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 front, 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, and you can redeem Alaska miles directly on Hawaiian.
In late 2024, we saw the two airlines roll out a reciprocal status match offer. There’s now an update — beyond a reciprocal elite status match between the two airlines, Mileage Plan members can now also directly get some elite perks on Hawaiian. This will streamline things a bit for many members.
In this post:
Alaska Mileage Plan & HawaiianMiles reciprocal status match
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 later 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. This includes your combined 2024 elite activity between the two programs.
I know a lot of OMAAT readers are probably familiar with Alaska Mileage Plan, but are 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.
Alaska Mileage Plan adds elite perks on Hawaiian
Up until now, one of the challenges has been that while you could status match to the other airline, you couldn’t get reciprocal elite perks beyond that. This was tricky in situations where you had an itinerary that included travel on both airlines, since you potentially wouldn’t get elite perks on one part of your trip. That has now changed.
Alaska Mileage Plan elite members can now receive select elite perks when traveling on Hawaiian, while still having their Mileage Plan number on the reservation. Mileage Plan elite members have access to perks on Hawaiian operated flights, including priority check-in, priority boarding, complimentary baggage, complimentary preferred seats at booking, access to Extra Comfort seats at check-in, and more.
This is another small but important step in the right direction, and I’m sure many people will be happy to see this.
The best Alaska & Hawaiian elite status strategy
We’re increasingly seeing more elite reciprocity between Alaska and Hawaiian, though it’s still not perfect. For any given itinerary, elite members have to decide whether they should use the status with the program they’re used to, or use the status of the program they matched to.
I imagine there are a lot more OMAAT readers who are loyal to Alaska Mileage Plan than HawaiianMiles, so what’s the best play here? In general, I think you’re probably best off just sticking with Mileage Plan in most situations, since you’re familiar with the program, and the program is a bit more straightforward.
There are some rare situations where there could be value in using HawaiianMiles instead. 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, HawaiianMiles members potentially get complimentary first class upgrades on inter-island flights within 24 hours of departure, and that’s not yet available for Alaska Mileage Plan members. So in those situations, you’d want to put your elite HawaiianMiles number on the reservation, after completing a status match.
Lastly, let me mention that all of this reciprocity doesn’t do much for those who have elite status with oneworld airlines other than Alaska. Hawaiian is expected to join oneworld in 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 additional 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
For some time now, Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles have offered reciprocal elite status matches. On top of that, we’ve now seen Mileage Plan roll out elite perks on Hawaiian, as the latest post-merger development. It’s nice to see the programs continuing to create a more seamless process, though as expected, it’s all taking some time.
What do you make of Alaska & Hawaiian rolling out reciprocal status matches and benefits?
For anyone who charged on their Hawaiian credit card expecting to earn EQMs toward Alaska status be aware that of the five posters on FT who did this in 2024 not one has received them.
You are correct that Alaska elites will get “some” benefits through the status match. However, the status match is one sided and Hawaiian Airlines members get so much more and Alaska members basically got two upgrade certificates that they may or may not be able to be use.
As a 100k flyer of Mileage Plan I used to get automatically confirmed in Alaska’s version of premium economy at booking along with a good chance of...
You are correct that Alaska elites will get “some” benefits through the status match. However, the status match is one sided and Hawaiian Airlines members get so much more and Alaska members basically got two upgrade certificates that they may or may not be able to be use.
As a 100k flyer of Mileage Plan I used to get automatically confirmed in Alaska’s version of premium economy at booking along with a good chance of an upgrade to first on flights from the west coast to Hawaii. Additionally, if the upgrade did not clear as a 100k you could preorder a free meal on the Alaska APP that they would give you in economy.
Now that Alaska plans to repurpose Hawaiian’s jets for long hauls out of Seattle, Alaska metal is not flying from San Diego (or other west coast) cities to Hawaii and instead they have allocated this to Hawaiian metal- as an elite on Hawaiian you only get “premium” economy on Hawaiian , if available at check in and you don’t get a free drink.
Alaska is a good airline, but I don’t fly them because they are on par with Qatar or Singapore Airlines. I fly them because there was a return on being loyal. However, as it stands now there is no substantial benefit to flying Hawaiian- if I have to pay to guarantee a seat in premium economy or for a drink I’ll fly United or American. Hopefully when they integrate the two programs it will be different, but I’m not holding my breath.
I have seen 2 articles about HA adding premium economy on the B787's
One additional thing: as an MVP Gold, I got an email from Hawaiian this past week with an upgrade cert.
Anyone know what that was about?
Yes, I received them too as did many MVP Golds. Great extra perk!
Good, glad to see this. All they need to do now is unify the app (which they may never do... but it would be nice).