1 week Ago By Joseph Juetten
Alaska Airlines has operated Boeing 737s since the early 1980s. The one world carrier has operated many variants of the popular narrowbody jet, from the 737 Classic to, most recently, the 737 MAX 8 and 9. The turn of the century was pivotal for the small carrier, as it took delivery of its first 737-700 from the 737NG family on July 28, 1999.
The next generation of Boeing 737 jets unlocked transcontinental capabilities that Alaska Airlines had never had before. Before receiving a batch of factory-fresh Next-Generation 737s, Alaska's route network was primarily sequestered in the northwestern part of the United States. This article will explore why the 737-700 Next-Generation changed Alaska Airlines for the better.
Why did Alaska Airlines purchase the 737-700? In the late 1990s, as competition in the US aviation landscape grew, Alaska swiftly looked for ways to expand its business and increase revenue from cities outside the Pacific Northwest. Consumer data had shown that Alaska's cult-like Seattle customer base was interested in flying east to Chicago and Washington DC . By the early 2000s, Chicago and Washington DC were two of Alaska's top unserved destinations.
The airline's flourishing relationship with Seattle's hometown aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, continued to mature. In tandem, both companies had agreed that Boeing had the perfect aircraft to initiate Alaska's eastward expansion. The airline has an all-Boeing 737 fleet for its mainline operations.
Alaska Airlines quickly learned that the 737-700NG featured an impressive range balanced with a low-risk capacity opportunity. After much consideration, Alaska Airlines ordered over 20 737-700 jets, as reported by Planespotters.net .
By 2003, the 737-700 was the longest-range jet in the growing Alaska Airlines fleet, and this fact alone further solidified why the airline made such a prudent choice in purchasing the plane. The aircraft was designed to operate short—and medium-haul services as a twinjet, narrowbody aircraft. Network development Due to its lower seating capacity, the 737-700 allowed Alaska Airlines to test (at the time) unique East Coast markets, whose service would pay future dividends.
Thanks to the 737-700, the carrier could take network-shaping calculated risks that have helped create the portfolio of routes that it currently offers. Delivery of these jets took place from 1999 until late 2003, and several examples were converted into freighters beginning in 2017. Alaska Airlines still operates the 737-700, but it is no longer deployed on transcontinental missions.
The more modern MAX variants, with more passenger capacity and a better CASM, are better suited for the transcontinental trek. CASM stands for 'cost per available seat mile,' a metric that measures an aircraft's financial efficiency by dividing the total operating costs by the total number of available seat miles. Alaska Airlines identifies its 737-700 aircraft from the 737NG family with the designator '73G.
' The jet is also commonly known as the 73G at several other major US airlines that still operate the small but mighty type. For example, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines still operate large fleets of 73Gs. Original 73G markets One of the most famous 73G missions for Alaska Airlines was from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Washington DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA).
Amy Trask of The Seattle Times reported that the carrier obtained a take-off and landing slot at the coveted Washington DC area airport due to American Airlines' purchase of bankrupt Trans World Airlines. Alaska Airlines' new transcontinental service coincidentally began one week before the 9/11 terrorist attacks and was suspended for nearly three months. The carrier initiated its DCA service with a 172-seat 737-900 jetliner.
The 73G was perfect for such a route because, in the wake of the tragic terrorist attacks on the United States, Congress enacted a seating capacity cap on airlines serving DCA to 150 seats or fewer. Alaska Airlines was able to return to DCA with its 150-seater 73G, as all 73Gs were initially delivered with 150 passenger seats. Without the 73G, today's Alaska Airlines DCA service might look a bit different.
In 2001 and 2002, constant deliveries of 73G aircraft afforded Alaska Airlines cosmic transcontinental growth opportunities. The carrier initiated service from SEA to several key East Coast cities, and, by late 2002, it had six daily cross-country flights. The list below illustrates the original 73G East Coast markets that Alaska Airlines served.
It continues to fly to these destinations today, albeit no longer with the 73G. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
Miami International Airport (MIA). Slow and steady wins the race For decades, Alaska Airlines has been praised for its conservative business approach. The carrier has, and continues to, leverage its strengths, specifically by capitalizing on and defending its hometown geography.
Since the carrier's inception, Alaska Airlines has monopolized inter-Alaska air travel and the Pacific Northwest market. Notably, after the 9/11 tragedy, Alaska set itself up for future success by remaining disciplined in its plan to play the 'long game' of sustained success and focus on what it did best. It has succeeded, as it is currently one of the most profitable airlines in the United States, with a 2024 reported profit of $71 million.
"Alaska is counting on such loyal customers to fill up its eastbound planes. Greg Witter, an Alaska spokesperson, said the airline has no plans to become a nationwide carrier. Rather, Alaska aims to link 'hometown' customers from its core cities of Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage to cities where they want to travel.
The airline operates 78 percent of the seats between the Pacific Northwest and Southern California and has a virtual lock on Alaska residents who fly east. That dominance in home markets buffered Alaska more than most airlines from the financial calamity that hit the industry after Sept. 11.
" - Kyung Song, The Seattle Times The small airline was, and continues to be, focused on delivering a 'best-in-class' customer experience. Due to its exceptional customer service, Alaska Airlines has been globally ranked as one of the best airlines to fly, and the brand is a household name in the Pacific Northwest. For years, its legacy of leadership has conservatively invested in offering top-tier customer service.
Alaska Airlines previously reported that it had been ranked number one in customer satisfaction by JD Power for 12 consecutive years (2008-2019). Fleet evolution Alaska has had a relatively uniform fleet since 2005, when it retired its last McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft. Such operations foster operational efficiency and can contribute to an airline's bottom line.
This idea alone has been at the core of Alaska Airlines' business for twenty years. Cost savings: reduce the complexity of spare parts and execution of maintenance procedures. Labor standardization: only having to employ one pilot group.
Reliability: with fewer aircraft variations, airlines experience fewer scheduling conflicts. However, according to the Alaska X Hawaiian official merger page, Alaska Airlines will no longer have such a uniform fleet by late 2026, after its recent purchase of Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska Airlines continues to be one of the world's most successful carriers, and this is due to a long history of strategic business decisions, including the purchase of the 73G.
Network battles Most recently, Alaska Airlines has shown impressive resilience in defending its hometown turf of Seattle from Delta Air Lines. According to the Beat of Hawaii , the Alaska-Delta rivalry has been active for over a decade and continues to roar. "Delta's push to establish Seattle as its West Coast hub ignited a feud that shattered a once-cooperative relationship between the two carriers.
In response, Alaska fought back fiercely, expanding its reach while fortifying its loyalty program to retain its loyal customer base. The rivalry took a dramatic turn with Alaska Airlines' 2016 acquisition of Virgin America. This move significantly bolstered Alaska's West Coast network.
Delta's response has been relentless, with increasing capacity focused on elevated premium services and aggressive expansion into Hawaii routes." - Beat Of Hawaii The war between Alaska Airlines and Delta is far from over. However, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Alaska has the largest market share at SEA, with 21.
8 million passengers flown in 2024, while Delta Air Lines flew roughly nine million passengers there in 2024 . Seattle-Tacoma International Airport remains a 'fortress hub' for Alaska Airlines, and it has no intentions of relinquishing that title. Alaska Airlines has made some excellent decisions that have helped it control the Seattle market and command a fare premium.
For the first time in its 93-year existence, it will be able to launch flights to Asia, with a service to South Korea, namely Seoul Incheon International Airport, in September, thanks to its purchase of Hawaiian Airlines. The carrier will compete with Delta's twice-daily service, allowing Alaska Airlines loyalists to fly Seattle's hometown airline across the Pacific. How a series of mergers and acquisitions led to strategic hubs on the West Coast.
Current 73G missions Sadly, the days of Alaska Airlines' 73G-operated transcontinental services are long gone. However, the airline has found a special niche for the mature fleet, with no plans to retire them. The 73G is now deployed on short-haul Alaskan missions in addition to the occasional intra-west coast jaunt.
The 73G is the perfect aircraft for inter-Alaska passenger routes because it features a smaller capacity. With just 124 seats, the aircraft can be efficiently deployed into smaller markets that don't warrant the demand of a larger jet, such as the MAX 9. Cirium , an aviation analytics company, reports that Alaska Airlines' longest 73G route in March was between Anchorage's Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) and Portland International Airport (PDX), covering just over 1,500NM.
The chart below displays Alaska Airlines' five longest 73G routes last month. City pair Distance Fairbanks-Seattle 1,533 NM Anchorage-Seattle 1,448 NM Anchorage-Adak Island 1,192 NM Seattle-Albuquerque 1,180 NM Seattle-Phoenix 1,107 NM.
