Alaska Airlines from Raleigh to South Bend International Airport

They say the joy is in the journey, right? Well, what could be more joyful than escaping from the "world-class BBQ and professional sports" city of Raleigh, North Carolina, to the "historic college football and trendy craft brews" city of South Bend, Indiana? And just for a laugh, why not choose Alaska, the airline that wholly embraces its namesake state, known for having the highest number of airplanes per capita in the U.S.? A fun fact, they hardly use the planes for travelling in Alaska. Too mainstream. Oh no, their primary purpose is for hunting and fishing trips, because who needs roads when you have wings?

As exotic as flying on moose and salmon-seeking planes may sound, I assure you that the Alaska airline experience is comfortably mundane, complete with all the in-flight services you'd expect: complimentary beverages for hydration and pretzels for that dash of salt-induced hypertension. They even generously provide in-flight entertainment! Which, as we fellow frequent flyers know, is the highlight of your air travel experience.

The airfare itself is also delightfully average. It's not one of those cheap flights that make you question the sanity of the airline industry. "How can you make profit by selling round-trip tickets from the East Coast to the Midwest for the price of a dinner at a mid-range restaurant?" No, those are amateur numbers. We're talking solid, middle of the road, "not too expensive to make you wince, but not too cheap to make you suspicious" kind of pricing. Just what the accountant ordered.

Of course, for those who prefer a more luxurious experience, the choice of premium economy or business class is offered. This choice, essentially boils down to "Do you want more legroom?" or "Do you wish to be pampered like a poodle with hot towels and champagne?" Your call, really.

And as for the flight duration? Being non-stop, it's quicker than you'd expect -unless the pilot decides to take a quick detour to admire the polar bears in Alaska, you never know with these flight schedule plans, one moment they’re over Indiana, the next, a marvelous Alaskan glacier.

Now, the one thing most travelers worry about on their flights is the baggage allowance. Not with Alaska airlines. Their philosophy is quite simple: if you can haul it, we can store it. It's refreshing, really. (Of course, there are size and weight limitations, but why ruin the fun with details? Stick to the spirit of Alaskan bear-like strength!)

Any flight—be it direct flights, round-trip, or a one-way journey—will earn you mileage points on their frequent flyer program. The more you fly, the more you accrue, it’s like Pokemon for grown-ups. For every mile you travel, you receive one point, and before you know it, you're jet setting across the country, a titanic of the skies! It's all terribly enticing.

All in all, if you're planning on making your way from Raleigh to South Bend, Alaska Airlines is an amusingly non-Alaskan experience. Who knows, maybe you'll even get a window seat with a view of the most spectacularly average skyline on your journey! So here’s to travelling nothing less than mediocre flights on Alaska Airlines, the comedic irony of it all!