Just days after announcing a major route map expansion, Alaska Airlines is back with another network update. This time, however, it’s all cut.
The Seattle-based carrier filed plans over the weekend to drop two routes from its network and suspend another, as first seen in a Sirius schedule and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
Alaska will immediately exit the San Diego-to-Cancun market and the Orange County, California-to-Bozeman, Montana, route. Both of these flights were originally scheduled to return for the winter season, but Alaska told TPG that they have been “removed from our schedule going forward.”
Value Check: Are Airline Credit Cards Worth It Now?
Additionally, the airline has suspended service between Los Angeles and Bozeman. This route was also initially supposed to run during the winter season, but has now been suspended indefinitely. Alaska no longer sells tickets in this nonstop market, although the airline told TPG that these flights are “suspended,” meaning they will return in future seasons.
Alaska explained the cuts as part of “continuity.” [evaluation of] Our route network.” The carrier hasn’t expanded much beyond this milquetoast statement, but the changes come just days after it announced a massive 18-route expansion last week.
That expansion is largely focused on connecting tourists to leisure-focused destinations that are popular during the winter. Markets such as Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Monterrey in Mexico all received new routes, as did popular ski towns across North America, such as Vail — a new destination for the airline — Reno and Kelowna, British Columbia.
Historically, flights like Los Angeles and Orange County to Bozeman fit the bill for a West Coast-based carrier looking to increase regional connectivity for leisure travelers. Finally, Alaska has a large presence in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, and Bozeman is becoming more popular due to its proximity to Yellowstone National Park and Big Sky Resort.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free bi-weekly aviation newsletter.
Daily newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the latest news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
That said, Alaska likely decided that its 18 new markets would be more profitable than operating these three existing flights for another season.
Some of that may be because Alaska has a deal with Apple Vacations to buy a block of seats on each flight, making them profitable enough without selling tickets to the general public, in the first place. informed By Brian Summers of The Airline Observer.
Another reason could be that they were poor performers. An average of just 34 passengers flew between Orange County and Bozeman per day in the first quarter of this year, according to Transportation Department data analyzed by Cirium. That’s an average load factor of about 50% for the 76-seat Embraer 175 regional jet.
Without the Alaska route, the Orange County-to-Bozeman and San Diego-to-Cancun markets would become unserved by any airline. Travelers looking for nonstop flights between these destinations will need to drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or book a one-stop connecting flight from their home airport.
Meanwhile, American, Delta and United already serve the Los Angeles to Bozeman route. With so much competition, it makes sense for Alaska to trade this Bozeman route for a new route from Boise, which will launch Dec. 19 and is announced as part of a major 18-route expansion unveiled last week.
Finally, Boise to Bozeman is not currently served by any other airlines.
Related Reading: