Our flight from Lihue, Hawaii had us connecting through Seattle and onwards to Vancouver, Canada. While there are many carriers that typically fly this short international route, our travels on Alaska Airlines would have us on their newest Embraer 175 aircraft in First Class. How would this segment compare to its prior Alaska Airlines Bombardier Q400 aircraft?

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This post is one chapter on our trip on the United Island Hopper and to Oahu & Kauai, Hawaii, United States. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan, United Airlines Mileage Plus and Marriott Bonvoy. It was further enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Review: Alaska Airlines First Class E175, Seattle Tacoma International Airport – Vancouver International Airport

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As Canadian’s travelling on Alaska Arilines, our trips always require a connection at their Seattle hub. After arriving into Seattle Tacoma International Airport on Alaska Airlines First Class Lihue – Seattle, we only had one hour of connection time.

Regrettably with our early 6:48 AM arrival time from our connecting flight, there was no time to visit The American Express Centurion Lounge Seattle. During our visit the American Express Centurion Lounge Seattle opened at 10 AM, which was well after our departing flight at 9:50 AM.

Alaska Airlines doesn’t offer lounge access to its Alaska Lounge Seattle on “U” fare upgraded tickets so we ended up just waiting out our connection at the gate for our second leg up to Vancouver, Canada.

Today’s flight left from the usual C Terminal at Seattle Tacoma International Airport. It’s usually standing room only while waiting for the flight to be boarded as a result of all the commuter flights departing from these shared gates.

It was a bit of a treat for us this time since the usual Alaska Airlines Bombardier Q-400’s have now been upgraded to more comfortable Embraer’s on this leg.

Alaska Airlines
AS 2898 – First Class (U)
SEA – YVR (SeaTac International Airport – Vancouver International Airport)
February 6, 2020
9:50 AM – 10:51 AM
Booked: Embraer 175
Flown: Embraer 175

On Board Alaska Airlines First Class:

Getting on board Alaska Airlines First Class in the Embraer 175. Alaska Airline’s Embraer 175 is set up in a 1-2 configuration in First Class and a 2 -2 configuration in economy class. The Alaska Airlines First Class seat on an Embraer 175 is leaps and bounds above a single class of service aircraft on Alaska Airlines Bombarbier Q400 aircraft.

It was a wet day for ground operations at SeaTac and our warm Hawaiian adventure was most certainly at a cold end.

Pre – Departure Services:

A pre – departure beverage was offered. This was a Starbucks Coffee for myself and a Dasani water for MrsWT73. It was great to have a proper beverage as opposed to the very light offerings usually found on the comparable Bombardier Q400 product.

After boarding was complete, we got underway. It was a short uneventful 27 minute flight up to Vancouver.

As is always the case, there is no other in flight service on this flight as it’s so short.

On arrival to Vancouver, we parked at a gate unlike our usual apron flights on the Q400.

We ended up landing in Vancouver and we cleared Canada Border Services Agency customs courtesy of Nexus without any issues or waits.

The Bottom Line: Alaska Airlines First Class Embraer Service

The Alaska First Class seat on the Embraer 175 is miles ahead in comfort than on the comparable Alaska Airlines Bombardier Q400 product. Although you won’t get much in the way of service on the short Seattle – Vancouver flight, it’s still a comfortable hop between the two cities.

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If you fly between Seattle and Vancouver, do you stick with Alaska Airlines or do you take Delta Airlines or Air Canada ?

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