site now markets Anchorage flights, with fares and connecting itineraries visible from multiple U.S. cities.

Southwest adds its 43rd state

Anchorage becomes Southwest’s 122nd airport and brings Alaska into the carrier’s domestic network as its 43rd U.S. state. The airline had announced the move in October 2025, describing Anchorage as one of several new 2026 destinations added as part of a broader network expansion.

The launch follows Southwest’s recent additions of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Knoxville, Tennessee; Sint Maarten; and Santa Rosa/Sonoma County, California. Anchorage is the most geographically distinct of those additions, extending Southwest’s map into a market where air travel is unusually central to state connectivity.

Why anchorage matters

For Alaska, Southwest’s arrival adds another large U.S. carrier at ANC and increases competition on two important Lower 48 corridors. Alaska transportation officials framed the service as a boost for passenger choice, tourism, business travel, and broader state connectivity.

The Denver and Las Vegas launch points are also strategic. Denver gives Southwest a strong inland connecting point to much of its domestic network, while Las Vegas adds another high-volume leisure gateway. Together, the routes allow Southwest to test Alaska demand without immediately entering more crowded West Coast-to-Anchorage markets.

Part of a larger southwest reset

The Anchorage launch comes as Southwest continues to reshape both its network and onboard product. The airline has been rolling out assigned and premium seating, free Wi-Fi for Rapid Rewards members, and in-seat power on Boeing 737-8 aircraft as part of its redesigned cabin strategy.

That context matters. Anchorage is not just a novelty dot on the map; it is part of Southwest’s wider attempt to broaden vacation demand, strengthen connecting relevance, and enter markets that historically sat outside its traditional network profile.

Impacts

For travelers, the immediate impact is simple: Anchorage now has new seasonal nonstop options from Denver and Las Vegas, backed by Southwest’s large connecting network. For ANC, the service adds another national carrier during the peak summer travel window.

For Southwest, Alaska is a symbolic and strategic expansion. The carrier is moving beyond its old domestic playbook, adding more geographically ambitious destinations while modernizing the product around assigned seating, premium options, and loyalty benefits. The real test will be whether Anchorage performs strongly enough to return beyond the initial summer season.