Alaska Airlines Expands Daily Nonstop Austin-San Jose Service

'Nerd bird' also scheduled to fly between Portland and San Jose

SEATTLE, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alaska Airlines today announced it will add a second daily flight between Austin, Texas, and San Jose, Calif., starting March 14, 2010. New daily service between the two cities is scheduled to begin Sept. 2, 2009.

"We're pleased to respond to demand from the business community for more service between these two high-tech hubs," said Steve Jarvis, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience.

The new flight will originate in Portland, Ore., replacing one of sister carrier Horizon Air's four flights between Portland and San Jose. With a new total of three Horizon flights and two Alaska flights six days a week, capacity between Portland and the Silicon Valley will increase by more than 12 percent.

"This added service provides travelers the convenience of doing business in Austin, the Silicon Valley and Portland, and making it home in the same day," Jarvis said.

Summary of new service Departure Arrival Day Start date City pair time time of week Sept. 2, 2009 Portland-San Jose 6:20 a.m. 8:10 a.m. Daily, except Sun Sept. 2, 2009 San Jose-Austin 8:55 a.m. 2:15 p.m. Daily Sept. 2, 2009 Austin-San Jose 3 p.m. 4:40 p.m. Daily Sept. 2, 2009 San Jose-Portland 5:25 p.m. 7:10 p.m. Daily, except Sat March 14, 2010 Portland-San Jose 3:20 p.m. 5:05 p.m. Daily March 14, 2010 San Jose-Austin 5:50 p.m. 11:10 p.m. Daily March 15, 2010 Austin-San Jose 8 a.m. 9:40 a.m. Daily March 15, 2010 San Jose-Portland 10:25 a.m. 12:10 p.m. Daily * All times based on local time zones

Alaska Airlines will operate the flights with Boeing 737-700s, accommodating 12 passengers in first class and 112 in the main cabin.

The airline began service between Seattle and Austin on Aug. 3, 2009, and will start service between Seattle and Houston on Sept. 23.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members can earn double miles on the new flights between San Jose and Austin through Oct. 31, 2009, and between Seattle and Houston through Nov. 23, 2009. To qualify, customers must first register at alaskaair.com.

Fares are available for purchase today at alaskaair.com or by calling (800) ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522 or TTY/TDD line 800-392-0228).

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 and 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines