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Alaska Airlines Adds Nonstop Seattle-to-Paris and Seattle-to-Athens Routes

Alaska Airlines is adding two new nonstop European routes out of Seattle, giving West Coast-based remote workers a more direct path to Paris and Athens starting next spring, according to The Points Guy.

The carrier will fly Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) to Athens starting May 12, 2027, and to Paris starting May 25, 2027, both on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, per Alaska Airlines' newsroom announcement. Both routes are seasonal, running through October 2027. Athens service will operate three times weekly, while Paris gets five weekly flights.

The Athens route, at 6,196 miles, will be the longest Alaska has ever flown, and the airline says it will be the first to offer scheduled nonstop SEA-Athens service and the only West Coast carrier flying there. Alaska will also become the first oneworld airline offering nonstop West Coast-to-Paris service.

"We fly where our guests aspire to go, and Athens and Paris have been high on that list for years," Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in the announcement.

The new cities join Alaska's existing European network of London, Rome, and Reykjavik, bringing its intercontinental map to seven destinations by summer 2027. The expansion is powered by Boeing 787-9s originally ordered by Hawaiian Airlines, which Alaska acquired in 2024 — a deal that opened the door for the carrier to build out long-haul international service beyond North America and Hawaii. Alaska has said it plans at least five more intercontinental routes by 2030, with a goal of more than 12 international long-haul routes from Seattle in the coming years.

What this means for remote workers and nomads

For nomads and remote workers based in the Pacific Northwest, these routes cut out a layover that's long been unavoidable when flying to southern Europe or France from Seattle. A direct SEA-Athens option is especially notable — Athens has become a popular shoulder-season base for remote workers chasing lower costs and reliable Mediterranean weather, and until now, anyone flying west coast had to connect through the East Coast or a European hub.

The Paris addition matters differently: Paris functions as a hub city for onward travel across the EU and Schengen area, so a direct Seattle option shortens the first leg of longer, multi-stop nomad itineraries. It's also one more data point in a broader trend of growing US-Europe airline capacity — more nonstop options between US West Coast cities and European hubs typically puts downward pressure on fares over time as carriers compete for the same routes.

Because both routes are seasonal (May through October) and don't launch until 2027, they won't help anyone booking a Europe trip this year or next winter. But for nomads already planning summer 2027 stays in Greece or France, it's worth watching fares on these routes once booking opens, particularly against existing connections through London or other hubs.