Alaska Airlines swings and misses with new Dreamliner livery

Alaska Airlines has always marched to the beat of its own drum. From its roots flying bush planes across the rugged expanse of Alaska to its recent evolution into a respected West Coast brand, it’s long managed to feel proudly regional while punching above its weight. But now, with the delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the launch of new long-haul routes to London and Reykjavík, Alaska is making a bold move into the global arena. So, what better way to mark the occasion than with a fresh livery? Sadly, instead of a grand, brand-defining statement, Alaska’s new Dreamliner design lands somewhere between déjà vu and missed opportunity.

At first glance, the livery reads more like a polite homage to its competitors than a bold reimagining of its own identity. A sweep of teals and deep blues wash across the fuselage in a heavy-handed gradient, drawing immediate comparisons to Garuda Indonesia — with more than a passing resemblance to neighbour WestJet. And let’s be honest: if your shiny new global livery looks like a lovechild of your Canadian cousin who spent some time in Indonesia, it might be time to head back to the drawing board.

What’s particularly puzzling is that this new look abandons one of the most distinctive elements in modern aviation branding: the iconic Alaska Airlines Eskimo man face. While the airline reassures that this is still part of the brand, it’s nowhere to be seen on the tail. In its place is an aurora borealis motif – a nice idea, until you remember that Icelandair has been flying its own Northern Lights liveries across Europe for years. If there’s one visual strongly associated with Icelandair, it’s that. So why Alaska would lean into a brand space already occupied by the airline on the other end of their new transatlantic route is, frankly, baffling.

This is Alaska’s first take at a Dreamliner, with up to 17 being based in Seattle. The aircraft will anchor its international growth strategy, offering long-haul connectivity from Seattle to Europe and beyond. But instead of using this milestone to unify or evolve the airline’s aesthetic, Alaska has introduced a livery that won’t be extended to the rest of the fleet.

The 737s that dominate its domestic network will remain in the existing scheme, meaning this one aircraft, or class of aircraft, will visually sit apart. A flagship should feel like a natural extension of the brand, not a curious outlier at the gate.

There’s also an issue of visual balance. The livery is heavily weighted to the rear of the aircraft, with bold colour saturation drawing the eye toward the tail and leaving the forward fuselage feeling empty. It gives the Dreamliner a “tail-heavy” appearance – not in any aerodynamic sense, of course, but in terms of visual storytelling. Combined with the unchanged, rather lost-looking wordmark on the forward fuselage, it feels like a colourful shrug of the shoulders.

And while the exterior attempts to tell one story, the interior seems to be telling another altogether. The Dreamliner cabins feature leafy Hawaiian motifs – Monstera ceilings, island-inspired hues – a legacy of the impending Hawaiian Airlines merger. Onboard, it seems we’re in Maui. Outside, we’re flying to Reykjavík. It’s brand whiplash. Understandable in a time of transition, perhaps, but if this is Alaska’s vision of a “global brand,” it feels more like a mid-merger identity crisis.

Of course, Alaska deserves credit for its ambition. The airline is growing, modernising, and positioning itself as a player in the long-haul market. Its Dreamliner order is a clear statement of intent, and its expanding international network signals confidence. But the livery… this supposed symbol of a new chapter… doesn’t rise to the occasion. It’s not bold, not ownable, and not even particularly memorable. In a sea of airline gradients and swirls (anyone remember’s Delta’s 2000’s ‘Colors in Motion’ livery?), it’s already blending in.

Once upon a time, Alaska stood out: unapologetically regional, proudly independent, and with one of the most iconic tails in the sky. This new livery should have been the next step in that story. Instead, it’s a colourful, non-specific muddle – one that says everything and nothing all at once. The world’s watching, Alaska. Swinging big is good. But this time, I feel you’ve missed.

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