Skip to content

Paint Check

Alaska Airlines debuts a bold Aurora Borealis-inspired livery as it expands internationally.

By Seattle Mag April 15, 2026

The vertical stabilizer and part of the horizontal stabilizer of an airplane with a blue and green design are shown against a clear sky.
Photo COURTESY OF ALASKA AIRLINES

This article originally appeared in the March/April 2026 issue of Seattle magazine.

At the beginning of the year, Alaska Airlines unveiled its new global livery: a bold design inspired by the Aurora Borealis. Painted in a palette of deep blues and shimmering emerald greens, the sleek look is a nod to Alaska Airlines’ continued addition of international destinations, which will expand to London, Rome, and Reykjavik by the end of May.

In addition to revealing the livery, the airline announced in January that it had placed an order with Boeing for 105 new 737-10 aircraft and five new 787 aircraft—the largest order in the company’s history.

Blueprints and paint supplies for aircraft design are laid out, alongside images of an aircraft nose, a worker pouring blue paint, and a wrapped aircraft section.

Follow Us

Elevated Gaming, Now With a Luxury Stay
Sponsored

Elevated Gaming, Now With a Luxury Stay

Debuting a new era in Pacific Northwest gaming, the opening of the now Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel, transforms a premier gaming destination into a full-scale getaway–pairing top-tier play with the convenience and comfort of an upscale luxurious overnight stay just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle. Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel offers one of the most expansive…

Washington’s Spring Festivals Go Way Beyond Tulips

Washington’s Spring Festivals Go Way Beyond Tulips

From cherry blossoms in Seattle to shorebirds on the coast, these spring festivals celebrate the state’s natural abundance.

From our rivers flowing with snowmelt and salmon to valleys dotted with wildflowers and berries, to forests filled with mossy trees and mushrooms, nature is an inseparable part of Washington’s culture and ecosystem. It shapes what we eat and drink, what inspires our art and outdoor lifestyle, and even our cities. Nature is part of…

No Longer a Last Resort

No Longer a Last Resort

The new wave of luxury-forward Mexico all-inclusives delivers cultural immersion and culinary delights.

Thanks to years of party-goers jetting south in the winter, the mention of a Mexico all-inclusive resort tends to conjure a specific image: wristband-wearing revelers in a crowded pool, dancing the Macarena to booming music, and the relentless buzz of the frozen margarita blender. Luring guests with all-you-can-drink packages and stocked buffets, these hotels left…

Sun Break

Sun Break

A spring trip to Southern California that ends under the desert sky.

The moment my family of four arrived at our Italian-inspired villa at The Resort at Pelican Hill along the coast in Newport Beach, California, it was clear: The pace of life is slower here. It was obvious from the outset that we wouldn’t have to lift a finger and that whatever we needed was within…