At 10 a.m. today, Alaska Airlines Flight 2878, with service provided by Horizon Air, made history when it departed from Everett to Portland.

“This is a huge moment for Horizon, and being here you can see what a big deal it is for the local area. This is what we’re all about,” said La’Princia Miller, a Horizon Air flight attendant.

The aircraft – with 76 guests and four crew members onboard – became the first flight from the new commercial air terminal at Paine Field-Snohomish County airport, unleashing a wave of pride, excitement and so many possibilities.

“This is a game changer. From where I live, the traffic is very predictable coming to Paine Field, like 20 minutes to get here. That’s really nice,” said Joan Carstons, who lives in Kirkland. “Going to Sea-Tac, there can be a wreck or something else happening that day that could cause a longer drive.”

“This is history in the making. I’m just so excited to be a part of it and serve the community I come from,” said Michelle Tagalog, Horizon Air customer service agent who lives in nearby Lynnwood. “Our goal is to give our guests a great travel experience that gets them through the main door and into the terminal in just a few minutes.”

When Paine Field was first planned during the 1930s, it was supposed to be a commercial airport. Instead, it became a different economic engine tied to the aerospace industry in Snohomish County. But now that original goal is a reality: Paine Field is home to the nation’s newest passenger air terminal – and Alaska is helping lead the way.

Today, just three flights departed from Paine Field. By mid-March, we’ll have our full schedule of 18 daily nonstop departures to 8 West Coast destinations that are most popular with our guests. Horizon Air is providing the all-jet service on the Embraer 175 aircraft, which features first class and premium class seating.

Paine Field makes catching a flight easier for more than one million people living in North Puget Sound. Many will enjoy shorter commutes to the airport: more time in the air and less time on the roads, which will ease traffic congestion.

From Everett, our guests can to fly to eight West Coast cities: Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Orange County, California; Phoenix; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; San Francisco; and San Jose, California. Some destinations have several departures a day, such as Los Angeles with 4 daily roundtrips.

Map out your new travel plans to and from Paine Field and purchase your Alaska Airlines tickets now!