Serving remote communities around the world poses a unique challenge. Sometimes, the only way to deliver vital supplies to these communities is by sea or air. Alaska, the "Last Frontier" is one such place where serving remote communities is limited to air or sea transport. The famed Alaska Airlines “Milk Run” service has provided a lifeline to various Alaskan communities for decades. 

History of The "Milk Run"

Alaska Airlines can trace its roots to the early 1930s when it started as "McGee Airways". The carrier would specialize in transporting various goods across Alaska with a fleet of bush aircraft.

Experienced bush pilots would transport mail, medicines, and furs to remote communities. Even today, the Alaska Milk Run serves as a vital lifeline for those communities with limited access. 

The term "Milk Run" refers to roundtrip services that facilitate the distribution and collection of vital supplies. In aviation, it refers to a scheduled flight with many stops on a routine service.

Alaska's Milk Run flights have been living up to their nickname since they started many years ago. In addition to milk, the flights deliver necessary supplies to towns solely dependent on air service due to the lack of roads and rail services.

More recently, the Milk Run has gained popularity amongst tourists as an exclusive service, allowing them to experience remote Alaska. The service operates between Seattle to Anchorage, making various stops along the way. At each stop, vital cargo is offloaded and transported to the local town.

Another reason for Milk Run’s immense popularity is that it allows tourists to enjoy unparalleled scenery. While you can see the same site on nonstop flights between Seattle and Anchorage, it's not the same as physically landing at a remote Alaskan airport surrounded by glaciers and mountains.

As Alaska First Officer Peter Michels said, "No other jet airline in the world does flying like we [Alaska Airlines] do in the State of Alaska."

The Milk Run Route

The Milk Run serves seven communities along the Southeast coast of Alaska. Between Seattle-Tacoma, Washington (SEA) and Anchorage (ANC), the flights make stops in Ketchikan (KTN), Wrangell (WRG), Petersburg (PSG), Sitka (SIT), Juneau (JNU), Yakutat (YAK), and Cordova (CDV).

There are various Milk Run flights. Each has its specific route. Not all Milk Run flights make stops in each of the seven cities between Seattle and Anchorage.

AS61: Seattle - Juneau - Yakutat - Cordova - Anchorage

AS62: Anchorage - Juneau - Sitka - Ketchikan - Seattle

AS64: Anchorage - Juneau - Petersburg - Wrangell - Ketchikan - Seattle

AS65: Seattle - Ketchikan - Wrangell - Petersburg - Juneau - Anchorage

AS66: Anchorage - Cordova - Yakutat - Juneau - Seattle

AS67: Seattle - Ketchikan - Sitka - Juneau - Anchorage

The airport terminals in these smaller Alaskan communities are small buildings with tiny waiting areas. Interestingly, there are no super long TSA lines, baggage belts, or jetways. There are no restaurants either.

Usually, the employees working at these airports are rampers, customer service agents and cargo agents simultaneously.

The Milk Run Fleet

Alaska Airlines' fleet of Boeing 737-400 Combi aircraft previously served the Milk Run. These aircraft featured a dedicated main deck cargo hold in the forward section with 72 passenger seats in the back.

Now that the 737-400s have been retired, the Milk Run flights are operated by a mix of Boeing 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900ER aircraft. No more Combi planes are running the flights these days.

While Alaska is truly the "Last Frontier" with numerous remote airports dotted across the state, many of those airports are served by smaller turboprop aircraft not operated by Alaska Airlines.

The Milk Run continues to provide vital supplies to communities along Alaska's Southeast coast. It is an exclusive service that keeps these communities connected with the world.