Alaska Airlines unveils massive premium cabin overhaul in high-end travel race

Alaska Airlines' new 737 Max new suites.Courtesy: Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is overhauling cabins across Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines to add hundreds of high-end seats and building new airport lounges, banking on customers' continued willingness to pay a premium for travel luxuries to grow its profits into the next decade. The changes were announced ahead of Alaska's investor day in Seattle on Tuesday, when the carrier's executives will face questions on the new offerings, how the airline is coping with the profit-eating surge in jet fuel this year, and its ability to reach its goal of $1 billion in added profit from end of 2024 to the end of 2027. It said Tuesday that it's two-thirds of the way there. Investors are also likely to tie the new products to the company's prospects to grow its co-branded credit card and loyalty program, which have generated billions for airlines.Alaska said it's working to become more reliant on revenue from premium seats, international flights, its loyalty program and cargo, which is higher margin than the main cabin. It forecast on Tuesday that those more lucrative products will reach close to 60% of its total revenue by 2030, up from 53% curren...