Alaska Airlines launches first-ever Seattle–Rome nonstop, opening new US–Italy business corridor

Alaska Airlines touched down at Rome Fiumicino (FCO) this afternoon, completing flight AS180 from Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) and marking the carrier’s debut on the European continent. The daily seasonal service, which will run through 23 October, is the only nonstop link between the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Italy. Executives from Aeroporti di Roma, Washington State’s trade office and the Italian Embassy in Washington hailed the route as a “missing piece” for trans-Atlantic commerce, noting that bilateral goods trade topped €9 billion in 2025 and that the Puget Sound region hosts more than 120 Italian-owned firms. For corporate mobility managers the new flight trims between four and seven hours off typical one-stop routings via East-Coast hubs, enabling same-day connections to Milan, Naples and Palermo on ITA Airways’ domestic network. Alaska is codesharing with oneworld partners British Airways and Iberia, meaning travelers can earn and redeem frequent-flyer points across all three airlines. The service is operated with the carrier’s newly-delivered Boeing 787-9s featuring 36 lie-flat ‘Suite’ business-class seats, a product Alaska designed to be competitive with European legacy carriers. Cargo capacity is another draw: Anchorage-based seafood exporters can now ship 15 tonnes of fresh salmon directly to Rome’s wholesale markets overnight, while Italian luxury-goods houses gain faster access to West-Coast distribution centers. Alaska says it will review performance over the summer before deciding whether to extend the route year-round. Travel-risk consultants advise clients to remind travelers that Rome’s entry lanes now use the EU Entry/Exit System (EES); U.S. passport-holders must complete biometric registration on first arrival, which can add 10-15 minutes at immigration.



For anyone unsure about the latest Italian entry requirements, VisaHQ simplifies the process by offering quick, online assistance with Schengen visas, passport renewals, and the soon-to-launch ETIAS authorization. Travelers can begin an application or speak with a specialist at https://www.visahq.com/italy/ ensuring their documents are in order well before departure.

Companies should also update crisis-management plans to reflect the new point-of-entry for Seattle-based staff. Longer-term, the flight could catalyze further investment: the Lazio regional government is courting Washington-state clean-tech firms for its proposed ‘Hydrogen Valley’ outside Civitavecchia, while Italian aerospace suppliers see proximity to Boeing’s Everett plant as a strategic advantage. If load factors reach the 85 % threshold Alaska targets, analysts expect Delta or United to follow with their own West-Coast-Italy offerings in 2027.