Hawaiian Airlines is set for a major premium cabin overhaul, with its Airbus A330 fleet receiving new Leihōkū Suites and refreshed interiors from tip to tail, including the launch of Premium Economy (known as Premium Reserve).
Alongside the previously announced upcoming premium lounge at Honolulu Airport, Australian passengers jetting between Honolulu and Sydney have much to look forward to from 2028 onwards.
The changes form part of a broader investment by parent company Alaska Air Group, which is introducing separate premium products for its two airline brands. While Alaska Airlines is launching its Aurora product, Hawaiian is leaning into its Polynesian heritage with Leihoku, meaning ‘lei of stars’.
Hawaiian’s new Leihōkū Suites
Hawaiian’s fleet of 24 Airbus A330s will receive new interiors from front to back, with the airline increasing the proportion of premium seating from around 30% to 40%. At the front, 22 Leihoku Suites in a 1-2-1 layout will replace the existing roster of 18 lie-flat seats in a 2-2-2 arrangement.
Like on Hawaiian’s former Boeing 787s (now utilised by Alaska Airlines), the new Airbus A330 suites will feature a fully lie-flat seat, direct aisle access and a privacy door, bringing Hawaiian’s premium cabin more in line with the latest generation of international Business Class products.
However, for the plane nerds out there, the base seat model will be different on Hawaiian Airlines this time around. Whereas the previous iteration on the 787s uses the Elevate (formerly Adient Aerospace) Ascent seat, the Leihoku Suites 2.0 will utilise a custom version of Collin Aerospace’s popular Super Diamond seat. In any case, it’s a huge upgrade from the current 2-2-2 seating on the legacy Airbus A330s.
Each new suite will have a 19-inch 4K entertainment screen, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless charging, USB-C and AC power.
Hawaiian will also provide hotel-quality bedding and enhanced onboard amenities, while its Starlink-equipped A330s offer fast Wi-Fi. We’ve already experienced Hawaiian’s blazing-fast Wi-Fi on the Airbus A330 and can confirm that it does work seamlessly. Starlink is yet to come on Alaska’s Boeing 787s due to local FAA red tape, but installation is expected to begin before the end of 2026.
Lie-flat on a narrow-body also coming to Alaska
Alaska Airlines is also rolling out similar lie-flat Aurora Suites across at least 25 of its Boeing 737-10 aircraft, which will mainly service transcontinental USA routes (and possibly Hawaii).
Unlike the aisle-facing herringbone configuration selected by carriers such as American Airlines and Qantas for the Airbus A321XLR, Alaska Airlines is continuing with Elevate’s Ascent narrow-body, reverse-herringbone seat that faces the windows – which is sure to be popular with flyers.
With other US carriers introducing ultra-premium lounge experiences, Alaska Airlines will open a new Aurora Lounge, giving its top-tier international passengers a more exclusive pre-flight experience in Seattle.
The 200-seat lounge will sit alongside the new 500-seat Alaska Lounge at the expanded C Concourse. Inside, expect private shower suites, wellness spaces, chef-prepared à la carte dining and tableside service. It’s expected to open in late 2027 and will likely have a tight guest list that could exclude most status holders – except for Alaska’s most top-tier members – in lower cabins.
Premium Reserve adds a new cabin between Business and Economy
Hawaiian’s A330s will also gain a new Premium Reserve cabin, giving passengers another option under Leihoku Suites. Modelled after the Collins Aerospace MiQ, Premium Reserve will feature 28 seats on each A330, with a standard 38 inches of pitch, a wider seat than traditional economy, enhanced recline and a leg and calf rest.
Passengers will also receive a 16-inch 4K OLED entertainment screen, Bluetooth, AC power and USB-C charging. The cabin will form part of a four-cabin layout consisting of Leihōkū Suites, Premium Reserve, Premium Class and Main Cabin, and will also debut in 2028.
(While slightly confusing in name, Premium Class is essentially an Economy seat with extra legroom and additional perks such as an amenity kit, while Premium Reserve will be a proper Premium Economy cabin).
For Hawaiian, the changes represent a substantial step up in its premium offering and pits the airline head-to-head against Qantas, which offers Premium Economy on the Honolulu route.
Alaska Airlines will also feature 12 Premium Reserve seats (set 2-2 across three rows) on those select Boeing 737-10s that are also getting the Aurora Suites, as well as adding 35 Premium Reserve seats to the Boeing 787s.
A new Hawaiian Airlines Lounge is coming to Honolulu
The premium experience will also extend beyond the aircraft. As previously announced, Hawaiian will open a massive new lounge at the entrance to the Mauka Concourse (gates A1-A11) in Honolulu Airport’s Terminal 1 in early 2028. The lounge will accommodate around 200 guests.
Access will be similar to the existing Plumeria Lounge, with guests travelling in Leihoku Suites among those eligible. Inside, the lounge will feature locally inspired food and beverages, a signature local coffee experience, and a full-service bar serving specially crafted cocktails.
There will also be private workspaces, while artwork and installations from local artists will reinforce the Hawaiian identity of the space. The lounge is part of a wider expansion of the group’s lounge network, with Alaska also planning new lounges in Seattle and San Diego.
Overall, it’s exciting times for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. For Australian travellers, Hawaiian Airlines’ newest products are the ones to look forward to, sometime in 2028. Even if an island escape isn’t on your radar, flying to other destinations via Honolulu could be a feasible strategy – particularly if you were going to transit in Los Angeles anyway.
You can also book Hawaiian Airlines flights with Qantas Points – and thanks to its relatively low fees and charges compared to flying Qantas itself, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to visit Hawaii (and beyond) with your points.
As for Alaska Airlines, Seattle-Sydney looks increasingly like a question of when, not if. The airline’s fleet constraints are likely the biggest barrier right now. But once new Boeing 787s are here, it’s only a matter of time before we see a new non-stop option between Australia and Alaska Airlines’ Pacific hub.
Disclaimer: images courtesy of Alaska Airlines. The author travelled to Seattle as a guest of Alaska Airlines. This article was not by them before publication.
