SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines today will inaugurate daily, year-round service between Seattle and Kahului, Hawaii, on the island of Maui. Flights from Seattle will depart daily at 8:20 a.m. Pacific time and arrive at 11:35 a.m. Hawaii time. Return flights will depart at 1:05 p.m. Hawaii time and arrive at 9:45 p.m.
Pacific time.

"Our customers have welcomed our new Hawaii service with open arms," said Gregg Saretsky, Alaska Airlines' executive vice president of flight and marketing. "In addition to Kauai and Honolulu, which we began serving last winter, customers now can enjoy Alaska's unique brand of service and earn Mileage Plan miles to the beautiful island of Maui."

In addition, the airline will begin thrice-weekly service between Anchorage, Alaska, and Maui starting Oct. 31 through April 25, 2009, and year-round service between Seattle and Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, beginning Nov. 17.

The new flights will provide convenient connections to travelers in other cities served by Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air throughout the Pacific Northwest and state of Alaska.

The new flights are operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 16 passengers in first class and 141 in the main cabin. All flights to Hawaii offer Hawaiian-themed beverage and meal service. Customers in the main cabin are offered complimentary Mauna Loa macadamia nuts and a complimentary Mai Tai or POG juice, as well as a Hawaiian-themed meal-for-purchase option for $5. Customers in first class enjoy exotic meals such as macadamia nut-encrusted mahi mahi.

Inflight service includes Alaska Airlines' digEplayer, a personal entertainment system offering a variety of movies, television shows, music and other features. The systems include a channel devoted to Hawaii programming, including extreme surfing programs and the television show "Hawaii Five-O."

Alaska Airlines Vacations offers a full line of vacation packages for travel to the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. Packages include air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation and tours.

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier Horizon Air together serve 95 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.