Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card 2026: Review, Perks & Is It Worth It?

What Is the Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card?

The Hawaiian Airlines credit card is a co-branded travel rewards card from Barclays that earns HawaiianMiles on every purchase. Cardholders get a priority security screening pass for each flight and a free checked bag on Hawaiian Airlines, making it a practical choice for regular travelers to the islands.

The card's earning structure is standard for an airline-branded product. You earn 3x HawaiianMiles per dollar on purchases directly from Hawaiian Airlines. All other spending earns 1x mile per dollar. There is bonus spending category for general travel, dining, or groceries, this is a gap that general travel cards fill easily.

Key Benefits and Perks

• Free checked bag: First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to five companions on the same reservation.
• Priority boarding: Board early on any Hawaiian Airlines flight.
• Priority check-in: Access to the preferred check-in line at Hawaiian airports.
• Annual fee: $100 per year, not waived the first year.
• Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit: Up to $100 credit every four years for application fee.

Earning and Redeeming HawaiianMiles

HawaiianMiles are popular for their fixed-value award chart on Hawaiian Airlines flights. A round-trip coach ticket between the US West Coast and Hawaii costs 40,000 miles. There is no blackout-date restriction on Hawaiian-operated flights as long as saver-level award space is open, though availability is limited during peak travel periods.

The credit card's 3x earning rate on Hawaiian purchases is reasonable, but the 1x rate on everything else is below what a 2% cash-back card would yield. For a card with a $100 annual fee, the lack of bonus categories for dining or everyday spending is a notable drawback.

How the Cards Compare

Since the Alaska Air Group acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines closed in late 2024, the two loyalty programs are slowly integrating. As of mid-2026, cardholders can link their HawaiianMiles and Mileage Plan accounts to transfer miles between them at a 1:1 ratio. This makes the Hawaiian Airlines card more broadly useful, you can earn miles flying Hawaiian and redeem them on Alaska's network of partners, including American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Fiji Airways.

The Alaska Visa's single strongest dollar benefit is its annual $99 companion fare, you pay $99 plus taxes to bring someone on any Alaska Airlines flight, including Hawaii, for the same reservation. The Hawaiian Airlines card has no equivalent, which reduces its annual value for couples or families.

The merger also means HawaiianMiles can now be redeemed on Alaska's award chart, which offers some of the best value for international premium cabin travel. For example, a one-way business class flight on Cathay Pacific from the US to Asia costs 60,000 Mileage Plan miles, a strong option if you transfer from HawaiianMiles.

Best Ways to Use HawaiianMiles

HawaiianMiles have historically been best for fixed-value awards on Hawaiian Airlines itself. The most straightforward redemption: a round-trip economy ticket between the US West Coast (LAX, SFO, PDX, SEA) and Honolulu or Kahului for 40,000 miles. This is a simple, reliable value of about 1 cent per mile for a $400–500 ticket.

With the Alaska merger, the real potential is transferring miles to Mileage Plan. Mileage Plan's award chart prices many premium cabin redemptions more attractively than most US carriers. A few notable sweet spots:

• American Airlines domestic first: 25,000 miles one-way for short-haul first class on American.
• Cathay Pacific business class (US-Asia): 60,000 miles one-way, strong value for a trans-Pacific business seat.
• Fiji Airways business class (US-Fiji): 55,000 miles one-way, a good deal for travelers to the South Pacific.

There is a catch. Miles transferred from Hawaiian to Alaska cannot be transferred back. Also, award space on partner airlines is limited, you will need to be flexible with dates. For travelers who primarily fly Hawaiian inter-island or between the US West Coast and Hawaii, the fixed-value redemption is simpler and requires less advance planning.

Limitations to Consider

Award availability on Hawaiian Airlines is most open during off-peak times. For travel during summer, winter holidays, or spring break, you may find no saver-level space at the 20,000-mile one-way rate. Peak-day awards are often priced higher but are not always a great value.

HawaiianMiles expire after 18 months without account activity. Any earning or redemption activity resets the clock, but if you stop using the card or accruing miles, the balance can vanish.

Two changes in 2026 affect the Hawaiian Airlines card's value. First, the welcome bonus dropped from its former high of 80,000 miles to a standard 70,000 miles (after $3,000 in spending within 90 days, per the card's issuing bank website as of January 2026). Second, the integration with Alaska's Mileage Plan is underway but not fully live, accounts can be linked, but earning Mileage Plan miles directly on the Hawaiian card is not yet available.

Expert Tips

• Link your HawaiianMiles and Mileage Plan accounts now, even if you are not ready to transfer, this can help ensure miles from future flights and partner spend are easier to merge.
• Use the card for all Hawaiian Airlines purchases to hit 3x miles, then use a 2% flat-rate card for everything else to avoid the 1x floor.
• Set a calendar reminder to use or earn HawaiianMiles every 12 months to prevent expiration.
• Book round-trip awards 330 days in advance to capture saver space before peak travel windows.
• Transfer HawaiianMiles to Alaska only when you have a specific Mileage Plan redemption in mind, the transfer is one-way.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Opening the card for the welcome bonus without checking whether you will fly Hawaiian or Alaska twice in the next year.
• Assuming all Alaska partners are available for HawaiianMiles transfers, American Airlines award space is limited and dynamic.
• Redeeming HawaiianMiles for economy awards on Alaska flights when a cheaper partner (e.g., American domestic) is available.
• Forgetting that the companion fare is missing from this card, families should compare with the Alaska Visa.
• Carrying a balance, the APR on this card is around 22.99%–29.99% variable as of early 2026 (Barclays pricing terms).

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Reliable fixed-value awards on Hawaiian Airlines (40,000 miles round-trip West Coast–Hawaii).
• Free checked bag for cardholder and up to five companions, valuable for families.
• Access to Alaska's partner network after merger integration.
• Priority boarding and check-in on Hawaiian flights.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit partially offsets the annual fee.

Cons:

• No bonus categories for dining, groceries, or general travel, 1x on everything outside Hawaiian Airlines is low.
• $100 annual fee with no first-year waiver and no companion fare.
• Award availability restricted during peak travel seasons.
• No lounge access or premium status credit.

Bottom Line

The Hawaiian Airlines card works well for travelers who book a Hawaiian Airlines flight at least once a year and value the free checked bag for a group. For two-person travel, the Alaska Visa's companion fare alone can justify its $95 fee more easily. General travel reward cards often earn more flexible points and include trip delay or baggage protection. The value proposition of this card has narrowed but for the right traveler with a specific Hawaii itinerary, it still pays for itself.