Although specific details of the investment remain confidential, Alaska Airlines’ commitment reflects its broader mission to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Alaska Star Ventures, launched in October 2021, is dedicated to advancing emerging technologies, and this partnership with JetZero is a key part of that strategy.

 

JetZero, which first gained Alaska’s backing in 2023 during its Series A financing round, is developing the BWB under a $235 million contract awarded by the U.S. Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) in 2023. The aircraft is touted as a game-changer in fuel efficiency, with JetZero claiming it will be up to 50% more fuel-efficient than traditional tube-and-wing aircraft. The BWB is initially being developed as a mid-market commercial airliner, with potential military applications as a transport or tanker for the U.S. Air Force.

 

Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability, described the BWB as an “innovative next-generation aircraft” and emphasized the airline’s belief in its potential to significantly improve fuel efficiency.

 

JetZero recently completed the preliminary design review for a full-scale demonstrator, which is expected to be ready for flight tests by 2027. The demonstrator, comparable in size to a Boeing 767 with a wingspan similar to an Airbus A330, will be developed in collaboration with Northrop Grumman and its prototyping subsidiary, Scaled Composites.

 

While Alaska Airlines currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of 737s, the airline is preparing for future needs, including higher-capacity aircraft. This requirement is expected to grow, particularly if Alaska’s proposed $1.9 billion merger with Hawaiian Airlines receives approval from the U.S. Justice Department. The merger would introduce widebody operations to Alaska’s fleet, as Hawaiian Airlines currently operates Airbus A321neos, A330-200s, and 787-9s.

 

Although the specific BWB model Alaska has options on has not been disclosed, JetZero’s initial Z4 model is designed to seat between 170 and 290 passengers. The BWB family will also include the Z3 model for 100-170 passengers and the Z5 for 290-370 passengers.

 

In a related development, oversight of the BWB project has been transferred from the DIU to the U.S. Air Force’s 763rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (ESS), which oversees acquisitions for Air Mobility Command.