Wednesday June 21, 3:36 pm ET

SEATTLE, June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alaska Airlines will offer seasonal, nonstop service between Seattle and Cancun, Mexico, and between Portland, Ore., and the Mexican resort destinations of Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta starting this fall. The flights went on sale today following U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) approval last week of the new service.

Initially the airline will offer nonstop service four days a week between Seattle and Cancun, and Portland and Los Cabos, and three days a week between Portland and Puerto Vallarta. Flights will operate during the peak travel season for these tourist destinations, between the end of October and the end of April.

``We expect this new nonstop service between the Pacific Northwest and Mexico to be extremely popular with travelers looking for a winter break,`` said John MacLeod, Alaska`s managing director, planning and alliances. ``We are continuing to expand our Mexico route system to give our customers and travel industry partners even more options to take advantage of our award-winning service.``

To inaugurate the new service, Alaska is offering introductory one-way fares of $129 between Portland and Los Cabos or Puerto Vallarta, and $179 between Seattle and Cancun. Customers must book and purchase their tickets by July 31, 2006, and travel by Dec. 19, 2006.

Alaska Airlines Vacations also is offering vacation packages, including round-trip airfare and three nights` accommodations, from Portland to Los Cabos or Puerto Vallarta starting at $499, and from Seattle to Cancun starting at $577. All package prices are per person based on adult double occupancy. Customers must book and purchase vacation packages by Nov. 10, 2006, and travel by Nov. 16, 2006.

Reservations and tickets are available now at alaskaair.com or by calling (800) ALASKAAIR. Additional restrictions apply for introductory fares and packages.

Flights from Seattle to Cancun will depart at 8:22 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting Oct. 27, 2006. Return flights will depart Cancun at 4:35 p.m. Central time on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Seattle-Cancun flights will be operated on Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 16 passengers in first class and 141 in the main cabin. These flights will offer Alaska`s state-of-the-art digEplayer inflight entertainment system, a handheld video-on-demand device offering customers first-run movies, television programs and other entertainment options from the comfort of their own seats.

Flights from Portland to Los Cabos will depart at 9:20 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting Oct. 28, 2006. Return flights will depart Los Cabos at 3 p.m. Mountain time on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Flights from Portland to Puerto Vallarta will depart at 9:25 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting Oct. 29, 2006. Return flights will depart Puerto Vallarta at 4:30 p.m. Central time on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

The Portland-Los Cabos and Portland-Puerto Vallarta flights will be Alaska`s first international departures from Portland International Airport. They will be operated on Boeing 737-700 aircraft, with 12 first-class and 112 coach seats.

The new flights are timed for convenient connections to other cities in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Western Canada, both on Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air. All flights will offer Alaska`s Northern Bites meals-for-purchase service, which allows coach passengers to purchase a meal onboard for $5.

Alaska Airlines introduced service to Mexico in 1988. During its upcoming winter schedule, the airline will operate up to 40 flights daily serving nine Mexican destinations, including Cancun, Guadalajara, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Loreto, Los Cabos, Manzanillo/Costa Alegre, Mazatlan, Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta.

The airline also applied to the DOT on June 19 to add nonstop service between Los Angeles and La Paz and between San Francisco and Cancun. If approved, these additional flights will also begin in October.

Flights are subject to Mexican government approval. Airfare and vacation package prices listed do not include airport passenger facility charges of up to $18 (amount depends on itinerary), federal segment tax of $3.30 per segment (takeoff and landing) on itinerary, and a U.S. security fee of $2.50 per enplanement (up to $10). Additionally to Mexico, airfares listed do not include a U.S. immigration user fee of $7, U.S. APHIS fee of $5, U.S. international departure tax of $14.50, Mexico international departure tax of up to $28, and Mexico tourism tax of up to $20. Mexico fees fluctuate with the exchange rate.

Airfare restrictions apply. Seats are limited and introductory fares may not be available on all flights or on all days. Tickets are nonrefundable but can be changed for a $50 change fee and any applicable changes in fare. All fares are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions apply depending on individual fare rules. See alaskaair.com for complete fare rules.

Vacation package restrictions apply. Price is based on off-peak travel and prices will vary by date. All prices and rules are subject to change without notice and subject to availability. All terms and conditions of Alaska Airlines Vacations packages apply.

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 88 cities through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.