Alaska and Hawaiian Are Taking Their Oneworld Partnerships to the Next Level With Joint Venture Plans

Updated: September 29, 2026, 1:06pm CDT

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Alaska and Hawaiian Want To Join 2 Major Joint Ventures
Final Thoughts

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Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines already have plenty of connections with their Oneworld partners, but those relationships could soon get much deeper.

Alaska Air Group has confirmed plans for the 2 airlines to join major joint ventures covering travel across both the Atlantic and Pacific. If approved, the move would allow them to work much more closely with American Airlines and several other Oneworld carriers.

There are still some hurdles to clear before any of this becomes official, but here’s what travelers should know.

Alaska and Hawaiian Want To Join 2 Major Joint Ventures

Alaska Air Group plans to join existing joint ventures on both sides of the globe.

Across the Atlantic, Alaska Airlines would join the partnership between American Airlines, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Finnair. Across the Pacific, it would join the existing joint venture between American Airlines and Japan Airlines.

If you’re wondering what that actually means, a joint venture is a much deeper partnership than simply being part of the same airline alliance.

Alaska Hawaiian Airlines — Alaska and Hawaiian’s joint ventures would bring better connectivity with their global partners. Image Credit: Nick Ellis

Airlines in a joint venture can coordinate things like fares and flight schedules on eligible routes, allowing them to work much more closely together. For travelers, that can mean a more connected network and better coordination between airlines when planning international trips. For example, your layover time could be more ideal when connecting between airlines because they’re coordinating schedules.

The timing also makes sense for Alaska. The carrier has been expanding well beyond the domestic and West Coast flying it has traditionally been known for, particularly after acquiring Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska is also building its own long-haul international network, including new routes from Seattle (SEA).

The airlines have recently announced a new focus on premium flight experiences and updates to the Atmos Rewards program, so they’ve been busy.

Alaska Air Group says more than 85% of global long-haul capacity flown by U.S. airlines already operates within these types of joint businesses. By joining them, the carrier sees an opportunity to reach more travelers while giving customers access to a larger international network.

Of course, this isn’t a done deal. Joint ventures require regulatory approval, so Alaska and Hawaiian can’t simply join the partnerships overnight. There’s also no firm timeline yet for when that approval could come or when the airlines could officially join the joint ventures.

Hot Tip:

Alaska and Hawaiian are both now part of the Oneworld alliance and share the Atmos Rewards loyalty program. These proposed joint ventures would take some of Alaska’s relationships with its Oneworld partners a step further.

Final Thoughts

Alaska and Hawaiian have already been getting closer to their Oneworld partners, and this would take those relationships even deeper. There’s still some work to be done before anything becomes official, but if approved, travelers could eventually see a more connected network across the Atlantic and Pacific.

We’ll be watching closely and will update this story as we learn more.