Alaska Airlines To Cancel 7 Routes, But Will Reinstate Popular Intra-California Flight

Credit: Shutterstock | Simple Flying Published Aug 30, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT Prachi is a London-based journalist with extensive experience in the aviation industry. She has worked for several leading industry publications, covering a broad range of topics. Her expertise lies in aircraft maintenance, emerging technologies, and advanced air mobility. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Journalism, focusing on data journalism and its potential to transform conventional aviation reporting. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Alaska Airlines is the United States’ fifth-largest airline by flights and now accounts for around 6% of the country’s services following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. In recent months, the airline has been adjusting its network across several markets, adding flights in some and cutting capacity in others. It recently announced plans to launch seasonal services from Seattle to Athens and Paris in 2027. Now, according to Ishrion Aviation, Alaska is set to make another round of network changes, canceling seven routes while bringing back a popular intra-California service that it ended earlier this year. Three Puerto Vallarta Routes Won’t Return In 2027 Credit: Shutterstock Three of the seven routes Alaska is dropping involve Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR). The carrier will not resume its seasonal services from Puerto Vallarta to Sacramento, St. Louis, or New York JFK next year. The airline only began operating these routes last year. It generally ran the services between January and April. The airline last operated the Puerto Vallarta–JFK and Puerto Vallarta–Sacramento flights in April, while the St. Louis service ended in March. According to scheduled data from Cirium, none of the three routes is currently planned to return in 2027. The JFK slot previously used for the Puerto Vallarta service is apparently being used for a fifth daily flight between Seattle and New York JFK. The cuts come as Alaska reduces capacity in Mexico while expanding its focus on Hawaii. The airline had already removed its Puerto Vallarta–Las Vegas service from its network. Alaska has been reducing its capacity in Mexico and expanding its focus on Hawaii. Previously, as reported by Simple Flying, the airline canceled four seasonal routes from Los Angeles and Las Vegas, including the Puerto Vallarta–Las Vegas service. Alaska Airlines Cuts Two More California Routes Credit: Shutterstock The two other routes being canceled are from Santa Rosa, California. Alaska was the first carrier to bring commercial service to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) nearly two decades ago and has remained the largest airline at the airport. The carrier is now ending its services from Santa Rosa to Salt Lake City and Ontario. The Ontario service is particularly notable because the oneworld alliance member only launched it in March. The route replaced service previously operated by Avelo Airlines, which had launched the connection but canceled it in April 2025. The ultra-low-cost carrier left the STS completely later last year. At the time, Alaska and the airport said the route would provide a reliable connection between Sonoma County and the Inland Empire. It currently operates the service daily using an Embraer E175, but the scheduled data shows the route ending on October 31. Alaska Airlines Canceled Routes Route Notes Santa Rosa–Salt Lake City The route was scheduled to launch in November but has now been removed from the schedule Santa Rosa–Ontario Launched in March; Last scheduled flight on October 31 San Luis Obispo–Las Vegas Last operated on April 20 Sacramento–Los Cabos Last operated on April 18 Puerto Vallarta–Sacramento Seasonal service; last operated in April Puerto Vallarta–St. Louis Seasonal service; last operated in April Puerto Vallarta–New York JFK Seasonal service; last operated in April Furthermore, the airline is also dropping its Santa Rosa–Salt Lake City service, another market that has had limited nonstop options from the North Bay. Notably, the Seattle-based carrier had planned to operate up to a daily flight on the route from November 1 through April 21, 2027. That service has now been removed from its schedule. Alaska Airlines Brings Back San Jose–Los Angeles With More Capacity Credit: Shutterstock At the same time, Alaska is bringing back its San Jose–Los Angeles route. The airline first launched the service in 2017 but discontinued it in January this year. It had cut the route along with several other California services from San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, citing slower-than-expected new aircraft deliveries in 2026. The San Jose–Los Angeles service will return on November 1 with four daily flights. Alaska will operate the route with its 173-seat Boeing 737-900, including 157 economy seats and 16 business class seats. Before the route was discontinued, the airline operated it with a 76-seat Embraer E175, meaning the reinstated service will offer considerably more capacity.