Hawaiian Airlines Scales Back Long-Haul Routes Amid Atmos Rewards Transition

Hawaiian Airlines is undergoing a significant network adjustment, discontinuing several long-haul routes as it completes the transition of its loyalty program to Atmos Rewards. These changes reflect evolving travel trends and a realignment of the airline’s strategic priorities following its merger with Alaska Airlines.

Key Takeaways

• Hawaiian Airlines is cutting service to Boston, Seoul, and Fukuoka.
• The airline will add frequencies on routes to Sydney, Tahiti, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
• The HawaiianMiles program will transition to Atmos Rewards on October 1, affecting loyalty members’ account management and benefits.

Hawaiian Airlines’ Route Shakeup

Effective mid-November, Hawaiian Airlines will suspend flights between Honolulu and three major international and domestic destinations: Boston, Seoul, and Fukuoka. The cut to Boston removes what was previously the longest US domestic nonstop flight, while the Asian route reductions highlight ongoing sluggish demand from the region, exacerbated by pandemic recovery delays and unfavorable currency exchange rates.

Despite these cutbacks, Hawaiian will bolster its presence on other high-performing routes. The carrier is increasing its weekly flights between Honolulu and both Sydney and Tahiti. On the domestic front, expect more flights from Honolulu to Los Angeles and Seattle, with up to five daily flights to Los Angeles during the busiest travel periods.

Factors Influencing Route Decisions

Economic realities drove Hawaiian’s network changes, with the airline citing underperformance of the discontinued routes amid an incomplete rebound in Asia-Pacific demand. Visitor numbers from Japan and South Korea remain well below pre-pandemic levels, putting pressure on those routes. Meanwhile, increased competition from other carriers, such as Delta Air Lines on the Boston route, contributed to the decision.

The changes also coincide with the broader integration underway with Alaska Airlines, including the transfer of long-haul aircraft and the syncing of route networks on the West Coast.

Transition to Atmos Rewards Loyalty Program

Alongside the network reshuffling, Hawaiian Airlines will officially migrate its popular HawaiianMiles loyalty program to the new, unified Atmos Rewards program on October 1. Key impacts on members include:

• Miles will convert 1:1 to Atmos Rewards points with no value loss.
• Members will receive new loyalty account numbers.
• Status tiers will be mapped directly into Atmos Rewards equivalents.
• All accrued miles and benefits will move over automatically.
• Points will not expire, and most elite perks remain intact.

Existing Hawaiian Airlines credit and debit cardholders can continue to use their cards, earning Atmos Rewards points instead of HawaiianMiles. New card applicants will also join the Atmos program from the outset.

What Passengers Can Expect Next

As Hawaiian Airlines reconfigures its network post-merger and transitions its frequent flyer members to Atmos Rewards, travelers can look forward to streamlined loyalty benefits and better connectivity on select domestic and international flights. While some long-haul options will disappear, expanded service to core destinations and an easier-to-use rewards platform signal the airline’s push to remain competitive and customer-focused in a shifting industry landscape.

References

• Hawaiian Airlines cuts 3 routes, including longest US domestic flight, The Points Guy.
• HawaiianMiles transitions to Atmos Rewards: Your FAQs, answered, The Points Guy.