Flights added after fans get irate over cost to see UW Huskies in Sugar Bowl

Update 12/4, 5:45 p.m.:

Alaska Airlines announced Monday afternoon that it added extra flights from Seattle to New Orleans ahead of the Washington Huskies’ Sugar Bowl appearance on New Year’s Day.

Let’s go! ✈️ https://t.co/so1DotQuYZ

— Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) December 5, 2023

The airline added a total of six flights ahead of the Sugar Bowl, according to Jackie Kent of KOMO News and The Daily, the student newspaper of the University of Washington.

However, multiple users on X, formerly known as Twitter, also said the seats on those flights had already sold out while others called on the airline to add even more.

Original Story:

The University of Washington (UW) will be playing in the College Football Playoff for the second time in the current postseason format’s history, taking on No. 3 nationally-ranked Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

For those wanting to support UW in person, which will be played in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, airline tickets are as expensive as ever.

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Alaska Airlines has seats available for flights leaving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport before the Sugar Bowl kicks off Jan. 1, but in limited capacity. And for those who are able to book one of these seats, it will come at an incredible cost.

A direct flight to New Orleans after Dec. 28 has now surpassed $1,000 in total costs, according to Alaska Airlines website. Flights requiring layovers that extend the overall journey to eight hours or longer have a reduced price, but no ticket is costing less than $500.

Seattle residents and UW fans sounded off on X, formerly known as Twitter, at both the high costs and limited availability.

Hey @AlaskaAir , AKA Husky Airlines, can we expect more flights to be added from Seattle to New Orleans for @UW_Football game in the Sugar Bowl? Asking for Husky Nation.

— Kim Grinolds (@KimGrinolds) December 3, 2023

Means a lot for fan bases. Very few flights going from Seattle to the sugar bowl and prices are RIDICULOUS

— brandon (@bljr23) December 3, 2023

ATTN: @AlaskaAir You owe it to these great Husky fans and loyal Alaska Air customers to provide some flights from Seattle to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.

If not, this will be a home game for Texas. #IFlyAlaska #PurpleReign ☔️ pic.twitter.com/utj4UgN57r

— TuckerMax (@tthain5) December 3, 2023

“I apologize but we have no info on that at this time,” Alaska Air’s X account wrote as a reply to fans asking about these issues.

UW inked a 10-year, $41 million deal with Alaska Airlines to become a school sponsor in 2015, awarding the airline the naming rights to Husky Stadium. The stadium’s name changed to Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Additionally, Alaska Airlines also has the naming rights to athletic facilities in UW’s athletic village.

“As two world-class organizations with roots in Seattle, our Puget Sound partnership powers the economic engine of our state,” UW wrote in a prepared statement about its partnership with Alaska Airlines. “From Tacoma to Bothell, the Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion and all around the Pacific Northwest, Alaska is helping students unleash possibilities — and potential.”

December is the fourth-most expensive month to travel to New Orleans through Alaska Airlines out of Seattle, according to SkyScanner. June and August are the two most expensive months, with tickets averaging $432 and $426 respectively, while July ($370 average ticket price) slightly edges out December ($331 average price).

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October averages $248 per ticket, January averages $187 and February averages $186, according to SkyScanner, for comparison.

UW finished its college football season with a No. 2 rank in the nation behind the play of Heisman candidate Michael Penix Jr. The Sugar Bowl against the No. 3 Texas Longhorns will be a rematch of last year’s Alamo Bowl, where UW defeated Texas 27-20.

Texas is coached by Steve Sarkisian, UW’s former head coach from 2009-2013. Sarkisian had the third-highest win percentage as a head coach for UW for the last 20 years (minimum 18 games coached), trailing just Chris Petersen and Kalen DeBoer, the program’s current head coach.

Editors’ note: This story originally was published on Sunday, Dec. 3 and has been updated multiple times since then.