HawaiianMiles members opened their inboxes today to find something that felt more than routine. The subject line, “Mahalo from HawaiianMiles,” delivered a reminder that the program many of us signed up for decades ago has finally come to a close.
The email read, “As this is your last HawaiianMiles statement, please know how deeply we appreciate your loyalty. Your journey with us is far from over — it’s evolving into something even more rewarding. We can’t wait to see where Atmos Rewards takes you next.”
On the surface, it was polished, upbeat corporate language. Beneath it, the symbolism hit hard. HawaiianMiles, launched in 1983 and tied to the growth of travel to and from the islands, has now sent its last account summary. What comes next is Atmos Rewards, the new Alaska Airlines program that promises reach and flexibility. What ends is a uniquely Hawaii-rooted loyalty identity that carried meaning far beyond points.
Why HawaiianMiles was more than just a card.
When HawaiianMiles was established, frequent flyer programs themselves were still relatively new. American and Delta had just rolled out theirs, and suddenly, even Hawaiian had one of its own.
The HawaiianMiles card that arrived in the mail was a badge of belonging. BOH editor Rob recalls when his first card arrived in the 1980s. It wasn’t just plastic. It was a symbol that the miles earned flying between Honolulu and the mainland, or even between Honolulu and Lihue, might someday open the door to a free Hawaii trip.
That mattered. For residents, it connected everyday travel to family or work with the possibility of an occasional reward. For visitors, it was part of the ritual of returning to the islands, a small but meaningful sign that you belonged.
HawaiianMiles became identity.
Over the decades, HawaiianMiles wove itself into the travel fabric of the islands. Pualani Gold and Platinum status came with orchid-logo luggage tags that travelers used with pride. Upgrades on interisland flights were modest but appreciated. Miles could be earned at the supermarket or gas station, and community fundraisers often asked for donations of HawaiianMiles instead of cash.
Deeply flawed yet equally beloved, HawaiianMiles was Hawaii’s own. Families used miles for honeymoons, for college students flying home, and for long-postponed reunions. Readers have shared stories of saving balances for a decade to take that one memorable trip to Japan or Australia. Others remember redeeming interisland awards that made visiting family easier in years when money was tight.
For us at Beat of Hawaii, the program also resulted in countless first-class upgrades and free trips, both domestically and internationally.
How HawaiianMiles lost its shine over time.
Like every loyalty program, HawaiianMiles changed. Redemptions grew more costly, blackout dates spread, and what once felt reachable often became far more elusive. Readers told us that rewards that had felt generous in the early 2000s became difficult to access in recent years. The frustration grew when seats were technically available but blocked at saver levels.
Still, people stuck with it. Jim, a longtime Pualani Platinum and a loyal flyer between Hawaii and Las Vegas, never stopped. He has held elite status since the program’s inception. For him, the farewell email wasn’t just another marketing note. He called it “the last 19 miles of loyalty for me.”
Atmos Rewards: a colder, corporate future?
Atmos Rewards is the replacement. Hawaiian promises it will be broader, with oneworld and more partners, as well as more ways to earn and spend. From a corporate perspective, that may be true.
From the traveler’s perspective, it feels colder. It is an Alaska Airlines system designed for scale rather than an island-centered program designed for community.
The transition is still in process, but has not been without hitches. Accounts froze, phone centers became overwhelmed, and questions about elite status and interisland benefits lingered. Readers here have told us that promises of “something more rewarding” ring hollow when they cannot even check their balances or when the benefits they valued most no longer apply.
We have covered this extensively in pieces like HawaiianMiles Account Freeze Has Travelers Asking: What Now? and Atmos Rewards Just Gutted Hawaii Flyers. This last statement ties everything together with finality.
Why does this goodbye hit so hard?
The farewell email is brief, but it encompasses more than just housekeeping. It marks a formal close to four decades of loyalty that, for many, was an integral part of their Hawaii story. Nostalgia gives it weight. Some still have their original HawaiianMiles cards tucked in a drawer. Others saved boarding passes from trips paid for with miles. These artifacts tell a story larger than balance sheets.
One reader told us recently, “Goodbye HawaiianMiles. You were never perfect, but you were ours.” That captures what the last statement represents. Atmos Rewards will function, but HawaiianMiles was personal. It was Hawaii’s program.
What it means now.
Travel continues. Flights will operate, balances will migrate in the next couple of weeks, and Atmos will become the new reality. But with the arrival of the last HawaiianMiles statement, an era of Hawaiian Airlines is officially over. It is both fact and symbol, and symbols matter in Hawaii where travel is not just movement but connection to family, place, and memory.
HawaiianMiles wasn’t perfect, but it was personal. Its final statement marks the end of an era that no corporate program can replace. Atmos Rewards will move balances forward, but the orchid-logo card in your drawer will always tell the deeper story of loyalty, memory, and Hawaii.
Did you receive your last email from HawaiianMiles? How did it strike you? Do you still have your original HawaiianMiles card? Share your story below.
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I moved away in 2005 after living in Hawaii for 35 yrs. Still have my old Pualani card from the late 1980s
The reason I have my credit card was because of the miles. Now that it’s ending. I’ll cancel it. I have 80.000 miles and now they’re gone. It’s not fair. I’ll not be giving away 100 a year just to have a master card.
Yes, I still have my orginal HM card. And I just saw in my dresser last week my orginal “Aloha Airlines” card too. They will forever bring good memories of trips taken & flights flown. What’s next we will see!
Aloha Hawaiian Airlines TIL We Meet Again…
I was disappointed when they took away the miles and cash option, I have 200,000 points but love to travel first class, curious what will happen next year
You can easily transfer your miles to Atmos Rewards. If you don’t already have an Atmos Rewards account, go to alaskaair.com, create an account. You can then link your Hawaiian Miles account to Atmos Rewards. It’s pretty easy. I have over 200,000 Hawaiian Miles that will transfer to Atmos Rewards at the end of September. You will not lose your miles.
I donated my remaining Hawaiian miles to charities in the islands.
We have lost our own special Airlines. It feels like we are the children and our parents are getting divorced. It’s a very sad time. I have close to 40,000 miles. Now I’m worried That I’ll lose them and my beloved Airline.
Aloha Nui, Diane H
I just logged into my Hawaiian Miles and booked a flight for next year using miles. All the same- nothing changed. No warnings or anything. Hey maybe they forgot some of us Very old timers! Fingers crossed they did!
PS Beat of Hawaii is The Best!
Will interisland segments remain…thirty flights gets you status with benefits, including access to premiere lounge? If not I see no reason to stay and might as well go to Southwest.
As a former employee of Aloha Airlines, I was initially reluctant to fly on Hawaiian. However, I realized that Hawaiian was the only Hawaii-based airline and supporting them would be supporting Hawaii. I only hope this merger will be a win-win for Hawaiian and Hawaii.
P.S. You need to stop using the photo of an Aloha Airlines flight attendant in your articles about Hawaiian.
It was Fabulous that I could use my Miles for my Children and Then My Grandchildren to Fly with Me.
Also Flying For My monthly visits to California to Check Up on My Aunty Whom Lived Alone ♥️♥️♥️♥️
I only had a few HawaiianMiles left, as I preferred United’s First-class over Hawaiian’s flying out of SFO, so luckily this is not a loss to me. However, I do have a question. Since making purchases on their credit card is not applicable for miles, is there a way to close the account without affecting my credit score? I feel I should not be punished by Hawaiian’s decision to move everything over to to Alaskan Airlines.
It’s best to choose and open a new card Before closing your old one. Merely closing a card will change your credit utilization ratio and can cause a temporary drop in credit score.
I feel so sad because it was an airlines so connected to our people of the islands. Friendly smiles , a niece, a nephew , friends all working for Hawaiian with so much Aloha! Yes the miles program was great for us especially bringing the grandchildren home and many trips. As mentioned before miles were reasonable to redeem until corporate took over. Like anything else it’s all about the money! Let’s see what’s next, if people will change to another airline.
From the minute I boarded Hawaiian Air @ SFO, I always felt the “ALOHA” spirit. Onboard the “OHANA” energy exuded by the Flight Staff was evident before the plane left the runway!
The loss of flying to the Islands on Hawaiian will now be merged with another dreary bleak corporate airline. I’m sad.
Can we count on you to double flights miles to compensate.?
I received my last Hawaiian Airlines email yesterday. It made me sad to read it’s going to be the last email from them. I have loved Hawaiian Airlines and travelled with them for the past 18 years. I’m not sure what all the changes is going to bring, but I sure hope it doesn’t change the crew and their hospitality. Here’s wishing that all the changes will be positive.
That email actually made us feel so sad. Like we had lost a dear friend. I know that may sound strange, but we had a connection. We loved our luggage tags and the beautiful photo on our Hawaiian card. Now it will be Atmos. That word is hard to say and has zero meaning, making zero connection. I have asked several people at Alaska Airlines what it means. They had absolutely no idea. Most said it was a made up word that didn’t stand for anything. Well that certainly gives you zero connection. And Alaska has already shoved the prices and the number of points needed to book travel to the roof. We are absolutely not a fan. We used to love flying Alaska for mainland travel. Not any more. A gal from Alaska Airlines was helping with a Hawaiian flight the other day. She seemed nice enough but zero Aloha, including using those words we loved to hear when being addressed in the boarding area and in flight. Just no Aloha with Alaska Airlines…
Kind of like DOLBY Atmos. 😀
I used to purchase the Noa plan of the Hawaiian Airlines Neighbor Island Travel Program. Give Hawaiian the full payment upfront annually and travel as needed during the year. 60 flight segments with Platinum status. The best investment ever. Yeah you could find better deals with online specials and flash sales but the no hassle convenience of the Noa plan was worth every dollar. I have contacted Hawaiian about having some kind of similar travel program but have received no response. Sad.
Being back Aloha Airlines!
Aloha Airlines had my loyalty, not Hawaiian. It was a gut punch when they ceased operations. Even now, I have no connection to Hawaiian Airlines — the only thing I’ll regret is their widebody flights to/from the West Coast.
Got my last Miles statement today. Since I hardly travel I only hope interisland stays relatively the same and the new Huakai lasts forever with that free bag allowance and it’s few sales perks.
Bracing for a Virgin America future. 😦😯
Alaska’s integration of Hawaiian is going the wrong way. Planes are being “mined” for Seattle hub growth, while Hawaiʻi routes and employees get left behind. Hawaiian just went through a willing but unqualified CEO who failed in a time of need and left the company in debt and still got his parachute — now employees feel doubly betrayed. Add to that the cold “Atmos” branding, and it looks like Hawaiian’s identity is being erased.
Joe Sprague, you say you lead with Christian faith. Please show it here: protect Hawaiian jobs, routes, and cultural identity. Alaska can do much better than this.
Respectfully, I totally disagree. Alaska Airlines was the perfect partner for the soon-to-be-bankrupt Hawaiian Airlines. Personally, Alaska was extremely kind to us and our elderly dog when we moved to Hawaii during the pandemic. Hawaiian Airlines is noted for being very dog-unfriendly. Also, Atmos is one of the best frequent flyer programs. United, Delta, Southwest, or American Airlines would have totally gutted any benefits.
I loved reading this—it really captured the emotional attachment to HawaiianMiles. It wasnt just a loyalty program; it felt like a personal connection to Hawaii itself. The nostalgia and the sense of loss really came through.
We can only hope that Alaska is able to retain some of the Ohana feeling behind Hawaiian Airlines.