Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
The Hawaiian Airlines credit card offers excellent value for anyone planning to travel to Hawaii within the next year. The card features a one-time 50% off companion discount, which combined with the welcome offer points, could make a trip to Hawaii very affordable for you and a travel partner. If you fly economy, you might even have points remaining for additional trips to Hawaii, inter-island flights, or redemptions on partner airlines. Depending on when you travel and how far in advance you book, the welcome offer points could potentially cover a business class flight. For those who visit Hawaii annually, keeping this card beyond the first year and paying its $99 annual fee may be worthwhile for the additional perks.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
You can earn a substantial 60,000 point welcome bonus with this card, requiring only $2,000 in spending during the first 90 days of card ownership. Another significant benefit is the one-time 50% off companion discount for a roundtrip coach flight between Hawaii and North America. This benefit remains valid for 13 months from account opening, making it particularly valuable if you're planning a trip to Hawaii with someone else within the next year.
The card has a $99 annual fee, but for those who fly to Hawaii annually, keeping the card may make sense for these ongoing benefits:
- Two free checked bags on eligible flights
- $100 companion discount annually (for roundtrip travel between Hawaii and North America after each account anniversary)
- 3x miles on eligible Hawaiian Airline purchases
- 2x miles on gas, dining, and grocery store purchases
- 1x miles on everything else
- Share Miles feature allowing you to send and receive Hawaiian Miles from family and friends
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
This card might not be suitable if:
- You don't have a definite trip to Hawaii planned
- You're traveling to Hawaii alone, which would make the companion discount benefit unused
- You primarily want to use partner airlines rather than flying directly on Hawaiian Airline
How The Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card Fits In The Other Point System Ecosystem
This is Hawaiian Airlines' only personal co-branded card. There is also a Hawaiian Airlines Business credit card for those who have reached their 5/24 limit. We only recommend the business card if you cannot get another personal card but want to earn points for an upcoming Hawaii trip. The business card offers a lower sign-up bonus of 50,000 points with a higher spending requirement ($4,000 vs. $2,000). The annual fee is the same at $99, and it includes the same 50% off companion discount. However, the business card does not offer free checked bags or the $100 annual companion discount. Its only unique feature is the possibility of earning 40,000 bonus miles after spending $50,000 on the card. We don't consider this a worthwhile benefit since you could open multiple new cards and earn sign-up bonuses while spending much less than $50,000.
It's important to note that Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merged in 2024, allowing you to transfer miles between programs. While only Bilt and Marriott Bonvoy offer transferable points to Alaska, American Express Membership Rewards can be transferred to Hawaiian Airlines and then to Alaska. Both Hawaiian cards now provide another option for accumulating Alaska miles. Alaska's oneworld Alliance membership offers additional redemption opportunities with partner airlines. Due to the merger, changes to both loyalty programs are likely in the coming years. If either Hawaiian card helps you book a Hawaii trip, now might be a good time to apply before potential program changes.
Card Information
| Bonus Points | Minimum Spend | Point Value | Annual Value | Annual Fee |
1st Year Value
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60,000 | $2,000 | 0.7 ¢ | $0 | $99 |
$335
|
| Best Value | Differentiating Perks | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Airlines flight | 50% off companion discount | No 5/24 , Barclay 0/6 |
Spend Categories
3X points
2.1¢ Per Dollar Spent
1X points
0.7¢ Per Dollar Spent
2X points
1.4¢ Per Dollar Spent
2X points
1.4¢ Per Dollar Spent
2X points
1.4¢ Per Dollar Spent
Card Benefits
Get one-time 50%-off companion discount for roundtrip .
Can now include sports equipment.
Hawaiian Airlines Application Rules
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
You're more likely to be declined on a Barclay application if you currently have a Barclay card that has not been used in the past 6 months
