Hawaiian Airlines assessed through evaluation of HawaiianMiles Loyalty Program
HawaiianMiles, the loyalty program of Hawaiian Airlines, offers a unique approach to earning and redeeming airline miles, making it an attractive choice for frequent flyers. The program shares a similar structure with Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan, as both airlines have merged their loyalty programs.
To qualify for HawaiianMiles elite status, members must accumulate Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) based on the actual miles flown, rather than the money spent on tickets. This system is advantageous for long-haul travelers, as they can progress towards elite status more quickly.
The HawaiianMiles elite status structure includes four main levels: MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold 100K, each offering increasing benefits such as mileage bonuses, priority boarding, free checked bags, and complimentary upgrades. Lifetime MVP Gold status can be earned by flying 1 million miles on Alaska-operated flights, with higher lifetime tiers at 2 million miles.
Elite members earn bonus miles on flights, ranging from 25% for MVP to 150% for MVP Gold 100K members on top of base miles. These bonus rates are generally more generous than those offered by other major U.S. airlines, which often provide lower percentage bonuses or base their miles on fare price.
HawaiianMiles also participates in status match offers, allowing members of other airlines to fast-track elite qualification under certain conditions.
Unlike many major U.S. airlines, HawaiianMiles awards elite status qualification based on distance flown (miles) rather than the money spent on tickets. This contrast makes HawaiianMiles particularly attractive for frequent flyers who log significant mileage rather than high ticket spending.
Members can earn miles on all Hawaiian Airlines marketed flights, as well as through credit card spending, online shopping, and in-store purchases. Additional earning opportunities are available with HawaiianMiles partner airlines, rental cars, hotels, cruises, and more. Miles can be used to book award travel on any Hawaiian Airlines flight and certain partner airline flights.
For those interested in joining HawaiianMiles, enrollment is free and available online. The Premier Club, offering additional travel benefits such as discounted award ticket offers, priority check-in and security, and access to the Premier Club, can be joined for $249 or 35,000 miles annually, or for $299 or 40,000 miles for those who have not flown a Hawaiian Airlines flight.
In summary, HawaiianMiles' elite structure emphasizes rewarding actual miles flown with a straightforward, mileage-based qualification system and generous bonus earning for elite members. This contrasts with many other U.S. airlines that prioritize spending over distance, making HawaiianMiles an attractive choice for frequent flyers.
[1] Hawaiian Airlines. (2021, February 12). HawaiianMiles Program Changes. Retrieved from https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/info/program-changes [2] Hawaiian Airlines. (n.d.). HawaiianMiles. Retrieved from https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/mileageclub [3] Hawaiian Airlines. (n.d.). Elite Status. Retrieved from https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/info/elite-status
In the realm of business and lifestyle, HawaiianMiles delivers an exceptionally advantageous travel solution for frequent flyers. This loyalty program, similar to Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan, rewards members based on miles flown, rather than ticket expense, offering a more expedient path to elite status for long-haul travelers.
