Alaska Air Group said it plans to bring lie-flat suites to some of its Boeing 737 MAX 10s and revamp the premium cabins on its 787s and Hawaiian Airlines’ Airbus A330s. The upgrades, announced on September 29, 2026, will begin rolling out in 2028 as the company adds international routes and competes for more premium business.
Alaska plans to install 12 Aurora Suites on each of at least 25 MAX 10s for selected transcontinental routes. The aircraft will also carry 12 Premium Reserve seats, a new premium economy product.Its 787s will feature 34 Aurora Suites, with privacy doors, direct aisle access and lie-flat beds. Premium Reserve will provide 35 seats on both the 787-9 and 787-10, with 38-inch pitch, leg rests and 16-inch entertainment screens.
Inside Alaska’s new 787 cabins
Hawaiian’s A330 upgrade will replace its current 2-2-2 premium seating layout with 22 Leihōkū suites arranged 1-2-1. Each will have a privacy door and direct aisle access. The aircraft will also receive 28 Premium Reserve seats. The changes will raise the proportion of premium seats aboard the A330s to about 40%, from 30% currently.
The investments form part of Alaska’s effort to broaden its business following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. The company said premium revenue should exceed 40% of total revenue by 2030, while its Seattle network is expected to reach at least 15 intercontinental destinations that year.
Alaska also expects long-haul flying to account for approximately 15% of network capacity by 2030, compared with about 8% today. It said it has captured roughly two-thirds of the $1 billion in incremental profit targeted under its Alaska Accelerate strategy.
The MAX 10 cabin announcement comes a day after the FAA said it would delay certification of the aircraft while assessing a newly disclosed software issue. The agency has not specified how long approval will be delayed. Alaska’s planned premium cabin introduction remains scheduled for 2028.