Hawaiian Airways plans Oneworld debut, $600 million airport and airplane upgrades
Hawaiian Airways needs to be a member of the Oneworld alliance by late April, the provider introduced Monday.
It’s a step that’s been within the works ever since Alaska Airways’ father or mother firm acquired the Honolulu-based provider 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 provider 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 stay 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 provider near a yr and a half in the past — and one that may possible show welcome information for loyal Hawaiian flyers after a interval of main upheaval.
Right here’s a rundown of what to know.
Full velocity forward for a premium Honolulu lounge
Final yr, 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 dimensions of Delta Air Strains’ Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles Worldwide 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 normal 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 vacationers 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 tip of 2027, Hawaiian advised TPG.
We must always notice, Alaska Air Group is planning a second premium outpost for its Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) residence 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 more likely to end up on when you fly with the provider to Hawaii.
A330 retrofits will start in 2028, Hawaiian stated. As TPG reported final yr, these cabin revamps will embody brand-new lie-flat suites paying homage to the spiffy product discovered on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners (which is able to 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 gives on its A330s, which is organized in a 2-2-2 configuration and doesn’t sport common direct aisle entry, now the business normal.
The A330s will even get a premium financial system cabin and seatback screens with Bluetooth headphone connectivity.
That’s on prime of a bunch of beauty upgrades to the interiors.
Renovations coming to five Hawaii airports
It’s not simply the planes which might 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 yr 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 enhance for neighbor island flying
Hawaiian additionally introduced a deal-sweetener for flyers who regularly journey between the state’s islands.
Final yr, Hawaiian formally sundown its legacy HawaiianMiles loyalty program in favor of the brand new Atmos Rewards program it now shares with Alaska Airways.
As a subset of Atmos Rewards, Hawaii clients can nonetheless be a 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 will probably 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 select to earn their factors and standing factors. (Later in 2026, Atmos Rewards will enable members to earn primarily based on the space of their flight, the quantity they paid or a flat fee of 500 factors per section.)
Different adjustments at Hawaiian Airways
As a part of the slew of bulletins by Hawaiian on Monday, the provider promised upgrades to its web site and cell app, together with higher self-service options for making flight adjustments.
The provider additionally stated it’ll make it simpler for Atmos Rewards members to e book associate awards.
After all, 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 broaden Oneworld standing advantages and open up new redemption alternatives for flyers who’ve rewards with different alliance carriers, reminiscent of British Airways and Cathay Pacific — each of which have partnerships with main bank card rewards packages.
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