It’s been about 9 months since Alaska Airlines announced that it would be merging with Hawaiian Airlines. That’s not been long enough to give birth to a combined loyalty program yet, but there is a little news on that front.
The Points Guy reported yesterday that the new loyalty program should now be expected in August 2025.
Several partnerships of Hawaiian’s are due to end on June 30, so there had been some speculation that a new loyalty program and other changes (e.g. a potential end to Membership Rewards transfers) could take place on July 1. While that might still be the case regarding Membership Rewards and other partnerships, it’ll be at least one more month before the joint Alaska/Hawaiian loyalty program will be launched.
Alaska Airlines hasn’t given a firm date either with regards to when the new program will begin other than it being in August. That could mean August 1, it could mean August 31, or it could be at any point in between. Either way, it’ll be at least 2.5 months before the combined program begins, but we’ll hopefully learn more information about its setup sooner than that.
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[…] For frequent flyers, the biggest concern isn’t which logo is on the plane. It’s what happens to their miles. HawaiianMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan currently allow 1:1 mileage transfers between accounts. A full loyalty program integration is expected by August 2025. […]
I understand AMEX to Hawaiian loophole is ending. I’m considering opening a Hawaiian card. Is June 30th the last date to move Hawaiian into Alaska or is that date only for AMEX transfers?
That’s the last date to transfer from Amex to Hawaiian. After that, you’ll still be able to move points from your Hawaiian account to your Alaska account
The Amex app is officially confirming the transfers to Hawaiian will end June 30th
Can confirm the above
Come on, Amex and Hawaiian Airlines – One last transfer bonus before you break up? 🙂
I applied for the barclays hawaiian card last week in case they shut down applications for it.
We don’t know what the contract terms are between Barclays and Hawaiian. Must it run until the end? What if there’s a merger?
We have a generalized sense based on the AA card deal. But, there are many unanswered questions. AA said we’d hear by the Fall. I suspect there will be similar guidance out of Alaska.
To the extent Hawaiian cards migrate to BofA, understand how that might affect your strategy at BofA. For example, how might it affect going after an Air France card (if that’s an objective)?
I strongly suspect Barclays will retain the portfolio for at least several years.
Terms of the deal include Citi buying the card portfolio from Barclays. AA and Citi expressly disclosed this months ago.
what is the significance of this?
Think of all of the ways a person can generate Amex points, which can be transferred to Hawaiian, which can be transferred to Alaska. When that relationship with Amex ends, a significant indirect method of funding Alaska ends.
Currently, a person can get a personal and business Alaska card . . . and can get a personal and business Hawaiian card. That’s four sign-up bonuses. At a point, there will only be one card issue and a person will only be able to obtain one personal and one business card. Only two sign-up bonuses.
You get the idea.
Thanks Lee
AS said there was a premium card coming this summer. So that will be 2 personal cards & 1 biz card. That’s assuming (?) there no biz version of the forthcoming premium card.
Or SUB time restrictions like SW. I’ll guess one personal and one business every two years, irrespective of which personal card one gets.
You can get multiple AS biz cards. Many data points out there.
I’m just waiting to hear more about the premium credit card already.
I just finished moving Alaska miles from a family member into my account via Hawaiian. (It does not necessarily have to be a family member)
P3 Alaskan miles->P3 Hawaiian miles->P1 Hawaiian miles (Hawaiian Credit card holder)->P1 Alaska miles
PS Thanks for the info Frequent Miler!
Great tip. Thanks for this!
Do you have to be a Hawaiian Credit card holder for this to happen ?
You can transfer without a Hawaiian card, but you’d pay a fee. (In fact, you can transfer Alaska -> Alaska directly for a fee.) It’s free if at least one of the sides has a Hawaiian card.
I’ve got both Hawaiian personal cards. I’m wondering if getting an Alaska card now would be prudent? I’m guessing those Hawaiian cards might be pc’d to the AA system. Very confusing considering there’s 2 issuers. Thoughts Stephen?
They definitely won’t be converted to the AA system. Barclays is also losing the AA card. The Hawaiian cards will likely be converted to Bank of America AS cards. This is what the Alaska VP of Loyalty, Alliances, and Sales Brett Catlin said to VFTW last October: Legacy Hawaiian Airlines cardmembers – the “back book” – will transfer over to the Alaska card. However there is “no immediacy for that to transition” and is something that will “happen over a period of time.”
Keep in mind that AS will launch another, more expensive card in the near future. We do not know if getting the current AS card will prevent you from getting the SUB on the new AS card.
It might be worth getting an Alaska card now just in case they end up ending existing cards for new applications and introduce a new lineup of cards in August. However, they might not do that and they could conceivably offer an increased welcome offer in August on existing cards to generate some buzz about the new program.
My thought as well. Will look at a new AS card in June.
Should we sign up for the Hawaii cards now to get the points so they’re converted to Alaska miles? Will they have the same value as current Alaska miles?
Yes, they’ll have the same value as you can transfer Hawaiian miles to Alaska miles.
As for whether to get the cards now, that’s up to you. However, the Hawaiian cards aren’t likely to be around for too much longer, so getting them sooner rather than later might be best.
If I have Hawaiian miles and Alaska miles I assume that the accounts will get mashed together or should I convert them to Alaska miles now to be safe? My travel plans have been set so have been lazy but don’t want to get burned either.
I had a Hawaiian flight in April. Prior to the flight, I status matched with Alaska and credited the flight to Hawaiian knowing it would eventually combine with Alaska.
I guess it doesn’t do any harm to move them to Alaska now, but they’ll get merged in one way or another in the new program.
You can link the two accounts now using the Hawaiian or Alaska website. The main reason to link is for status but linking I assume will also make sure a smooth transition happens. https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/about-us/alaska/loyalty-updates/
Thanks for the responses! Very helpful
When will the Hawaiian cards stop being available to new applicants?
We don’t know that yet unfortunately