Edgar Filing: ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.

Ownership Submission

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

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

SPRAGUE JOSEPH A

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)
SR VP/COMM & EXT RELATIONS

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

19300 INTERNATIONAL BLVD

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/09/2016

(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)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
COMMON STOCK 401(K) ⁽¹⁾								7,049	I	ESOP TRUST
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT	02/09/2016		A⁽³⁾		1,750	A	$ 0	9,300	D
COMMON STOCK	02/09/2016		A⁽⁴⁾		4,020	A	$ 0	19,664	D
COMMON STOCK	02/09/2016		F⁽⁵⁾		1,100	D	$ 65.63	18,564	D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION (RT TO BUY)

$ 65.63

02/09/2016

4,190

02/09/2017⁽²⁾

02/09/2026

COMMON STOCK

4,190

$ 0

4,190

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SPRAGUE JOSEPH A 19300 INTERNATIONAL BLVD SEATTLE, WA 98188			SR VP/COMM & EXT RELATIONS

Signatures

/S/ JEANNE E GAMMON, ATTORNEY-IN-FACT FOR JOSEPH A. SPRAGUE		02/11/2016
^**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)	COMMON SHARES HELD IN THE ALASKA AIR GROUP INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP 401(K) PLAN TRUST, AS OF 12/31/15.
(2)	OPTIONS VEST IN 25% INCREMENTS OVER FOUR YEARS (02/09/2017, 02/09/2018, 02/09/2019 AND 02/09/2020).
(3)	STOCK UNITS AWARDED UNDER THE ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC. 2008 PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN ON 02/09/2016 WILL CLIFF VEST ON 02/09/2019. UNITS ARE SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE.
(4)	ALK COMMON SHARES ISSUED UPON ATTAINING PERFORMANCE GOALS SET FOR A THREE-YEAR PERIOD ENDING 12/31/2015, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF PERFORMANCE STOCK UNITS GRANTED ON 02/11/2013 UNDR THE ISSUER'S 2008 PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN; PER APPROVAL BY THE BOARD'S COMPENSATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON 02/09/2016.
(5)	COMMON SHARES FORFEITED TO COVER PAYROLL TAXES UPON VESTING OF PERFORMANCE STOCK UNITS ON 02/09/2016. AMOUNT PROVIDED IN COLUMN 4 REPRESENTS THE FMV OF THE SHARES ON THE DATE OF FORFEITURE.

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