With the Alaska-Hawaiian merger now complete and the real work of integrating Hawaiian into the Alaska Air Group, I know the primary thing on most peoples’ minds is how the combination will affect them. Well, in what will likely be a series of posts, here are the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far.
I’m not going to lie. A surprising amount of information was released immediately following the close of Alaska Air Group’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. I’m actually impressed! Then again, this isn’t the company’s first rodeo, so I’d expect them to be more on top of things. At any rate, today, I want to discuss the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far. By and large, I don’t think anyone will have anything to complain about. Yet.
HawaiianMiles Changes We Know of So Far
Alaska Air knew loyalty programs were going to be a HUGE topic of discussion – they always are. So, smartly, they’ve been releasing a good amount of information quickly. And I’m actually quite pleased that many of my predictions are coming true!
Transfers
The first of the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far is mileage transfers. I had predicted that miles would transfer 1:1 long ago. It only makes sense, as Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles have very similar earning structures. Their redemption values are a bit different, but the overall concept is similar enough.
Then, of course, the Department of Transportation mandated that the two airlines preserve the value of members’ miles and that the miles of each program transfer 1:1 into the new program. There’s no way this was ever not going to happen, but still.
That said, Alaska Air says that the ability to transfer miles between Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles will be made available later this month. That’s QUICK!
Status Matching
Here’s another point in the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far in which I predicted things correctly. Last December, I said that I thought Pualani Gold members would receive MVP status in the Mileage Plan while Pualani Platinum members would receive MVP Gold. And guess what? That’s precisely what’s happening. Of course, the reverse is also true, though MVP Gold 75K and 100K all receive Pualani Platinum status, as Hawaiian has only two statuses.
In tandem with status matching, we also learn more about how members will attain status. As I’ve noted in the past, the qualifications for MVP and Pualani Gold and MVP Gold and Pualani Platinum are identical, so nothing changes there. MVP Gold 75K and 100K also maintain the same requirements. What is changing, though, is that the elite qualifying miles (EQMs) you earn in either program will be looked at in aggregate when calculating your status. This isn’t something that always happens at this phase of a merger, and with the end of the year (and qualification timeframe) coming up, that’s a nice thing for members to have.
Alaska Air says you’ll be able to request status matches later this year, while it sounds like the aggregate totaling will be available sooner (if not already).
Huaka’i
Alaska Air, despite being headquartered in Seattle, Washington, stays true to its namesake state by offering residents exclusive benefits via its Club 49 program. Members of Club 49 receive two 30% discounts on one-way tickets annually, two free checked bags when traveling to or from Alaska, and $49 cargo shipping within Alaska.
With Alaska Air acquiring Hawaiian, I had hoped that they’d do something similar here, and they are. The next of the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far is a brand new benefit – Huaka’i – which is our version of Club 49. Members of the program must be Hawai’i residents and members of HawaiianMiles. Program benefits include:
- 10% discount on a roundtrip interisland flight once per quarter
- One free checked bag when traveling interisland (it’s not yet clear if this is constant or once per quarter)
- Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard holders get 20% off instead of the standard 10%
- Exclusive discount offers
Invitations to sign-up and more information about the program will sent to HawaiianMiles who live in Hawai’i in the “coming weeks.”
Million Miler Status
Of the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far, one was implemented immediately – the addition of a Million Miler program. This is something most other programs, including Alaska Mileage Plan, have had for some time now. But now, HawaiianMiles members get some sort of recognition, too. So, what do you get for being so loyal? Well, as it turns out, not a lot:
- Lifetime Pualani Platinum status for you
- Lifetime Pualani Platinum status for a household member of your choosing
- A custom Million Miler luggage tag made out of a previously retired Hawaiian Air aircraft. I wonder how they’ll do this, as previous management wouldn’t let PlaneTags use Hawaiian’s branding on their products.
Oneworld Membership
Ben over at OMAAT reports that an Alaska Air spokesperson told him that Hawaiian Airlines will officially join the Oneworld Alliance in 2026, which will occur in tandem with their passenger systems integration. To me, this is one of the more significant changes for HawaiianMiles members. I’ve covered why in the past, but having access to a global airline alliance like this will drastically expand award opportunities, even domestically.
Loyalty Integration
Merging of the two loyalty programs is something we knew was going to take a long time. However, Alaska Air says they’ll have more to share on the new, combined program in mid-2025.
What’s Not Changing
While we’ve been reviewing the HawaiianMiles changes we know of so far, let’s also take some time to discuss what’s not changing. For example, elite benefits remain exactly as they are in both HawaiianMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan. This extends to club access based on class of service and club membership. For example, Premier Club members will only be able to access Premier Club lounges, while Alaska Club members are only able to access Alaska Club lounges. The one difference occurring now is that Alaska Club members will be able to access their lounges when flying on Hawaiian metal.
Another thing that is not changing, as alluded to in the Huaka’i benefits, is the availability of credit cards for both programs. How long that will last, though, is anyone’s guess. We could see both stay as was the case with American and Marriott, or we could see the offering consolidated down to one issuer. I’ve covered this at length before, so I won’t go over my thoughts again. But, to me, this remains one of the biggest enigmas of the combination and the one that will be the most interesting to see play out.
HawaiianMiles Changes We Know of So Far, Final Thoughts
For being so early in the integration process, there are many moving parts for passengers to consider. Thus far, virtually everything we’ve seen is positive. The only real question remains about timing. So, what do you think of the upcoming changes? Which one(s) excites you the most?
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