Last week I covered Alaska Airlines’ new route additions from San Diego, representing assertive growth in a California airport Alaska sees as underserved. But those new flights did not come out of thin air; they came at the expense of others, especially from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and thereby offer a huge gift to United Airlines.

Alaska Airlines Cuts Seven Routes From SFO And LAX To Free Up Aircraft For New Growth Hubs

Alaska Airlines is planning a significant network shift for 2026. To make room for its 13-route expansion out of San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Portland International Airport (PDX), the airline will cut seven routes from SFO and LAX, as noted by Ishrion Aviation.

From SFO, the cuts include routes to Austin (AUS), Boston (BOS), Burbank (BUR), Newark (EWR), and Orlando (MCO). From LAX, Alaska will end service to Las Vegas (LAS), Reno Tahoe (RNO), and San Jose, CA (SJC). The airline says the changes are driven by “fewer new aircraft entering our fleet in 2026” and the need to stay disciplined with limited capacity.

What’s Behind This Move?

Alaska says it is not abandoning SFO or LAX, which both remain “key markets,” but the airline believes stronger growth and better returns lie elsewhere. SAN will grow by more than 35 percent in spring 2026 compared to spring 2025. Meanwhile, SFO’s capacity is projected to drop by nearly 24 percent in July 2026 compared with this year. That’s music to the ear of United, as I’ll discuss below.

The cuts from LAX are particularly focused on smaller regional jets and low-yield markets where Alaska says seat economics are weak compared to SAN and PDX.

Victory For United Airlines

The logic here is clear: aircraft are finite, and growth must be funded somewhere absent a steady stream of new aircraft deliveries. Expanding in SAN and PDX makes sense if Alaska can dominate these West Coast hubs. But it comes at a cost because passengers and markets at SFO and LAX will feel it and may turn away fully from Alaska, even on routes that remain.

Alaska claims that SFO and LAX remain important. But real commitment is not just a press release reaffirming commitment; it is routes and frequency. When you pull transcontinental and other key routes, you change the calculus for business travelers and premium flyers.

Abandoning Austin, Boston, Burbank, Newark, and Orlando is a huge gift to United Airlines. It serves all of those routes and will now see less competition, which may push fares up. Thankfully, United will still have competition on each route…just a little less when Alaska pulls out.

CONCLUSION

Alaska Airlines is making a bold pivot on the West Coast. New routes from SAN and PDX are logical, but they are funded by cuts elsewhere. For those who fly out of SFO or LAX, the network map is shifting, and loyalty may soon become much harder.

> Read More: Alaska Airlines Expands West Coast Network With 13 New Routes, Two New Cities, And More Hawaii Flights