Up To 9 Hours: Alaska Airlines' Longest Boeing 737 MAX Flights

Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737 fleet currently consists of 242 aircraft. According to ch-aviation, it has 80 737 MAX 9s, 79 737-900ERs, 61 737-800s, 14 737-700s, and eight 737 MAX 8s. Thus, when writing, MAXs account for 36% of its 737 sub-fleet.

The oneworld member is increasingly adding new long routes on its single-aisle Boeing equipment. Analysis of the airline’s full schedule using Cirium Diio data shows that 11 routes have a maximum block time of 6h 50m or more. Not all of them are exclusively on the MAX.

Alaska’s 737 MAX Flights Of 6h 50m Or More: October 2025 To July 2026

Credit: GCMap

The table deals with block time. This is measured as chocks-off-to-chocks-on, and it includes taxi time at both airports, flight time, and a period for short delays. It is what’s shown in booking engines, schedules, etc.

Liberia is the gateway to Costa Rica’s beaches and other natural splendors. The return flight back to Seattle, Alaska Airlines’ busiest hub, is comfortably the longest flight by block time. However, it is only third by great circle distance, with the carrier’s brand-new route to Iceland exceeding 3,000 nautical miles. No seatback TVs are available, but passengers may stream entertainment to their handheld devices.

Up To 9h 03m: Alaska’s Longest MAX Flight By Time

Credit: Alaska Airlines

Alaska inaugurated this route just before Christmas Day, on December 20, 2024. Until then, the long, leisure-driven market had never been served. In the first season, flights (from Seattle) existed until May 10, 2025.

Between January and May 2025, the US Department of Transportation shows it filled 90% of the available seats, helped by the market being served only weekly. Sufficient success means the operating period in the second season has been extended. While continuing to run weekly on the MAX 8, it will operate from Seattle between November 22 and May 9.

Its block time from Liberia back to Seattle varies wildly. The lowest is 7h 48m—in which case, Keflavik back to Seattle would be longer—to a high of 9h 03m. As listed on Alaska’s website and elsewhere, 9h 03m is available from March 22 until May 10. It may be reduced. After all, analysis of Alaska’s schedule shows that the maximum block in the first season was 8h 15m.

Seattle To Keflavik Is Alaska’s Longest 737 Route Ever By Distance

Credit: Preston Fiedler

This brand-new route on Alaska’s map will cover 3,147 nautical miles (5,828 km) each way. In distance terms, it will be the carrier’s longest 737-operated flight ever. It will also be the longest scheduled MAX service by any US operator. It is bound to make my Weekly Routes newsletter (see the most recent edition).

Alaska will run daily on the 159-seat MAX 8, which has 12 seats in domestic first-class and 147 in economy. Given that it is domestic first, it’ll be interesting to see how it promotes this cabin for what is a long-haul operation.

The route will begin on May 28. AS354 will leave Seattle at 18:45 and get to Europe at 09:10+1 local time. Returning, AS355 will depart at 12:15 and return at 13:10 local time. It’ll codeshare with Icelandair, which already has three daily services between Keflavik and Seattle.