Information on Hawaiian Airlines Flights

Hawaiian Airlines is one of the oldest airlines in the United States. It began flights in 1929 in the then-territory of Hawai’i, operating small aircraft flights between the islands.

Continuing to operate only within Hawai’i for the first 50 years, it has spent the past four decades expanding to serve destinations across the US Mainland, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. Hawaiian became a fully owned subsidiary of Alaska Airlines in September 2024, and Alaska says it will continue to operate Hawaiian as a separate brand.

Classes of service

Hawaiian offers two classes of service: a premium cabin on all flights, called First Class within Hawai’i and to the US Mainland, and Business internationally. The airline’s Economy cabin is termed Main Cabin and offers two fare types in addition to the regular Main Cabin fare: Extra Comfort, which comes with additional perks and extra legroom onboard, and Main Cabin Basic, which carriers more restrictions, but with same seats and service as Main Cabin.

Seats and service – Interisland

On flights between the Hawaiian Islands on Boeing 717 aircraft, Hawaiian has First Class, with reclining leather seats in a 2-2 configuration, and Main Cabin with “pre-reclined” leather seats with small tray tables. Flights are all under an hour in block time from gate to gate, and Hawaiian offers its Island Beverage Service on all flights. In the Main Cabin, it’s a choice of juice, water, or coffee in the mornings, and beer, wine, and cocktails are available for purchase. In First Class, it’s the same selections, plus a cocktail snack, but there’s no charge for alcohol.

On Interisland flights, the First Class fare is often just marginally more than the Main Cabin. Considering an hour flight is often up to 90 minutes with boarding and deplaning, and First Class fares include checked bags (there’s a charge for these in Main Cabin) an upgrade can have particular value for passengers who like the extra comfort and are already planning to check bags. I find the extra room worth it for the short flight, and the extra break on the bag fees really helps justify the expense.

Seats and service – Mainland

Flights from Hawai’i to the Mainland are operated by Boeing 787, Airbus A330, or Airbus A321 equipment. The main difference in First Class is the seating – it’s lie flat on the widebody 787 and A330, but a reclining seat on the A321. There are also seatback screens in Main Cabin on the 787 and A330, but wireless streaming entertainment on the A321. In First Class on the A330 and A321, passengers are given free tablet devices. First Class on the 787 has seatback screens.

Daytime flights between Hawai’i and the US Mainland also offer a free meal in Main Cabin to all passengers, regardless of fare type purchased. Between Hawai’i and the West Coast, it’s a hot sandwich. Further east, a more substantial meal is served on a tray, similar to what passengers on international flights will receive. Hawaiian also offers a variety of beverages, including local Hawai’i products by Lion Coffee, Maui Brewing Company, and Ko Hana Rum.

Seats and service – International

Flights between Hawai’i and Pacific Rim destinations are divided into two categories for service. Flights to Tahiti, Cook Islands, and American Samoa have onboard service similar to the US West Coast, as these flights are of a similar stage length.

Flights to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea offer a full international service, with a main meal and a lighter snack, which is complimentary in both cabins. The widebody aircraft used for these flights have the same seating as when they’re flown to the US Mainland. Extra Comfort passengers on International flights receive an amenity kit.

Seat assignments

Hawaiian offers some seats available for preassignment in the Main Cabin free of charge on every flight to every destination, unless you’ve purchased a Main Cabin Basic ticket, which doesn’t allow for advance seat selection. You can choose a preferred seat for a fee, which is a standard Main Cabin seat in a preferred location, or choose a seat in the Extra Comfort section to enjoy more legroom plus early boarding, and priority security screening at some airports.

Onboard sales

In addition to the complimentary meal service, Hawaiian also sells products onboard as part of their Pau Hana Cart service. The cart is stocked with snacks (many of which are produced locally in Hawai’i) gift items from the local brand Noho, and onboard comfort items like earbuds or a pillow and blanket set. The cart is brought through the cabin on domestic flights and set up in the galley on international flights.

Loyalty program

Hawaiian’s loyalty program, HawaiianMiles, is primarily geared toward Hawai’i residents or the airline’s other frequent fliers. Many of the retail partners are only in Hawai’i and the earning and redemption partners are limited to a handful of airlines. Alaska Airlines has announced plans to roll out a combined loyalty program for both airlines, allowing them to earn and redeem points for either carrier, plus Alaska’s oneworld partner airlines.

Check-in

Hawaiian offers mobile and web check-in to all domestic passengers. Web check-in is also available to passengers departing the US for international destinations. International passengers inbound to the US must check in at the airport. I’ve frequently found the mobile app check-in to be buggy, particularly if the ticket is issued by another airline or connects to another airline. If mobile app check-in doesn’t work, web check-in sometimes works instead.

It’s worth checking in on a mobile device or online before heading to the airport, as I’ve found Hawaiian’s traditional check-in counters for passengers needing assistance with complicated issues to generally be lightly staffed, resulting in longer waits. If you’re unable to check-in via the mobile app or online, be sure to allow plenty of time for check-in at the airport.

Baggage

Hawaiian has pretty standard baggage allowances. They charge baggage fees on Interisland and Domestic flights. The first checked bag is free for flights to Australia and New Zealand, and to all other international destinations, including American Samoa, two checked bags are allowed free of charge. Hawaiian is one of the few US carriers that publishes a weight limit for carry-on bags, of 25 pounds. In my experience, Hawaiian’s staff at US Mainland airports do not typically weigh carryon bags, but they do so more often at airports in Hawai’i.

There’s one fun exemption to the checked baggage fees. Hawaiian will allow passengers departing Hawai’i for the US Mainland to check one pre-packaged box of pineapples or treated papaya weighing up to 10 pounds, free of charge. The box must be stamped as pre-inspected by the US Department of Agriculture and will be accepted on a space available basis. The exemption does not apply to fruit that is carried onboard the aircraft.

Boarding

All Hawaiian flights have assigned seats. If passengers have not pre-assigned a seat they can choose one at check-in. Hawaiian boards passengers with disabilities first, followed by passengers traveling with small children. Boarding then continues by zone number, with First Class, Extra Comfort, and elite HawaiianMiles members getting the first boarding zones. Boarding continues roughly back-to-front, with lower zone numbers in the back of the aircraft, and higher zone numbers toward the front.

I’ve found Hawaiian to be good about monitoring carry-on size and number of items, so they rarely tend to run out of overhead bin space, particularly on interisland flights. Passengers traveling to and from Hawai’i from the US Mainland or an International destination are also more likely to check bags, limiting the number of bags that go into the cabin with passengers.

On Interisland flights, Hawaiian typically allows passengers who have arrived at the airport early to standby or even confirm a seat on an earlier flight at no charge. If you’re at the airport early and there’s an earlier flight to your destination, ask the gate agent if you can go on the earlier flight, even if they don’t make an announcement - it’s typically possible if there are seats available.

Hawaiian is also proud of their on time performance, and Interisland flights will often leave several minutes early if all of their passengers have boarded. There have been times I’ve flown between Lihue and Honolulu and the flight has left up to 20 minutes early, and arrived in Honolulu just minutes after its original scheduled departure time from Lihue.