Alaska Airlines from Seattle to Santa Maria Public Airport

We understand your plea. You're just this innocent traveler who wants a refreshingly non-arduous trip from Seattle to Santa Maria (of all places). We hear your woeful cries veiled behind the seemingly nonchalant search for "flights" between these cities. And amidst the universe's cruel joke of making you seek a flight route that probably only ten people in the world care about, here you are, demanding for "cheap flights", "direct flights", "non-stop", "round-trip" - all in one breath. We empathise, dear traveler. We feel your pain.

We are here to tell you that, dear passenger, there is hope. Turns out, the airlines do realize there are people – brave, brave souls – who actually want to go from Seattle all the way to Santa Maria. In fact, Alaska Airlines offers a service that will take you there with minimal fuss. The catch though, is you have to endure a "layover" in Portland. But think about it, isn't Portland a fine city to make a pit-stop at?

A funny little fact about Alaska, the state our darling airline shares its name with, is that it has more coastline than the entire "lower 48" states combined! A round trip around Alaska's coastline is about 33,904 miles. Just think for a moment about all the beaches they must have. Now back to our flights, both in geography and in topic.

Yes, our kindred traveling spirit, you might have to suffer through a layover, but fret not about the "flight duration". They have made it quite bearable for us mortals. The time spent in air will give you an opportunity to catch up on sleep or relax without interruption. And remember, that's simply the time spent in the actual airplane, not at airports or during layovers. (Just keep your inflight mask on, we wouldn't want you to catch anything, would we?)

Let's touch a bit on what's dear to every traveler's heart: the "airfare". Now, this can sometimes feel like a complex game of chance – like figuring out the "best time to book". A word of advice: don't torment yourself trying to figure it out. Leave that to the people with spare time and a fetish for spread-sheets. A man much wiser than us once said, "the best time to book a flight is when you need to go somewhere." Isn’t that profoundly insightful all on its own?

We must commend Alaska's "flight cancellation policy". Their refunds can make a grown man weep (and for once, not in anguish). 'Flexible' is the word. Now, who says airlines don't have empathy?

Now, depending on what sort of traveler you happen to be (i.e. the poor saps in Economy or the lucky dogs in First-Class), you may or may not derive joy from Alaska's "in-flight services". Keep in mind, this isn't Singapore Airlines, but honestly, is the 'home cooked' meal really why you booked that ticket? Surely, given a choice between the 'happiness' of reaching Santa Maria and a top-notch inflight meal, we know which one you'd choose.

We can't guarantee your trip from Seattle to Santa Maria will be the highlight of your life (in fact, we hope it isn’t), but we do promise you, it won't be as torturous as you fear. Pack light, arrive early, and keep your earphones handy, you might find yourself appreciating even this seldom-traveled route. Safe travels, fellow wanderer!