After three decades, HawaiianMiles is on borrowed time. The program that once offered easy and relatively affordable travel for loyal flyers is being replaced from the ground up.
Starting in August 2025, all HawaiianMiles members will be moved to a new and unified loyalty system under Alaska Airlines. The new program hasn’t been given a name yet, but the message is clear: HawaiianMiles is over.
Updated May 22: We’ve now heard directly from Hawaiian Airlines and Barclays—what they said, and what they didn’t, leaving more questions. Read the latest important update.
This shift has been anticipated ever since Alaska and Hawaiian announced their airline deal in December 2023, and we’ve revealed pieces of the changes as we’ve learned them. What wasn’t clear until now was the timing—and the fine print. The countdown has officially begun for Hawaii travelers, including us, who’ve built up years of miles, credit card perks, and habits.
What’s really ending in August.
The changeover becomes official in August 2025. No exact day has been announced when HawaiianMiles will fully retire, but travelers should expect the transition to happen sometime after mid-month. Once it begins, HawaiianMiles will no longer be a usable program. You won’t be able to earn or redeem miles under it, and the branding itself will disappear.
Your miles won’t vanish, but a different set of rules will govern them. All points will roll into the new Alaska Airlines loyalty program, which is expected to resemble Alaska’s current Mileage Plan closely. The transfer ratio is 1:1 with HawaiianMiles and is already live for those who link their accounts.
If you’ve been waiting to spend or transfer your miles before this happens, that window is now. After August, the opportunity to take advantage of any Hawaiian-specific perks will be gone for good.
One longtime reader Mark M. wrote, “I’ve been holding onto my HawaiianMiles hoping for another great redemption and trip, but after the Alaska merger and changes coming to the program, I’m wondering if I should just cash them out as soon as possible.”
That feeling is common as travelers decide whether to use their miles now or risk watching their value erode.
How to transfer HawaiianMiles to Alaska Mileage Plan.
Transferring HawaiianMiles to Alaska is quick, easy, and without cost. Just link your accounts online and you can move miles back and forth at a 1:1 rate. We’ve been doing that routinely to try to use miles as quickly and as prudently as possible. That all disappears once the new program takes over in August.
Once your accounts are linked, you can move miles back and forth as needed. That makes it easier to consolidate balances or redeem under whichever program gives you better value, at least for now. Don’t confuse this with true pooling, which neither program offers, but Hawaiian’s does if you have their branded credit card.
On the other hand, if you aren’t booking a trip before August rolls around, you can just let the automatic conversion happen. Either way, don’t wait too long—some redemption routes are already disappearing or becoming more expensive after the switchover.
Hawaiian Airlines credit card changes: What you need to know.
Hawaiian’s credit cards, issued by Barclays, will also be phased out. A formal sunset date hasn’t been confirmed, but applications will likely close in the next few months. When the cards are retired, we are unsure if holders will be migrated to Bank of America’s Alaska Airlines credit card products.
In a recent interview, Alaska Airlines’ Vice President of Loyalty, Alliances, and Sales, Brett Catlin, confirmed that “legacy Hawaiian Airlines cardmembers—the back book—will transfer over to the Alaska card.” However, he added there is “no immediacy for that to transition” and that it will “happen over a period of time.”
This marks the end of the only credit card program built around Hawaii travel. It also means companion fares and Hawaiian-specific redemption perks may no longer be available. Many of those have already been sunsetted. If you currently hold one of these cards, you may want to use any Hawaiian benefits soon before many expire in June.
Alaska has already announced a new, $395 per year, premium card is coming this summer. That card is expected to offer new elite benefits. However, it’s unknown whether Hawaiian cardholders will qualify for a bonus or whether the product will be available separately from Alaska’s existing cards. We are currently awaiting more details.
Say goodbye to Amex transfers.
June 30, 2025, is the final day American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to HawaiianMiles. Both Amex and Hawaiian have confirmed that the relationship is ending for good. After that date, Amex users will lose their only path to earning Hawaiian miles through credit card points.
Alaska Airlines does not partner with Amex. The only flexible points program supporting the Alaska Mileage Plan is Bilt Rewards, which lets renters earn points on rent payments and other everyday spending. Once HawaiianMiles shuts down, Amex users can no longer book awards on either airline using transferable points.
If you’ve been relying on Membership Rewards to top off your Hawaiian balance, now’s the time to act. After June 30, transfers will be permanently shut off.
Why this transition goes far beyond points.
For many Hawaii travelers, this shift hits deeper than rewards. HawaiianMiles wasn’t the most lucrative program but personal and Hawaii-centric. It was designed specifically around the needs of people who live in or regularly visit the islands. You could redeem for interisland flights, cheap first-class upgrades, or partner perks like Japan Airlines awards and Foodland gift cards. Most of those options disappear after June 30. It had quirks and was admittedly very limited, but they were island quirks.
All that will be replaced by a more polished, West Coast–centered loyalty program. Alaska’s Mileage Plan is efficient, global, and profit-driven. Some believe it was one of the key reasons Alaska bought Hawaiian in the first place. Loyalty programs now generate billions in revenue through credit cards and partnerships. Hawaiian’s system was limited and underperforming, and Alaska saw a big opportunity to turn it around for profits.
But something real is being lost in the process. The transition marks the end of a Hawaii-rooted program that felt connected to this place, not just to flights.
What you gain in the new Alaska Airlines loyalty program.
Alaska’s loyalty program offers more global partners, far more redemption paths, and greater flexibility than HawaiianMiles ever could. That includes the ability to earn elite status on partner flights, more varied redemptions, and access to routes on global airlines.
This is an upgrade for travelers based on the mainland or flying long-haul. It adds flexibility, improves value on specific routes, and simplifies international redemptions.
But if your flying is mostly interisland or flights tied closely to Hawaiian’s old network, there’s no guarantee the new program will feel like an improvement. Companion pass rules will change. Redemption minimums may continue to rise. And those small, Hawaii-only perks that many travelers loved are unlikely to be seen again.
What travelers should do right now.
If you haven’t already done so, link your HawaiianMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan accounts through either airline’s website. This will prepare your miles for the upcoming merger and ensure a smooth transition.
You should also consider reviewing your credit card benefits and using any outstanding perks before the Hawaiian cards are shut down. That includes if you have Amex points you’ve been planning to transfer, making your move before June 30. We plan to do that one last time towards the end of June, then decide if the final points should be transferred to Hawaiian or used in other ways.
This may also be a good time to consider how you’ll earn miles going forward. Once HawaiianMiles ends, the Alaska Mileage Plan ecosystem will be the only option, and it’s structured differently. It could be time to rethink credit card loyalty entirely.
What’s your take?
Is the end of HawaiianMiles a welcome update or a disappointing loss?
Are you planning to transfer your miles, apply for a new card, or just let the system convert everything for you?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments. What are your plans—and what will you miss most if anything? From the BOH editors’ point of view, we’ll miss the cheap first-class Hawaiian Air upgrades we’ve used many times.
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Sad that Hawn Air benefits will be drastically changed.
Hopefully Alaska Air Will be compassionate to Our (Hi’s) concerns.
Make benefits Better and transfers smoothly will Keep Us from changing or closing accounts.
Be open, honest and no hiding changes till it’s too late for us to act on our decisions.
I liked the Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii card because I earned miles on all purchases. I also liked the convenience associated with Bank of Hawaii. I knew there would be adverse changes with the Alaska Airlines buy out but didn’t expect the impact would be so great.
Once Alaska and Hawaiian merge their loyalty programs, will we still be able to share and transfer miles from one account to another, for example, my parents accounts to mine?
I would not count on it. Alaska “allows” transfers, but they charge a per point fee that is the same price as just buying them, just minus the $25 per buy fee.
Transfer what you’re going to transfer now, while you can.
Can I transfer to my kids who live in Hawaii.
Son in law flies to Alaska on business.
(I could use my miles if there is an opening)
They travel a lot inner island and beyond.
Susan Monument, Co
You can transfer to anyone.. does not have to be a relative, if one of you hold Hawaiian credit card. And it is free. There is a limitation on receiving max of 10 transfers per year (does not affect how many you can send)
Will Alaska honor my Hawaiian miles ? If I booked flights to use all my Hawaiian miles now would they be honored beyond June 30?
I’m having trouble just signing up with Alaska airlines so I can merge my points. I’ve tried numerous times to do it to no avail. Is it up and running? Why can’t I sign up with Alaska?
I had to call them. It was annoying and the wait time was long but that is the only way it finally worked.
This same situation is happening this year, on a much larger scale with American Airlines. AA has decided that it wants all of its credit cards to be issued by Citi Bank, their long time partner. They inherited and have continued to promote the Barclay’s Aviator card that was co-branded with US Airways before the merger. Now AA Advantage customers with the Barclay’s AA Aviator card have been notified that their credit cards will be re-issued as Citi AAdvantage cards at the end of this year. Word is that Citi Bank will purchase the Barclay’s AA Aviator portfolio for all cardholders in good standing, and re-issue them accordingly. Wouldn’t be surprised if B of A will be doing the same thing with the HawaiianMiles Barclay’s cards later this year as well. Both B of A and Citi Bank have the financial assets to easily get this kind of a deal done. All the major airlines are heavily invested in their co-branded credit cards. It’s the “mother’s milk” in the airline business today.
Thank you for the comment. I’ve been really wondering what happens next as I’m a cardholder for both the AS an HA cards. I’m no B of A fan, liking the Barclays card so much more. I mainly did the AS card to get the 60K. I was hopeful I could dump the AS card until the end of the Barclays card contract. I hadn’t considered the buyout option.
I can only imagine with using the Hawaiian Barclay credit card you get triple miles for purchasing an Hawaiian airline ticket. What happens when your flights are not till mid August and forward but flights are booked in advance. What happens to those miles? Like a few of use who have premium status and the miles are doubled when flight is taken, what will happen or will it be considered from the date of purchase?
I have over 50,000 Hawaiian miles in my account what will happen to them
They become combined Hawaiian and Alaska miles at a one to one exchange rate.
Aloha,
What will happen to our e-gift cards purchased in December? Do we need to use them by mid August?
Mahalo,
Shawn
As someone who’s had a lot of success using Mileage Plan but often frustration using Hawaiian Miles without paying a super-premium, I view this as a net positive.
Being part of the One World alliance opens up a world of redemptions. I often use Mileage Plan to redeem on American. For shortish-haul flights, e.g. NYC-IND, the redemption rates are much less than on American, even if you have to pay a partner reward fee.
Also, with the basic Alaska Visa card, you get a $99 companion certificate. That turned into a great value when grabbing a second ticket from JFK-OGG, like my wife and I did last year.
Overall, I’ve found Alaska’s redemptions to be fair, which would bode well on interisland flights. And you’ll still be flying on Hawaiian metal. The Hawaiian card may go away but it won’t be missed.
From Kona my destinations are Honolulu, Las Vegas and Japan. After JAL stopped their direct flights to NRT, HA had a direct flight to HND. That stopped due to popularity (understandable).
Southwest had a direct flight to Las Vegas which arrived at 3:55pm. That flight has become a “red eye” that gets there at 5:15am.
Meanwhile, the Alaska/Hawaiian merger “promised” few changes prior to the merger, then made a lot of changes. Brand loyalty went out the window.
I’m burning my Hawaiian miles going to LAS in October/November. My family and I might drop our 3 Hawaiian Cards if this trend continues.
Airlines have to be profitable, but I feel they are seeing how far they can “bend us over” before we bail.
I, June, am very saddened by the news of Hawaiian Miles program coming to an end. At least we’re given a couple of months warning unlike Aloha Airlines—no warning at all. With everything that’s happening in the world and especially in America, I feel sorry for the younger generations. They are going to have a much tougher life than I have had. Perks of various nature will gradually disappear. Too sad.
I have started the process of linking the two accounts and transferring my miles over to Alaska Airlines. I will close my Hawaiian credit card to avoid paying the annual fee if it’s going away.
What happens to Hawaiian gift cards ? Do we need to redeem them for future travel
before June 30 ?
So if I don’t have a Hawaiian Card, should I apply now to get the points before it’s gone? My concern is that when the transition happens there may be a new Alaska card with a big SUB that I won’t be able to apply for if they’re rolling Hawaiian into Alaska.
I’m wondering how recently achieved Hawaiian status will transfer.
I’ve been a loyal customer to Hawaiian Airlines and Barclays. I used miles traveling to the mainland mostly and to Japan recently. It saddens me regarding this change. I plan to book flights to use up miles. I will be looking into another airlines and charge card, not with Bank of America.
Thank you!
how do I transfer to Alaska miles pleas?? live in Australia & it won’t accept Aussie address, been with HA miles for over 18yrs & have over 200000 I have been buying points due coid. They no longer fly from BNE & therefore force to fly to Sydney.
The HA flight gets back too late to back home & force to stay in Sydney overnight.
TIA
I have Hawaiian Airlines gift cards. What will happen to them—will I be able to use it on Alaska flights? Can we get a Refund?
We typically fly Hawaiian sea to Ogg in January. Will that route still exist?
This is very upsetting & disappointing, and hits home!! Especially for all those that live on the islands. My son and his family live in Kauai, and frequently flies to other islands for more experienced medical procedures, etc. That are not available on the other smaller islands. Will the locals from the other islands be able to fly in between the islands, due to their heritage of the Hawaiian Islands like they have had for generations? And how are you going to change the look of the Hawaiian airlines aircraft to coincide with Alaska’s aircraft? Personally they are like night and day! Here’s hoping that you make the right decisions and take care of the Hawaiian families that live on the islands, and travel frequently between the islands. 🙏❤️🙏
I believe since the acquisition, kamaaina rates were introduced, which was better than inter-island before. I don’t think anyone knows if/how point values will change for inter-island. Alaska is a good company and I’m sure they’re thinking about this.
I have reservations for an October 2025 trip to Japan using Hawaiian miles. Will I need to catch the outbound flight in Seattle and return via Seattle too?
I just want to say thank you for all of the information that you have shared on so many topics. Thanks to you I’ve just finished transferring over my Hawaiian miles to Alaskan Air and I look forward to using them for my vacation next year. I am sad to see Hawaiian go because, as you’ve said, it always had a fun Hawaiian vibe on the flights… but I’ve had good flights on Alaskan Air as well. Thanks again. Keep up the good work!
Not silly; I agree with you. Cashiers wherever we go comment on it too☺️
what will happen to the pualani seat upgrade program? and to the pualani status earning program? will the eligibility benchmarks still apply?
How to link the mileage where do I look for it and how to do it?
Is it on now the link?
It’s absolutely astonishing to me the amount of misinformation people believe and the misconceptions they have concerning this topic.
No, you will Not lose your Hawaiian Miles. They are merely being converted to Alaska Mileage Plan miles. The Alaska Mileage Plan is far more valuable than Hawaiian Miles could ever imagine being especially for international travel and even domestic travel booking partner awards flights. Alaska Mileage Plan is regarded in the award travel universe as one of the most desirable and valuable “currencies” to accumulate. Sorry, your beloved Hawaiian Miles don’t even rate.
No, you will Not have to pay $395 for the BofA Alaska card. That is the price for the NEW premium card (just as AA and UA have premium versions of their cards) they are launching with upgraded perks. You can still get the basic card for $95.
Being in Kona, we like the direct flights to the mainland with Alaska. Hawaiian would have us go via HNL which makes it longer and more humbug.
If Hawaiian had to be bought out, Alaska is the best choice in my mind.
Times have sure changed for us.