Photo: Denise and Stephen Otico of @partyof4sometimes2 traveled to Anchorage from San Diego on Alaska's new, weekly nonstop route that started in May.

In response to an increase in travel demand, Alaska Airlines is offering the largest summer schedule in the company’s history, including new nonstop routes and international destinations Alaska Airlines has never served before during their busiest months of the year.

Alaska is also expanding the number of daily flights in their network for convenience, flying to popular destinations based on guest feedback, unveiling innovative bag drop stations in some of their hubs and continuing to operate an industry-leading safe operation.

“As best-in-class operators, our top priority is consistently delivering on our promise to guests to take them where they’re going safely and on time – all while showing them the care for which we’re known,” said Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer at Alaska Airlines. “This summer, we’re prepared to do more flying and welcome more guests to experience not only a safe operation, but also a premium experience. We’ve been hard at work on elevating all aspects of the travel journey for our guests from start to finish.”

During this year’s peak summer months (June, July and August), Alaska Airlines has added almost one million seats versus last year; these added seats will help guests get to more barbeques, baseball games, and beaches than ever before. Alaska's busiest days will be before and after Independence Day, where Alaska expects to see almost 160,000 guest boardings each day.

Guests are excited to travel away from home this year. This past Memorial Day weekend, Alaska Airlines connected more than 500,000 guests to their destinations or 6% more people over the holiday weekend compared to last year.

Outside of the airline's hub cities, which are seeing notable growth, guests have been particularly interested in exploring new places: Alaska has seen tremendous interest in Guatemala City, where travelers can marvel at the pyramids of Tikal National Park or explore the shores of Lake Atitlán. National Parks have been especially popular: to support this demand, Alaska Airlines has added 16% more flights to Jackson Hole, Wyoming — the gateway to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. We’ve also launched nonstop service from New York (JFK) and San Diego to Anchorage, in the namesake state; these flights will help connect adventure seekers with the grandeur of the 49th state.

Here’s how Alaska Airlines prepared for this summer’s busiest days:

More Flying & More Destinations

• Alaska Airlines  has added nearly 10% more flights to guests’ favorite destinations—from Alaska to Zihuantanejo, Alaska has got your summer travel covered!
• They are expanding their reach to the east this summer with new nonstop routes connecting Anchorage and New York, Portland and Nashville, and San Diego with both Atlanta and Anchorage.
• For the first time this summer, Alaska is flying guests to new international destinations: Guatemala City, The Bahamas, and Toronto.
• Alaska's summer schedules have grown at many of the hubs: with 16% more flights in Portland, 10% more in Seattle, 23% more in San Diego and 13% more in Anchorage.
• Summer doesn’t have to stop! Starting this fall, Alaska is growing Los Angeles (LAX) departures 33%, giving guests even more opportunities to soak up the California sun.
• Alaska Airlines offers more flights to Mexico from the West Coast than any other U.S. airline, with service to Cancun, Guadalajara, Los Cabos, Loreto, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo.

Enhanced Travel Experience

• Alaska Airlines is moving to San Francisco International Airport Harvey Milk Terminal 1 later this month, culminating a major investment in modernizing infrastructure and providing Alaska's guests with a seamless travel experience. When it opens in July, Alaska's newest Lounge at SFO T1 space will be 11,000 square feet with 55% more seating and offer the ultimate comfort with the signature Loungers for kicking back, an expanded menu made with fresh ingredients, a barista staffed coffee bar and complimentary West Coast wine, spirits and craft brews.
• In Anchorage, Alaska Airlines is renovating and upgrading popular Lounge with more space, seating and thoughtful touches.
• At Portland International Airport, Alaska Airlines will be moving into a brand new, bolder and brighter lobby in August.
• At Los Angeles International Airport, a complete overhaul of the gates, including new carpet, lighting, seating with power outlets and signage will be complete by the end of July at Terminal 6 where Alaska is the primary airline.

Premium Products

• Alaska Airlines is elevating their guests’ culinary experience in the sky with an expansion of the pre-order for-purchase hot meal options to Premium Class and the Main Cabin for flights 1,100 miles or more. Check out Alaska's premium onboard menu here
• Alaska is giving you the chance to upgrade – for free with the airline's new program called upgrade unlocked! Every day this summer Alaska Airlines is surprising and delighting at least one guest seated in the Main Cabin to Premium Class as a “thank you” to the guests for flying us this summer. Learn more here
• Can’t wait to learn if you’ve been selected for upgrade unlocked? The airline is making it easier for you to upgrade! Now you can pay to upgrade to First or Premium Class up to 30 minutes before departure under Manage Trip on www.alaskaair.com, or through the Alaska Airlines mobile app
• Frequent flier, savvy traveler? Sign up for Alaska's newest subscription service, Alaska Access, to receive a monthly one-time free use voucher for the streaming fast Wi-Fi and to get early access to some of Alaska's biggest fare sales of the year

Reliable, Safe Operation

Remember to download the Alaska Airlines mobile app, which keeps your travel needs at your fingertips. You can use the app to check in, pay for your bag(s), get your boarding pass(es), track flights, make seat changes and much more right from your phone. You can also preorder your meal to have it conveniently sent to your seat from Alaska's app anytime from 2 weeks to 20 hours before travel.

Don’t forget that Alaska Airlines offers the most legroom in First* and Premium Class, no change fees, multiple fare offerings and the most generous loyalty program with the fastest path to elite status.

* Out of any U.S. legacy airline excluding lie-flat seats