Cheap flights to Alaska

Overview

Booking flights to Alaska remain a mystery for some, but those who do book Alaska flights and venture to “The Last Frontier” catch a glimpse of the nation’s most beautiful landscapes, engaging wildlife and natural habitats, and a more simplistic way of living.

If you love to fly you’re in luck! One of the best ways to see the country is to board a prop-plane and buy airline tickets to see remote villages, fishing sites and just about anywhere else you want to go. You can also get to Alaska via train or bus, but the fares are more expensive. Major airline carriers book flights to Alaska’s hub, Anchorage, and from there travelers can book other Alaska flights to various parts of the country.

You don’t have to be adventurous or outdoorsy to book a flight to Alaska. But, most people who have been to Alaska agree that a visit is in order to understand its greatness. Consider this statistic: the state of Rhode Island could fit into Alaska 425 times. Alaska is called American’s “Last Frontier” for a reason. Book flights to Alaska with an open mind, and let the country captivate you with its simplicity and its beauty.

Popular Destinations in Alaska

• Flights to Anchorage
• Flights to Juneau

How long is the flight to Alaska?

When looking at the popular routes going to Alaska from other parts of the USA, the flight times are between 3h-6h. Those routes would be from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), along with Portland International Airport (PDX) to Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) or Anchorage International Airport (ANC). The fastest and shortest one-stop flight from the USA to Alaska is from SEA and PDX at around 5h. However, some flights may have a longer layover with a flight time to your destination that can be up to 19h.

Where can you get direct flights to Alaska from?

You can find direct flights to Alaska at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Portland International Airport (PDX). Alaska Airlines can fly you non-stop to Alaska without dealing with any layovers along the way. The direct flights to Anchorage International Airport (ANC) offer the fastest times at around 3h.

How do you get from Anchorage Airport to the city’s center?

The most popular city in Alaska is Anchorage. Once you’ve landed from Anchorage International Airport (ANC), there are numerous options for you to get to the city’s center. Taxis are available in both the South and North Terminals of the airport. The Yellow Cab or Checkered Cab services can get you to downtown Anchorage within 13-20 minutes at a fare of about $17-22. You can walk to the bus stop just east of the North Terminal and hop onto the People Mover Bus #40 to your destination. ANC has a Rental Car Center just across from the South Terminal that you can reach by the free shuttle service. You can also use Uber and Lyft to get downtown.

What are some things to do in Alaska?

Called America’s “”Last Frontier””, Alaska has a scenic landscape filled with natural beauty and wildlife. There are five regions of Alaska to visit, the Arctic, the Inside Passage, the Interior, Southcentral, and the Southwest. Each area provides you with plenty of things to do, from eco-tours and dog sledding to bear viewing and freshwater fishing. When in Anchorage, you can hike Flattop Mountain, ski during the winter months, check out the H2Oasis Waterpark, visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center, and much more. You may also want to travel around the state and take a flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks where you can gaze at the Aurora Borealis, as well as a pan for gold and take a riverboat cruise. Another popular place to visit in Alaska is Juneau, where there are numerous hiking trails, whale watching, and flightseeing tours, the Tongass National Forest, and the Mendenhall Glacier.

Do I need a passport or visa to fly to Alaska?

You do not need a passport or a visa to fly to Alaska if you are a citizen of the USA and are flying in from another state. However, all non-citizens of the USA will need a passport to enter Alaska, but may not need a tourist visa to enter if coming from one of the 38 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program.

What is the climate like in Alaska?

Given the enormous size of Alaska and its location, the weather varies greatly depending on where your Alaska flight takes you. Some places go into the 80s (F) and 90s in summer, others make it into the 30s. Along the southern coast winter temperatures are in the 20s, while farther north they drop to -50 and lower. The southern areas have well-defined four seasons and northern areas have winter and summer. The northern coast has the most dramatic change in daylight hours. In Barrow, the sun sets at 12.50pm on November 18 and rises at 11.51am on January 24. By 1.06am on May 10 there is 24-hour daylight.  Alaskan weather is famously unpredictable; a snow storm on July 4 followed by a hot July 5 is not out of character.

What is the best way to travel around Alaska?

Alaskan cities are fairly easy to drive in and park; the exception is parking an RV in downtown Anchorage during the week. All sorts of vehicles travel the Alaska Highway, which is open year-round and is paved for all but a few miles.

Other popular ways to get around Alaska are by water and by air; in fact, the only way to many towns, including Juneau, the state’s capital, is via air or water. Many cruise lines offer tours of Alaska, and state-owned ferries can get you from one point to another. Another option is to travel through Alaska by rail, bush plane, air taxi, or helicopter.