Alaska Air to begin SLC-Seattle flights in April

Alaska Airlines said Thursday it will launch twice-daily nonstop flights between Salt Lake City and Seattle in April.

The carrier will fly the route with Boeing 737-800 aircraft when the new route begins April 4.

"Salt Lake City represents the largest market out of Seattle that Alaska Airlines does not serve and has been a top request of our customers for more than a decade," said Andrew Harrison, the carrier's vice president of planning and revenue management.

The new service will give travelers more options. Alaska Airlines will be the eighth major carrier at Salt Lake City's airport, which traditionally has been dominated by Delta Air Lines, which operates its westernmost U.S. hub at the airport.

"We have had discussions [with Alaska] over the years," said Salt Lake City airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann. "This time they approached us with this plan."

Delta and Southwest Airlines already fly nonstop roues between the two cities.

The new flights will depart Alaska's home base at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 7 a.m. and arrive at Salt Lake City International Airport at 9:59 a.m. Times are local.

A return flight will depart Salt Lake City at 11 a.m. and arrive in Seattle at 12:07 p.m.

In the afternoon, a flight will leave Seattle at 1:10 p.m. and arrive in Salt Lake City at 4:10 p.m. The return from Salt Lake City will be at 5:10 p.m., with arrival in Seattle scheduled at 6:17 p.m.

To kick off the route, Alaska Airlines is selling introductory one-way fares that start at $99 for travel through May 31. Travelers can book tickets immediately at www.alaskaair.com or by calling 1-800-252-7522.

Alaska aircraft have been provisionally assigned to Terminal 2, where most Delta flights arrive and depart. The two airlines have had a code-sharing partnership for more than two decades. Each carrier is allowed to put its name on a flight operated by the other and share the ticket proceeds.

The new service between Salt Lake City and Seattle helps fill a hole that opened when Delta dropped a nonstop air route between Utah's capital and Narita Airport in Tokyo last year as travel across the Pacific slowed.

Last month, Delta said it plans to start flying between Seattle and Haneda Airport in Tokyo in March. The new route, which must be approved by the Department of Transportation, would complement nonstop service to Narita, as well as to Osaka, Japan, and to Beijing.

Delta also plans to add a flight between Seattle and Shanghai starting June 17.

pbeebe@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sltribpaul —

SLC to Seattle

What • Twice-daily nonstop service begins April 4

Times • Flights depart Seattle at 7 a.m. and 1:10 p.m., and depart SLC at 11 a.m. and 5:10 p.m. (times are local)

Price • Introductory one-way fares start at $99 for travel through May 31. Travelers can book tickets immediately at www.alaskaair.com or by calling 1-800-252-7522.