Jason Berry
Chief Operating Officer at ALK
Executive
About Jason Berry
Jason Berry, age 48, is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Alaska Airlines effective November 3, 2025; he previously served as President of Horizon Air since 2023 and was elected an Executive Vice President in 2024 when he took responsibility for Alaska’s cargo division, with prior leadership roles at McGee Air Services, Air Canada, and Cargolux Airlines . Company context during his recent tenure includes record 2024 revenue of $11.7 billion and 7.1% adjusted pretax margin; management is targeting $1 billion in incremental pretax profit over three years, at least $500 million in synergies from the Hawaiian acquisition, and at least $10 EPS by 2027 . Alaska’s strategic integration milestone—a single operating certificate (SOC) for Alaska and Hawaiian—was anticipated in fall 2025 and underpins operational execution priorities Berry will lead .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | EVP & COO | Nov 3, 2025–present | Leads mainline operations and labor relations; continues oversight of cargo; drives operational integration as Hawaii SOC milestone approaches |
| Alaska Air Group | EVP, Cargo | 2024–present | Oversees Alaska’s cargo division; elevates cargo as a diversified revenue pillar |
| Horizon Air (subsidiary) | President | 2023–2025 | Led regional airline operations; succession to new CEO to ensure continuity |
| Horizon Air | SVP, Operations | Prior to 2023 | Senior operational leadership across regional operations |
| McGee Air Services (subsidiary) | President | Prior to 2023 | Led ground services business within Air Group |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | Leadership roles | Not disclosed | Commercial and operational leadership experience leveraged in Alaska operations |
| Cargolux Airlines | Leadership roles | Not disclosed | Cargo operations expertise aligned with Alaska’s cargo growth |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $525,000 | Set upon appointment to EVP & COO on Sep 25, 2025 |
| Target Annual Cash Incentive | 85% of base salary | Maintained with COO appointment |
| Long-Term Incentive Target | $1,600,000 | Under 2016 Performance Incentive Plan |
| 2025 Annual Equity Award | $1,250,000 | Granted February 2025 |
Performance Compensation
Company-wide Performance-Based Pay (PBP) – 2024 Structure and Outcome (applies to executives and employees)
| Metric | Weight | Threshold | Target | Maximum | Actual | Payout % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted Pretax Profit % | 60% | 4% | 6% | 9% | 9.04% | 120.00% |
| Safety (change in safety reports) | 20% | +2% | +5% | +7% | +6.37% | 33.72% |
| Fuel Efficiency (gallons/flight-hour) | 10% | 858 | 851 | 843 | 846.62 | 15.48% |
| Guest Experience (months “very good/excellent”) | 10% | 6 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 0.00% |
| Initial PBP Payout % | — | — | — | — | — | 169.20% |
| Margin Modifier (industry placement) | — | — | — | — | 1st | +60 pts |
| Total PBP Payout (Capped for Executives) | — | — | — | — | — | 200.00% |
Notes:
- Margin modifier compares Adjusted Pre-Tax Profit to Delta, United, American, Southwest, JetBlue; +60 points for 1st place .
- Executive payouts are capped at 200% of target .
PSU Design and 2024 Result
| PSU Metric (2024-2026 PSU program) | Threshold | Target | Maximum | 2024 Actual | 2024 Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROIC (2024 year within 3-year PSU) | 6% | 7.5% | 8.5%+ | 10.5% | 200% (for 2024 portion) |
Design notes:
- 2024 PSU awards vest based on ROIC over a three-year performance period, with ROIC goals set annually due to integration and industry uncertainty; PSU payout linearly interpolated 0–200% .
- RSUs vest ratably over three years; no dividend equivalents on unvested units .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Stock ownership guidelines: 3× base salary for Executive Vice Presidents; executives must retain 50% of shares acquired from RSU/PSU vesting until compliant; unvested RSUs/PSUs do not count toward compliance .
- Hedging and pledging prohibited for executive officers and directors .
- Beneficial ownership for Jason Berry was not disclosed in the 2025 proxy’s management ownership table (which covered directors and NEOs only); refer to individual Form 4 filings for current holdings and transactions .
Employment Terms
| Term | Provision |
|---|---|
| Change-in-Control | Double-trigger agreements; CEO and Executive Vice Presidents receive 3× compensation multiple; Senior VPs 2×; no excise tax gross-ups . |
| Executive Severance Policy | Shareholder approval sought for any new/renewed severance exceeding 2.99× cash compensation plus accelerated equity value, except in change-in-control, death, disability scenarios . |
| Clawback Policy | Mandatory recovery following material financial restatements; discretionary recovery for legal/compliance violations causing reputational harm; applies within 3 years of payment/award . |
| Insider Trading Policy | Prohibits speculative transactions (short-term trading, short sales, public options), margin accounts, pledges, and certain hedging/monetization transactions . |
Performance & Track Record
- Leadership impact: Berry emphasized integration execution and operational excellence as Alaska and Hawaiian advance to a single operating certificate; he is tasked with leading frontline teams and maintaining industry-leading safety and reliability standards in the COO role .
- Company performance context: 2024 delivered record revenue ($11.7B) and 7.1% adjusted pretax margin; management targets $1B incremental pretax profit and at least $500M synergies over three years, supporting a path to at least $10 EPS by 2027 .
Compensation Peer Group and Say-on-Pay
- Airline peer group used for pay setting: Air Canada, American Airlines Group, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, SkyWest, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines Holdings .
- 2024 say‑on‑pay support: 96% approval on the prior year’s executive compensation .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and risk: Berry’s pay mix is highly variable with company-wide metrics (profitability, safety, fuel efficiency, guest experience); 2024 PBP paid at the executive cap of 200%—a signal of strong operational/financial execution and potential for continued management confidence in incentive structures .
- Return discipline: PSU framework tied to ROIC (200% payout for 2024 portion) reinforces a focus on capital efficiency and value creation, which is constructive for long-term shareholder returns as integration progresses .
- Governance safeguards: Strict ownership requirements, hedging/pledging prohibitions, robust clawback, and double‑trigger change‑in‑control with defined multiples reduce agency risk and misalignment concerns for an EVP overseeing core operations .
- Monitoring triggers: Expect periodic selling pressure around standard RSU/PSU vesting tranches given three‑year ratable RSU vesting and PSU outcomes; track Form 4 filings to gauge Berry’s transaction cadence and alignment vs. guidelines .
- Execution risk: Integration to a single operating certificate and expansion of cargo operations are execution‑heavy; Berry’s background in cargo and regional ops is directly relevant, but sustained guest experience performance (a 2024 shortfall) remains an area to watch for incentive balance and operational delivery .