Alaska Airlines Is Reducing Routes From These Key Hubs

With numerous flight cancellations and delays, airport mayhem, and rising airfares, 2022 has proven to be a challenging year for air travel.

Although airline ticket prices are (at last) beginning to decrease and flight disruptions have become less frequent recently (in comparison to the first half of the year), travelers still face one ongoing issue—locating flight routes that meet their needs as airlines continue to scale back services.

In recent months, United eliminated 12 domestic flight routes, American exited four cities, and Delta reduced 100 daily flights during the summer as airlines struggle with pilot and staffing shortages. It’s not only the “big three” U.S. airlines facing route network pressures. Alaska Airlines announced on Friday that it will be cutting four routes in the coming months due to reduced customer demand.

The routes being discontinued by Alaska Airlines

• Austin–Bergstrom International Airport to Palm Springs International Airport (starting November 30, 2022)
• Los Angeles International Airport to Salt Lake City International Airport (starting November 30, 2022)
• Los Angeles International Airport to Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (starting January 9, 2023)
• San Diego International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (starting May 23, 2023)

The reduction in services is disappointing for those who frequently travel between San Diego and Santa Barbara using Alaska’s Flight Pass program—an annual subscription that offers users up to 24 round-trip flights within California and between California, Reno, Phoenix, and Las Vegas for a monthly fee. However, Alaska Airlines is part of the oneworld Alliance, and its partner airline, American, continues to operate all four of the above routes, allowing loyal Alaska passengers to maintain reciprocal elite benefits, such as complimentary upgrades and bonus miles on the affected flights.