Alaska Airlines will become a definitive member of the Oneworld alliance. In February, the American company announced that it intended to join the partnership, which will soon have fourteen members.
Oneworld, the smallest of the three main alliances, is growing steadily this year as Royal Air Maroc previously joined the partnership. In addition to Alaska Airlines, regional subsidiaries Horizon Air and SkyWest Airlines will also join the alliance.
“We are honored to have been invited to join Oneworld,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. He expects the airline to significantly expand its network by joining the alliance. Alaska Airlines is already working closely with six Oneworld member airlines: American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qantas. There is also a codeshare with Oneworld partner member Fiji Airways.
The arrival of Alaska Airlines means that the Oneworld joint network will be expanded with 34 US destinations. Alaska Airlines’ schedule includes over 115 destinations in North America. The company has bases in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Anchorage and operates a fleet of 319 aircraft.