Alaska Airlines invests in new world-class training facility to support flight attendants, pilots and more

A new future for Alaska Airlines' employees and their careers begins today with the purchase of a facility that will become home to the airline's world-class training programs. The new training hub will enhance the training experience for flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents and more, as well as centralize operations into one facility. Alaska already houses nine full-motion flight simulators in the facility and has plans to add a tenth in the next few years. In addition to simulators, the new space will include a mock aircraft for inflight simulations, classrooms, an auditorium, a production studio and significant office space. While pilots already train on the campus using the existing simulators, other employee groups will begin moving into the facility following renovations towards the end of 2025.

Constance von Muehlen, chief operating officer at Alaska Airlines commented: "Our remarkable operations team members will, for the first time in our history, all come together and train under one roof. We're excited to build on Alaska Airlines' culture of safety, performance and care in this purposefully-designed space worthy of our frontline team's contributions to every guest and every flight." 

The property is part of Longacres, which Unico Properties purchased from Boeing in December 2021 and which housed Boeing Commercial Airplane HQ in prior years. Located at 1901 Oakesdale Ave. S.W., Longacres is a 173-acre campus that is being planned for a vibrant, diversified, mixed-use campus that includes an Arts and Entertainment District, miles of walking and jogging trails, ponds and scenic wetlands, and direct access to the Renton/Tukwila Sound Transit Station.  

Alaska Airlines has purchased the 19-acre property from Unico Properties for $85.75 million, which includes the 600,000-square-foot facility that Boeing purposefully built to house an aviation training facility. Alaska plans to invest an additional $100 million to renovate the space.

Liz Thorson, Unico Properties Director, Market Leader said: "This major commitment by Alaska alongside the significant investment made by the Sounders in opening its new training facility earlier this year, has created significant momentum for the mixed-use campus. Given these events, Renton is a bright spot in the region and we're excited to build upon these announcements to bring other beloved Northwest brands to our exciting new community. We're pleased to have secured in excess of 670,000 square feet of occupancy since acquiring the property in a difficult office environment throughout the country."

Shane Jones, senior vice president of fleet, revenue products and real estate at Alaska Airlines stated: "We're thrilled to invest in our Puget Sound home. The growth opportunity this purchase provides us cannot be overstated, and it really feels like a perfect match. Having access to a facility that was purpose built for aviation training that we then get to customize was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. As Longacres continues to be built out, our employees will have access to amenities that will truly make this a world-class training experience."  

Ned Carner, Founder Wing Point Partners who worked with Unico to facilitate the sale said: "It is great to see this special 173-acre campus come to life with the opening of the Sounders FC practice facility and now the thousands of Alaska Airlines employees that will frequent the site. We are one step closer to achieving our goal of an active campus that seamlessly brings the community to work, live, and recreate together."