Live: Alaska & Hawaiian Reciprocal Elite Status Match

In September 2024, we saw Alaska Airlines’ takeover of Hawaiian Airlines close. As you’d expect, the process of integrating operations between two airlines is pretty complex (and it’s almost more complex when you consider that Alaska and Hawaiian plan to maintain two separate brands.

On the loyalty program, the two airlines intend to introduce a combined loyalty program as of the middle of 2025. In the meantime, we’re already seeing increased reciprocity. It’s possible to transfer miles 1:1 between the two programs, you can redeem Alaska miles directly on Hawaiian, and now there’s yet another development. Effective immediately, it’s possible to match status between Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles.

Alaska Mileage Plan & HawaiianMiles status match

Effective immediately, it’s possible to match elite status between Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles, by logging into your account at this link:

• Alaska Mileage Plan MVP status gets you HawaiianMiles Pualani Gold status
• Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold 100K status, gets you HawaiianMiles Pualani Platinum status
• HawaiianMiles Pualani Gold status gets you Alaska Mileage Plan MVP status
• HawaiianMiles Pualani Platinum status gets you Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold status

The status match can be requested online. While the terms state that it can take up to 72 hours for status updates to be reflected in accounts, most people report the matches being properly reflected within a few hours.

Keep in mind that in 2025, a single loyalty program should be formed, and all elite qualifying miles between programs can be combined for the purposes of elite status qualification.

I know a lot of OMAAT readers are probably familiar with Alaska Mileage Plan, but probably less familiar with HawaiianMiles. HawaiianMiles Pualani Gold status ordinarily requires 20,000 elite qualifying miles or 30 segments, while Platinum status ordinarily requires 40,000 elite qualifying miles or 60 segments.

The best Alaska & Hawaiian elite status strategy

For the time being, this status match is as good as it gets when it comes to Alaska elites getting perks on Hawaiian, and vice versa. If you’re an Alaska elite and are flying Hawaiian, you’d want to match your status and then add your HawaiianMiles number to your reservation. If you have an itinerary involving travel on both airlines, then you’d probably want to include the number of the longest segment, or the segment where you most value perks.

Keep in mind that elite perks aren’t necessarily the same between the programs, though. You can find a breakdown of HawaiianMiles elite benefits here. For example, elite members at Hawaiian only consistently receive upgrades to the extra legroom economy section.

Complimentary first class upgrades are only available on inter-island flights, and then Platinum members receive upgrade certificates.

Let me mention that this reciprocity doesn’t do much for those who have elite status with oneworld airlines other than Alaska. Hawaiian is expected to join oneworld by 2026, at which point all oneworld travelers will be able to take advantage of reciprocal opportunities to earn and redeem points, and receive elite benefits.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see some reciprocity between American and Hawaiian before then, given the close partnership between American and Alaska. But I also wouldn’t assume it’s a given.

Bottom line

Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles have rolled out reciprocal elite status matches, as the latest post-merger development. We’ve already seen the programs introduce reciprocal mileage transfers, so it’s good to see reciprocal elite status as well.

Around the middle of 2025, we should see Alaska Air Group form a single loyalty program, which will likely be the next major loyalty development.

What do you make of Alaska & Hawaiian rolling out reciprocal status matches?