A 34% increase in cargo revenue contributed to strong second quarter figures for Alaska Air Group, published on 23 July.
The carrier generated $139m from cargo, an increase of over 90% although the figure was boosted by the takeover of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024.
Adjusted pre-tax margin was 8% and adjusted earnings per share $1.78, exceeding the high end of previously issued guidance, said the airline.
Hawaiian’s second quarter adjusted pretax margin expanded by 11 points versus the prior year, surpassing breakeven for the first time since 2019, it said.
During the quarter, Hawaiian Airlines did experience a cybersecurity incident but the Group said it took immediate steps to safeguard its airlines and operations were not affected.
Unit costs excluding fuel, freighter costs, and special items increased 6.5% year-over-year, in line with prior guidance, the Group added. Looking ahead to the third quarter, adjusted earnings per share are expected to be between $1.00 and $1.40, including an expected 10% impact from an IT outage in July. Costs remain in line with expectations.
The carrier took delivery of two further Airbus A330-300 freighters from Amazon for Hawaiian Airlines, bringing its total to six. Additions to the passenger fleet included three 737-8s, four 737-9s and a 787-9.
Cargo was further boosted by the start of widebody passenger flights between Seattle and Tokyo Narita, the first long-haul international destination from Seattle for the Group and a move which generated the equivalent of about 30 passenger seats-worth of cargo revenue per flight, said the carrier.
It also added twice-daily A330 flights between Seattle and Anchorage, boosting cargo capacity equivalent to two 737 freighters.
Alaska Air has also announced plans for a Boeing 787-9 base in Seattle and five additional 787-9s to support its international growth, with plans to serve at least 12 international cities by 2030.
It will launch its first transatlantic route in May 2026, between Seattle and Rome, and will also introduce flights to Seoul in September this year
