Alaska Airlines announced on September 18 that it’s completed its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. A press release noted that the carriers will maintain their respective brands. However, the future holds more flexibility and an expanded flight range for customers. Soon, travelers can book Hawaiian Airlines flights on Alaska’s website, and vice versa. Jet-setters can also transfer frequent flyer miles with a 1-1 ratio between their respective accounts for free. The merged forces are additionally introducing a free membership travel reward program for Hawaii residents. The latter, Huaka‘i by Hawaiian, will reportedly offer exclusive discounts and benefits.
Following the merger, the conglomerate’s biggest hub remains Seattle, with Honolulu now coming in second. The other popular locations to catch Alaska Air Group’s flights are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and San Diego. The expansive post-merger network now boasts 1,200 destinations in 29 markets in the Americas, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific.
“Alaska and Hawaiian share tremendous pride in connecting communities with award-winning service, and we look forward to inviting more guests on board to experience what makes both brands unique,” said Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci.
What Else Travelers Should Know
Both airlines still need to obtain a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, to conduct operations as one carrier. Until then, the two will continue business separately. The merger isn’t expected to disrupt current travel arrangements, loyalty miles, or booking methods via the respective airlines.
In forthcoming months, travelers will be able to match their flyer status with “equivalent status on the other airline.” Alaska Airlines says it’ll disclose more details in 2025 about establishing a loyalty program that combines its Milage Plan and its new subsidiary’s HawaiianMiles.
According to CNBC, the two companies announced their $1.9 billion merger after the Department of Transportation cleared Alaska’s acquisition of Hawaiian on September 17.