For decades, Alaska Airlines meant something specific: excellent domestic service, a beloved loyalty program, and a first class cabin that topped U.S. rankings without ever crossing an ocean. That era is over. With its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners now flying from Seattle to Europe and Asia — including the first-ever nonstop between Seattle and Rome, launched this spring — Alaska has introduced its first true long-haul luxury product: international business class Suites.
The airline calls it “a new standard for long-haul travel,” and the details suggest it isn’t just marketing. Here’s what the Suites experience actually delivers, from the private check-in lobby in Seattle to the ice cream cart somewhere over the Atlantic.
A Proper Suite, With a Door
Each 787-9 carries 34 Suites, and every one is a fully lie-flat seat with a privacy door and direct aisle access — the configuration that separates modern flagship business class from everything below it. The lounge-style seat converts to a flat bed for the overnight legs, and the hardware around it is current-generation: an 18-inch HD entertainment display, personal power outlets, wireless charging, and noise-reducing headsets waiting at the seat.
Dining With a West Coast Accent
Dinner opens with a welcome service of cheese and charcuterie paired with wines that read like a West Coast cellar tour — Stag’s Leap among them — alongside Roederer Champagne, handcrafted cocktails and Stumptown coffee. From there, the multi-course menu runs to as many as six entrée choices, which guests can pre-order in the Alaska app before departure.
The standout is the Chef’s Tray Table entrée developed with Seattle chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, built around short rib from Klingemann Farms. The menus also bend toward where you’re headed: roasted chicken carbonara en route to Rome, gochujang chicken with banchan on Seoul flights, and a full English breakfast served before descent into London.
Then there’s the flourish nobody expects at 38,000 feet: a Salt & Straw sundae cart, rolled through the cabin with customizable toppings. It’s a very Pacific Northwest answer to the caviar service other carriers lean on — and a more memorable one.
Filson Bedding and an Amenity Kit Worth Keeping
For sleep, Alaska partnered with fellow Seattle institution Filson on a full bedding set: a plush mattress pad, an oversized duvet, a soft sleeping pillow and a second lumbar pillow for lounging. The amenity kit comes in a collectible Filson travel bag offered in two West Coast-inspired colorways — the rare airline kit designed to outlive the flight — stocked with Salt & Stone skincare and a custom PATH Water reusable bottle.
Starlink Wi-Fi, Free From Gate to Gate
Alaska is equipping the fleet with Starlink, delivering gate-to-gate connectivity fast enough for streaming, with installations continuing into fall 2026. Access is complimentary for Atmos Rewards members through the airline’s T-Mobile partnership — a meaningful perk on a ten-hour transatlantic run.
The Experience Begins at Check-In
The ground experience is where Alaska is borrowing from the international heavyweights. At its Seattle hub, Suites guests and top-tier Atmos Titanium members check in through an exclusive private lobby, where a personal concierge walks them to a private security entrance. Dedicated Suites check-in lanes are rolling out across the network, with Anchorage, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Reykjavík, Rome, Seoul and Tokyo all planned.
Before boarding, Suites guests have access to Alaska’s lounge network and oneworld partner lounges worldwide — with oneworld Emerald status unlocking first class lounges. And in a nod to its famously loyalty-friendly culture, Alaska gives Atmos Titanium members a shot at space-available, day-of-departure upgrades into the Suites cabin.
Where the Suites Fly
The Suites debuted on Alaska’s new intercontinental network from Seattle — Rome and London across the Atlantic, Seoul across the Pacific, with Tokyo arriving this fall. “We set out to design a Business Class experience that is both sophisticated and authentically Alaska: premium, comfortable and thoughtfully created for our guests,” said Andrew Harrison, the airline’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, announcing the cabin.
The Bottom Line
Alaska’s Suites arrive as a credible West Coast alternative to the legacy transatlantic business class products — with privacy doors and lie-flat beds as the baseline, and the personality (Filson, Salt & Straw, Stumptown) as the differentiator. For travelers weighing how it stacks up, see our guide to flying first and business class and our ranking of the best first class airlines in the world.
Details and photography courtesy of Alaska Airlines. Sources: Alaska Airlines newsroom — International Business Class Suites announcement and Seattle–Rome launch.
