Horizon Air: The Regional Subsidiary of Alaska Airlines That Flies Only the Embraer 175

History and positioning

Born as an independent regional carrier in the Pacific Northwest, Horizon was integrated over time as Alaska Airlines' dedicated regional arm, specializing in a single aircraft family after retiring its earlier Bombardier Q400 turboprops.

The fleet

The fleet is made up of 49 Embraer E175s, configured with 76 seats divided into 12 in First Class, 12 in Premium Class and 52 in Main Cabin, a split that replicates on a smaller scale the cabin hierarchy of Alaska's mainline flights. A further group of 43 E175s with the same configuration is operated on Alaska's behalf by the independent contractor SkyWest, a sign that the group's regional demand exceeds Horizon's capacity alone.

Routes and network

Horizon mainly links cities in the Pacific Northwest and on the US West Coast to Alaska's hubs, in particular Seattle, with the Embraer 175 chosen for its capacity, intermediate between small regional turboprops and mainline narrowbodies.

On board and service

Being fully integrated into the Alaska product, the onboard experience replicates the parent company's cabins, Mileage Plan loyalty program and baggage policies, with the only differences being a smaller aircraft and less onboard entertainment available than on Alaska's longer mainline flights.

What passengers say

Opinions specifically about Horizon are scarce, since the brand is almost never visible to the end passenger; the reviews collected concern the experience on the Embraer 175 more than the regional airline itself.

• Appreciated: continuity with the Mileage Plan program and Alaska service, a First/Premium cabin that offers more space than the average regional jet, punctuality generally in line with the parent company's standards.
• Less appreciated: overhead bins smaller than on mainline narrowbodies, which often require the largest carry-on to be checked; less choice of onboard entertainment than on Alaska's Boeing 737 flights.

Anyone flying an Alaska regional route in the Pacific Northwest is very likely flying on a Horizon Air Embraer 175, without this requiring any different choice at booking, since fares and the loyalty program are identical to Alaska's. It is not the ideal solution for those who need a lot of space for carry-on baggage: the overhead bins on the E175 are smaller than those of a 737, and larger bags are often checked free of charge at the gate. If you have a tight connection with an Alaska mainline flight, check the arrival terminal anyway: at some airports Horizon flights operate from dedicated gates far from those of the 737s.