Alaska Airlines to fly Anchorage to Tokyo Narita on a 737 MAX 8

Alaska Airlines plans to launch a nonstop service between Anchorage (ANC) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) on 13 May 2027, flying daily until 7 September 2027 with a Boeing 737 MAX 8. The route was announced on Tuesday 27 October 2026 and, according to the airline, remains subject to government approval. Tickets are on sale, AirlineGeeks reports.

Schedule and aircraft

Flight AS21 is scheduled to leave Anchorage at 2:10pm and reach Narita at 3:25pm the following day. AS22 departs Narita at 9:45pm and arrives in Anchorage at noon the same day. Times are local. One Mile at a Time reports block times of 8 hours 15 minutes westbound and 7 hours 15 minutes eastbound.

According to Simple Flying, fares start at $605. AirlineGeeks says Alaska will fly the route three times weekly in winter from January 2028, and that departures from Anchorage run to 7 September with return flights to 8 September.

The distance is given as 3,433 miles by AirlineGeeks and The Points Guy, and 3,434 miles by One Mile at a Time; Simple Flying cites about 3,426 miles. AirlineGeeks says Alaska describes the MAX 8 as the only 737 variant in its fleet with enough range. Seat counts differ slightly between outlets: Simple Flying and One Mile at a Time cite 161 seats, with 16 in first class. The Points Guy lists 16 first-class seats, 36 extra-legroom seats and 115 standard economy seats.

Can a MAX 8 manage the distance?

Simple Flying notes Boeing's advertised range for the 737-8 is 3,500 nautical miles and says airspace restrictions could lengthen the flight. It adds that analyst Enilria has questioned the route's feasibility. The Points Guy points out that the route is not among the ten longest MAX 8 routes globally, according to Cirium, and that Alaska's Seattle–Keflavik service is longer at 3,622 miles. It quotes Alaska president Shane Tackett saying the MAX 8 is "so good at going long distances for us".

Context and competition

The Points Guy says the flight would be Alaska's first nonstop to Japan from its home state and the first North American MAX 8 service to Narita. Alaska already flies Seattle–Narita, which began in 2025, and has announced Seattle–Osaka Kansai for May 2027. Following the merger, Hawaiian Airlines continues to serve Kansai and Haneda from Honolulu. Alaska also intends to join an immunised joint venture with American Airlines and JAL, subject to regulatory approval.

The Points Guy says the Anchorage–Tokyo route is currently unserved. Several carriers, including Air France, British Airways, KLM and SAS, once stopped at Anchorage to refuel on Japan flights until the early 1990s. One Mile at a Time notes that China Airlines ended its Anchorage–Taipei service in 2011.

Alaska is also adding Saturday-only seasonal flights from Anchorage to Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth and Nashville from 12 June to 7 August 2027, according to AirlineGeeks.

What this means for travellers

• Anchorage passengers heading to Japan would no longer need to backtrack via Seattle or Vancouver; One Mile at a Time estimates that would more than double travel time.
• The aircraft has domestic-style first-class recliners rather than a long-haul business-class product, per The Points Guy. AirlineGeeks says both economy cabins get a complimentary meal with a hot entrée and dessert.
• Schedules and fares should be treated as provisional until government approval is confirmed.
• The service connects Alaska's network, a oneworld member, with Japan, though connection details were not given in the sources.

Sources: Simple Flying, AirlineGeeks, One Mile at a Time, The Points Guy.