Navigating the intricate world of airline loyalty programs can often feel like solving a complex puzzle, especially when considering partnerships between different carriers. For many travelers dreaming of a Hawaii getaway or connecting flights across North America, the question of whether HawaiianMiles can be redeemed on Alaska Airlines is a pertinent one. The short answer, as of the current partnership agreements, is no, you cannot directly use HawaiianMiles to book flights on Alaska Airlines, nor can you redeem Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles for flights on Hawaiian Airlines. However, understanding the history and current landscape of their relationship, along with alternative strategies, is key for maximizing your travel value.
Understanding Airline Loyalty Programs and Partnerships
Airline loyalty programs, such as Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, are designed to reward frequent flyers with miles or points that can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other travel-related benefits. These programs are often a crucial factor for travelers when choosing an airline, particularly for those who frequently travel specific routes or have a preferred carrier.
A significant aspect of these programs involves airline partnerships. Airlines frequently collaborate with other carriers to expand their network reach, offer more destinations to their passengers, and provide additional earning and redemption opportunities for their loyalty program members. These partnerships can range from simple codeshare agreements, where an airline sells seats on another carrier’s flight, to comprehensive reciprocal agreements that allow for earning and redeeming miles across both airlines. Such alliances enable travelers to earn miles on a flight operated by a partner airline and then redeem those miles for a flight on either the original airline or another partner. However, the specific terms of these agreements, especially regarding redemption, can change over time, leading to scenarios like the current status between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. It’s essential to distinguish between earning miles on a partner and redeeming them, as the rules for each often differ.
The Evolution of the Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines Partnership
The relationship between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines has seen significant changes over the years, impacting how travelers could leverage their respective miles. For a period, these two airlines maintained a robust bilateral partnership that offered substantial benefits to their frequent flyers. This agreement allowed members of both HawaiianMiles and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to earn miles when flying on either carrier. More importantly for many, it also permitted the reciprocal redemption of miles, meaning you could use your HawaiianMiles to book flights on Alaska Airlines and vice-versa. This was particularly advantageous for travelers looking to combine segments or access destinations only served by one of the carriers using their preferred loyalty currency.
However, the landscape shifted in March 2018, when both airlines announced the termination of their reciprocal redemption agreement. While the ability to earn miles on each other’s flights largely continued for a time after this change, the crucial aspect of redemption was ceased. This meant that any HawaiianMiles accrued could no longer be used for flights operated by Alaska Airlines, and similarly, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members could not redeem their miles for Hawaiian Airlines flights.
Today, the partnership is essentially limited, with the comprehensive reciprocal benefits for mile redemption being a thing of the past. Travelers earning miles on Hawaiian Airlines will accrue HawaiianMiles, which are primarily designed for use within the Hawaiian Airlines network and its existing partners. The same applies to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members, whose miles are best utilized for Alaska Airlines flights or those of its current extensive list of global partners, which notably does not include Hawaiian Airlines for redemption purposes.
Redeeming HawaiianMiles on Alaska Airlines: The Current Reality
As established, the direct redemption of HawaiianMiles for flights on Alaska Airlines is no longer an option. This change significantly impacts travelers who might have accumulated miles with one airline and hoped to use them for travel segments on the other. This scenario is a common point of confusion for those who remember the past agreement, highlighting the dynamic nature of airline loyalty programs.
What HawaiianMiles Can Be Used For
With Alaska Airlines off the list for redemption, HawaiianMiles primarily serve travel on Hawaiian Airlines itself. This includes flights to and from various destinations in North America, Asia, and the South Pacific, as well as convenient inter-island flights within Hawaii. Additionally, HawaiianMiles can be redeemed for flight upgrades, which can enhance your travel experience. Beyond flights, Hawaiian Airlines offers redemption options through various non-airline partners, though these typically provide less value than using miles for flights. These can include hotel stays via Marriott Bonvoy transfers (though often at a less-than-ideal conversion rate), car rentals, and other travel-related services or merchandise. It’s always recommended to evaluate the per-mile value for these alternative redemptions.
What Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles Can Be Used For
Similarly, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles cannot be redeemed for flights on Hawaiian Airlines. However, Alaska Airlines boasts an incredibly robust and valuable loyalty program with an extensive list of global partners. Mileage Plan miles can be redeemed for travel on Alaska Airlines flights, including their own services to Hawaii, or on a diverse range of partner airlines. These partners include major carriers like American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Qantas, among many others. The flexibility and favorable redemption rates offered by Mileage Plan on these partners are a key reason it is consistently ranked as one of the best airline loyalty programs globally, especially for international premium cabin travel. This broad network of redemption opportunities means that while you can’t use Alaska Airlines miles on Hawaiian Airlines, you have many other excellent options to reach destinations worldwide, including Hawaii on Alaska Airlines metal or via a codeshare with American Airlines.
Alternative Strategies for Travel Between Hawaii and Alaska Airlines Destinations
Given the lack of direct mileage redemption between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, travelers need to consider alternative strategies to optimize their journeys, especially when flying routes that might involve both carriers.
Leveraging Flexible Credit Card Points
One of the most powerful tools in a savvy traveler’s arsenal is transferable points earned from credit cards. Programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Capital One Miles allow you to transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel partners. While Hawaiian Airlines has more limited transfer options (e.g., Marriott Bonvoy), Alaska Airlines does not directly partner with many of these major flexible points programs for direct transfers. However, you can often transfer flexible points to an airline partner that does partner with Alaska Airlines (e.g., British Airways Avios can be transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards and then redeemed on Alaska Airlines in some instances), or use points to book flights directly through the credit card’s travel portal, essentially treating miles as cash and giving you the flexibility to book on any airline. This method can bypass the limitations of individual airline loyalty programs.
Booking Separate Tickets
If your itinerary requires segments on both Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, booking separate tickets might be the most straightforward approach. For example, you could use your HawaiianMiles for a flight from Hawaii to a West Coast gateway city, and then use your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles or a cash fare for the subsequent flight on Alaska Airlines. While this requires separate bookings and carries the risk associated with self-transfers (e.g., if the first flight is delayed), it offers the flexibility to use each airline’s miles effectively within their respective networks.
Maximizing Your Miles for Hawaiian Travel
For those specifically looking to travel to or from Hawaii, focusing on maximizing each airline’s program independently is key.
- For HawaiianMiles Holders: Concentrate on using your HawaiianMiles for flights directly operated by Hawaiian Airlines. Their extensive network to Hawaii from various mainland North America cities, along with their robust inter-island service, makes HawaiianMiles highly valuable for Hawaii-centric travel. Consider the Hawaiian Airlines co-branded credit card for accelerated earning.
- For Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Holders: Alaska Airlines operates numerous direct flights to Hawaii from its hub cities on the West Coast. Your Mileage Plan miles can be redeemed for these flights, often offering excellent value. Additionally, as a member of the Oneworld alliance, Alaska Airlines miles can be used on partners like American Airlines, which also offers extensive service to Hawaii. The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card is a popular choice for earning Mileage Plan miles and comes with benefits like the annual companion fare.
While the direct redemption path between HawaiianMiles and Alaska Airlines has closed, understanding each loyalty program’s strengths and exploring alternative booking methods ensures that travelers can continue to achieve their travel goals efficiently and economically.
LifeOutOfTheBox is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate we earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases.