HONOLULU, April 28, 2026, 11:02 HST
- Hawaiian Airlines is now part of oneworld, becoming the third U.S. carrier in the alliance with Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.
- Alaska’s AS code is now showing up on Hawaiian flights, following the shift to Alaska’s Sabre passenger-service system. The Hawaiian brand and familiar Pualani logo are still in place for customers, Alaska says.
- Atmos Rewards members pick up expanded earning, redemption, and status perks, adding fuel to Alaska Air Group’s push for a bigger global footprint.
The HA code once used by Hawaiian Airlines has vanished from fresh customer-facing flight numbers, giving way to Alaska Airlines’ AS code. It’s the most concrete signal so far that Alaska Air Group is integrating Hawaiian under a single operating system. While the Hawaiian name isn’t going away as a brand, this shift is now plain to see—showing up on tickets, booking tools, and mobile apps.
The code change is making headlines now thanks to the shift to Sabre—the backbone system that handles reservations, check-ins, airport kiosks, loyalty programs, and all passenger records. In effect, the merger has shifted out of the boardroom and right into the nuts and bolts of what travelers actually touch and use.
The second update hits reach. Hawaiian is now part of oneworld, the international airline alliance. This lets Atmos Rewards members earn and use points with any alliance carrier, plus enjoy shared airport perks. Oneworld elites from elsewhere also see their status recognized when flying Hawaiian.
Alaska says travelers are still able to book Hawaiian Airlines flights, which now appear as “Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines.” The Pualani brand isn’t going anywhere for now—it will stay visible on digital platforms, airport signage, lobbies, and gates. Announcements will continue to clarify for passengers whether their flight is branded Alaska or Hawaiian. Alaska Air
Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group, described the single platform as a U.S. airline first, claiming it enables the airline to operate several brands through a unified system while “removing friction.” Travelers get one Alaska Hawaiian app to handle bookings, and they can select either the Alaska or Hawaiian interface. Alaska Air
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow pointed out that oneworld offers “global travel benefits” for Atmos Rewards members as well as for Hawaii residents. For oneworld, CEO Ole Orvér called the move a boost to the alliance’s “footprint in the Pacific region and the United States.” OneWorld
It’s a big deal for Hawaii. Hawaiian, which runs roughly 230 flights each day, moved over 11 million passengers in 2025. With oneworld, travelers pick from close to 1,000 destinations worldwide and can enter nearly 700 premium lounges.
Alaska Air Group’s buyout of Hawaiian Holdings in September 2024 set the stage for several changes. After the deal closed, Alaska committed to keeping both the Alaska and Hawaiian brands, turning Honolulu into its No. 2 hub and operating as a single entity on the New York Stock Exchange with the ALK ticker.
Competition is heating up. Last week, Reuters said American Airlines and Alaska have started early discussions about expanding their partnership to cover transatlantic and transpacific joint ventures. The move could pull in British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, and Japan Airlines. These so-called “metal-neutral” arrangements let airlines split revenue and coordinate pricing and flights even if one partner operates the route. Reuters
Alaska is also stepping up its global reach. On Tuesday, the company rolled out its inaugural nonstop flight from Seattle to Rome, touting the route as a new link for Hawaii-based flyers—now able to reach Europe with just one stop in Seattle.
There’s a catch: even with tighter integration, confusion isn’t off the table. Passengers face new flight numbers, shared lobbies, mobile and web-only check-in, plus unfamiliar boarding processes. Going further on the American-Alaska tie-up would require a sign-off from the U.S. Transportation Department, and after a judge blocked American’s Northeast Alliance with JetBlue in 2023, the Justice Department could take a hard look as well.
Regulators have attached conditions to the Alaska-Hawaiian merger, mandating safeguards for rewards value, essential Hawaii routes, rural connectivity, competitive options at Honolulu airport, family seating without extra fees, and compensation for controllable delays. The question now: can Alaska deliver on those commitments as Hawaiian’s branding starts to blur on booking sites?
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