Alaska & Hawaiian Unveil New Business Class Products, And I Saw Them Live

Disclosure: Alaska Airlines invited me to attend Accelerate 2026 in Seattle, and I partnered with them to cover these announcements.

I’m at Alaska’s Accelerate 2026 investor day in Seattle, and they just pulled back the curtain

The biggest premium-cabin investment in Alaska Air Group’s history — and I got to see the new suites up close. As a longtime Alaska flyer, I am genuinely excited.

Here is everything I learned, straight from the event.

Aurora Suites: Alaska’s new flagship

Alaska is calling it the Aurora Suite, and it’s the most elevated seat they have ever put on a plane. Here’s what you get:

• 34 fully lie-flat Aurora suites on all of Alaska’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with privacy doors, direct aisle access, and extra storage
• A 19-inch 4K entertainment screen with Bluetooth, plus wireless, USB-C, and AC charging
• Softer, more breathable Ultraleather upholstery
• Restaurant-quality, chef-curated dining — on demand, not on a schedule
• An exclusive Aurora check-in and concierge service at Seattle-Tacoma International, plus access to a brand-new Aurora Lounge in Seattle
• Free Starlink Wi-Fi for Atmos Rewards members, thanks to T-Mobile

But the real headline for domestic flyers: for the FIRST time ever, Alaska is putting lie-flat seats on a narrowbody. At least 25 of their incoming Boeing 737 MAX 10s will be fitted with 12 Aurora suites in a special transcontinental configuration. They’re reverse herringbone — so you can actually look out the window, which is a real edge over the herringbone layouts competitors are putting on their single-aisle jets.

Leihōkū Suites come to Hawaiian’s A330s

The Hawaiian side got love too. Hawaiian’s fleet of 24 Airbus A330s — the workhorses flying to Asia, Oceania, and select North America routes — will get brand-new interiors from the first row to the last starting in 2028, including 22 enhanced Leihōkū suites up front for international business class and domestic First Class.

Expect the same premium recipe: lie-flat seats with privacy doors, direct aisle access, 19-inch 4K screens with Bluetooth, wireless plus USB-C and AC charging, hotel-quality bedding, and dining curated by local chefs with wine pairings. Leihōkū guests also get exclusive check-in and concierge in Honolulu and Seattle. Overall, about 40 percent of the A330 cabin will be premium seating, up from 30 percent today.

A brand-new Premium Reserve cabin on both airlines

Both airlines are also getting Premium Reserve — a real premium-economy cabin, not just extra-legroom rows: 38 inches of pitch, leg rests, enhanced recline, 16-inch 4K screens with Bluetooth (probably the best screens I’ve seen on a premium economy product), bigger tray tables, and upgraded dining. It arrives on the 787s, Hawaiian’s A330s, and select 737 MAX 10s, starting in 2028.

New lounges, too

On the ground: a new Aurora Lounge in Seattle for Aurora Suites guests, plus new lounges in Honolulu and San Diego.

The timeline

Everything starts rolling out in 2028, and Alaska says the new suites will be available starting summer 2027. On stage they were still coy about exactly which transcon cities get the flat-bed 737 MAX 10s — but with at least 25 planes, you can bet Seattle, Portland, LAX, San Francisco, and San Diego are in the mix.

My take from the room

This is Alaska going all-in on premium: they forecast close to 60 percent of revenue coming from premium seats, international flying, loyalty, and cargo by 2030. The upmarket race is real, and Alaska just showed it’s playing to win.

For points people like us, the takeaway is simple: way more premium seats to book with points, free Starlink for Atmos Rewards members, and the first-ever lie-flat Alaska narrowbody.

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