Alaska Air Cargo will grow its 737 freighter fleet from five to nine aircraft with the signing of long-term lease agreements to add four 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) aircraft next year for North American operations.
The four 737-800BCFs are expected to enter service in the first half of 2027 and will be dedicated to the states of Alaska and Hawaii, said Alaska Airlines,.
According to data from PlanespottersAlaska Airlines already has three 737-700 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft and two 737-800P2Fs that are operated by its cargo arm, Alaska Air Cargo.
The airline said that the additional freighters will help strengthen the network across the states of Alaska and Hawaii, as well as connections to the rest of the US.
Added capacity in Hawaii is also expected to support the e-commerce and logistics industries.
ice president of cargo at Alaska Airlines, said: “Alaska Air Cargo has two very important goals: supporting our communities and customers and connecting them to the world.
“Expanding our cargo fleet with dedicated aircraft helps us accomplish both goals, opening up new international shipping opportunities for seafood and other commodities, while making sure we can reliably ship time-sensitive goods that our communities need, such as medicine, household supplies and groceries.”
Seattle-based Alaska Air Group, parent to Alaska Airlines, acquired Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024, a purchase that expanded its operation to include transpacific flights and that bolstered Alaska Air’s fleet with its first widebody jets.
As part of the Alaska Accelerate strategic plan, cargo is anticipated to deliver $150m of new annual profit as the cargo operations of Alaska and Hawaiian are integrated and the business advances international expansion out of Seattle.
