Hawaiian Airlines, a part of Alaska Airlines, has unveiled an investment plan of more than $600 million over five years to comprehensively enhance the experience for guests traveling to, from and within the islands by modernizing airport spaces, upgrading technology and retrofitting aircraft interiors, while expanding community and sustainability work across Hawaii.
Hawaiian Airlines’ Kahuʻewai Hawai’i Investment Plan will improve the guest experience from booking to the day of travel and provide airport and in-flight teams with modern tools and spaces to welcome travelers with their signature Hawaiian hospitality. Investments will also help Hawaiian advance lower emission technologies and programs promoting regenerative tourism, culture and conservation.
Kahuʻewai signifies fresh water bursting forth as a metaphor for vital resources. Much like water that flows and nurtures, the investments will deliver benefits across Hawaiian Airlines and communities in Hawaii today and for a long time to come. They include:
- Airports – Starting this year through 2029, Hawaiian Airlines will renovate lobbies and gates in Honolulu, Līhue, Kahului, Kona and Hilo to improve passenger flow and comfort, with bright, open spaces and better seating and amenities like increased power charging. In Honolulu, Hawaiian’s busiest hub, the airline will build a spacious 10,600-square-foot lounge at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1—setting a new standard of preflight comfort.
- Technology – This spring, Hawaiian Airlines will launch an updated, modern app and website with improved functionality to simplify travel planning, booking and trip management with self-service features like changing flights and redeeming award travel on global partners. The airline is also investing in new technology to support employees in their critical roles across the operation. Full functionality of these tools—and a significantly smoother guest experience—will be possible once Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines share the same passenger service system and Hawaiian Airlines joins the Oneworld alliance, both scheduled for late April.
- Aircraft – Hawaiian Airlines’ fleet of widebody Airbus A330s, based in Honolulu, will undergo a full interior upgrade, starting in 2028, with new seats, carpets, lighting, first class suites, and a premium economy cabin. Guests will also enjoy a Bluetooth-enabled in-flight entertainment system with high-definition seatback screens and an extensive movie and music library, along with free Starlink Wi-Fi. The airline is also acquiring three of its A330 aircraft off lease to support the future of this fleet in its service across the Pacific.
- Loyalty – Later this year, Hawaiian Airlines will reward Hawaii residents who are members of its popular Huaka’i by Hawaiian loyalty program with a 50 percent bonus on Atmos Rewards points and status points earned on Neighbor Island flights, adding to exclusive kama’āina benefits that include a free checked bag, 10 or 20 percent quarterly discounts when flying within the state, and monthly system-wide deals.
- Community Impact – Hawaiian Airlines remains deeply engaged in the community, with expanded partnerships in education and workforce development initiatives, new grant-making opportunities, regenerative tourism efforts through its Travel Pono program, and new investments to preserve Hawaii’s natural resources and to advance new technologies for a more sustainable future.
As part of its community and sustainability initiatives, Hawaiian is expanding a partnership with business accelerator Mana Up through an investment in its Mana Up Capital II fund to help more local companies scale for the global market. Hawaiian has featured more than a dozen local retailers in the food, fashion, beauty and home and art sectors in its onboard service since becoming Mana Up’s official airline sponsor in 2017.
Hawaiian last month announced it is investing in locally produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reduce flight emissions and support agriculture in partnership with Pono Pacific and Par Hawaii, and that it would be the first airline to take deliveries of Hawaii-made SAF later this year. The airline is also working to advance innovative lower-emission options for short-haul air service with an investment in hybrid-electric propulsion developer Ampaire and increasing use of electric ground service vehicles at Honolulu airport.
Finally, the airline will be providing grants to nonprofit organizations promoting cultural programs, environmental preservation, and perpetuation of native Hawaiian art and language through the Alaska Airlines | Hawaiian Airlines Foundation, a newly-integrated 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to these efforts in their two namesake states.
The Hawaiian Airlines’ Kahuʻewai Hawai’i Investment Plan is part of Alaska Air Group’s Alaska Accelerate strategic plan to deliver on the combined airline’s vision of connecting guests to the world with a remarkable travel experience rooted in safety, care and performance.
For more information, visit www.hawaiianairlines.com.
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