Hawaii travelers, brace for yet another major change. Alaska Airlines, now the owner of Hawaiian Airlines, confirmed its intention to launch flights to Europe starting in 2026. The move marks yet another dramatic expansion of its international ambitions.
Not likely from Honolulu directly, but Hawaii is still onboard.
During a recent Wings Club event in New York, Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci announced, “Europe is definitely on the radar for 2026.” But while the news made waves, there was no mention of European flights launching from Hawaii. And clearly that’s no accident.
Honolulu’s geography, while iconic, adds distance and logistical complexity compared to the already established and far higher-demand international hub at Seattle. It’s not just about range—it’s about operational efficiency, passenger volume, rules, and more.
This is why Seattle is expected to be the new springboard for flights across the Atlantic. And with Hawaiian Airlines now entirely under Alaska’s umbrella, the Dreamliners currently based in Honolulu can be repositioned to support that plan.
Hawaiian Dreamliners take center stage.
The aircraft of choice for these upcoming transatlantic routes is almost certain: the Hawaiian Airlines Dreamliner. The fleet’s new Boeing 787-9s offer extended range, next-generation fuel efficiency, and premium seating, positioning Alaska to compete well against domestic and international carriers.
It’s no secret that these jets were once envisioned to connect Hawaii directly with Europe. That dream faded in recent years as the realities of cost, staffing, and route profitability set in. But the planes themselves remain ideal for long-haul expansion.
We previously reported how the Dreamliner quietly shifted from a Hawaii play to a Hawaii-Asia tool, adding international travel to the route map. Just days later, a more ambitious plan emerged that kept Hawaii in the network but repositioned its flagship aircraft further afield for strategic gains abroad.
Connections through Seattle keep Hawaii in the mix.
Seattle is rapidly becoming the new focal point of expansion for Hawaiian/Alaska. Flights to Tokyo launch in May, with Seoul following in September. Europe is now slated for 2026, forming a trio of major overseas markets connected through a single mainland hub. A dozen routes abroad will be arriving in the next five years or sooner.
For Hawaii-based travelers, this isn’t bad news. It means a reliable one-stop itinerary from Honolulu to Europe via Seattle, likely with through-ticketing, mileage accrual, and streamlined baggage handling. And for Hawaii-bound visitors coming from Europe, it opens up a clean connection all the way westward. We can attest that traveling from Hawaii to Europe and back has not been entirely easy up to this point.
The shift also avoids attempting what would likely be low-performing nonstop Hawaii–Europe routes, as Hawaiian had envisioned in the past. Such 14-hour routes would lack sufficient year-round demand.
Past strategy gives way to global ambition.
This move fits squarely into the post-merger narrative we’ve been tracking for over a year. Hawaiian’s widebody fleet has already begun being repurposed, first with A330s repositioned to Alaska-controlled routes and Dreamliners now at the center of the future long-haul strategy.
It’s also another marker in the slow fade of Honolulu’s once-imagined role as a global gateway. As we reported in our recent article on widebody realignment, Hawaii’s direct international dreams are giving way to mainland-based networks.
Still, Hawaii isn’t out of the picture. It’s integral. These new routes will succeed even more with the Hawaii feed. The volume of passengers flowing from Honolulu, Maui, and other islands into Seattle will benefit European service.
What it means for Hawaii travelers.
This development adds another layer of complexity—and opportunity—for Hawaii-based travelers. For those who once hoped to fly nonstop to Europe, this won’t fulfill a wish that may never come to fruition. But it does offer better service, newer aircraft, and potentially competitive fares compared to legacy options.
More importantly, it reflects how Alaska envisions Hawaii fitting into its broader airline puzzle. Rather than a standalone international gateway, as had been the case with Hawaiian Airlines, the islands are now positioned as a critical component for global expansion. While this is a very different role from what Hawaiian Airlines once envisioned, it may offer more stability in the long run.
Expect tighter schedules between Hawaii and Seattle, bundled Europe fares, and likely added marketing efforts aimed at U.S.–Europe travelers interested in combining Hawaii into their itinerary. This play is getting more interesting.
Seattle’s rise, and what Honolulu loses.
Seattle is not just winning new routes. It’s winning stature and positioning Alaska in an entirely new role. With Dreamliners ready and long-haul gates being readied, the city is quickly stepping into a role once imagined for Honolulu. Hawaii is becoming more of a contributor to international service, not the originator.
And that’s not necessarily a loss. For many travelers, convenience is more about reliability, pricing, and quality of service than the departure city. A seamless itinerary from Hawaii to Europe with a single stop in Seattle may be a better deal overall for Hawaiian, Alaska, and their customers.
What’s next?
We expect route announcements for Europe to be imminent, possibly timed around regulatory developments or fleet shifts. London, Frankfurt, and Paris are obvious contenders, but that will depend on partnership alignment, airport, and aircraft.
The larger question is how this changes traveler expectations. Hawaiian Airlines built its reputation on its long-haul direct flights from Hawaii. That’s now giving way to an entirely different dual-brand strategy led by Alaska, with hubs and partnerships taking priority over legacy ideas of more nonstop island flights.
This could still benefit Hawaii travelers, especially if it brings lower fares, better connections, and a wider route map. But Hawaiian Airlines’ identity and what it means to fly from the islands continue to shift. On the other hand, as we have suggested many times, Hawaiian was quickly heading towards bankruptcy before Alaska stepped in.
Let us know what you think. Would you take a Hawaii–Europe itinerary via Seattle? Or are nonstop flights still the dream?
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I have never been supportive of the Hawaiian / Alaska merge. As a local resident from Hawaii who knows the history of Hawaiian airlines and to see the brand, the people and the dream diminish by an airline who has a deity on their tail aka Alaska. Even with the positioning of the a330s. Specifically speaking of the route from Seattle to Alaska using a Hawaiian airlines aircraft. Doesn’t that create confusion? Aircrafts that is branded with Hawaiian airlines should specifically be used for Hawaii. If that’s the case then just paint some of your aircrafts with your deity. Very disappointed because Hawaiian airlines used to fly to Europe directly from Honolulu when they had the L-1011. The airline will never be the same. I conduct my business whether it’s neighbor island or mainland with Southwest airlines.
We will definitely be looking at companies other then Alaska/Hawaiian to get to Hawaii. Alaska you have taken our wide body traveling to Hawaii away from us and we will no longer use you to fly anywhere . G.H.
MJ, yes a break in the journey with a good night’s rest is the preferred way. Just to correct you on routing, the great circle course is over the ocean then makes landfall virtually on the Canada Alaska border, across northern Canada (Nunavut) the Arctic Ocean, Bagfin Bay, Greenland, the North Atlantic (North of Iceland ) and then down to Scotland and down to London. So you would avoid Mainland airspace apart from Northern Canada whether you stop in ANC or fly straight through.
Interesting comments here. No need for political statements. Let’s keep it business driven, which is what the airlines do. I think the other airlines’ mainland links make planes fly through crowded air corridors and a variety of bad weather. Going through Seattle or Anchorage and over the polar cap is a much easier route to Europe. I think Hawaii as a destination will become more popular for German business persons on vacation (which they call “holiday” and is usually 4-5 weeks). They save for years to go on holiday in the U.S, be it Disney World or Hawaii. They do have the money for an Hawaiian vacation. As for me, I’d rather take a 787 with a stop in Seattle or Anchorage than go through the mainland airspace.
Harry B, my point was not political, in fact the reverse. Many would be travelers are not engaged in US politics. The German consumers are surprisingly fond of Hawaii given the distance and it Would be a mistake to assume they are all on low incomes. For routes to work they need to pull consumers at both ends. The trick would be to balance the mix of classes in both directions. If Alaska do join the AA/JL JV then the next step might be joining the AA/BA JV. As I said though whether this would benefit Hawaii or be restricted yo the mainland is another matter.
It is regrettable that so many posters mistake this for a political site. That said the Alaska approach to join the AA-JL JV brings an interesting new dimension. I only hope that HNL does not become the poor relation and Seattle or Anchorage reap all the new planes and benefits.
Pretty sure the legacy big three already offer one stop connections to Europe. All this does is remove premium seating and service from Hawaii, leaving the market with more crummy domestic first class seats for red eye service to the mainland. #yawn
After tarriff’s on BMW’s and european automobiles how likely are people from Europe willing to travel and spend money in the USA? Sounds more about How Hawaiians can travel to Europe and back than the other way around.
Don, The political sphere has very limited influence on regular folks. Germans are already very angry with the EU and support for AFD is growing and they are very pro Trump. Germany is a large market for Hawaii bound travelers. It may come as a shock to the Liberal folks in the US but the average German or Brit is nothing like as anti Trump as the media try to pretend, whether it is CNN, BBC or DW.
@Rich – AfD / FPO gained 25-30% in most recent elections in Germany and Austria. While increases from the past, there are still a large number of people who are opposed to the current administration in the USA.
The USA and especially Hawaii are not a cheap vacation destination. I am doubtful that all of the AFD voters will have the finances to visit the USA no matter how much they like what is happening in the USA.
Just a thought…..
If AS/HA is successful with the routes to Europe through the Seattle hub, don’t you think one or all of the big three legacy carriers (AA, DL, UA) will answer with routes through their mainland hubs? They already have numerous nonstop flights to Europe from various mainland cities, and only need to tweak their Hawaii/mainland routes to make the connections convenient.
They aleady have the aircraft needed, and they have “slots” at all the “slot” controlled airports like LHR. Can’t imagine AA, DL, and UA, will stand around and watch AS/HA expand into Europe without offering some competition. Just a thought.
One thing that Alaska is saying in this move, if and when it happens, is that they are not expecting the Japanese market to Hawaii to return anytime soon. As many know, Hawaiian’s whole international expansion was premised on Asian tourists coming to Hawaii, with Hawaiian being the main carrier of them to the State. When COVID hit and the market dried up, the natural move was for Hawiian to do what its new parent, Alaska, is doing – set up a mainland city base where long haul routes would be easier to run due to the expansion of the available travel market in the area. Hawaiian would have had to spend almost a billion dollars getting that running on its own. Now with Alaska, and its established base at Seattle, I betcha starting long haul services like to Europe, on Hawaiian metal, is a lot cheaper.
Plenty of options to get from Hawaii to Europe with one stop. The big change would be a non-stop, but clearly Alaska is going the opposite direction by moving all our long haul international routes and planes out of HNL – very sad.
Not too surprised…it was a safe bet Alaska was planning on maximizing the potential of the Hawaiian brand. Alaska is a great airline with a strong domestic reputation but it’s a safe bet using the Hawaiian Air brand for International expansion is a good call.
You are spot on that the International travel options for Hawaii will morph into a healthy combination of hubs in HNL and SEA with more options than the stand alone Hawaiian could have ever done. I’ve heard PDX will be getting a couple International flights too?
Regarding Seattle routes, look for Alaska to do SEA-SYD as a new A350 nonstop. Qantas is eyeing the route already. Nobody flies nonstop right now.
Europe to Seattle to feed into Alaska’s system, or Alaska to Hawaii…what to do. What to do.
Sorry. I mean Europe to Hawaii or Europe to Seattle to feed Alaska’s network.
What many people don’t know is that in the early ’70s and ’80s Hawaiian airlines used to fly directly from Honolulu to different parts of Europe, Germany and other cities. The equipment they used was an L10-11. Due to the complexities of the aircraft and the frequent breakdowns they halted their European destinations. So with the right equipment Hawaiian can still go from Honolulu to these European countries directly however being that Alaska owns Hawaiian airlines now, which is a huge disappointment. Don’t even get me started on the corruption and lies. Truthfully I do not fly Hawaiian since it’s been sold to Alaska. I now fly on Southwest. Alaska is deteriorating the Pualani brand. Pualani, unlike Chester on Alaska is a real person not a deity. My suggestion to Alaska is rebrand those planes with your deity. And if you truly want to promote the Hawaiian brand you would use it only in Hawaii markets. Example Honolulu to Las Vegas, Honolulu to Los Angeles. Anything from HNL.
No. Hawaiian did not fly to Europe or did not fly L-1011’s in the late 70’s or early 80’s. They got their first L-1011’s in 1985, some very used L-1011-100’s.
Even if they had bought the long range -500 version, that plane would have been about 1,000 miles short in range
True that Goforaride….in addition Hawaiian was in no position for this kind of expansion with the 900 million debt load they were carrying. Now with the stock market in freefall, inflation increasing and young inexperienced computer wiz’s playing at “Reorganizing the Government” while Americas standing in the world plummets it would have been be a very dangerous time for Hawaiian to carry that debt and weather the current economy alone.
This is a route I would love to see but if AS/HA were to do it, it couldn’t be on the A350 because they don’t have any and none on order. The 787 would be ideal for this route.
Qantas has been talking about this for years–I will believe it when I see it. However, AS and Qantas are both in OneWorld, so who knows? Maybe both of them could do the route but not on the same days. Since, as you pointed out, SEA-SYD nonstops don’t exist currently, I like a one-stop option via HNL, which breaks up the trip better than via SFO or LAX.
Does AS have A350s on order??? Considering they were/are a Boeing-exclusive operator, one would conclude that additional B787s (beyond those already on order by HA) would comprise a long-haul fleet upgraade.
HNL-LHR summer route would be a game changer for Hawaiian and Hawaii. The 787 is capable of the non stop and with correct timing it would open up European cities to Hawaii.
That’s an interesting idea, for sure. Keep in mind, though, that LHR is tightly slot controlled. For AS, just getting slots will be challenging. If they do get slots, allocating them to routes is a zero sum game.