Getting To & Around Alaska: Fly

Aviation is part of the backbone of Alaska, with much of the state only accessible by air. Alaska is home to the most pilots per capita in the United States, more air strips than any other state, and the world’s busiest float plane base: Lake Hood in Anchorage. Thanks to Alaska's location off of the northwest corner of Canada, with the majority of the state surrounded by water, most people travel in and out of Alaska by plane. 

Domestic and International Flights

Alaska is served by domestic and international flights, with a growing list of year-round non-stop flights from the Lower 48. Many Alaska-bound flight itineraries include a stop at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle — the closest major airport to the state. Flights from Seattle take about two-and-a-half hours to reach Juneau, and three-and-a-half to four hours to Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Direct flights to Alaska are available from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kahului (Maui), Kona (Big Island), Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Phoenix, Portland, and Washington, D.C. - some of which only operate seasonally. The airlines with the most domestic flights to Alaska are Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. Direct international flights are available on Condor, Icelandair, and Air Canada. 

U.S. citizens do not need passports to fly to Alaska from other destinations in the U.S.

Major Airports in Alaska

Alaska has three major airports in the cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the largest and most heavily trafficked airport in the state. Fairbanks is Alaska’s second-largest city and the chief transportation hub in the Interior region. Visitors can fly in and out of Fairbanks International Airport to destinations worldwide. Juneau is Alaska’s capital city, located in the Inside Passage. The coastal communities of Southeast Alaska are accessible via the Juneau International Airport. 

Flying within Alaska

Commercial Flights

The majority of Alaska is not accessible by road, making airplanes essential for travel throughout the state. Alaska Airlines typically offers the most availability for travel to and within Alaska and operates flights to the following communities: Adak, Anchorage, Bethel, Cordova, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor, Fairbanks, Gustavus, Juneau, Ketchikan, King Salmon, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Nome, Petersburg, Prudhoe Bay, Sitka, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Wrangell, and Yakutat. 

Regional Air Carriers & Air Taxis

“Bush planes” are small airplanes designed to land in remote locations. Regional air carriers serve remote towns, villages, and wilderness areas using bush planes. For many remote towns, planes aren’t just the preferred way to travel, but the only way! Air is the best mode of transportation for reaching many Alaska Native villages, especially in the Arctic and Southwest regions, and some coastal communities. These regional carriers operate different types of planes depending on the terrain of their destination: float planes/seaplanes for water, ski planes for snow, and wheeled planes for land.

Some regional air carriers offer regularly scheduled service to remote communities and locations, while others are accessible by booking a charter flight or air taxi specifically for your trip. If you’re interested in heading out to a remote community or accessing the backcountry, contact the air carrier well in advance to check on schedules, availability, and location logistics to find the option that’s right for you. 

Flightseeing

Flightseeing is one of the most popular day trips in Alaska and can be done by small plane or helicopter statewide. Flightseeing trips often feature landings on mountaintops or glaciers, and many incorporate hiking, dog mushing, and more.

Approximate Flight Times Between Alaska Communities

Anchorage to Fairbanks: 50 minutes
Anchorage to Juneau: 1.5 hours
Anchorage to Kenai: 30 minutes
Anchorage to Nome: 1.5 hours
Anchorage to Utqiaġvik (Barrow):  2 hours
Fairbanks to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay: 1 hour
Juneau to Ketchikan: 1 hour
Juneau to Sitka: 45 minutes