A longtime Hawaii tourism executive posted on Facebook this weekend that they paid $700 for two interisland Saver tickets on Alaska Airlines. They were upset to discover the tickets earned no Atmos Rewards points and didn’t allow ordinary flight changes. That’s a substantial amount to spend and still end up with the airline’s most restrictive fare.
Two other Beat of Hawaii readers recently described finding a new difference between Saver and Main on an interisland booking. They wanted to choose seats and earn points, and the cheaper ticket no longer provided either benefit. These all show how much of an airfare’s value now depends on which version of economy you select.
Alaska and Hawaiian’s Saver now comes with even less.
Hawaiian already offered restrictive Main Cabin Basic fares before Alaska purchased the airline. Those became Saver in April 2026, but the more recent change concerns points. Saver tickets booked beginning June 11 for travel starting August 1 no longer earn Atmos Rewards points or status points, even when passengers spend hundreds of dollars. Earlier bookings retain their previous earning eligibility.
Advance Standard seat selection isn’t included, and passengers traveling together aren’t guaranteed adjacent seats. Ordinary flight changes aren’t allowed, though paid same-day confirmed changes are available when eligible. Travelers who cancel at least 14 days before departure can receive a credit for 50% of their ticket’s value instead of losing everything.
Main provides advance Standard seat selection, points earning, and the ability to change flights, although any fare difference still applies. When the additional cost is relatively small, as our reader found, buying Saver and then paying separately for upgraded seating can make little sense. That seat purchase won’t restore the missing points or flexibility.
We’ve already reported extensively on how the cheapest Hawaii airfares stopped earning loyalty points. What’s striking about the recent Facebook complaint is that someone who spent decades working in Hawaii’s visitor industry was so frustrated by their purchase that they publicly warned friends and family. Their post didn’t specify the routing or travel dates, so the $700 shouldn’t be taken as a representative interisland fare.
Southwest has turned a simple purchase into a complicated one.
Southwest’s four fare categories now require more attention than its old system ever did. Basic assigns passengers a Standard seat at check-in, while Choice lets passengers select a Standard seat when booking. Choice Preferred includes seats closer to the front, but without extra legroom. Choice Extra includes Extra Legroom seating and two checked bags.
Passengers can also purchase available seats separately, with prices varying by flight and seat type. Someone buying Basic may find that the seats they actually want cost considerably more, yet paying for better seats doesn’t give them the flight-change privileges included with higher fares.
Baggage charges add another layer. On current mainland-Hawaii bookings, Southwest charges $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second, each way, on Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred unless the passenger qualifies for an exemption. Two people checking one bag each on a round trip pay another $180. With two bags apiece, that rises to $400, before any purchased seating.
For visitors taking separate interisland flights, Southwest charges $30 for the first checked bag and $40 for the second, each way, unless a benefit applies. Hawaii residents still receive two free standard checked bags on eligible interisland flights when their Rapid Rewards numbers are included in the booking. That resident benefit matters, especially when comparing Southwest with other island transportation options.
We’ve become so frustrated with Southwest’s increasingly convoluted fares that we avoid booking them altogether. Figuring out how to get the seats we want, which fare to purchase, and what it will actually cost has become worse than Alaska/Hawaiian to us. That’s quite a change from an airline whose uncomplicated pricing and free checked bags once made it so appealing.
We previously wrote about how Southwest’s Hawaii golden era ended, including its move to assigned seating and multiple fare categories. One benefit remains: Southwest Basic still earns Rapid Rewards points, although at a reduced rate of two points per eligible dollar. For someone traveling light without strong seating preferences, Basic can still work, especially compared with an Alaska/Hawaiian Saver fare that earns nothing.
Another complication to check before paying for any seat upgrade. On Southwest, buying a Preferred or Extra Legroom seat with Basic doesn’t automatically make the underlying ticket changeable. On Alaska/Hawaiian, upgraded seating on Saver likewise leaves the original fare restrictions in place. A traveler can spend more for comfort and still have little flexibility if plans change.
What are you finding when booking Hawaii flights now? Are you paying substantially more than the advertised fare to get the seats, bags, and benefits you want?
Photo Credit:
By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.
Some of the most meaningful parts of Hawaii are the ones visitors walk right past without knowing they are there. We’ve spent nearly 20 years finding them firsthand for BOH as full-time Hawaii residents reporting on travel, culture, and island life, and telling you what they mean for your trip. Join us →
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
