On January 18th, 2024, Alaska Airlines will begin flying a seasonal route from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) to Cancun International Airport (CUN), which does not operate from any of the airline’s major West Coast hubs. This service will stand out from others in the carrier’s extensive North American network, as it is one of the few that does not operate via a major airline hub.

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, which recently merged with leisure carrier Hawaiian Airlines, has historically operated a hub-and-spoke business model in which it operated flights exclusively via its hubs. This operational strategy, the most common among airlines across the United States and the rest of the globe, has long been the root of airlines like Alaska’s success. By operating flights through hubs, carriers can decrease operational costs and offer passengers access to most destinations.

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 taking off

Photo: Ross Howey Photo | Shutterstock

In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, commercial airline route networks have been altered significantly, as many airlines have begun to shift towards a point-to-point model of flying, which involves bypassing hubs entirely and operating nonstop flights directly between the destinations passengers wanted to go to. For legacy airlines, this was risky as it involved expanding their route networks into unknown territory and potentially exposing themselves to increased costs.

Related

Some Passengers Still Aren’t Convinced Of Boeing’s Safety 1 Year After Alaska Airlines’ Door Blowout

Boeing has put stringent measures in place since the incident, under the guidance of the FAA.

Nonetheless, while operating point-to-point flights was mostly done in the past by low-cost carriers in the past, today Alaska Airlines and other legacy carriers have continued to expand their non-hub nonstop services, opening the door to a world where network strategies were far less simply defined. Alaska Airlines, by launching new nonstop flights from Kansas City to Cancun, continues to demonstrate its large-scale shift towards operating a point-to-point model.

This new route was launched alongside several other non-traditional services

The new flights from Kansas City to Cancun were launched back on July 10th, 2024, when the carrier announced its network would be expanding to 18 new leisure destinations during the winter of 2025. These nonstop routes have opened up links between some city pairs that had previously never had a direct service. These flights mostly connect population centers in the central and Western United States with ski destinations in the Rockies and other mountain ranges and sunny destinations in Mexico or the American Southeast.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 landing at LAS shutterstock_2498062141

Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

According to the airline, Alaska’s decision to expand into many unique, non-traditional markets underscores its continued commitment to enhancing the passenger experience. The airline’s new flights are set to offer passengers connections to snowy and warm getaways during the winter season.

Related

How Can You Find The Best Deals From The Northeast To The Rockies For Ski Season?

These strategies might help you secure the best deal.

The rhetoric from the airline’s leadership team in the wake of this announcement has provided similar messaging. In a statement regarding the launch of these flights, Kirsten Armine, the Vice President of Revenue Management and Network Planning at Alaska Airlines, had the following words to share:

“We’re thrilled to offer convenient connection for guests across our network with this expansion—whether checking destinations off their bucket lists or setting off to their favorite winter getaways, we’ve put together an exciting range of options from tropical destinations across Mexico to the most popular ski slopes in North America.”

Alaska Airlines is betting big on ski resorts

In recent years, the most successful airlines have been those willing to expand their route networks to offer service to destinations that have traditionally been underserved, and by capturing passenger demand for such facilities. Alaska Airlines is looking to follow this kind of strategy with this latest series of routes.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737s on the ground at ANC shutterstock_2395159057

Photo: EWY Media | Shutterstock

For starters, the airline is set to add new nonstop flights to Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), the primary facility serving the popular ski destination of Vail. These new flights are set to be Alaska Airlines’ first to the Colorado airport, and they are also set to be the first flights directly to Vail from both Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and San Diego International Airport (SAN). Despite serving a new market (and a very high-end premium leisure market at that), these flights are not as noteworthy as some of the others set to be launched by the airline this year, as both operate via an Alaska Airlines hub.

The carrier is also planning on launching flights from San Diego to Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), which will provide convenient access for anyone looking to ski at the numerous resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. The airline is also launching flights from John Wayne International Airport (SNA) in Orange County and Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Boise Airport (BOI) in Idaho, which will offer passengers an efficient travel option for those heading to ski resorts near Boise.

Get all the latest aviation news for North America
from Simple Flying!

The airline will also be operating flights from Boise to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), a service that will offer passengers convenient access to multiple Montana ski resorts. There is no doubt that Alaska Airlines has identified the kind of traveler heading to many of these ski destinations as one they would like to target post-merger.

The airline is launching seasonal flights from non-hub airports to several sunny destinations

The carrier will continue to expand its presence in winter sun markets, with new flights from non-traditional gateway cities to destinations in Mexico and Central America. We have already mentioned the new route from Kansas City to Cancun, which is set to be operated by one of the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Interestingly, this route is set to operate just once weekly and is a seasonal service that will cease operations in early June. Here are five other sun destination routes that Alaska Airlines has either launched or is set to launch shortly:

Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Route Frequency:

St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)

Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR)

1x weekly

New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR)

4x weekly

Kansas City International Airport (MCI)

Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR)

1x weekly

Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

Los Cabos International Airport (SJD)

5x weekly

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Liberia International Airport (LIR)

1x weekly

Across the board, we can note that Alaska Airlines is digging deeper into the leisure market, operating winter flights from more non-traditional markets to sunny resort destinations across Mexico and South America. This travel demographic, one that is willing to orient their schedules around the one or two days per week that a flight operates, is overwhelmingly young and willing to travel. According to the BBC, attracting young customers has long proven essential for leisure-oriented airlines.

Alaska Airlines aircraft parked at the gates at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport SEA shutterstock_1766083010

Photo: Bill Roque | Shutterstock

Furthermore, by operating just one flight per week, Alaska Airlines can be sure to achieve higher load factors on these routes. The airline is looking to overcome competitive pressures from full-service airlines by expanding into new kinds of markets, and it is looking to find success in smaller markets where legacy carriers still require passengers to take connecting flights.

Related

The 4 Ex-Alaska Airlines Airbus A320s Now Flying With Air Canada

These four planes also had a history with Virgin America.

Additionally, the US commercial aviation industry has historically forced carriers to compete aggressively, turning it into a bit of an up-or-out market. Airlines that fail to expand and continue attracting new passengers will ultimately struggle to achieve positive financial results. Alaska Airlines, which has made arguably the two most high-profile acquisitions in the US aviation industry in the past decade, certainly believes in this model.

The airline acquired Virgin America back in 2016, which helped drastically expand its coast-to-coast reach, and later incorporated Hawaiian Airlines into its system following a purchase announced late in 2023. With cash flows strong and a desire to expand, it is unsurprising that Alaska is rolling the dice on some unconventional routes.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790(WL) aircraft is airborne as it departs Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California USA

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

So what’s the bottom line with the flight from Kansas City to Cancun?

Alaska’s latest network expansion, which will see once-weekly flights from Kansas City to Cancun, is emblematic of the airline’s larger development strategy. The airline wants to see if it can succeed in operating point-to-point services between smaller markets, and routes like this serve as a key opportunity to test the potential success of such network expansions. In the meantime, residents of the Kansas City area will now have access to another non-stop connection to Cancun, becoming the third carrier (alongside Southwest and American) to serve the route with direct flights.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *