Paine Field passenger terminal
An artist’s conception shows the passenger terminal that’s planned for Everett’s Paine Field. (Propeller Airports Illustration)

Alaska Airlines says it’ll offer daily nonstop flights to eight cities including San Jose, Calif., from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., with the aim of helping travelers circumvent traffic jams on the road in Seattle and in the terminals at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

In addition to San Jose, the destinations served will include Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orange County in California, Phoenix, Portland in Oregon, San Diego and San Francisco.

Seattle-based Alaska estimates that the flights from Everett will provide a closer-to-home travel option for more than a million people living in the north Puget Sound region. The routes to Silicon Valley and San Francisco could be particularly attractive for techies.

The list, released today, follows up on Alaska’s announcement last year that it’d be flying out of a Paine Field passenger terminal. The two-gate terminal is currently being built by Snohomish County and Propeller Airports, with the start of operations set for this fall.

Alaska said a detailed schedule for 13 daily departures would be laid out in the months ahead, subject to government approval. The airline said it’ll offer first-class, premium-class and main-cabin seating, which suggests the planes will be bigger than puddle-jumpers.

“This is both a historic occasion and a great honor for Alaska Airlines. We are excited to be able to continue our commitment to the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest,” Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines’ chief commercial officer, said in today’s news release. “We’re proud to become the anchor tenant of the new terminal at Paine Field. With so many new possibilities for business and leisure travel, we believe this will bring increased opportunities to our communities.”

United Airlines says it’s also planning to use the Paine Field passenger terminal for six daily flights to its hubs in Denver and San Francisco.

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