Alaska Airlines sets sights on Jackson Hole

Outdoor ski locale in Wyoming could prove popular even in the face of the pandemic, Alaska believes.

Alaska Airlines is adding seasonal winter service to Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC) from its Seattle (SEA) hub as well as Californian airports San Diego (SAN) and San Jose (SJC).

The carrier said all of the routes will be flown with 76-seat Embraer E175 aircraft, either by wholly owned subsidiary Horizon Air or regional partner SkyWest Airlines.

Services from SEA and SAN to JAC will operate five-times weekly from Dec. 17 through April 11, 2021. The JAC-SJC service will operate twice-weekly from Dec. 19 through April 10.

Alaska belives domestic passengers seeking an outdoor leisure activity, such as skiing or snowboarding, are likely to return to aviation even as the COVID-19 pandemic is still being brought under control.

“Jackson Hole and the surrounding Grand Teton mountains offer a legendary winter playground with a rich history, amazing service, and plenty of activities both on and off the mountain,” Alaska managing director of capacity planning and alliances Brett Catlin said.

“We know our [passengers] on the West Coast are looking for nonstop access to more outdoor locales and we’re excited to expand our footprint with the addition of Jackson Hole.”