Alaska Airlines has promoted Ben Brookman to Vice President of Real Estate and Airport Affairs, a newly elevated leadership role that places him at the center of the carrier’s most ambitious phase of global growth and airport investment to date. Coming as the airline channels more than 3 billion dollars into hub transformations and prepares to launch intercontinental services to Europe, the move signals how critical real estate, airport access, and infrastructure strategy have become to Alaska’s evolution into a truly global player.
A Strategic Appointment at a Pivotal Moment
The timing of Brookman’s promotion is no coincidence. Announced on February 12, 2026, the decision arrives as Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines deepen their integration under the Alaska Air Group umbrella and as the combined network pushes beyond its traditional strongholds on the American West Coast and in the Pacific. For travelers, that translates into more destinations, new long-haul options, and reimagined airport experiences in key hubs such as Seattle, Anchorage, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
Brookman will oversee Alaska’s global real estate strategy, including airport access, infrastructure projects, and corporate facilities, at a time when airport capacity, gate availability, and terminal quality increasingly define an airline’s competitiveness. His portfolio touches everything from long-term lease negotiations and terminal redevelopment to the placement of lounges, check in halls, and operational support facilities that underpin on time performance.
With more than 17 years in the airline industry, Brookman steps into the role as a seasoned insider who has already helped guide Alaska’s airport planning efforts. The company describes this moment as transformational, pointing to a growing international route map, major hub investments, and a sharpened focus on creating a seamless, premium journey from curb to gate. For frequent flyers and casual vacationers alike, the changes unfolding behind the scenes in real estate and airport affairs will directly shape how they experience Alaska’s expanding world.
From Network Planner to Airport Power Broker
Brookman’s path to this influential role runs through some of the most strategically important corners of airline management. Since November 2021, he has served as Managing Director of Airport Affairs at Alaska, leading airport planning, master plans, and contract negotiations across the network. In that capacity he played a central role in crafting Alaska’s long term airport infrastructure roadmap and in aligning facilities with the evolving needs of both Alaska and Hawaiian brands.
Prior to that, he held the position of Director of Network and Capacity Planning at Alaska Airlines, where he helped grow the Seattle hub and strengthen the airline’s presence in Portland and San Diego. Network planning is the discipline that decides which routes to fly, how often, and with which aircraft, and it is inextricably linked to airport gate availability, runway capacity, and terminal layout. That background positions Brookman to see real estate decisions not as isolated construction projects, but as core levers for network growth and profitability.
Brookman’s experience extends beyond Alaska’s own walls. His resume includes commercial and real estate roles at Sun Country Airlines and US Airways, as well as key positions at Amazon Air, where airport negotiations, facility development, and logistics efficiency are critical to the success of a global e commerce and freight network. That blend of airline and cargo focused experience equips him to evaluate airports not just as places where planes land, but as complex ecosystems of passenger flows, partners, infrastructure providers, and commercial opportunities.
Real Estate as the Engine of Global Expansion
Alaska Airlines now serves more than 140 destinations, including 29 international markets across North America, Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific, and is preparing to add Europe in spring 2026. Behind those growing route maps lies a dense web of airport leases, terminal redevelopment projects, and joint ventures with airport authorities, all of which fall into Brookman’s expanded remit. In concrete terms, every new gate, renovated concourse, or upgraded baggage facility makes it easier for Alaska to schedule additional flights, reduce delays, and welcome more travelers.
The airline is investing more than 3 billion dollars in its hub airports. This program includes modernizing terminals, expanding lounge footprints, enhancing security and check in areas, and improving behind the scenes infrastructure such as ramp space and maintenance support. For travelers, the impact is felt in shorter connection times, more intuitive terminal layouts, improved amenities, and greater reliability when connecting between domestic and international flights.
Brookman’s new role will center on aligning those capital projects with Alaska’s long term growth strategy. As the airline adds intercontinental routes from its Seattle global gateway and strengthens Honolulu as a bridge across the Pacific under the Hawaiian Airlines brand, real estate decisions will determine whether the airline can offer tightly timed connections, attract premium travelers, and maintain operational resilience during peak travel periods and weather disruptions.
Transforming Hubs into Global Gateways
Seattle remains Alaska’s flagship hub and is the focal point of its emerging global ambitions. From here, the airline is rolling out new intercontinental services to Rome, London Heathrow, and Reykjavik in 2026, alongside already operating routes to Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon. Converting Seattle into a truly international gateway requires not just new aircraft and route approvals but also reconfigured terminal space, upgraded customs and immigration facilities, and thoughtfully designed connection corridors between domestic and international gates.
Under Brookman’s watch, real estate and infrastructure strategies at Seattle will be calibrated to support high volume, long haul traffic. That includes planning for widebody aircraft operations and the ground support facilities they demand, expansion of premium spaces for international passengers, and coordination with airport authorities to streamline passenger movement between arrival halls and departure gates. The goal is a seamless experience whether a traveler is flying from Anchorage to Rome via Seattle or connecting from a regional West Coast city to Seoul.
Across the Pacific, Honolulu plays an equally pivotal role. Hawaiian Airlines continues to operate routes linking Hawaii to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, and Alaska is investing in a full interior modernization of Hawaiian’s A330 widebody fleet to align with a unified standard of service. Brookman’s brief includes ensuring that real estate and airport agreements in Honolulu can support this integrated long haul offering, with efficient aircraft turns, modernized facilities, and room for future growth as demand for transpacific leisure and business travel rebounds.
Reimagining the Airport Experience for Travelers
While titles such as Vice President of Real Estate and Airport Affairs may sound inward facing, the practical outcome of Brookman’s work will be felt directly by Alaska’s guests. Each lease negotiation or infrastructure project is an opportunity to redesign how passengers experience the airport environment, from check in to boarding. The airline has emphasized its aspiration to provide a world class journey at every step, and that philosophy is being built into the blueprints of upcoming projects.
For travelers, this could mean more intuitive terminal layouts that reduce walking distances and simplify connections, additional security checkpoints that help ease bottlenecks during peak hours, improved signage and wayfinding, and expanded spaces for dining and relaxation that reflect the character of Alaska’s key markets. In hub airports, investments in gate power, jet bridges, and ramp design can reduce turn times and limit delays, making it more likely that connections are maintained even during busy or irregular operations.
Brookman’s portfolio also touches corporate real estate, including operations centers, training facilities, and support buildings. By optimizing where and how these facilities are built, Alaska can strengthen its behind the scenes capabilities, from crew scheduling to maintenance planning. This, in turn, underpins the reliability that is critical for travelers making tight connections or planning complex itineraries that might combine Alaska and Hawaiian flights with oneworld partners and other global alliances.
Integrating Alaska and Hawaiian Under One Infrastructure Vision
One of the most complex tasks ahead for Brookman is continuing to integrate the airport footprints of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. The two brands will operate as one team while maintaining distinct identities, requiring careful coordination of gates, check in zones, lounges, and back of house operations in shared airports. Done well, this integration promises smoother connections, shared investments in upgraded facilities, and a more cohesive presence in key domestic and international markets.
Brookman has already been closely involved in this integration work. As Managing Director of Airport Affairs, he helped align long term airport infrastructure strategies for both carriers and coordinated development projects, lease negotiations, and operating agreements across the combined network. His promotion formalizes and expands that remit, granting him greater authority to shape how the two airlines present themselves to travelers and airport partners alike.
For global travelers, a harmonized infrastructure strategy means greater consistency. A guest flying from the US mainland to Hawaii and onward to Asia or the South Pacific might interact with both Alaska and Hawaiian branded flights but experience a unified standard of airport facilities and services. Over time, this integration could also support shared lounge concepts, joint check in areas, and co located gates that simplify transfers and reduce overall journey times.
Airport Development as a Driver of Tourism and Local Economies
The more than 3 billion dollar investment in hub airports is not only about operational efficiency and passenger comfort. It also has significant implications for tourism and regional economic development. Upgraded terminals, expanded international arrivals facilities, and additional gates unlock capacity for more flights, which can bring a steady stream of visitors to gateway cities and beyond. Hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and local attractions all stand to benefit from increased connectivity.
By modernizing infrastructure in cities like Seattle, Anchorage, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Honolulu, Alaska Airlines is effectively betting on stronger inbound and outbound tourism flows. Brookman’s leadership in negotiating favorable but sustainable agreements with airport authorities is central to ensuring that these projects deliver value not only to the airline and its passengers but also to local communities that depend on aviation for jobs and economic growth.
Aircraft and passenger flows are only one part of the story. Real estate and airport development projects also generate construction jobs, create demand for local design and engineering expertise, and can catalyze wider regeneration around airport precincts. As Alaska and Hawaiian continue to expand international services and deepen partnerships, the airports they call home have an opportunity to emerge as multifaceted hubs for commerce, tourism, and cultural exchange.
Positioning Alaska Airlines for the Next Era of Global Aviation
Brookman will report to Shane Jones, Senior Vice President of fleet, revenue products, and real estate, whose growing portfolio reflects how central real estate and infrastructure strategy have become to airline competitiveness. Under this leadership team, Alaska is positioning itself for a future in which global alliances, long haul connectivity, and differentiated airport experiences are defining factors in winning traveler loyalty.
As Alaska prepares to join the oneworld alliance in tandem with Hawaiian and extends its network deeper into Europe and Asia, the airline’s ability to secure premium airport positions and build efficient, attractive facilities will be crucial. Brookman’s expertise in negotiation, infrastructure planning, and multi brand integration suggests that Alaska is approaching these challenges with a long horizon and a traveler focused lens.
For readers of TheTraveler.org, this leadership move may seem like a boardroom headline, but its implications will unfold every time they book an itinerary that connects through Seattle, Honolulu, or another Alaska hub. Faster connections, more international destinations, and upgraded terminals are the tangible outcomes of the strategy Brookman is now charged with executing. As Alaska Airlines steps into a new era of global expansion and airport transformation, his promotion underscores the airline’s belief that the journey begins long before passengers step onto the aircraft and that the future of travel will be shaped as much on the ground as in the sky.