Alaska Airlines has made a significant adjustment to its San Francisco International Airport (SFO) network in 2026, cutting seven nonstop routes while shifting aircraft toward markets where it sees stronger demand and better returns. The changes affect both domestic and international flying and represent another major contraction after the carrier removed five SFO routes in 2025.
The scale of the reduction is visible in Alaska Airlines’ weekly schedule. According to Cirium data cited in the reference material, the airline operated 405 weekly departures from San Francisco in the comparable period of 2026, down from 465 in 2025. That represents a decline of approximately 13%, giving travelers a clear indication that the changes are more than isolated route adjustments.
Alaska Airlines remains one of the largest carriers on the US West Coast, with important operations in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. However, SFO has increasingly become a market where the airline is refining its network rather than simply adding destinations. Several of the discontinued routes also faced strong competition from United Airlines and other major carriers, making aircraft allocation an important factor in the carrier’s strategy.
Alaska Airlines Drops Austin and Boston Flights From SFO
The first two route cancellations came in January 2026, when Alaska Airlines ended nonstop service from San Francisco to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Both markets are major business and leisure destinations, but Alaska faced substantial competition on each route.
San Francisco-Austin was already served nonstop by Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, giving travelers several alternatives. Boston was similarly competitive, with Delta, JetBlue, and United providing nonstop options between the two cities. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Alaska’s aircraft availability and the competitive environment contributed to the decision to reallocate aircraft toward more profitable markets.
The Austin and Boston cancellations therefore did not leave travelers without nonstop alternatives. Instead, Alaska’s withdrawal reduced the number of airlines competing on those specific city pairs while allowing the carrier to concentrate its aircraft elsewhere.
Three More SFO Routes Disappeared in March
Alaska Airlines continued reshaping its San Francisco network in March 2026, when it discontinued flights to Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).
The Burbank route faced direct competition from Southwest and United. Phoenix was an even more crowded market, with American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest, and United all offering nonstop service. Salt Lake City also had strong competition from Delta, Frontier, and United.
These cuts illustrate an important feature of Alaska’s SFO strategy. The airline did not simply remove flights from markets with little demand. Instead, it also stepped away from routes where multiple larger competitors could offer frequent nonstop service. That can make it difficult for an airline to achieve attractive aircraft utilization and yields, particularly when available aircraft can be redeployed to markets with stronger seasonal or strategic demand.
Loreto Was Alaska’s Only International SFO Cut
The sixth route removed in 2026 was particularly notable because it was the only international destination eliminated from San Francisco. Alaska Airlines ended its seasonal nonstop service to Loreto (LTO) in Baja California Sur, Mexico, in April.
Unlike several of the domestic routes, the SFO-Loreto market was not facing another nonstop US airline competitor. Alaska therefore left the destination unserved from San Francisco after deciding to use the aircraft elsewhere.
The carrier continues serving Loreto from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) year-round, while seasonal service from San Diego is scheduled to begin on December 19. American Airlines also operates seasonal Loreto flights from Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth.
The decision shows that route profitability is not determined solely by competition. Even an uncontested international route can be removed if an aircraft can generate greater value elsewhere. In this case, Alaska used the aircraft reallocation to support additional holiday flying to and from Hawaii.
Newark Becomes the Seventh Route Cut
The final SFO route eliminated by Alaska Airlines in 2026 was its nonstop service to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), ending in June. Newark was the seventh destination removed from the San Francisco network during the year.
The cancellation leaves United Airlines as the only carrier operating nonstop between San Francisco and Newark, while Alaska continues serving the New York area through John F. Kennedy International Airport. Travelers flying from SFO to JFK also have alternatives from American, Delta, and JetBlue.
The Newark withdrawal is particularly significant because it further simplifies Alaska’s New York strategy from San Francisco. Rather than maintaining service to both major New York-area airports, the airline is concentrating its presence on JFK while United retains its strong position at Newark.
Alaska Has Removed 12 SFO Routes in Two Years
The seven cancellations in 2026 follow another five route reductions from San Francisco in 2025. Alaska ended service to Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Mazatlán, Washington Dulles, and Chicago O’Hare, bringing the two-year total to 12 discontinued nonstop routes.
Despite the shrinking network, Alaska has not completely retreated from San Francisco. The airline has increased frequencies on daily nonstop flights to Kona and Lihue in Hawaii, adding capacity to destinations that remain important leisure markets.
The broader picture is therefore one of network reshuffling rather than a simple abandonment of SFO. Alaska is removing selected routes while increasing capacity where it believes demand can better support its aircraft. For San Francisco travelers, however, the result is unmistakable: seven fewer Alaska Airlines nonstop destinations in 2026, with several major city pairs now served by fewer competitors.
