Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will launch year-round nonstop service between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and two new international destinations: Osaka, Japan, and Papeete, Tahiti, in French Polynesia.

According to Alaska Airlines, Seattle-Osaka flights begin May 14, 2027, operating four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while Seattle-Papeete service starts June 11, 2027, three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Both routes will be flown on Hawaiian Airlines-branded Airbus A330 aircraft. Introductory round-trip Main Cabin fares from Seattle start at $1,199 to Osaka and $999 to Papeete through October 26, subject to availability, and tickets are on sale now at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com.

All new routes remain subject to government approval.

The announcement is striking for how quickly Alaska's Seattle long-haul map is expanding: as The Points Guy notes, these two Pacific routes bring the combined airline to nine long-haul flights from Seattle once 2027 launches are complete, after the carrier unveiled Seattle service to Paris and Athens in August.

Osaka and Papeete are the eighth and ninth long-haul intercontinental routes added from Seattle, joining existing service to London, Tokyo, Seoul, Rome and Reykjavik.

Under the Alaska Accelerate plan, the airline aims to transform Seattle into a global gateway serving at least 15 long-haul intercontinental destinations by 2030. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said the carrier is 'just getting started' in connecting the Pacific Northwest to more of the world.

The combined airline will be the only carrier offering nonstop service between Seattle and both Osaka and Papeete, according to Alaska Airlines.

Kansai Airports executive Fabien Gourdon welcomed Kansai International Airport being selected as the airline's third destination in Asia, and Osaka's location gives travelers a gateway to Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.

On the Tahiti side, the airline says it will be the only U.S. airline with same-day connections from Papeete to Bora Bora and Moorea, letting guests skip an overnight stop, and an expanded Air Tahiti partnership adds same-day links to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

Fittingly, the new Seattle-Papeete route will operate as flight AS987, a nod to French Polynesia's 987 postal codes.

Both routes will be operated by Hawaiian Airlines on its Airbus A330 fleet, with lie-flat business class Suites, free high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi for Atmos Rewards members thanks to T-Mobile, amenity kits from Hawaii brand Noho Home, and dedicated check-in and Alaska Lounge access for Suites guests in Seattle.

Hawaii News Now reports that Hawaiian will continue its existing Honolulu nonstops to both cities, having served Osaka since 2011 and Papeete since 1987. Outbound, Seattle-Osaka departs 12:10 p.m. arriving 4 p.m.; the Papeete flight departs 11:55 p.m. arriving 7:20 a.m.

A nose-to-tail A330 retrofit with new Leihoku Suites and premium economy is planned from 2028, though The Points Guy notes those seats will not be ready in time for next summer's service.

Alaska says the Osaka route offers the shortest connecting path from many points on its domestic network, and the Papeete service provides one-stop access from U.S. cities that today require two or more stops to reach Tahiti.

For members of the Atmos Rewards loyalty program, the routes create new ways to earn and redeem points on Pacific flying, and The Points Guy frames Osaka as especially welcome because flyers no longer need to transit Tokyo to reach the city.

Executives have also signaled the future skews Pacific: Alaska chief commercial officer Andrew Harrison told customers on September 29 to expect a mix of Asia and Europe, 'but a little bit more toward Asia.'

Booking is live, but all schedules remain subject to change and government approval, so travelers should watch for regulatory confirmation before finalizing summer 2027 plans.

The Osaka route launches first on May 14, followed by Papeete on June 11, and introductory fares run only through October 26, giving bookers a short window to lock in the $999-to-$1,199 round-trip starting prices.

Beyond these routes, Alaska has promised more international destinations are 'on the horizon' as it works toward its 15-long-haul Seattle goal by 2030, and Hawaiian's A330 cabins will be refreshed starting in 2028.