Alaska Airlines announced today new nonstop service between Southern Arizona and Southern California with flights connecting Tucson International Airport (TUS) and Orange County’s John Wayne Airport (SNA). The seasonal service is scheduled to begin on December 14, 2023. Introductory fares as low as $99 one way are available at alaskaair.com.

Daily nonstops through April 17, 2024 will be operated on Embraer 175 aircraft, featuring roomy overhead bins and two-by-two seating. Alaska continues to expand its offerings at SNA with Tucson being the 6^th destination. Orange County will by the 4^th Alaska destination for TUS.

“This new route is the result of our team connecting the dots to demonstrate demand to our airline partners and accomplishing a top priority,” said Tucson Airport Authority President and CEO Danette Bewley. “Southern Arizonans now have a more convenient way to reach the top attractions around Los Angeles, and Southern Californians, who are our top source of visitors to Tucson, have a convenient way to skip the seven-hour drive.”

For Southern Arizonans, SNA is the closest airport to such major Orange County attractions as Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, Knott’s Berry Farm, and numerous Southern California beaches. Great shopping, dining, and live entertainment are nearby as well.

Visitors to Tucson arrive in the heart of the unique Sonoran Desert, the only place in the world that is the natural habitat of the iconic and majestic Saguaro cactus. Mountain ranges in all directions offer scenic drives, and even snow skiing. With the most winter sunshine of any city in the United States, Tucson invites visitors to play in its wide-open outdoor spaces and enjoy finding out why it is a “City of Gastronomy”.

“We’re always looking at new routes to connect our guests, and we see a lot of potential with our new nonstop between sunny Orange County and sunny Tucson,” said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning at Alaska Airlines. “There’s plenty to enjoy in Southern California and the desert of Arizona, especially when we begin this new flight in the winter as the weather is turning nearly everywhere else.”

The flight will operate daily. Travelers from SNA will depart at 11:40 a.m. and arrive at TUS at 2:20 p.m. Passengers from TUS will depart at 3:05 p.m. and arrive at SNA at 3:49 p.m. Departures and arrivals are listed in local times.

Alaska Airlines, as a member of the oneworld global alliance, allows guests to earn and redeem miles on more than 20 airlines, including Tucson’s largest airline, American, to more than 1,000 destinations around the world.

SNA Ranked Among Nation’s Best Airports

John Wayne Airport (SNA) ranked #2 among large airports in North America in 2022 by J.D. Power, continuing its record of top-rankings since it was elevated to the large airport category in 2017. As the only commercial service airport in the County of Orange, it serves more than 10 million passengers annually and reaches more than 40 nonstop destinations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. More information can be found at www.ocair.com.