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What to Know About Alaska Air TravelOne of the things that makes and keeps Alaska unique is its remote location. While there are other modes of transportation that will get you to Alaska, Alaska Air Travel is the fastest and the cheapest way to get here! My "day job" involves transporting people to and from the Anchorage Airport. My goal for this page is to share my knowledge of Alaska Air Travel and the Anchorage International Airport, in particular, so that you will plan your trip with ease and know how and where you are going once you get here.
Traveling to Alaska by Air
Quick...name another state that has an Airline named after it! Yes, Alaska is so cool that it has it's own airline. Alright, alright - - so what if Alaska Airlines is actually based in Seattle Washington? The airline is still named after Alaska and speaking of Alaska Airlines, it operates the largest air travel network in Alaska. If you are flying from the "lower 48" Alaska Airlines schedulesdaily non-stop flights from Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver British Columbia and Portland Oregon. Depending on the time of year, Alaskan Airlines schedules about 16 non-stop flights a day from Seattle Washingon. From Seattle it will take you three and a half hours to fly to Anchorage. Alaska Air also flies non-stop flights to Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka and Fairbanks Alaska.
Anchorage Alaska ... Home of the "Red Eye" FlightFirst of all, it is usually cheaper to fly overnight to and from Alaska. The rest of this is purely my opinion based on my experiences. Ask anyone that lives here and they will tell you how common it is for flights to arrive and originate from Anchorage in the middle of the night...usually between 10PM and 2AM. Anyone looking for the cheapest-priced flights to Alaska will,most likely, arrive on between the times I mention above. With the exception of flying to Europe, I don't believe that I had ever flown overnight before coming to Alaska. Odds are that you will notice the same with your Alaska air travel plans.
Why the Late Night Flights?People look for the best price available on the Internet when booking a flight. Usually to get a flight that arrives in Anchorage during the daytime, you will pay more for your ticket. Another thing to consider is that, when it comes to flying, Anchorage is at the end of the line, so to speak. Tack the extra three and a half hours onto any evening flight from Seattle and you can't hardly help but arrive late at night. There is a flight that flies from Los Angeles that doesn't arrive in Anchorage 'til a few minutes after 3AM! Same goes with departures. When you leave Anchorage, an early morning departure time (like2am for example) gives Alaska travelers time to "sync up" withcontinuing early morning flights out of Seattle and other western cities.
Domestic Airlines That Fly to AnchorageAlaska Airline is the most prominent airline in and out of Anchorage, but it isn't the only one. Many other airlines operate between the "lower 48" and Alaska, including:
Northwest Airline - Northwest Airlines offers year-round service to Minneapolis and seasonally a Minneapolis to Fairbanks Alaska route it offered. They also sometimes offer a seasonal Anchorage-Maui flight Continental Airline - Year-round non-stop between Seattle and Anchorage. In the summer they offer an Anchorage-Houston flight. United Airline - United flies year-round between Denver and Anchorage with additional summer Anchorage-Chicago and Anchorage San Francisco respectively. A complete list of domestic Airlines, including contact info, that play key roles in Alaska Air Travel can be found
here.
International Airlines that Fly to AnchorageAlaska's populartiy and central location between the United States and places like Asia and Europe, the Anchorage International Airport is no stranger to many International Airlines. These include, but are not limited to China Air, Cathay Pacific, Condor Air, Korean Air and
many others from around the world.
Once You Arrive in AnchorageOnce you arrive here at the Anchorage Alaska Airport your number one concern, after finding your luggage, will be transportation. Anchorage Airport has many transportation options available. You'll find a way to get to anywhere you wish with just a little knowledge and planning. If you are looking for a taxi, limousine, executive sedan or a shuttle bus you'll find information it
here!
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