Hawaiian Airways must be a member of the Oneworld alliance by late April, the service introduced Monday.
It’s a step that’s been within the works ever since Alaska Airways’ father or mother firm acquired the Honolulu-based carrier in 2024.
The transfer would make Hawaiian, like Alaska, a full-fledged alliance associate of American Airways and a dozen-plus different world carriers — from British Airways to Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, Australia’s Qantas and Japan Airways.
That wasn’t the one information Hawaiian introduced Monday.
The service additionally unveiled a five-year, $600 million spending spree that features renovations to 5 Hawaii airports and much-needed cabin upgrades for its long-haul planes. It additionally unveiled some new Atmos Rewards perks for vacationers who reside within the state of Hawaii.
All advised, it is maybe the largest set of initiatives Alaska Air Group has introduced particularly for the Hawaiian Airways model since buying the service near a 12 months and a half in the past — and one that can doubtless show welcome information for loyal Hawaiian flyers after a interval of main upheaval.
Right here’s a rundown of what to know.
Full pace forward for a premium Honolulu lounge
Final 12 months, TPG reported on Alaska and Hawaiian’s plan to open a brand-new premium airport lounge at Honolulu’s Daniel Ok. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL).
Hawaiian on Monday revealed that the outpost is ready to span round 10,600 sq. ft inside HNL’s Terminal 1 Mauka Concourse.
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As a degree of comparability, that’s roughly the scale of Delta Air Strains’ Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Alaska and Hawaiian haven’t laid out entry guidelines for this new facility, however I’d anticipate the entry necessities to be much less like your customary membership membership and extra tailor-made to business-class flyers and people with elite standing.
That’s notable as Alaska Air Group more and more sees Honolulu not simply as a vacation spot for vacationers, however as a connecting hub for travelers flying to locations in Asia, Australia and the South Pacific.
Alaska Air Group’s lounge chief final summer time advised me that the corporate expects to lean on regionally sourced distributors and facilities — and design components — on this facility.
The lounge is on monitor to open by the top of 2027, Hawaiian advised TPG.
We should always notice, Alaska Air Group is planning a second premium outpost for its Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) dwelling base.
Plane upgrades to start out in 2028
Hawaiian on Monday additionally shared a timeline for much-needed upgrades to its Airbus A330s — the workhorse long-haul planes you’re prone to end up on in the event you fly with the service to Hawaii.
A330 retrofits will start in 2028, Hawaiian mentioned. As TPG reported last year, these cabin revamps will embody brand-new lie-flat suites paying homage to the spiffy product discovered on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners (which can quickly turn out to be Alaska Airways-branded 787s).
That’ll be a welcome step up from the older business-class product Hawaiian at present affords on its A330s, which is organized in a 2-2-2 configuration and doesn’t sport common direct aisle entry, now the business customary.
The A330s may even get a premium financial system cabin and seatback screens with Bluetooth headphone connectivity.
That’s on high of a bunch of beauty upgrades to the interiors.
Renovations coming to five Hawaii airports
It’s not simply the planes which can be due for an improve.
On Monday, Hawaiian introduced tens of millions of {dollars} in enhancements for 5 Aloha State airports:
- HNL on Oahu
- Lihue Airport (LIH) on Kauai
- Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui
- Hilo Worldwide Airport (ITO) on the Large Island
- Ellison Onizuka Kona Worldwide Airport at Keahole (KOA) on the Large Island
Renovations at these Hawaii airports will start this 12 months and proceed by way of 2029, encompassing each the foyer entrances and the gates. Hawaiian promised “open areas, higher seating” and improved facilities, together with extra charging ports.
Loyalty increase for neighbor island flying
Hawaiian additionally introduced a deal-sweetener for flyers who regularly journey between the state’s islands.
Final 12 months, Hawaiian officially sunset its legacy HawaiianMiles loyalty program in favor of the brand new Atmos Rewards program it now shares with Alaska Airlines.
As a subset of Atmos Rewards, Hawaii prospects can nonetheless be part of the long-standing Huakai by Hawaiian program, which features a few added perks for patrons who regularly take neighbor island flights (like free checked luggage and quarterly reductions).
New in 2026: Huakai by Hawaiian members can be eligible for a 50% bonus on Atmos Rewards earnings when touring aboard neighbor island flights — each for factors and standing factors.
That bonus will apply no matter how members choose to earn their points and status points. (Later in 2026, Atmos Rewards will enable members to earn based mostly on the gap of their flight, the quantity they paid or a flat price of 500 factors per phase.)
Different modifications at Hawaiian Airways
As a part of the slew of bulletins by Hawaiian on Monday, the service promised upgrades to its web site and cellular app, together with higher self-service options for making flight modifications.
The service additionally mentioned it’ll make it simpler for Atmos Rewards members to e book associate awards.
In fact, Hawaiian’s arrival within the Oneworld alliance — once more, deliberate for late April — must also enhance the associate expertise for Hawaiian flyers and Oneworld members.
That shift ought to increase Oneworld standing advantages and open up new redemption alternatives for flyers who’ve rewards with different alliance carriers, similar to British Airways and Cathay Pacific — each of which have partnerships with main bank card rewards packages.
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