On Tuesday, the U.S. Division of Justice opted to not block the proposed merger of Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways. The information comes simply eight months after the 2 U.S. carriers introduced the $1.9 billion deal.
“I’m assured that by the becoming a member of of those two airways, a stronger firm will emerge and provide extra journey choices for Hawai’i residents and native companies — and can improve competitors throughout the U.S. airline trade,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Inexperienced stated in a press release. “I respect the DOJ’s robust consideration of Hawai’i’s distinctive wants throughout its evaluation of the proposed merger. I sit up for this merger continuing and the overwhelming client, worker and group advantages that can consequence from it.”
For Hawaiian Airways loyalty program lovers, what’s going to the advantages of this potential merger seem like? Although Alaska Airways plans to maintain Hawaiian Airways as a separate model, the applications will function below one loyalty program.
So, is it secure to imagine Hawaiian Airways will undertake the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan program, or will the 2 carriers function below a brand new identify completely?
Whereas the merger nonetheless must be accepted by the U.S. Division of Transportation, the potential consolidation of those two applications has left us with a number of questions on how this merger will have an effect on these desirous to earn and redeem miles, use elite standing advantages and extra.
Hold studying to search out out extra about what we all know in regards to the Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways merger, in addition to what we need to know if this consolidation formally goes by way of.
What we all know in regards to the Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways merger
Right now, particulars are scant relating to how the conjoined loyalty program will function as soon as the consolidation is full. In line with a Securities and Trade Fee doc filed by Hawaiian in December 2023, the 2 airways’ loyalty applications shall be mixed into one shared loyalty program, and your miles will carry over.
Moreover, in the event you at present maintain elite standing with Hawaiian Airways, your standing may even be carried over. Nonetheless, neither Hawaiian nor Alaska has specified how Pualani Gold or Pualani Platinum members’ standing will match Alaska’s Mileage Plan elite standing tiers.
“It’s anticipated that [the elite tiers] will provide comparable or higher advantages to what you obtain at the moment,” per the SEC doc.
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One other advantage of the merger is Hawaiian Airways becoming a member of the Oneworld alliance. Presently, Hawaiian is just not a part of any main airline alliance, not like Alaska, which is a part of Oneworld. This merger is not going to solely present elite standing members with further Oneworld perks, similar to precedence check-in and bonus miles, however Oneworld vacationers will be capable of earn and redeem miles when flying with the service.
“As soon as the mix is full, Hawaiian Airways’ current clients will get pleasure from the advantages of the trade’s highest-value buyer loyalty program, incomes and redeeming miles and receiving elite advantages on the total complement of Oneworld Alliance airways, expanded world lounge entry and advantages of the mixed program’s bank card,” based on the SEC doc.
Associated: Alaska Airways unveils 4 main modifications to MVP elite standing
What we need to know in regards to the Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways merger
Nonetheless, far more is not clear about the way forward for an Alaska-Hawaiian loyalty program.
Will your Hawaiian miles switch to Alaska miles at a 1:1 ratio?
In line with the SEC doc, the miles you earn with Hawaiian Airways is not going to expire, and you’ll proceed to earn and redeem these miles previous to the merger. If in case you have remaining miles post-merger, “your current miles shall be honored.”
Nonetheless, the SEC doesn’t state how they’d be honored. Particularly, will these miles be transformed into Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles at a 1:1 ratio?
Previous expertise is combined alongside these strains.
For instance, when Finnair adopted Avios as its loyalty forex, any remaining Finnair Plus award factors had been routinely transformed at a 3:2 ratio. Nonetheless, the conversion ratio was 1:1 in the course of the integration of American Airways AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles again in 2015.
It is unclear precisely what method Hawaiian and Alaska will take, although it’s value noting that our August 2024 valuations have Alaska miles value roughly 72% greater than Hawaiian miles.
Will American Specific Membership Rewards lose Hawaiian Airways as a switch accomplice?
Earlier this yr, Bilt Rewards silently misplaced Hawaiian Airways as a switch accomplice however stored Alaska Airways. With the proposed acquisition, can Amex cardholders anticipate to lose Hawaiian as a switch accomplice within the close to future?
You possibly can at present switch Amex factors to Hawaiian at a 1:1 ratio. Plus, Amex is providing a 20% switch bonus to Hawaiian Airways till Aug. 31; due to this fact, your factors at present switch at a 1:1.2 ratio.
Since we do not but know if Hawaiian miles will switch to Alaska at a 1:1 ratio, it’s possible you’ll be rolling the cube by making a speculative switch from Amex to Hawaiian. In any case, these miles might ultimately convert into Alaska miles at a 1:1 ratio. Nonetheless, you could possibly fall sufferer to your Hawaiian miles changing at a far decrease charge. It is as much as you to resolve whether or not that is definitely worth the gamble.
Associated: American Specific Membership Rewards switch companions: Maximize your factors
What is going to occur to Hawaiian Airways’ cobranded bank cards?
Barclays at present points two Hawaiian Airways cobranded bank cards: the Hawaiian Airways® World Elite Mastercard® and the Hawaiian Airways® Enterprise Mastercard®. Each provide two free checked baggage on Hawaiian flights if you use your card to buy eligible tickets from Hawaiian Airways’ web site; 3 miles per greenback spent on Hawaiian Airways purchases; 2 miles per greenback spent on fuel, eating and eligible grocery retailer purchases; and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Per the SEC doc, Hawaiian will “proceed to just accept new functions.” So, can cardholders anticipate the cobranded playing cards to stay? Will the cardboard ultimately dissolve? Or, will further card advantages be added that can apply throughout the mixed route community?
The knowledge for the Hawaiian Mastercard and Hawaiian Enterprise Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
What number of miles will you want for Hawaiian award flights?
Whereas many main airways use dynamic award pricing, Hawaiian Airways and Alaska Airways nonetheless function utilizing award charts. Nonetheless, Hawaiian’s award chart relies on a number of components, together with the area of your flight and the time of yr (busier journey dates will value you extra miles). Some vacationers additionally qualify for discounted award charges — particularly Pualani Platinum, Pualani Gold and Premier Membership members, in addition to choose Hawaiian Airways cardholders.
In the meantime, Alaska Airways has distance-based award charts for its personal flights and separate award charts for accomplice airways, all of which function “beginning at” award costs (precise charges will be two or thrice increased, relying on the flight).
So, the place will Hawaiian-operated flights match into this? Since Alaska plans to maintain Hawaiian as a separate model, will it’s topic to accomplice pricing, or will Alaska add new areas (and pricing) to its personal award chart? Or, will Hawaiian maintain its personal award chart intact?
Right now, neither Hawaiian nor Alaska has specified what award flights will seem like in a mixed loyalty program.
Associated: Alaska Airways Mileage Plan award chart modifications at the moment are stay
What is going to occur to different Hawaiian companions?
Hawaiian Airways is not a part of a serious alliance, but it surely does have partnerships with a lot of different carriers, together with Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue and Japan Airways. Moreover, you possibly can earn (and redeem) miles with American Airways, Delta Air Strains and United Airways on interisland flights with Hawaiian Airways.
Whereas none of those partnerships are significantly beneficial, it stays to be seen what’s going to occur if the merger is accepted and the loyalty applications are mixed.
Backside line
We have seen airways undertake new loyalty applications simply within the final yr. For instance, Finnair now makes use of British Airways Avios as its respective award program. Nonetheless, Finnair retained its autonomy relating to this system’s elite standing tiers and award chart.
Right now, there will not be many particulars on how the consolidation of Hawaiian Airways and Alaska Airways will have an effect on the loyalty applications and its members — however we’re eagerly awaiting information and can you’ll want to replace our readers after we get extra particulars.
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