In September 2024, Alaska Airlines’ takeover of Hawaiian Airlines officially closed. While Hawaiian Airlines has been part of Alaska Air Group since then, the integration has been a gradual process. For example, in October 2025, we saw the airlines move onto a single operating certificate.
Despite that, the two airlines are keeping their independent branding in the long run, with all flights to and from Hawaii getting Hawaiian branding, and all other flights getting Alaska branding. We’ve known that Hawaiian Airlines plans to join the oneworld alliance, so today is an exciting day, as it has finally happened.
In this post:
Hawaiian Airlines now belongs to oneworld alliance
Hawaiian Airlines has formally joined the oneworld alliance, as of April 22, 2026. This is the same date on which the two airlines are moving onto a single passenger service system, which is also when the “HA” code goes away, and all flights have an “AS” code. So the timeline shouldn’t come as a surprise, because by default, it’s sort of when the two airlines become one, aside from outward branding.
Hawaiian joining oneworld is an exciting development, and means that the alliance is gaining yet another member airline. Both Fiji Airways and Oman Air have joined the oneworld alliance in recent months, and we know that Starlux Airlines wants to join oneworld, but it remains to be seen if it will be accepted (given the airlines that have veto rights).
It’s nice to see a bit of action at one of the global alliances, as we haven’t otherwise seen much of that in recent times.
What are the practical implications of this anyway?
Alaska and Hawaiian’s integration is a gradual process, though the two brands have been making great progress. We’ve seen the launch of the Atmos Rewards loyalty program, which is the combined loyalty program of the two brands.
That means that those who have historically been Hawaiian flyers are getting status with Atmos Rewards anyway, and the program participates in the oneworld alliance. In other words, those who have historically been loyal to Hawaiian can receive oneworld Sapphire and oneworld Emerald elite perks, including lounge access, through their Atmos Rewards elite status.
With Hawaiian joining the oneworld alliance, the biggest implications are for those who are loyal to other oneworld frequent flyer programs. They’re finally able to earn and redeem points, as well as take advantage of elite perks, for travel on Hawaiian branded flights across the globe. Admittedly some oneworld airlines already partnered with Hawaiian, but this definitely streamlines things.
Expect that it could be some amount of time before all oneworld airlines publish points earning charts for travel on Hawaiian, add award space on Hawaiian, etc.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines acquired Hawaiian Airlines in the fall of 2024. We’ve known that the plan was for Hawaiian to eventually join the oneworld alliance, and that has now finally happened, as of April 22, 2026.
The biggest implications of Hawaiian joining oneworld is for those who are loyal to other oneworld programs, given that Hawaiian already participates in the Atmos Rewards program (which “belongs” to oneworld, for all practical purposes).
What do you make of Hawaiian joining oneworld?
Airlines seem to be slowly-but-surely shrinking back from their alliances, restricting award space to their own super-elite members, changing premium lounge availability, and wildly elevating the cost of award redemptions. It's obvious that the golden era of points accumulation has passed, and I have to wonder if formal alliances have outlived their utility.
At this point, there are still plenty of fantastic partner award redemptions to be had…this is how we book the majority of our overseas travel. Let’s hope this feature of the alliance system persists.
Has anyone seen award space show up as yet through Aadvantage? Also curious if anyone has seen Omanair award space through Aadvantage- ever since they joined OW, I've never seen a single award seat via AA
"Hawaiian Airlines Finally Joins Oneworld Alliance, An Exciting Milestone" An exciting milestone for you maybe but for Hawaiian loyalists... not so much.
Perhaps a headline like "Hawaiian Airlines Avoids Death" will be more exciting for Hawaiian loyalists
Actually Hawaiians prefer death over being minucched by Alaska. Alaska sucks
@Ratt...I concur. As a long-time HA Pualani Platinum, my benefits have gone into the dump this past year after Benito created a combined Atmos. Now that Atmos will be "normalized" with Oneworld (read AADvantage), the benefits will get even worse. Already seeing "points" (meaning $$) for status, as opposed to HA's mileage based system.
Don't even get me started on how the A321's are quietly disappearing and being replaced by AS Maxes.
AS is...
@Ratt...I concur. As a long-time HA Pualani Platinum, my benefits have gone into the dump this past year after Benito created a combined Atmos. Now that Atmos will be "normalized" with Oneworld (read AADvantage), the benefits will get even worse. Already seeing "points" (meaning $$) for status, as opposed to HA's mileage based system.
Don't even get me started on how the A321's are quietly disappearing and being replaced by AS Maxes.
AS is doing things that they promised they wouldn't do to get the merger approved.
Nice photo of the ancient 717... now retired. Haven't seen any Delta 717s lately either. They used to be on EWR-MSP a lot. Maybe just out of ATL these days... Nice to see more a220s, anyway.
Hawaiian still flies 717’s every day interisland
Oh, really? Whoopsie. Been a while since I've been to Hawaii. Garsh. Can't believe those ole gals are still gettin' up.
do you talk like that in real life
While not going to happen anytime soon, it would be fun to see a HNL-LHR route
AFAIK there are no nonstops between Europe and Hawaii. Most demand would be leisure, not business or premium.
Yup, and from LHR, all of Thailand would be a shorter nonstop flight and Bali would be about the same time nonstop (14-16 hours). Why would Brits want to pay a premium for Hawaii when they can spend the same or less time and vacation in a much cheaper tropical destination?
@World Traveler
Why would Brits go there when Asian destinations are closer? The same reason Japanese, Korean, and Austrialian tourists make up such a large portion of HI visitors.
Many, many more Australians go to Bali than to Hawaii, because it's much closer, and much, much less costly.
But, it does not appear separately as a member airline on the One World website. At least, yet.
Great to see them in OneWorld - I do hope that despite them losing their HA code, we will not see them lose their livery or even disappear to be absorbed into Alaska Airlines. Always happy to see this Hawaiian spirit vibes at airports and especially when boarding one to Hawaii.
Given how much alliances are starting to matter less and less, I guess this is a small “yay” instead of a large “YAY”…
Not sure if I could do this before, but just booked a test ticket for tmr LAX-OGG with AA miles on Hawaii A330. Number 1 on the upgrade list as AA EP. Now cancelled.
Woohoo!