Hawaiian Airlines Introduces Huaka’i With Benefits for Hawaii Residents

Alaska Airlines has Club 49, offering benefits for Alaskan residents, and now Hawaiian Airlines has something just for residents of the 50th state: Huaka’i by Hawaiian.

The program — whose name refers to a journey with a purpose — is free to join. What perks does it offer? Let’s take a look.

Benefits of Huaka’i by Hawaiian

Along with its Mileage Plan program, Alaska Airlines has Club 49, which offers perks just for residents of Alaska. When announcing program benefits for the Alaska-Hawaiian merger, we were told that Hawaiian Airlines would also offer something exclusive for Hawaii residents. Now, it’s here.

Named Huaka’i by Hawaiian, this free-to-join program is exclusive to residents of Hawaii, and you can enroll here. Here’s a look at the program’s key perks:

• Quarterly fare discounts: Every quarter, members will receive a discount code via email, offering 10% off a neighbor island flight. Even better, those with a Hawaiian Airlines credit card will receive a code for 20% off. These codes will be available every 3 months. The first code will go out to members in December 2024. These codes will only be available by email and won’t be found in your online HawaiianMiles account. Discount codes can be used on one-way or round-trip bookings, valid for a single use for 1 passenger. These codes can be applied to bookings in economy or first class. If you’re traveling with others who are also Hawaii residents, you’ll need to make separate bookings and each apply your own discount code, and the code will only apply to travel during the upcoming quarter (for example, receiving a code at the beginning of March 2025 that’s valid for travel from April 1 to June 30, 2025).
• Free checked baggage: Starting on January 8, 2025, members will receive 1 free checked bag — including surfboards or golf clubs — on flights within Hawaii operated by Hawaiian Airlines. This benefit won’t stack with the complimentary checked baggage offered to those with Hawaiian Airlines elite status or co-branded credit cards, though, and remember that those cards are likely going away at some point in the future.
• Monthly fare sales: Starting in January 2025, members will receive special flight deals “handpicked just for Huaka’i by Hawaiian members every month,” according to the airline.

Eligibility for Huaka’i by Hawaiian membership requires a verified address in Hawaii. However, there’s no minimum residency requirement, so you could join today if you moved to Hawaii yesterday.

Final Thoughts

As promised, Hawaiian Airlines has unveiled a special program with benefits exclusive to Hawaii residents. Called Huaka’i by Hawaiian, membership is free for those with a confirmed address in Hawaii, and the first benefits will roll out next month.