Alaska Airlines expands cargo fleet with four Boeing 737-800 freighters

The expansion brings the carrier’s total freighter fleet to nine, a move designed to stabilize logistics for time-sensitive goods including medicine, groceries, and household supplies. By dedicating these planes to the Alaska and Hawai'i routes, the airline aims to provide local farmers and ranchers with consistent shipping options to the contiguous United States, effectively addressing long-standing transportation hurdles in the region. Hawaii-based aircraft will feature dedicated Hawaiian Air Cargo branding to signify the integration of operations.

This investment is a pillar of the company's Alaska Accelerate strategic plan. Ian Morgan, Vice President of Cargo, noted that the fleet growth facilitates new international shipping lanes for commodities such as seafood, while simultaneously strengthening the airline's global reach out of its Seattle hub. As the only major U.S. passenger carrier maintaining a dedicated freighter fleet, Alaska Air Cargo currently transports over 370 million pounds of goods annually across a network spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.