In September 2024, we noticed Alaska Airways’ takeover of Hawaiian Airways shut. As you’d count on, the method of integrating operations between two airways is fairly advanced (and it’s virtually extra advanced when you think about that Alaska and Hawaiian plan to keep up two separate manufacturers).
On the loyalty program entrance, the 2 airways intend to introduce a mixed loyalty program as of the center of 2025. Within the meantime, we’re already seeing elevated reciprocity. It’s attainable to switch miles 1:1 between the 2 applications, and you’ll redeem Alaska miles instantly on Hawaiian.
In late 2024, we noticed the 2 airways roll out a reciprocal standing match provide. There’s now an replace — past a reciprocal elite standing match between the 2 airways, Mileage Plan members can now additionally instantly get some elite perks on Hawaiian. This can streamline issues a bit for a lot of members.
Alaska Mileage Plan & HawaiianMiles reciprocal standing match
It’s attainable to match elite standing between Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles, by logging into your account at this hyperlink:
The standing match might be requested on-line. Whereas the phrases state that it could possibly take as much as 72 hours for standing updates to be mirrored in accounts, most individuals report the matches being correctly mirrored inside a couple of hours.
Remember that later in 2025, a single loyalty program needs to be fashioned, and all elite qualifying miles between applications might be mixed for the needs of elite standing qualification. This contains your mixed 2024 elite exercise between the 2 applications.
I do know lots of OMAAT readers are in all probability aware of Alaska Mileage Plan, however are in all probability much less aware of HawaiianMiles. HawaiianMiles Pualani Gold standing ordinarily requires 20,000 elite qualifying miles or 30 segments, whereas Platinum standing ordinarily requires 40,000 elite qualifying miles or 60 segments.
Alaska Mileage Plan provides elite perks on Hawaiian
Up till now, one of many challenges has been that when you may standing match to the opposite airline, you couldn’t get reciprocal elite perks past that. This was tough in conditions the place you had an itinerary that included journey on each airways, because you doubtlessly wouldn’t get elite perks on one a part of your journey. That has now modified.
Alaska Mileage Plan elite members can now obtain choose elite perks when touring on Hawaiian, whereas nonetheless having their Mileage Plan quantity on the reservation. Mileage Plan elite members have entry to perks on Hawaiian operated flights, together with precedence check-in, precedence boarding, complimentary baggage, complimentary most popular seats at reserving, entry to Additional Consolation seats at check-in, and extra.
That is one other small however necessary step in the precise path, and I’m certain many individuals shall be pleased to see this.
The perfect Alaska & Hawaiian elite standing technique
We’re more and more seeing extra elite reciprocity between Alaska and Hawaiian, although it’s nonetheless not good. For any given itinerary, elite members should resolve whether or not they need to use the standing with this system they’re used to, or use the standing of this system they matched to.
I think about there are much more OMAAT readers who’re loyal to Alaska Mileage Plan than HawaiianMiles, so what’s one of the best play right here? Normally, I feel you’re in all probability greatest off simply sticking with Mileage Plan in most conditions, because you’re aware of this system, and this system is a little more easy.
There are some uncommon conditions the place there might be worth in utilizing HawaiianMiles as an alternative. Remember that elite perks aren’t essentially the identical between the applications, although. You could find a breakdown of HawaiianMiles elite advantages right here.
For instance, HawaiianMiles members doubtlessly get complimentary top quality upgrades on inter-island flights inside 24 hours of departure, and that’s not but out there for Alaska Mileage Plan members. So in these conditions, you’d need to put your elite HawaiianMiles quantity on the reservation, after finishing a standing match.
Lastly, let me point out that every one of this reciprocity doesn’t do a lot for individuals who have elite standing with oneworld airways apart from Alaska. Hawaiian is anticipated to hitch oneworld in 2026, at which level all oneworld vacationers will be capable of reap the benefits of reciprocal alternatives to earn and redeem factors, and obtain elite advantages.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see some further reciprocity between American and Hawaiian earlier than then, given the shut partnership between American and Alaska. However I additionally wouldn’t assume it’s a given.
Backside line
For a while now, Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles have provided reciprocal elite standing matches. On high of that, we’ve now seen Mileage Plan roll out elite perks on Hawaiian, as the most recent post-merger growth. It’s good to see the applications persevering with to create a extra seamless course of, although as anticipated, it’s all taking a while.
What do you make of Alaska & Hawaiian rolling out reciprocal standing matches and advantages?
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