You find a cheaper flight to Hawaii on another airline, perhaps even a better nonstop at a more convenient time. But you’ve spent years building loyalty with your usual carrier, and booking elsewhere means giving up miles, status, or benefits you’ve worked to earn. How much extra is that loyalty really worth, especially when upgrades are increasingly uncertain, and some perks can simply be purchased a la carte?
For 2027, the airlines are upending the rules again. Hawaiian and Alaska are changing how flights earn credit, United is putting far more emphasis on spending, and Southwest is making status harder to retain for many regular flyers. Some Hawaii travelers could fly just as much as before and still fall short of status, while others may discover they’re paying more to stay loyal than the benefits are actually worth.
Airline loyalty is becoming more expensive.
Alaska and Hawaiian are taking a unique approach with Atmos Rewards. Starting January 1, members can choose to earn points based on distance flown, ticket price, or flight segments. Existing members who make no selection continue earning by distance, while new members default to price-based earning.
United is eliminating its qualification option that combined flights and spending beginning in 2027. Premier Silver will require 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points, Gold 12,000, and top-tier 1K rises to 32,000. Members still need at least four United-operated flights annually, but flying frequently on inexpensive tickets will no longer provide an alternative route to status. The new requirements govern qualification during 2027 for 2028 status.
Southwest is raising its flight requirements, too. Its longtime A-List tier, which currently requires 20 qualifying one-way flights, becomes Silver in 2027 and will require 25. Members can alternatively qualify through 35,000 tier qualifying points, with every eligible dollar spent on Southwest credit cards counting toward that total.
We’ve already examined how the same Hawaiian flight could earn dramatically different Atmos Rewards points. For mainland travelers buying relatively inexpensive Hawaii fares, distance-based earning may be considerably more rewarding, while expensive tickets can favor price-based earning. Under the current rules, the cheapest Saver fares generally earn nothing.
Are the benefits worth what you’re paying?
Southwest currently charges $45 each way for a first checked bag on standard mainland-Hawaii fares. That’s $90 round trip, a meaningful expense if you’re traveling with luggage. Silver status waives that charge, but what happens when another airline has a better fare?
Suppose your preferred airline costs $120 more round trip than a competitor that charges the same baggage fee. Even after paying $90 to check a bag on the cheaper flight, you’re still $30 ahead. If you decide not to check luggage, the entire $120 becomes a potential saving.
Of course, some travelers get considerably more from status than free bags. Preferred seating, priority boarding, flexible changes, and infrequent upgrades have value, particularly on longer Hawaii flights. Someone regularly receiving extra-legroom seats might reasonably pay more to keep those benefits, while a traveler who rarely gets upgraded has a harder calculation to make. And for an entire family, the savings can look entirely different depending on whether baggage and seating benefits extend to everyone on the reservation.
The biggest uncertainty may be upgrades themselves. Our reader Harriett, who commutes between islands once or twice weekly, previously appeared among the top five passengers on Hawaiian’s upgrade lists and regularly received upgrades. More recently, she reported finding herself around twentieth or lower and rarely clearing, despite continuing to fly frequently.
Harriett described those changes in comments on our coverage of the Hawaiian acquisition and its impact on travelers. She also reported higher ticket prices, fewer flight choices, and reduced lounge availability, making her experience particularly costly for someone who depends on regular interisland travel.
Credit cards complicate things further. Airlines let members earn status through everyday spending, but putting major purchases on one carrier’s card can mean giving up better cash back or more flexible rewards elsewhere. We’ve previously explored how Hawaii flights have become closely tied to airline credit card sales, and the 2027 changes are pushing that relationship further.
When the best Hawaii flight available isn’t on your preferred airline.
We’ve changed our own approach to airline loyalty over the years. As we described in why we no longer book Hawaii flights the way we used to, we once paid considerably more attention to preserving status. Today we’re more likely to compare the overall journey, including airports, schedules, cabins, and actual costs, before deciding which airline to fly. Loyalty has dropped way down the list.
That can mean buying the seat you really want rather than hoping for an elusive upgrade, or choosing a competitor’s nonstop flight instead of accepting a connecting flight to stay loyal. The benefits of status must be weighed against the inconvenience or extra expense of using it.
For Hawaii visitors who fly only once or twice a year, the financial rewards of elite status may be modest. Residents and frequent mainland travelers face a more complicated decision, particularly as the new qualification rules begin affecting benefits they previously earned.
Are you still choosing your Hawaii airline partly because of loyalty status, or have you started booking whichever flight works best? We’re especially interested in which perks you actually use, whether you’re still getting upgrades the way you used to, and how much extra you’re now willing to pay to stay loyal.
By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.
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