SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — Alaska Air Cargo is set to expand its fleet in 2023 by transforming two Boeing 737-800s into freighters, with the inaugural jet projected to transport cargo beginning this summer.


In a March newsletter addressed to its customers, the cargo subsidiary of Seattle-based Alaska Airlines revealed that the delivery of the second 737-800F is scheduled before year-end. The company is diligently preparing for the arrival of these freighters by augmenting ground support equipment, installing new parking pads, and amplifying its container capacity.

The carrier highlights its enhanced infrastructure, stating, "We will be poised to utilize this new capacity as soon as the first new freighter arrives this summer, delivering improved reliability and redundancy for our service in the state of Alaska."

Presently, Alaska Air Cargo operates a fleet of three 737-700Fs.

As the airline takes delivery of a new 737 Max 9 nearly every week, the belly cargo capacity—cargo space within its passenger jets—continues to grow across its network. These cutting-edge jets offer superior cargo capacity, fuel efficiency, range, and payload compared to the older aircraft in the fleet.

In response to demand, the carrier is incorporating routes, particularly in areas like California. It is extending operating hours at its San Jose station and designing new routes between San Francisco and Anchorage (set to launch in May) and between San Diego, Washington-Dulles Airport, and Eugene, Oregon (slated to commence in June).

As the fifth-largest carrier in the United States, Alaska Airlines operates an impressive fleet of over 300 aircraft, providing approximately 1,200 daily flights and shipping options to more than 100 destinations throughout North America.