** Article updated 10/05/21 18:00 UTC Further information about specific routes **
Alaska Airlines is expanding its network by signing a codesharing agreement with Iberia Airlines. Both airlines are part of the oneworld alliance. The deal will give Alaska Airlines passengers greater access to Iberia's network and vice versa from October 7th.
Iberia and Alaska announced their initial partnership in March of this year, just as Alaska officially joined the oneworld global alliance. The partnership includes greater collaboration on air miles and loyalty programs as well as booking benefits such as seat selection and priority check-in.
The new codeshare agreement will allow passengers traveling to the US with Iberia excellent access across Alaska's domestic network. The filing with the DOT requested almost 80 codesharing routes. The initial agreement will see just 37 of those launch in the coming week. The deal could expand in the future.
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Notable routes
The 37 routes will focus on the San Francisco and Los Angeles hubs. Iberia flies to Los Angeles from Madrid year-round and to San Francisco from Barcelona seasonally. For Alaska customers, international flights to Europe are more accessible than ever.
The 37 routes include:
From Los Angeles, Iberia customers will be able to fly on Alaska Airlines flights to Anchorage, Boise, Bozeman, Eugene, Fresno, Kalispell, Spokane, Honolulu, Kona, Las Vegas, Lihue, Medford, Maui-Kahului, Everett-Paine Field, Portland, Redmond, Reno-Tahoe, Seattle-Tacoma, San Francisco, San Jose, Salt Lake City, and Santa Rosa-Sonoma County.
From San Francisco, Iberia customers can connect to Boise, Bozeman, Spokane, Honolulu, Jackson Hole, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Missoula, Maui-Kahului, Portland, Phoenix, Palm Springs, San Diego, Seattle-Tacoma, Salt Lake City, and Santa Ana-Orange County.
Nat Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance, and alliances at Alaska Airlines, commented,
"We're thrilled to expand our cooperation with Iberia, one of our newest partners in oneworld. Alaska joined oneworld to efficiently link our network to the world, and this enhanced partnership with Iberia brings Europe one step closer."
Mª Jesús López Solás , Iberia's Commercial Director, Network Development and Alliances commented,
"We are delighted with this collaboration with Alaska Airlines, which will allow us to expand the number of destinations for our customers on the west coast of the United States. In Iberia, we continue working to be the best prepared as the countries eliminate their restrictions, as is the case of the North American market."
Alaska Airlines codesharing partners
Alaska's deal with Iberia is the latest agreement expanding the airline's reach. Earlier this year, the airline joined oneworld and entered codesharing agreements with other oneworld members, including British Airways, Qatar, and American Airlines.
American Airlines and Alaska actually had an existing partnership dubbed the West Coast International Alliance. The agreement with Qatar airways including over 150 routes for better connections across the US and to the Middle East.
Alaska operates flights to around 120 destinations in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica. By joining oneworld, the airline can now transport visitors to the US on its domestic network while its codesharing partners have a network of around 1,200 destinations.
The codesharing agreements mean Alaska can offer one-stop connectivity to passengers on international flights. The new codeshare routes with Iberia give the airline an even greater interest in the West Coast, further boosting its alliance with American Airlines. Alaska's strong domestic network will play to its advantage with oneworld passengers looking to connect to other US destinations. The airline is even opening a new lounge in San Francisco as it looks to grow its presence.
Are you excited to see the new codesharing routes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.