Domestic travel within the United States has steadily been on the rise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In fact, domestic leisure trips have exceeded pre-pandemic levels which shows that Americans steadily prioritize travel. A significant limitation of the travel sector, however, has been fluctuations in the market economy. This instability has resulted in many Americans opting for less expensive travel like road trips over more expensive travel requiring flights.

Flying in America is expensive, plain and simple. A roundtrip flight from Atlanta to Miami can cost upwards of $250 or more while a flight from London to Barcelona, a route nearly the same distance, costs a third of that price. To travel coast-to-coast, you can expect a price tag of $500 or more per person for most airlines. Given this fact, I was surprised to find a much lower-priced airfare during my search for a destination to visit on the West Coast. While major airlines like Delta and United Airlines offered both direct and layover flights for approximately $500 per person, Alaska Airlines offered a flight for half that price. And this flight had no layover- it was direct.

Alaska Airlines was first founded in Alaska (no surprise there) in 1932 as McGee Airways then Star Air Service and then was ultimately renamed Alaska Airlines in 1944. The airline is currently headquartered in Seattle, Washington. They fly to over 100 destination in the United States and also fly to Canada, the Pacific Islands as well as some destinations in Central and South America.

This particular Alaska Airlines flight is the least expensive direct flight I have ever seen from the East Coast to the West Coast. Having never flown Alaska Airlines, I wondered if a 5-hour flight at this price would be an uncomfortable experience.Ultimately, I felt the cost-savings was worth the risk and decided to give it a go. Now, I am here to present my honest review of this airline and discuss my experience flying Alaska Airlines roundtrip from Atlanta, Georgia to Portland, Oregon. If you’d like to learn more about traveling to Portland, read further here!

Booking

Booking a flight through the Alaska Airlines website is easy and straightforward. With a purchase of standard ticket, you are allowed one carry on item and one personal item (such as a purse, bookbag, or laptop carrier). The baggage fees are reasonably priced and cost $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second bag.

Alaska Airlines offers a rewards program called the Mileage Plan. You earn miles through booking flights and through purchases made with the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card. This plan has consistently ranked as the highest rated airline rewards program on the market. As awarded by U.S. News & World Report, the Alaska Airline Mileage Program has out beat other airlines 11 years and counting due to the ease of earning flights (based on miles flown, not dollars spent), mile redemption and customer satisfaction.

Alaska Airlines App

The phone app for Alaska Airlines is well designed and easy to use. You may book flights through the app, change your seat and pre-order a meal for your flight. On your travel day, the app also provides status updates for flight delays or if your seat assignment has changed. As a bonus, it communicates with the Apple Watch interface to provide real-time notifications which is convenient if your hands are full as you walk through the airport.

Check-In

Checking in for your Alaska Airlines flight can be done on the app or at the check-in desk near the airport entrance. As is typical, this is also where you will check a bag should you choose to do so. At the Atlanta airport, check-in was a bit frustrating since there was only one Alaska Airlines kiosk. Naturally, this caused quite a queue, and it took around twenty minutes to get through the line. At the Portland airport, however, there were multiple kiosks for Alaska Airlines which made check-in a breeze.

Alaska Airlines check-in at Portland International Airport

Boarding

Finding the gate for Alaska Airlines was fairly simple. The gate number was displayed on the app and there was a sign at the gate with the Alaska Airlines logo. Boarding took place like most airlines- in an assigned group. My boarding group was F, one of the last, but I had no trouble finding a place for my carry-on bag in the overhead bins.

The seats on my plane were in a 3-by-3 configuration. My first impression of the plane was that it was simple but clean. The seats are not exceptionally spacious but were comfortable and had sufficient leg room below with plenty of space to store my personal item.

On Board Amenities

Despite the 5-hour flight time, the seats did not have TV monitors, so I was grateful to have brought a book and my laptop. There is access to free movies and texting through AlaskaWiFi.com and Wi-Fi costs $8 for the duration of the flight (unless you have T-mobile, in which case it’s free). I consider this price reasonable since other competitor airlines often charge $15 or more for Wi-Fi. I opted to purchase the Wi-Fi and found the connection to be mostly reliable throughout the flight.

One subtle detail I appreciated was the small, fold down shelf designed to hold a cell phone. This is a nice touch for travelers who forget to pack a tablet or laptop but still want to watch a movie or TV show.

It seems most airlines cut back on food service year after year and for Alaska Airlines, that was no exception. There was no meal included with the 5-hour flight ticket. If you want a meal, you will need to remember to prebook through the app as they are not available to order in-flight. There is a good selection of West Coast-based snacks and drinks available for purchase, however.

I forgot to preorder a meal for my flights and opted to purchase a snack box which was well packed, tasty, and held me over until landing.

On-Time Performance

In 2024, Alaska Airlines ranked second in the United States for on-time performance with a rate of 82.3%. This closely followed Delta Airlines at 84.72%. My outbound flight from Atlanta to Portland was, unfortunately, delayed almost an hour however, the inbound flight back to Atlanta departed on schedule.

Wine Flies Free

Considering bringing home wine from Oregon’s famous Willamette Valley

A unique benefit to Alaska Airlines Mileage Program members is the Wine Flies Free program. For members, you can check a case of wine for no charge when flying from from more than 30 West Coast cities. This is a big benefit for wine-lovers and promotes enotourism (wine tourism) in the West Coast states.

So, is flying Alaska Airlines worth it?

Absolutely. Securing a direct flight from the East Coast to the West coast for less than $250 per person was a steal. That being said, there are some aspects of Alaska Airlines that need improvement. One of the most pressing issues is having only one kiosk at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. Furthermore, I feel if you are not going to supply a TV monitor, at least offer free Wi-Fi.

All things considered, we cannot forget that to achieve those amenities through another competitor airline, you must dish out at least twice as much money or settle for a layover. For the cost savings, I will gladly arrive to the airport early and bring my laptop or book for in-flight entertainment. Overall, Alaska Airlines was a pleasant experience, and I would certainly fly this airline again, especially given the Mileage Program.

Main atrium in Portland International Airport

Side note: If you travel to Portland, Oregon, please take time to appreciate the beautiful Portland International Airport. It is designed with sustainably-sourced, local wood in a lattice ceiling and has live trees and plants that bring the outdoors indoors. It is really enchanting.

Safe travels!

Review of Alaska Airlines