30 years later, major U.S. airline returns to Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario

After an absence of some 30 years, the fifth-largest airline in both the U.S. and North America will once again fly into and out of Pearson Airport in Mississauga.

Alaska Airlines will begin daily nonstop flights between its home base of Seattle and Pearson on May 16. It will mark the carrier’s first flight schedule into Pearson Airport since it offered Los Angeles-to-Toronto nonstop service in the early 1990s, officials with the airline said in a news release this week.

Alaska Airlines, which operates most of its flights on the west coast of North America, ranks behind only American, Delta, Southwest and United airlines in terms of number of passengers served annually.

“We’re always focused on better connecting the Pacific Northwest with additional nonstops in our network,” Alaska Airlines vice-president Kirsten Amrine said in the news release. “There’s a strong desire by our guests for a Seattle-Toronto flight that connects a pair of exciting cities not only for leisure travel, but also links key business centres between the U.S. and Canada.”

The new flights will also mark the first time ever the U.S. airline has offered direct service between its home base of Seattle and Pearson Airport.

“Toronto is the largest city in Canada. It’s a brand-new destination for us from our home airport in Seattle. For visitors, the possibilities are endless in Toronto with its bustling downtown and walkable neighborhoods, stunning parks, rich history and diverse restaurants and entertainment,” Alaska Airlines officials added.

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Toronto is the sixth Canadian destination for Alaska Airlines and the first in eastern Canada. The carrier already services Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna.

Additionally, Alaska Airlines this past December announced it was partnering with Toronto-based Porter Airlines, which began flying out of Pearson for the first time early in 2023.

The pact, Alaska Airlines’ 30th such global partnership, will offer passengers seamless connections between the two carriers, the company noted.

(Cover photo: Kevin Prentice via Pearson Airport)