FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * AYER WILLIAM S   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC. [ALK] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EXECUTIVE CHAIR (Last) (First) (Middle) 19300 INTERNATIONAL BLVD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/08/2012 (Street) SEATTLE, WA 98188 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT (1)               59,600 D   COMMON STOCK 10/08/2012   M(2)   19,681 A $ 13.745 129,729 D   COMMON STOCK 10/08/2012   S(2)   19,681 (3) D $ 37.0083 110,048 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION (RT TO BUY)

$ 13.745

10/08/2012

M(2)

19,681

02/08/2009

02/08/2018

COMMON STOCK

19,681

$ 0

790

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
AYER WILLIAM S 19300 INTERNATIONAL BLVD SEATTLE, WA 98188			EXECUTIVE CHAIR

Signatures

/s/ Jeanne Gammon, Attorney-in-Fact for William S. Ayer		10/10/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	STOCK UNITS AWARDED UNDER THE 2008 PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN; NO LONGER SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE.
(2)	SALE OF COMMON STOCK EFFECTED PURSUANT TO A RULE 10b5-1 TRADING PLAN ADOPTED BY MR. AYER ON 8/16/12.
(3)	THE PRICE REPORTED IN COLUMN 4 IS A WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE. THESE SHARES SOLD IN MULTIPLE TRANSACTIONS AT PRICES RANGING FROM $37 TO $37.10, INCLUSIVE. THE REPORTING PERSON UNDERTAKES TO PROVIDE TO ALASKA AIR GROUP, ANY SECURITY HOLDER OF ALASKA AIR GROUP, OR THE STAFF OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, UPON REQUEST, FULL INFORMATION REGARDING THE NUMBER OF SHARES SOLD AT EACH SEPARATE PRICE WITHIN THE RANGES SET FORTH IN THIS FOOTNOTE.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.