By August Cole, MarketWatch

Last Update: 4:58 PM ET June 15, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Alaska Airlines said late Wednesday that it`s ordering 35 Boeing Co. 737-800s, with options for 15 planes and purchase rights for another 50 jets.

The 35 157-seat jets are worth about $2.3 billion at list prices, according to the Seattle-based airline (ALK: news, chart, profile) .

Delivery will begin next year and continue through 2011, Alaska Air said, noting that the order includes three planes that the company had planned to buy next year.

The carrier has a fleet of 109 aircraft, made up mostly of different types of 737s. The new planes could replace older aircraft or help the airline expand its cross-country flights and service on West Coast routes.

This week Boeing (BA: news, chart, profile) has taken the wraps off a series of big deals at the Paris Air Show. Rival Airbus has too. See full story.

The single-aisle 737 is among the most popular planes in the airline industry and is the mainstay of low-cost icon Southwest Airlines` fleet.

Alaska Air Group stock ended the session up 0.5% to $30.63 but is down 10% so far this year.