Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Are Officially Partnering. Here’s How It Will Impact Air Travel

In the last ten years, four airlines have held sway in the U.S.: United, Delta, American, and Southwest. Now, Alaska Airlines is challenging these giants by teaming up with Hawaiian Airlines based in Honolulu.

Initially announced last December, Alaska has now finalized its acquisition of Hawaiian, overcoming obstacles from both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation. This marks the first significant airline merger since 2016, when Alaska acquired Virgin America. Unlike that situation, Alaska is not expected to phase out the Hawaiian brand.

Let’s explore what this merger means for travelers, including how soon passengers can anticipate changes.

The brands will remain distinct from one another.

Alaska and Hawaiian will preserve their individual brand identities, with no immediate alterations to daily operations. Simply put, the Hawaiian logo and its vibrant island heritage will stay as is.

“Alaska and Hawaiian take great pride in connecting communities with our award-winning service, and we are eager to welcome more guests to experience the unique qualities of both brands,” said Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group.

In addition, Alaska plans to set up a regional headquarters in Honolulu, making it the airline's second-largest hub after Seattle. This integration will also enable travelers to buy tickets from both airlines via their respective websites.

Moreover, Alaska lounge members can now access Alaska lounges when traveling with Hawaiian Airlines. However, Hawaiian lounges currently remain exclusively available to guests of Hawaiian Airlines, as stated on the website.

Airfares to Hawai’i, and between the islands, could see an increase.

Alaska and Hawaiian collectively represent around 40 percent of flights (approximately 6.8 million seats annually) from the mainland to Hawai’i, according to data from the travel deal app Going. With reduced competition in the area, travelers may encounter higher fares.

This could lead to pricier intra-island flights, which local residents often rely on for commuting and visiting family. Alaska has stated it is “fully committed to investing in Hawai’i communities and preserving the Neighbor Island service that Hawaiian Airlines customers expect.” The DOT will also mandate that Alaska maintain service to small, rural communities in both Alaska and Hawaii.

In the upcoming months, Alaska intends to introduce a free travel program aimed at Hawaiian residents called Huaka‘i by Hawaiian. This initiative, the first of its kind for the airline, will offer benefits on inter-island flights, including a 10 percent discount on one booking per quarter and a free checked bag.

Your airline miles are now more flexible (and valuable).

There are significant benefits to the merger for travelers eager to maximize their frequent flyer miles. Firstly, the DOT mandates that miles in either airline’s program will not expire. Perhaps more importantly, Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles members can now effortlessly transfer miles online between accounts at a one-to-one ratio, without any fees for this service.

As a member of the Oneworld alliance, Alaska offers a range of mileage redemption options—often very attractive—through a vast network of airlines. Not only can Hawaiian miles be transferred to Alaska, but American Express Membership Rewards points can also be converted to Alaska miles. This is possible because AmEx points can be transferred to Hawaiian miles at a one-to-one ratio (though they incur a federal excise tax of 60 cents per 1,000 points transferred). Therefore, it's feasible to transfer Amex points to Hawaiian and subsequently to Alaska.

Achieve elite status with both airlines later this year.

In late 2024, elite members from either airline will have the opportunity to link their loyalty accounts and receive a status match.

This is a great benefit for those already loyal to both airlines, as travelers will be able to combine their elite qualifying miles (EQMs) to determine their status level. For example, someone with 20,000 EQMs on Alaska and 20,000 EQMs on Hawaiian will be granted a one-time opportunity to add their EQM totals together, resulting in 40,000 EQMs.

In the upcoming months, passengers will also be able to earn HawaiianMiles on Alaska flights and Mileage Plan miles on Hawaiian flights, enjoying elite reciprocity across both airlines. Ultimately, Alaska plans to merge the loyalty programs of the two brands, with more information anticipated by mid-2025.

Increased international flights are likely on the way.

Combined, Alaska and Hawaiian will operate approximately 1,500 daily flights to 141 destinations, covering 29 markets across the Americas, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific. However, Alaska executives hint that more international routes may be forthcoming, including the possibility of long-haul flights from Seattle.

Currently, Hawaiian operates a fleet of 24 Airbus A330s and two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with plans to add up to 18 more aircraft by 2028. These planes feature lie-flat business class seating and have a longer range than any aircraft currently in Alaska's fleet.