Hawaiian Airlines – Hawaii’s home carrier – has its own frequent flyer program. Aptly dubbed HawaiianMiles, it allows travellers to earn and redeem rewards when jetting off with Hawaiian Airlines itself, as well as a host of international partners.
Rewards can also be converted from HawaiianMiles to the separate Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program at a 1:1 rate. So whether you’re planning your first visit to Hawaii or are one of the state’s most frequent visitors, here’s a look at HawaiianMiles from the lens of an Australian traveller.
How do I join HawaiianMiles?
Membership in HawaiianMiles is free. You don’t even need to live in Hawaii or the broader United States to sign up. Even Australians can join for free.
- Head to the sign-up page on the Hawaiian Airlines website.
- Choose your username, enter your personal details and choose a password.
- All done! You’re now signed up to HawaiianMiles.
How do I earn miles with HawaiianMiles?
The easiest way to build a balance of HawaiianMiles as an Aussie traveller is simply to fly. Hawaiian Airlines offers regular flights from Sydney to Honolulu – and from Auckland, too. Unlike most other frequent flyer programs, Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t award miles based on what you spend. There’s just one flat rate in each cabin.
From Sydney to Honolulu in Economy, you’d get 5,060 HawaiianMiles, one-way. In Business Class, it’s a flat 7,590 miles. Those with Hawaiian Airlines status can earn more – 50% more miles for Pualani Gold and 100% more miles for Pualani Platinum.
You can also pocket HawaiianMiles when flying with Hawaiian Airlines’ many partners. These include Alaska Airlines, China Airlines, Japan Airlines, JetBlue, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic. For now, Virgin Australia is also an airline partner, but Hawaiian’s partnership with Virgin Australia will end soon. Later in 2025, Hawaiian Airlines will partner with Qantas instead. For now though, you’ll find the earning rates here.
On the ground, HawaiianMiles is also partnered with Marriott Bonvoy. This means you can choose to earn HawaiianMiles on your hotel stays in lieu of Marriott Bonvoy points. Alternatively, you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points and later convert them into HawaiianMiles.
Hiring a car? You can notch up HawaiianMiles with Avis, Budget and Payless Car Rental. If you have miles with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, you can exchange these for miles in the HawaiianMiles program at a 1:1 rate.
Buying HawaiianMiles
Need some extra miles in your HawaiianMiles account? Beyond the options above, the fastest way to top up is to purchase HawaiianMiles outright.
Hawaiian Airlines sells miles in increments of 1,000 at the lower end, and then in increments of 5,000 at the higher end. You can buy up to 100,000 miles – or more, when there’s a promotion running. (For instance, at the time of writing, you can buy 100,000 miles with 50,000 bonus miles on top). But just note, you’ll only be able to buy HawaiianMiles if you have previously earned miles from another source. For instance, by taking a flight or making a transfer from Marriott Bonvoy.
You can still buy miles when your account has a nil balance – you’ll just need to have earned miles previously. The base price per mile generally remains the same regardless of the quantity purchased. However, during promotional periods, the bonus may become more generous when purchasing more miles in a single transaction. Here’s a look at what you could expect to pay, based on pricing current in April 2025.
| Number of HawaiianMiles | Regular cost (USD) |
| 1,000 miles | $28.02 |
| 10,000 miles | $280.23 |
| 30,000 miles | $840.68 |
| 50,000 miles | $1,401.13 |
| 100,000 miles | $2,802.25 |
For context, a one-way Economy flight from Sydney to Honolulu starts at 40,000 HawaiianMiles for most members. That’d end up costing US$2,241.80 to buy 80,000 miles for a return trip, which may not present good value. Buying miles may instead be handy if you’re just a little short of the miles needed to book a specific flight. Or, during a promotion period when the value improves.
For instance, you might already have 70,000 miles in your account. Buy just 10,000 miles more (US$280.23), and you may have enough to get you from Australia to Honolulu. You’d just have to pay the taxes and fees on the ticket, which are also circa $200 round-trip.
How do I use HawaiianMiles?
HawaiianMiles members have very strong access to reward seats on Hawaiian Airlines flights. That’s because Hawaiian Airlines essentially has peak and off-peak award pricing. When reward seats are made available to partners, it’s usually only when the off-peak rate is bookable via Hawaiian. But when peak rates apply and you need to travel regardless, you’ll be glad to have HawaiianMiles under your belt.
HawaiianMiles bookings for Hawaiian Airlines flights can be made online. It’s quick and easy to search for reward seat availability, with the booking tool showing you the best reward seat pricing available week by week.
Using HawaiianMiles with Hawaiian Airlines
Let’s have a closer look at using HawaiianMiles to book those Hawaiian Airlines flights.
In Economy Class, the number of miles needed can significantly flex up and down based on demand. For a one-way ticket from Sydney to Honolulu, you could pay anything from 35,000 to 140,000 HawaiianMiles. Fortunately, though, the figures are more often on the lower side – especially when booking in advance.
For instance, the last time I booked a flight from Honolulu to Sydney in Economy, the cost was just 40,000 miles one-way, plus taxes and fees. Being a daytime flight, and fortuitously, with a spare seat next to me, it was a cost-effective and relatively comfortable way to fly.
At the pointy end, outright bookings in Business Class cost either 65,000 or 130,000 miles, one-way. Those 65,000-mile seats pop up occasionally from Sydney. If your dates aren’t flexible though, be prepared to part with 130,000 miles for that one-way jaunt. And if you’re going to spend that many miles, my suggestion is the overnight flight from Sydney to Honolulu. That gives you the best chance to rest and arrive ready to explore.
For what it’s worth, that’s also what I did on that last Hawaii trek – Business over to sleep, Economy back to work and relax. And in between, I hopped across to a neighbour island in Hawaii, for 15,000 miles each way in First Class. (These flights can sometimes be 30,000 miles one-way during peak times).
In full disclosure, the HawaiianMiles spent above were provided courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines, allowing me to become better acquainted with both the airline and its loyalty program.
Using HawaiianMiles on partner airline flights
The other main way to spend your HawaiianMiles is to fly with a partner airline. Rather than one shared award chart, Hawaiian Airlines uses a different chart for each airline partner.
In most cases, reward flights on partners can only be booked as round-trip journeys. They can also only be secured via the Hawaiian Airlines call centre – not online. Here’s a look at some of your options, based on flying return.
| Airline | Route | Economy | Premium Economy | Business |
| Japan Airlines | Sydney/Melbourne to Tokyo | 60,000 miles | 90,000 miles | 120,000 miles |
| Korean Air | All Korean domestic routes | 15,000 miles | N/A | 30,000 miles |
| Korean Air | All routes within Asia | 30,000 miles | N/A | 60,000 miles |
| Virgin Atlantic | Between UK and US east coast, e.g. London-New York | 60,000 miles | 100,000 miles | 125,000 miles |
| Virgin Atlantic | Between UK and US west coast, e.g. Los Angeles-London | 80,000 miles | 130,000 miles | 160,000 miles |
Note that reward flights on Japan Airlines must be booked at least seven days before travel. For Korean Air, HawaiianMiles doesn’t publish an award price to redeem on flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Seoul. Also, the redemption rates published for Virgin Atlantic are largely academic. That’s because flight redemptions on Virgin Atlantic are “temporarily unavailable” – a situation that has persisted for months, with no update.
HawaiianMiles can also be redeemed on JetBlue flights, but as more of a ‘points plus pay’ scenario. The number of miles needed flexes up and down based on the JetBlue ticket price. Reward seat bookings are also available on Virgin Australia, until that partnership winds up.
For more detail on these partner redemption rates, head to the HawaiianMiles website.
What status tiers does HawaiianMiles have?
Beyond the entry-level membership, HawaiianMiles has two elite tiers. These recognise those who fly with Hawaiian Airlines more than most. Interestingly, you can only earn status by travelling with Hawaiian Airlines itself. Flights taken on partner airlines don’t qualify – even on full-fare tickets.
The program also has a Premier Club membership program, but this is being phased out. New memberships are no longer being sold, but existing members can enjoy their perks for the rest of 2025. Here’s a quick overview.
HawaiianMiles member
Achieve/Maintain: Just sign up
Hey now, you have to start somewhere!
Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club
To buy/maintain: No longer available for purchase.
Premier Club grants many of the same benefits as Pualani elite status, but for a simple fee payment. Perks include:
- Priority check-in with Hawaiian Airlines.
- Priority security at selected airports, including in Honolulu, New York, San Francisco and more.
- Two free checked bags with Hawaiian Airlines, including on fares with no inclusive baggage allowance.
- Priority boarding with Hawaiian Airlines via Zone 2.
- Access to Hawaiian Airlines’ Premier Club lounges in Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului (Maui), Kona and Lihue.
- Two annual passes to The Plumeria Lounge at Honolulu Airport.
- 25% discount on inflight purchases with Hawaiian Airlines.
- Free additional driver with renting with Avis or Budget.
Pualani Gold
Achieve/Maintain: Fly 30 segments or 20,000 miles per year with Hawaiian Airlines
Separate from entitlements for paid Premier Club members, HawaiianMiles’ Pualani Gold cardholders can enjoy:
- Complimentary ‘preferred’ seat selection in Economy.
- Access to the discounted Hawaiian Airlines award rates listed in the tables here when booking online.
- Priority telephone service.
- The ability to hold one airfare price while considering a purchase.
- Priority check-in with Hawaiian Airlines.
- Complimentary access to Hawaiian Airlines’ Premier Clubs.
- Fast-track security screening in the USA, where available.
- Priority baggage handling.
- First two checked bags are free on Hawaiian Airlines.
- Earn miles at an increased rate on Hawaiian Airlines flights.
- Priority boarding via Zone 2.
- Complimentary upgrades to Extra Comfort seats, where available.
Pualani Platinum
Achieve/Maintain: Fly 60 segments or 40,000 miles per year with Hawaiian Airlines
Building on the benefits of Pualani Gold, HawaiianMiles’ Pualani Platinum members can also enjoy:
- Book Economy Class seats on sold-out Hawaiian neighbour island flights until 72 hours before departure.
- Access to The Plumeria Lounge in Honolulu when travelling internationally.
- Access to airport lounges in selected overseas airports when flying Hawaiian Airlines.
- First three checked bags are free (versus two for Pualani Gold).
- Zone 1 priority boarding.
- Complimentary upgrades to First Class on Hawaiian Airlines’ neighbour island flights, where available.
- The ability to earn complimentary upgrade certificates, valid on international flights.
How do I contact HawaiianMiles?
To book a Hawaiian Airlines flight using HawaiianMiles, just use the Hawaiian Airlines website. But for partner airline flight bookings, you’ll need to pick up the phone.
- Call 1800 955 912 within Australia or 0800 449 415 within New Zealand.
- If you’re unable to reach a HawaiianMiles agent or need an international number, call +1 877 426 4537.
For general enquiries, you can also use live chat.
Summing up
HawaiianMiles gives travellers the best chance at securing reward flights on Hawaiian Airlines itself. Being able to book ‘flex’ awards using miles means greater opportunities to secure a seat at the time you need to fly. Still, that convenience comes at a cost – paying double the usual HawaiianMiles compared to standard/off-peak reward flights.
HawaiianMiles may also be the program of choice for travellers who regularly fly with Hawaiian Airlines. Just one return trip between Sydney and New York (via Honolulu) in Economy each year is enough to earn Pualani Gold status. Make that two return trips, and you’ve got yourself Platinum status with Hawaiian Airlines.
This unlocks all those great benefits above, and makes some reward flights even cheaper. The more you fly to or through Pacific paradise, the more rewarding HawaiianMiles can be.
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