No matter how you look at it, this summer will be different for travelers.
Even though large cruise ships are not sailing through the Inner Pass, many people want to come to Alaska. After all, Alaska has two advantages: more people are being vaccinated than anywhere else in the United States and there are more open spaces.
The increase in vaccinations here in Alaska is a game changer for travelers. Although other COVID-19 mitigation practices prevail (wearing a mask, hand washing and social detachment), after being vaccinated, you are a little more confident to travel. I know who I am.
If you want to explore Alaska this year, the attractions and activities we’re used to may be available on a smaller scale – if at all. For example, Alaska Railroad is reducing its passenger service to accommodate the lower projected passenger count, without cruise travelers.
Instead of leaving the station in Anchorage each morning for Denali National Park and Fairbanks, trains north will depart on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The return trips will be on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The railroad season starts a little later this year: May 29 and ends a little earlier, September 6. The train to and from Seward will run every day, as will the “Glacier Discovery” train from Portage to Spencer Glacier.
More independent travelers are planning to visit Alaska this year – and more airlines are adding flights to make up for the lack of cruise ships.
There is always a seasonal bump for the summer travel season. But this year is different.
Delta Air Lines is adding new flights to new destinations and central cities in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
From Anchorage, Delta is adding new nonstop flights to Detroit, New York’s Kennedy Airport and Los Angeles. These new flights will operate only on Fridays and Saturdays, starting May 28.
In addition, Delta is increasing flights from Anchorage to its central cities: up to seven flights a day between Anchorage and Seattle, three flights a day between Anchorage and Minneapolis and two flights a day between Anchorage and Salt Lake City. In addition, Delta is resuming its nonstop Anchorage-Atlanta flight on May 5.
From Fairbanks, Delta will operate three direct daily flights to Seattle, two direct flights to Minneapolis and a new direct flight to Salt Lake City. Delta flights to Seattle are already operating year-round, but the airline has committed to offering year-round services for new flights to / from Minneapolis and Salt Lake.
Delta is not the only airline adding direct flights from Alaska. He’s just the last one to make the announcements.
United Airlines announced its summer schedule a few months ago. The airline operates direct flights to Denver year-round. But starting June 3, United will operate daily flights from Anchorage to San Francisco, Houston, Newark and Chicago. In addition, United is adding a daily Anchorage-Fairbanks flight starting June 3. The tariff? Only $ 49 one way.
American Airlines has high hopes for Alaska this summer. From Fairbanks, American operates a daily flight to Dallas and another to Chicago. From Anchorage, there are direct flights to Chicago, Dallas and Phoenix. American tickets are worth writing about. At the moment, American still has a great fare from Anchorage to New York for $ 99 one-way, connecting to Chicago or Dallas.
Don’t forget: American Airlines is Alaska’s new partner in the oneworld alliance. This means that, eventually, your Alaska Airlines elite MVP status may give you extra benefits at American and other oneworld partners, such as Qatar Air and Japan Airlines.
You can add all of these airline departures together. Also, include Sun Country Air’s new weekly service between Fairbanks and Minneapolis (on Saturdays), in addition to its daily flights from Anchorage to Minneapolis. The total would still not match the new Alaska Airlines summer schedule.
Alaska Airlines is bringing some new non-stop destinations – and extending the service to others.
At the peak of the summer season, Alaska Airlines will offer 19 daily flights between Anchorage and Seattle. The schedule shows three daily flights between Anchorage and Portland and two daily flights between Anchorage and Los Angeles / LAX.
Beginning June 17, Alaska will resume non-stop service between Anchorage and Denver. Daily flights are scheduled until August 16.
On May 20, Alaska will resume direct flights between Anchorage and Las Vegas. Alaska flight 707 will depart Anchorage at 11:55 pm, arriving at 6:10 am the next day. The flight is scheduled to operate four days a week: Thursday to Sunday.
Now that Alaska has a hub in San Francisco, Anchorage will have its own nonstop flight starting June 17.
Starting on May 20, Alaska Airlines will launch two daily flights from Anchorage to Chicago. On September 8, the schedule returns to a nonstop flight each day.
Alaska’s schedule also shows three flights a week throughout the spring between Anchorage and Honolulu (until May 18). After that, Alaska will fly non-stop Anchorage-Honolulu every day. Between Anchorage and Maui, Alaska will fly nonstop four days a week: Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. The last non-stop flight to Anchorage-Kona is on March 16. These flights are currently scheduled to resume on September 9, with three flights a week.
In addition to its flights to Lower 48 and Hawaii, Alaska Airlines flies to 19 destinations in Alaska from Anchorage.
Although international airlines like Condor and Eurowings are scheduled for Anchorage-Frankfurt flights, the borders are still closed, so the planes are not flying. This is also the case for weekly flights from Anchorage to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia. Air Canada canceled its nonstop flight from Vancouver, BC, last year.
There are still large areas of the world that are still inaccessible to Americans because of the COVID-19 virus. This includes Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Indonesia and much of Europe. There are other countries that you can fly to, but the virus is spreading. Brazil falls into this category.
Stay tuned for the lowest fares to travel in the United States, as airlines are competing for fewer travelers.