Once central and exclusive to Hawaii routes to the mainland and internationally, Hawaiian Airlines’ widebody aircraft have officially found a new purpose. Alaska Airlines, which now owns Hawaiian Airlines, is fast repurposing these planes for an extremely ambitious global expansion plan, which was further revealed on December 10 Investor Day.
This includes gutting the A330 widebody interiors, including new seats and a premium economy offering, and eventually moving some or all of them to Seattle.
For many Hawaii travelers, including BOH editors, this marks what feels like the beginning of the end in a long and highly nostalgic era as some of these spacious and familiar widebody jets begin to be seen elsewhere. That even as Alaska says that it is flying more widebodies to Hawaii at the same time.
Not only that, but Alaska has plans to transform these aircraft quite literally, as you’ll see below.
Hawaiian’s widebodies take flight outside Hawaii.
These widebody aircraft are key to Alaska Airlines’ strategy to serve current and twelve new destinations across Europe and Asia by 2030. The first three routes using the Hawaiian widebodies, all originating from Seattle and not Honolulu, are already set to launch in the spring and signal a bold move into long-haul international travel for Alaska.
Which Hawaiian widebody routes will be spared?
Alaska Airlines has not yet detailed in full the extent to which widebody aircraft will continue servicing Hawaii routes rather than being replaced by a combination of Hawaiian “metal” A321 and Alaska’s MAX fleet. Certain long-haul flights, such as those to New York, Tokyo, and Sydney, necessitate widebody planes due to their range requirements. However, the future deployment of these aircraft on West Coast routes remains uncertain and appears to be a lesser priority for Alaska.
During the recent Investor Day presentation, Alaska focused repeatedly on mainland hubs Seattle, Portland, and San Diego. This strategic shift suggests to us that some Hawaii widebody routes may be reevaluated or discontinued, including those to Boston and potentially Auckland.
New Hawaiian widebody routes from Seattle signal Alaska’s global ambitions.
Alaska Airlines has announced its first two international routes as part of its global expansion plans. Starting in May 2025, the airline will launch direct service from Seattle to Tokyo Narita, followed by Seattle to Seoul Incheon in October 2025. These new routes mark Alaska’s debut in the transpacific market and a significant step in its goal to establish a global presence.
While Alaska has yet to reveal additional destinations, the airline’s plan to serve 12 international cities by 2030 points to further connections in Asia and Europe. Speculation includes potential routes to major hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, London, and Frankfurt. Alaska emphasized Seattle’s strategic location as a gateway for long-haul travel, noting that the city’s northern latitude offers shorter connections to many international destinations than other mainland gateways.
During the December 10 Investor Day presentation, Alaska acknowledged that developing these international routes will require time. Still, the airline expressed confidence in its ability to compete in global markets as part of its long-term strategy.
Mixed reactions are coming in from Hawaii travelers.
For many travelers, the reassignment of widebodies has sparked mixed emotions. Longtime Hawaiian Airlines customers lament the loss of the widebody experience on Hawaii routes, known for its comfort and more spacious seating.
Paul L shared, “The main reason I fly Hawaiian from Seattle to Hawaii is the wide-body aircraft that allows me to have only two seats together, avoiding a middle seat. Alaska flights to Hawaii are single-aisle with a seating configuration of 3 and 3.”
Paul will likely be spared, as the widebody connection between Hawaii and Seattle appears solidly within Alaska’s current and future plans.
Another commenter, Gaye H, echoed this sentiment: “The narrow-body planes are 3-3 configuration, meaning we have to sit next to a stranger who would have to climb over us to go to the restroom. It’s very inconvenient.”
While some travelers are disappointed, others see Alaska’s focus on efficiency and profitability as the inevitable direction of modern airlines. Chris remarked, “Alaska only cares about delivering dividends to shareholders and making money—it’s what companies do.”
What’s next for Alaska Airlines and Hawaii travelers?
Alaska Airlines’ goal of reaching 12 international destinations by 2030 is ambitious. While just the first two routes are confirmed, speculation about the remaining destinations includes major European and Asian cities. Alaska’s strategic location at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport serves as the natural primary gateway for these expansions.
Despite these bold plans, challenges remain. Steve F highlighted the competitive landscape at Alaska’s Seattle hub, saying, “AS has to be very careful about expanding to international destinations out of SEA. There is already a lot of competition from Delta and foreign carriers.”
A case in point is Tokyo Narita, where Alaska will suddenly compete head-to-head with formidable international carriers.
For Hawaii travelers, integrating HawaiianMiles into Alaska’s Mileage Plan by 2025 ensures that loyalty rewards will carry over, even as the aircraft and service configurations may change.
Needed widebody upgrades to aim for quick payback.
To maximize the value of Hawaiian’s widebody planes, Alaska Airlines plans to retrofit the fleet with premium upgrades for long-haul travel and international travel. These modifications include enhanced seating, improved inflight entertainment, and other adjustments. Alaska expects these upgrades to pay off within two years, signaling its confidence in the profitability of the international “high-premium” routes.
Still, some remain skeptical of this approach. Tom observed, “It’s so amusing to read people talking about the fact that they love the wide body service Hawaiian offered for the mainland. Yeah, it was spacious—that’s also why they went out of business.”
Premium economy will come to the Hawaiian fleet for the first time.
As we’ve long bemoaned, Alaska noted that a true premium economy segment is needed for the Hawaiian widebody fleet. Alaska said that the A330 needs to be completely redone, and we expect to see a true and separate premium economy section featuring fewer, wider seats with more legroom and premium service.
Premium economy is also coming to the 787 Dreamliner. Two are currently flying, and Alaska plans to take delivery of 10 more to stay competitive.
A bold new chapter for Alaska Airlines.
The departure of some to most Hawaiian Airlines’ widebody planes from Hawaii routes represents both a loss and an opportunity. For Hawaii travelers, the transition to narrow-body service is a step away from the comfort they’ve come to expect. Yet Alaska’s expanded international routes also open doors to new travel possibilities from Hawaii.
As Alaska Airlines prepares to execute its bold plans, its success will hinge on balancing efficiency, profitability, and passenger satisfaction. The bold shift redefines Hawaii travel and positions Alaska Airlines as a major global competitor for the first time.
We welcome your thoughts on these big changes ahead.
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In the same way that Alaska flies and has hubs outside of the state of Alaska, I would love it if they get Hawaiian to do the same. It would be great to fly with Hawaiian rather than a mainland carrier as long as they make every attempt to keep the airline rooted in Hawaii and don’t scale back in a way that affects locals.
You can make a case that the Hawaiian brand is a great marketing tool. It will be interesting to see the reaction to the HA A330 flying SEA /ANC this summer. Hawaii lites a lot of people up even when they aren’t going there.
To me, at least, None of this is surprising. The “old” Hawaiian Airlines could not fully Effectively utilize its A330 fleet, simply due to its route structure. Increasing the airframe utilization on various long-haul flights, makes perfect sense. Hawaiian residents, of which I am one, have been “spoiled” by Hawaiian Airlines’ structural inefficiencies (that were not sustainable financially in the long-run). Alaska Airlines has not lied or mislead anyone. They will reposition aircraft usage that makes sense. I, for one, don’t mind the 3×3 configuration to the mainland, whether it be on a 737 or A321neo. I’d rather have a healthy airline instead of a bankrupt one (Exactly where the “old” Hawaiian Airlines was undoubtedly headed). Things will change. Adapt. We survived Aloha Airlines bankruptcy (although I miss the warm chocolate chip cookies). This is much less disruptive and good in the long-run. We may not get 2-4-2 seating going forward, but prices should be OK.
Well said Aloha M
Spot on with facts and not emotions as others who are thinking ALL the widebody flying will be exiting HNL.
The A330’s will be utilized more efficiently a problem that the former HA leadership didn’t take advantage of. Flights to Every destination going west will still be on the schedule with the exception of Narita, but u will still have Haneda which is also in Tokyo, also, BTW! Now with increased seats to SEA, PDX, SFO, LAX, SAN from HNL connecting throughout the mainland will be seamlessly done with one airline.
Yes, I am an AS crew member, and, no I am no just drinking the Kool aid! Everything I have seen so far through all the announcements on the merger are establishing a solid foundation for a very successful AS/HA merged family!
Spot on Christopher. Some emotional sky is falling comments here but the reality is Alaska bought Hawaiian to maximize the synergies these two carriers create, which is substantial. Two very complimentary employee groups that will experience substantial growth and opportunities going forward….those opportunities will be creating numerous benefits to the traveling public.
I’ll add my approval to Aloha M, Christopher and John. Everybody wins when the right aircraft are used as they were designed to be used. Lots of non-stop, full flights keeps the airlines in business. A330’s are inefficient and loose money on 3-5 hr legs flying with 90% load factors. They are rapidly becoming retired to fly cargo.
The A330 are required by U.S. law to have accessible toilets. As someone who has a handicap, this is why I try and only fly wide body planes. Let’s hope they continue to be available from Maui to the mainland.
Hey guys. Will wide-bodies still fly the LAX -Hono route? Can’t find that information anywhere. We flew the narrow-bodies once …never again.
Right now deciding as to whether to keep our Hawaiian credit cards. And lamenting saying goodbye to the heart felt flying experience that was Hawaiian.
Mahalo
Currently, HNL-LAX: Hawaiian flies A330s on HA10, HA4, and flies a 787 on HA2. Delta flies 767s on DL422, DL427, and DL658. United flies a 777 on UA1169. You can see equipment via Google flights. Subject to change. lol
Hawaiian is going to two 787 flights between HNL/LAX shortly.
We would love to see flights from Denver added. United has a lock on non-stops from Denver and their pricing reflects it.
A little healthy competition would be a good thing
Seeingthe financial pitfalls Hawaiian had dug itself into; repeating some of those mistakes would just make the financial woes even deeper (which is not sustainable). It is a breath of fresh air to see the taking over of debt as well as quick steps to turn the failing financial practices around. No one knows if these moves all will work, but doing nothing is certainly a recipe for continued failure. If Alaska remains healthy, than the Hawaiian pieces will become healthier. Let’s all cross our fingers and hope for the best.
This is terrible news. Seattle’s airport is bad and to busy now.
If you want to fly to Japan from Hawaii it will add 10+ hours to the trip! That’s bad!
I agree with you John. I often fly west and having to travel to east for 10+ hours to head west is horrible for those living in Hawaii. Nice try Alaska Airlines but it is clear your focus is not on our islands!
From Hawaii you can take Hawaiian Airlines to Haneda which I last checked was in Japan and is a route that Hawaiian Airlines flies.
Exactly Frank as well as Osaka and Fukuoka. Hawaiian/Alaska is very smart to grow the PNW to Asia traffic now while the Hawaii vacation traffic is still below pre Covid levels. Hawaiian is a very popular brand in Asia and will be in great position to capitalize on the return of the leisure market when it returns to Hawaii. The Hawaiian brand and the Alaska feed will be a winner to Asia.
But you can fly direct to Japan from Honolulu on many other and far better airlines . . . Try JAL or ANA and you won’t miss Hawaiian if they cut back on direct flights East.
You will still have plenty of options to fly direct from HNL to Japan. My goodness, ANA files an A380! You don’t have to route through SEA.
No plans to cancel the HND route from HNL. Actually increases two double daily.
I predicted this a few weeks ago and many commentators felt I was wrong, This is just the beginning, one just has to look @ the Continental-United merger as a blueprint.
Evan, predicted what? Alaska is using the Hawaiian brand to expand it’s SEA hub with new routes to Asia and has been clear that they plan on using and expanding the Hawaiian Air brand for the marketing edge it gives them in the Pacific …..United never planned on using the “Continental” brand. It was a purchase of their assets …. I don’t see any correlation at all.
I’m glad I ditched my hawaiian air credit card. Given the changes Alaska airlines is making to the hawaiian wide body service, I’ll stay with United when traveling to the mainland.
Be careful what you wish for…. *Three* of the last four United flights I’ve taken to the mainland have had interior cabin problems (broken tray table combined with a broken seat, and 2x broken seat back entertainment system). I actually try to avoid United Airlines. Delta has also been bad (broken seat). I’ve had better experiences on Alaska, Hawaiian, and Southwest to the mainland. At least Hawaiian gives you a snack to the mainland.
Probably going to ditch mine fairly soon. Rumor is Alaska wants to transfer everyone over to their card which Bank of America issues. I refuse to to business with BoA. They Suck!
For this customer its simple. Get me to Hawaii on a wide body plane, with a two seat configuration, in a premium cabin. Whichever airline gets there first gets my business. Its that simple. Bring it on! And Yes Delta… go for it!
If my only choice is a 3×3 seat configuration. I’m done with Hawaii. I will go somewhere else.
I hope those wide body planes acquired by Alaska Airlines are Airbus planes, and future purchases will favor Airbus, as they are the best and safest passenger planes. The Boeing corporation is in safety free fall and manufacturing mismanagement Still, and the chaos continues to this day with more and more whistleblowers!
Re: Hawaiian wide bodies shifting to Seattle. This is just the beginning. All this hype about keeping Hawaiian “Hawaiian” is just political window-dressing needed to keep state and federal politicians at ease. Just wait until Alaska scores that much coveted single operating certificate. At first, everything will be the same, but once the airline industry hits financial turbulence, all bets are off. That is when Hawaiian really gets absorbed into Alaska with a merged fleet, merged ticket counters, new aircraft liveries, etc. Maybe even a new name. Forget Alaska and Hawaiian. Maybe the fully merged airline becomes “Air West” or “Pacific Airlines” to use names from the past which could be acquired quite easily.
But another even bigger threat may soon arise. Remember what happened to Southwest? Could easily happen to Alaska, and quite soon. Stay tuned….
As someone (not me) somewhere joked about it several months ago, “Ala-Wai Airlines” would maintain a connection to Alaska and Hawaiian, and add a connection to Honolulu and its Ala Wai Canal!
IMO sounds like Alaska airlines makes the final call. So much for the Hawaiian “Entitled” people out there. Even the “Entitled” frequent flyers will loose out in this deal. Sounds like the only people that are “Entitled” are the airline employee’s and their operation decisions.
So sad too bad.
So far Hawaiian will be operating all the same cities with Widebodies that they do now except SEA will get increased widebody flights as well as Hawaiian will be flying to Asia from SEA. They will also be flying SEA-ANC this summer with 330’s. Alaska has committed to keeping the 330’s and the timetable for their further International expansion seems to be in synch with the arrival of the Dreamliners. Plenty of 330’s will be available for the increase in traffic that the synergies of this merger create for Hawaii. Don’t see any sunset of widebody flights to Hawaii in their plan, just a lot of new opportunities.
The bigger picture here in short is…
by better AS HA fleet utilization, Alaska Air Group has magically created 7 additional planes for route use out of thin air. What this means are more jobs, routes, and choices for Alaska Air Groups customers and employees.
Congratulations Alaska and Hawaiian
Correct Klima, this is a result of the synergies this merger creates. HA was limited by a using a daily round trip to the west coast, now with expanding their flights throughout the day and creating numerous connecting fit options they have effectively created a lot more utilization of their fleet. There will be more A330 and Neo routes system wide. They couldn’t do this till they had the option to connect with the entire Alaska route system
Excellent point, KimaBXsst. Aircraft utilization is key to the Alaska-Hawaiian merger. It is not a “I win-you lose” situation. Better utilization can lead to better outcomes for all.
My wife has a medical condition that requires her to lay down for flights longer than 2 hours. Removing wide body planes without that feature means we won’t be able to travel there. Are any of the other airlines (other than Hawaiian), planning lay flat flight from SFO to the islands?
Steven, HA will still be flying an A330 daily to HNL from SFO, possibly twice daily…..if it’s closer for you they are adding an A330 to Sacramento…not sure of the other Bay Area flts.
United has them but only on their 777 flights from SFO.
Not surprised. The gutting begins. I fear my January trip to Rarotonga will be my last true Hawaiian experience. Probably going to look into cancelling my Hawaiian CC in the near future too, as I refuse to do business with BoA
As expected alaska airlines is already going back in all their promises to the Hawaiian residents.
Eliminating all the bigger planes to send them to Europe was their plan all along.
Do Not want to fly a neoA321 for 5 hours to the west coast from the outer Islands or even Honolulu..
Alaska just played the government and do not give a damn about over a million people who do want to fly your 321 Neo small plane.
And what’s the plan for inter Island plane future?
Now they steal the dreamliners Hawaii bought for Asia and the pacific rim from Hawaii. And now their going to send them somewhere else. Just pathetic.
So if this all happens?
Bye Alaska. Sorry to Hawaiian the best airline in the sky.
Not sure how you think Alaska is sending their wide body’s away? They are in fact increasing their utilization, no west coast city is losing any wide body service, Seattle is getting more and possibly Portland.
LAX is getting two Dreamliner flights
Alaska currently has late flights coming from Seattle and Anchorage and also red eye departures. These are later than HA’s current LAX and LAS red eyes. Do you think they will keep these flights and times and service out of Terminal 1? Will HA take over Anchorage too?
Has there been any indication about if they’re going to keep flying to the mid west cities; Auston,
Las Vegas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City? If so are they going to keep the wide bodies on those routes? I’m a frequent flyer of both Alaska and Hawaiian airlines.
End of an era for certain. Looks less and less like we will be going back to Hawaii anymore. First we aren’t really welcomed by the Hawaiians, which hurts, and now we have to travel like a canned sardine. Aloha
Was there any indication if the A330s destined for Seattle-Asia routes would be transferred to Alaska’s operating certificate and operated as Alaska Airlines? Or will they remain Hawaiian Airlines (at least for now)?
There’s no indiction anything’s going to happen to the A330’s so far. Hawaiian also operates 6 A330PF’s for Amazon with 4 more or on order.
I was going to ask the same thing! The article doesn’t mention branding of new international service by Alaska as Alaska airlines or Hawaiian. I would think that long haul international from Seattle would be Alaska since those flights works have no Hawaii connection anymore.
Hi guys.
Our take from the call is that these will be operated as Hawaiian at least for now. That could change of course as this is developing.
Aloha.
Wonder what changes are going to have to be made in HA’s tech operations at HNL if the widebodies are going to be based in SEA?
Best Regards
Hi Jay.
Yes, that’s a whole other subject.
Aloha.
These widebodies felt like part of the islands themselves some how. It’s sad to see them repurposed for something that doesn’t include us any more. Changing times hurts.
Seattle gets everything. It’s frustrating to see Hawaii lose out again, but at least the planes aren’t going to waste and the people keep their jobs.
Alaska doesn’t even care about their namesake “Alaska” anymore. They’re pretty much “Seattle Airways” at this point
Probably well thought out. And Alaska’s focus on profit isn’t surprising, but I don’t think they’re factoring in the loyalty Hawaiian built with these planes.
I can’t stand the 3-3 layout on narrow-body planes and the Dreamliner. It’s a step back for passenger comfort.
The comfort of two-seat rows on Hawaiian’s A330 widebodies will be hard to replace. Wonder what economy will look like on those in the future. Alaska keeping these planes on some routes, like Seattle, is a relief, but what about everywhere else?
We knew this was inevitable. Widebodies cost too much for what they brought in, so this move makes sense from a business perspective. Nonetheless…
Hawaiian’s widebodies made the long flights feel so much shorter and easier. Hawaiian and Alaska’s smaller planes just don’t compare.
We have always felt a wide body was more comfortable than a narrow body airplane, but we moved our Portland to Hawaii flying from Hawaiian to Alaska’s narrow bodies several years ago. Direct flights to neighbor islands and better pricing using companion fares were the main reasons. Portland doesn’t seem to have the traffic to support a widebody to the Big Island, Maui, or Kauai. Alaska is more generous with upgrades and benefits for more frequent flyers as well.
Sorry. I meant A330 not A300.
I always loved flying Hawaiian’s widebodies for their comfort. It’s a shame to see them leaving Hawaii, but Alaska’s global plans sound interesting too. Time will tell.
BOH, mahalo for the update. This would open-up some intriguing one-ticket Oneworld Alliance travel possibilities, e.g., one-stop from HNL to SEA to HEL, with Seattle to Helsinki being on Finnair (2025 seasonal = May to August). That would also open-up possibilities for interesting around the world ticket options out of SEA and HNL since Finnair and Oneworld’s JAL do non-stop from Tokyo to Helsinki, and Finnair has a good network within Europe and beyond (its website states “over 1000 destinations in 150 countries worldwide”).
Where do the Dreamliners fit into this?
If the Alaska Air Execs miss the SFO/SJC routes, they’ll be fools. Where’s the money? There.
Forget the good old days. Today, the vast majority of air tickets are purchased based on price because air travel is a commodity. Like gasoline or milk. Frequent Flyer redemptions fill the majority of 1st class seats in this market. Schedule and number of available flights are the next deciding factor. The A300 is not efficient enough to be used in this environment for very long. A350 blows it away in efficiency. A220 is super efficient and will become the preferred choice for both passengers (3+2)and airlines.
Meant A330, not A300. Sorry.