Hawaiian Airlines Baggage Fees Guide (Checked, International, Military) [2023]

Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii’s state carrier as they connect every island to the rest of the US and international destinations. Yet, being based out of Hawaii doesn’t make their baggage fees any cheaper than the rest of US carriers.

In this article, I’ll discuss the specific Hawaiian Airlines baggage restrictions and fees for carry-ons, checked bags, and international flights, while showing you some ways to avoid these fees. 

I’ll also talk about special circumstances such as for overweight baggage, pet policies, and military privileges.

What are Hawaiian Airlines baggage fees?

For domestic flights Hawaiian Airlines charges $25 to $30 for the first bag and $35 to $40 for the second bag. Prices are lower for inter-island travel and more expensive for travel between the mainland and Hawaii.

Below I will go into details outlining the allowance and fees for both carry-on and checked baggage.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Can I avoid Hawaiian Airlines baggage fees?

You can avoid Hawaiian Airlines baggage fees in several ways.

Premier Club Membership

Premier Club is a unique way to get elite style benefits via a paid membership.

If you are a Premier Club member, you get benefits like two bags for free, better seat selection, Premier Club check-in, Premier Club Access, priority security lanes, and priority baggage handling. Here are the membership prices:

  • 1st membership annual fee: $299 or 40,000 HawaiianMiles
  • Renewing membership annual fee: $249.00 or 35,000 HawaiianMiles

This can be huge if you are a family flying domestic flights frequently saving money on bags and receiving priority services along with lounge access.

You could save up to $70 for two bags each way for flying domestic. You would just have to fly 5 flights between the Hawaiian islands and North America for the membership to pay for itself with free baggage.

Elite status

Hawaiian Airlines has 2 elite statuses called Pualani Elite status. Each one offers benefits like free baggage or priority services.

Pualani Gold

  • 30 segments or 20,000 flight miles
  • 2 bags for free

Pualani Platinum

  • 60 segments or 40,000 flight miles
  • 3 bags for free

As Hawaiian is not part of any alliance, you won’t be able to get free bags while having another airlines status.

With any airline loyalty program, elites are given special benefits as thanks. To some, benefits like priority services and lounge access are very valuable, but a free baggage allowance is just icing on the cake and can save money if you aren’t flying in the premium cabin.

Fare types

The only fare type that includes bags would be first class. No true economy fare. Thus, if you wanted bags included in your ticket price, you must be flying in first class.

International destinations

All classes and cabins on Hawaiian Airlines will receive a free baggage allowance for international destinations. Some destinations like Japan, Korea, and China will receive extra baggage allowance for premium cabins.

Credit Cards

Hawaiian has one co-branded credit card via a major nationwide bank, but they also have a few cards issued by a local Hawaiian bank. In this article, we will go over the Barclay issued Hawaiian card as more people can access this card.

Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard

  • 3x HawaiianMiles for purchases made directly with Hawaiian Airlines
  • 2x HawaiianMiles on gas, dining, and grocery store purchases
  • 1x HawaiianMiles on everything else
  • First checked bag free (only for cardmember)
  • Share Miles without fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $99 annual fee (waived the first year)

This card has two unique features for frequent Hawaiian travelers, Share Miles without a fee and first checked bag is free. Those two features can be very unique in their own right.

Share Miles is a program where you can transfer miles to another person, friend or family member, without a fee. That means it’s easier to combine miles for an aspirational award. 

The first checked bag is free when holding this card for the primary cardholder.

Hawaiian Airlines personal item and carry-on restrictions

No matter what seat you are sitting in, you are allowed one free personal item and one free carry-on bag.

Personal item

You can bring one personal item for free on any Hawaiian Airlines flight in any cabin.

Surprisingly Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t give any dimensions for maximum personal item size, but they have an official rule called Rule 17.A.2 for personal items.

It states:

“Your personal item must be small enough to fit safely under the seat in front of you.”

The industry standard for maximum dimensions for a bag to fit under the seat in front of you would be: 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Some examples of personal items would be a purse, briefcase, laptop computer, or small backpack.

Carry-on

You can bring one carry-on bag for free on any Hawaiian Airlines flight in any cabin.

  • 45 linear inches max (must fit in the overhead bin or under your seat in front of you)
  • 22 x 14 x 9 inches
  • 25 lbs max

Hawaiian Airlines allows soft-sided garment bags or other large objects without any max size, but subject to space availability.

For your carry-on item, you can bring a suitcase, bag, garment bag, carrycot, pushchair or child seat for infants, and any required mobility aids, such as a wheelchair. Some items will be gate checked for free. As long as it doesn’t exceed the dimensions above, you will be fine.

Musical instruments are also considered a carry-on item and must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you, no matter what size.

Personal item and carry-on bag

Liquids

The same TSA standards apply to Hawaiian Airlines flights operating within the US, arriving, and departing from the US. You can review a list provided by the TSA of permitted and prohibited items which may be included in carry-on baggage including the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule.

Hawaiian Airlines checked baggage fees

The prices below are for one-way Hawaiian Airlines flights, not roundtrip, and for bags that do not exceed 62 in (157 cm) in overall dimensions.

Here are all the fees for all the destinations and regions below:

Neighbor IslandNorth AmericaInternational and First Class
1st bag$25$30Free
2nd bag$35$40Free
3+ bag$50$100$150

Tip: When flying inter-island, the price difference between economy and first class is often pretty small. If you’re checking multiple bags it could actually be better to just book a first class ticket.

Out of all the US carriers, Hawaiian is one of the best when it comes to the least cumbersome fee structure to the destinations they fly. Of course, it’s not Southwest simplicity, but Hawaiian at least doesn’t confuse passengers as much as other airlines like AA.

Remember, if you have status, you don’t have to pay these fees, even when you are flying on a Basic Economy ticket.

If you want all the tips on how to deal with checked baggage and how to avoid fees, be sure to check out the ultimate guide to checked luggage here.

Hawaiian Airlines checked baggage size allowance

Hawaiian Airlines checked bags must not exceed 62″ in overall dimensions and exceed 50 lbs if you are flying main cabin or premium cabin (business/first class).

That might catch you off guard because usually premium cabins allow you more weight with your checked bags but not in this case!

At least not on domestic flights.

For flights to/from Australia and New Zealand and you’re seated in the main cabin or business class, bags can be up to 70 lbs in max weight. For flights to/from Japan and Korea and you’re seated in business class, bags can be up to 70 lbs in max weight.

Hawaiian Airlines excess checked baggage fee

Hawaiian Airlines overweight bags and/or bags that exceed the dimensions will receive an extra fee, as explained below.

Oversize bags

Bags flying on Hawaiian Airlines larger than 62 inches overall dimensions will have an oversize fee.

Hawaiian Airlines won’t accept checked bags over 80 inches overall dimensions. Prices below are for each way that the bag is between the overall dimensions of 62-80 inches.

  • Neighbor Island: $35
  • North America: $100
  • International: $150

Overweight bags

The exact amount you will be charged for overweight bags depends on exactly how much weight you are over and your destination.

Hawaiian Airlines won’t accept checked bags over 100 lbs.

51-70 lbs71-100 lbs
Neighbor Island$35$70
North America$50$200
Australia or New Zealand$0Not accepted
Japan or Korea$50 (Business Class: $0)$400
Pago Pago$50$400
Papeete$50Not accepted

Remember these fees will go on top of the regular checked luggage fees.

If you want all the tips on how to deal with checked baggage and how to avoid fees, be sure to check out the ultimate guide to checked luggage here.

Hawaiian Airlines sport baggage

Sport bags or equipment are considered “special items” on Hawaiian Airlines. Some are exempt from the allowance stated above, but most will have to comply with the rules or have fees to be checked.

Rule 18.D explain special items with the most up-to-date information from Hawaiian Airlines.

  • Antlers
  • Archery
  • Baseball bats
  • Bicycle
  • Bowling
  • Camping equipment
  • Curling equipment
  • Fencing equipment
  • Fishing
  • Golf clubs
  • Hang gliders
  • Hockey, cricket and lacrosse equipment
  • Javelin and pole vault
  • Oars and paddles
  • Parachute
  • Scuba gear (with tanks)
  • Scuba gear (without tanks)
  • Shooting equipment
  • Skateboards
  • Skis (snow/water) and snowboards
  • Watersports boards
  • Tennis, badminton, squash, or racquetball
  • Windsurf or kitesurfs

How to check sports baggage for Hawaiian Airlines flights

After verifying Rule 18.D special items, aka sports baggage, you can either check your sporting equipment normally at the airport just as you would any other bag.

As some sporting equipment is big and bulky, aka oversized, it’s best to arrive at the airport earlier than you might would with normal checked luggage as oversized luggage can take a few extra minutes to check.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Hawaiian Airlines military baggage policy

Hawaiian Airlines allows active-duty military personnel and dependents traveling on orders to get 5 checked bags for free, up to 70 lbs and 80 linear inches.

Dependents traveling without an active duty military family member must present the orders at check-in. While the military personnel must show a valid active-duty military ID.

Traveling on leisure, you are able to check 2 bags for free, up to 50 lbs and 62 linear inches. For leisure travel, this benefit is only for the active military personnel and not for dependents. One must present an active duty military ID at check-in.

If you want to learn more about military benefits for airlines, I suggest reading our article.

When can I check-in my bags for Hawaiian Airlines?

Hawaiian Airlines check-in depends on your departure city and destination.

Minimum check-in time for Hawaiian Airlines

  • Neighbor Island flights: 30 minutes before scheduled departure
  • North America flights: 45 minutes before scheduled departure
  • International flights: 60 minutes before scheduled departure

The above times aren’t suggested times for checking into your flight. These are cutting it close and you still would have to get through security. I would suggest checking with the departure airport as each international airport is different.

Suggested check-in time for Hawaiian Airlines

  • Neighbor Island flights: 1.5 hours before scheduled departure
  • North America flights: 2.5 hours before scheduled departure
  • International flights: 3 hours before scheduled departure

I do think these suggested check-in times are pretty extreme, I personally like to arrive at the airport 2 hours before scheduled international departures if I don’t have any priority access. However, arriving earlier minimizes the risk of missing a flight. Especially as lines can be long for check-in…

Long check-in lines can happen for any airline, especially leisure heavy destinations like Hawaii.

As always, check the policies for the departure airport as some airports have different policies in foreign countries.

Hawaiian Airlines pet policy

For the pet lovers out there that want to travel with their pet on Hawaiian Airlines with limitations as I explained below.

Pets traveling Hawaiian Airlines in the cabin

  • Pets are only allowed to travel inter-island flights and flights leaving Hawaii.
  • No pets are allowed to travel on flights to Hawaii (service animals are the exception)
  • Animal health certificate must be obtained before departure from Hawaii
  • Pets are only allowed for domestic North American flights
  • One pet per passenger
  • Pets must be in an approved carrier able to fit under the seat in front of you
  • Pets aren’t allowed in first class
  • Pets aren’t allowed to fly into New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Orlando (MCO) or Austin (AUS)

As you can see, these rules are strict. You can read the most up to date rules here, but the rules above are standard for Hawaii based travel as the state is strict about environment, diseases, and agriculture.

Fees for pets traveling in the cabin

Hawaiian Airlines fees for pets traveling inside the cabin are a reasonable $35 for inter-island Hawaii flights. For flights to North America, the fee is $125 for a pet.

Pets traveling Hawaiian Airlines as checked baggage

Similar to above, Hawaiian Airlines is strict about pets traveling as checked baggage. You must contact reservations 48 hours prior departure to add your pet as checked baggage. You can contact reservations at 1-800-367-5320

Fees for inter-island Hawaiian flights are $60 and $225 for North America flights. You can read more here.

What if my bags are lost or damaged on Hawaiian Airlines?

If your bags are lost or damaged make sure you report it to Hawaiian Airlines immediately. It is imperative to make a claim in person or online after the flight.

You can either go to baggage services at the airport or online. Please refer to this link.

What if I lost an item on Hawaiian Airlines?

It is best to find a Hawaiian Airlines representative at the airport before leaving. They could go back on the aircraft for you as federal regulations prohibit you from entering the aircraft again.

If want to file a lost and found report, you must contact the Central Baggage Service.

Otherwise, follow the steps here.

Final word

Hawaiian is a wonderful boutique full-service US-flagged carrier. It brings excitement to many as they take you to an amazingly beautiful destination like Hawaii or to a new one abroad.

However, as a carrier with baggage fees, it still will tack on fees for neighbor islands and North American flights, that can still be avoidable.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Guide [2023]

Hawaii is a bucket list destination but one way to make your trip even more memorable is to fly first class.

But is it really worth it to fly first class on Hawaiian Airlines and what can you expect?

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about flying Hawaiian Airlines First Class. I’ll break down the different aircraft you might fly on whether you are flying from the mainland or between Hawaiian islands.

In addition to showing you the product, I’ll also talk about both cash prices and award prices so that you’ll have a good idea of what to expect when it’s time to make your booking.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Aircraft

When you’re flying Hawaiian Airlines first class, you can expect to be flying in one of the following aircraft:

  • Airbus A321neo
  • Airbus A330-200
  • Boeing 717-200

Beginning in 2023, you might also be able to fly on the Boeing 787-9. Those will have an entirely new seat including window seats with direct aisle access!

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Mainland first class product

If you’re flying between the Hawaiian islands and the mainland you’ll be flying on an Airbus A321neo or Airbus A330-200. Let’s take a look at each of those aircraft to see what they have to offer.

Airbus A321neo

The Airbus A321neo is going to be found on some of the routes between Hawaii and the western continental United States. For example, the A321 might serve a flight from Oakland to Honolulu or from Las Vegas to Honolulu.

The A321 is the only cabin I have not personally flown (with Hawaiian Airlines) but it looks like a pretty aesthetically pleasing (yet basic) first class cabin.

They have some interesting touches like foot rests and a compartment for water bottles but for the most part it looks like a pretty standard domestic first class cabin.

The biggest thing to note about the Airbus A321neo is that you don’t get the lie flat seats. Instead, you get the standard recliner seats with 39 inches of pitch in a 2-2 cabin with 16 seats.

Also, you won’t find seatback TVs and will be issued a tablet which is smaller than the one given on the A330.

Airbus A330-200

The Airbus A330-200 is the main first class product that people actually get excited about. You’ll find this aircraft on all of the long-haul flights between Hawaii and states like Florida, Massachusetts, New York, etc.

But this aircraft will also serve some destinations on the West Coast including states like California and Washington.

You can check out my full review of my Hawaiian Airlines First Class experience flying between Honolulu and Phoenix.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class seats

Overall, I was pretty impressed with the flight especially the service.

But the hard product was not bad either.

The A330 has fully lie-flat seats which is very nice when crossing the Pacific but there are a couple of potential shortcomings.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class seats

First, the first class cabin is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration with a total of 18 seats

This means that if you have a window seat you will not have direct aisle access. If you’re flying as a couple then this is not a big deal at all.

But if you are sharing a row with a stranger than it is more of an issue.

The other thing that might surprise you is that there are no TV screens in first class. It’s pretty rare to find fully lie-flat seats with no TV screens.

In place of screens, Hawaiian Airlines provides tablets for your entertainment.

The tablets are pretty big and there is a stand that pops out allowing you to easily stand up the tablet for viewing.

Initially, I was a little turned off by using a tablet but I found that it was a pretty decent in-flight experience.

The only real drawback is that you have to wait for it to be distributed to you and they take it prior to landing so it cuts down on your viewing time a little bit.

I also found the dining to be a fairly solid first class experience.

It did not blow me away like some international airlines would such as Singapore Airlines but I also did not expect it to be on par with the best of the best. Instead, it was more in line with a pretty solid domestic first class meal.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class dining
Hawaiian Airlines First Class dining
Hawaiian Airlines First Class dining

Inter-island first class product

When flying first class between islands, you’ll likely be on the Boeing 717-200.

The first class cabin is pretty small on this aircraft and you can read about our flight experience flying between Honolulu and Lihue.

The inter-island first class experience is going to be very similar to a domestic first class flight. You’ll have a standard recliner seat and the seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration.

I did find the reclining feature to be a little bit different than most domestic first class seats. It’s hard to explain and it’s a pretty subtle difference but it’s almost as if the entire seat is shifting versus just the back of the seat.

Obviously, these flights are going to be very short usually ranging from about 30 minutes to 45 minutes. A lot of people question whether first class is worth it for such a short flight.

Personally, I thought it was well worth it to fly first class for a few reasons.

Most of all, whenever I factored in the baggage fees we would be paying with an economy seat, I realized that booking a first class ticket would essentially be a break even point since you get two free checked bags as a first class passenger.

That was more than enough reason to book first class since we’d also be getting things like priority boarding, lounge access, and free drinks.

Speaking of free drinks, I was surprised that they even served drinks on such a short flight. This goes back to the great service we experienced one flying first class with Hawaiian Airlines.

Read: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort Review

One thing to keep in mind is that the economy cabin is arranged in a 3-2 configuration.

Therefore, if you’re just looking to have a row to yourself or with just you and your partner, you can still get that in economy by choosing a row with only two seats.

Just keep in mind that those seats tend to get selected first so if you want to choose a row with only two seats be sure to do that as far in advance as possible.

Related: Hawaiian Airlines Boarding Groups & Process Explained

Hawaiian Airlines First class lounges

If you love to spend time in airport lounges, you might be a little bit disappointed when flying out of Hawaii because your first class ticket will not provide you with access to any amazing airport lounge.

If you’re flying between Hawaii and North America (West Coast) or between Neighbor Islands in First Class, you’ll get access to the Premier Club, which is a very, very basic airport lounge.

If you’re flying between Hawaii and New York, Boston, or Orlando, you’ll get Plumeria Lounge Access. This is a much more equipped airport lounge but still on par with a standard Priority Pass lounge.

In fact, it actually is a Priority Pass lounge so if you are limited to access to the Premier Club but you have Priority Pass you definitely want to head to the the Plumeria Lounge.

Related: Which Lounge at HNL: Premier Club or Plumeria Lounge for Hawaiian Airlines?

Hawaiian Airlines mainland first class routes and prices

Now let’s talk about prices.

I think the first thing that I thought was notable was that the prices for the lie-flat A330 cabin can be just as expensive or cheaper than the A321 which has the standard recliner seats.

This is very different from when I was researching American Airlines first class prices since most of the time the standard recliner cabins are significantly cheaper than the wide-body cabins with life-flat seats.

Also, as you probably would imagine Hawaiian Airlines First Class prices get much more expensive when you are flying between Hawaii and the East Coast.

For example, when flying between the West Coast and Hawaii it’s not very difficult to find a first class ticket for around $1,000 and usually the most expensive tickets were still under $1,500 for the most part.

But when looking at prices to East Coast destinations such as Orlando and Boston, the first class prices went up quite a bit. For the most part I was seeing prices around $2,000 to $3,000.

Award tickets

If you’re looking to book an award ticket with Hawaiian Airlines miles, you’ll find different prices for different regions. They have different prices for the West Coast, Central US, and East Coast.

The cheapest first class awards go for 40,000 miles and that rate applies to all regions of the US. That award can offer you exceptional value especially when flying from the East Coast.

The problem is I really struggled to find awards for 40,000 miles. I searched for lots of routes and throughout different months and when I did find open awards it was only for one seat.

So while 40,000 miles can definitely be a bargain you might find it challenging to find a booking opportunity especially if you were looking for more than one seat.

On the other hand, the more expensive awards range from 80,000 miles to 130,000 miles. These prices are much less of a bargain but in my experience it was very easy to find open awards.

West Coast

First ClassAward Amount
First Class 140,000
First Class 280,000
Upgrade 125,000
Upgrade 250,000

Central

First ClassAward Amount
First Class 140,000
First Class 2110,000
Upgrade 125,000
Upgrade 250,000

East Coast

First ClassAward Amount
First Class 140,000
First Class 2130,000
Upgrade 125,000
Upgrade 250,000

You can always refer to partners to book Hawaiian Airlines flights and those may offer better deals. For example, booking Hawaiian Airlines with Virgin Atlantic Miles could offer a sweeter deal.

However, when I called Virgin Atlantic to search for open awards that I found on Hawaiian Airlines they struggled to find those same open seats so you might run into some award inventory issues.

Now that you have an idea of the award prices, let’s take a look at the cash prices from various Hawaiian Airlines routes within the continental US.

Note that we searched for prices a couple of months out and picked a random day to get out quick view of what the prices might be like.

If there was more than one price, we listed the range of the prices for that day.

Arizona

Phoenix (PHX) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,861

California

Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $845 to $1,314

Los Angeles (LAX) to Kahului (OGG) [A330]

  • $970

Oakland (OAK) to Honolulu (HNL) [A321]

  • $1,418

Oakland (OAK) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,442

Sacramento (SMF) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,713

Sacramento (SMF) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,413

San Diego (SAN) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,015

San Diego (SAN) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,851

San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $899

San Francisco (SFO) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,428

San Jose (SJC) to Honolulu (HNL) [A321]

  • $1,341

San Jose (SJC) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,318

Florida

Orlando (MCO) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $2,071

Massachusetts

Boston (BOS) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $3,489

New York

New York City (JFK) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $3,489

Nevada

Las Vegas (LAS) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,209 to $1,219

Las Vegas (LAS) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,536

Oregon

Portland (PDX) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,021

Portland (PDX) to Kahului (OGG) [A321]

  • $1,850

Texas

Austin (AUS) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,608

Washington

Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) to Honolulu (HNL) [A330]

  • $1,764

Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) to Kahului (OGG) [A330]

  • $1,769

Hawaiian Airlines inter-island first class routes and prices

If you’re wanting to book an award flight for an inter-island route here are the prices for first class:

First ClassAward Amount
First Class 115,000
First Class 230,000
Upgrade 17,500
Upgrade 215,000

Paying 15,000 miles for an inter-island first class flight might be getting you somewhere around one cent per mile which is not too great. In some cases, the higher fares could get you closer to 1.5 or two cents per mile which is much better.

But personally, I would just be looking to pay cash for these flights because they can be so cheap.

Also, I would not consider 30,000 miles for an inter-island first class flight to be a good deal in the vast majority of cases.

Related: Flying Southwest Inter-island in Hawaii? Here’s What to Expect

Hawaii

Hilo (ITO) to Kahului (OGG) [Boeing 717]

  • $159

Hilo (ITO) to Honolulu (HNL) [Boeing 717]

  • $143

Kona (KOA) to Kahului (OGG) [Boeing 717]

  • $137 to $210

Kona (KOA) to Honolulu (HNL) [Boeing 717]

  • $143

Kona (KOA) to Lihue (LIH) [Boeing 717]

  • $159

Maui

Kahului (OGG) to Honolulu (HNL) [Boeing 717]

  • $143

Kahului (OGG) to Lihue (LIH) [Boeing 717]

  • $159 to $294

Oahu

Honolulu (HNL) to Lihue (LIH) [Boeing 717]

  • $143

Final word

Personally, I’m a pretty big fan of flying first class on Hawaiian Airlines.

Above everything else, I was impressed by the level of service from the crew members during all of our first class flights. While the in-flight entertainment is non-traditional it’s still not a bad experience in my opinion.

I would just make a few notes about booking Hawaiian Airlines First Class:

It’s odd that the A321 can be just as expensive or even more expensive than the A330 considering that it only offers standard recliner seats versus the fully lie flat seats.

First class awards for 40,000 miles are an absolute bargain especially from the East Coast but can be extremely difficult to find.

Hawaiian Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy Guide [2023]

Sending off an unaccompanied minor can sometimes be a pretty stressful experience.

This is especially true on longer flights like those between Hawaii and the continental US. Luckily, Hawaiian Airlines has a very detailed and straightforward unaccompanied minor policy.

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Hawaiian Airlines unaccompanied minor policy. I’ll cover things like the route restrictions, fees, and show you where to find the form you need to fill out.

Hawaiian Airlines unaccompanied minor policy explained

Any child who is five through 11 years old and not traveling with another guest who is at least 15 years old and in the same class of service as the child is considered an “Unaccompanied Minor” and will be subject to all of the rules below.

If a child is 11 years old or younger and traveling with another guest who is at least 15 years old and in the same class of service, they are not forced to travel as an unaccompanied minor.

Children 12 years and older can travel unaccompanied.

Children under five years old cannot travel as unaccompanied minors.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Hawaiian Airlines unaccompanied minor policy fees

For an unaccompanied minor traveling within the state of Hawaii, the unaccompanied minor fee is $35 per segment. This fee is in addition to the cost of the plane ticket.

For an unaccompanied minor traveling between the continental US and Hawaii, the unaccompanied minor fee is $100 per unaccompanied minor (each way). This fee is also in addition to the cost of the plane ticket.

If you are traveling from the continental US and will require a connection within Hawaii you will be charged the $100 fee for the travel from the mainland plus $35 per connecting segment.

If you have more than one unaccompanied minor traveling you might be able to get away with only paying once.

That’s because Hawaiian Airlines will accept up to two unaccompanied minors belonging to the same immediate family.

In order to capture that discount, the drop off and pick up information and contact details must be 100% identical.

Want extra tips on flying with an unaccompanied minor? Read: Unaccompanied Minor Policy Ultimate Guide

Hawaiian Airlines unaccompanied minor policy rules

Age restrictions

The minimum age for an unaccompanied minor is five and this means that the child must have reached his or her 5th birthday by the date of travel.

So it may be okay if your child is four years old at the time of booking as long as they turn five before or on the day of travel.

The same thing applies to the young person who could be accompanying the minor. He or she must be 15 years old by the date of travel.

Connecting flights

Connecting flights are permitted for flights within Hawaii but unaccompanied minors will only be accepted on non-stop, direct flights operated by Hawaiian when flying to or from the mainland.

When flying to/from the mainland, based on the language found from Hawaiian Airlines, it sounds like unaccompanied minors are allowed to fly on an inter-island connection in Hawaii as long as it is on a flight operated by Hawaiian Airlines.

Like many other airlines, Hawaiian Airlines has quite a few restrictions on the type of routes and flights allowed for unaccompanied minors.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most important restrictions you need to know about:

They will not accept any unaccompanied minors on any Hawaiian flight departing between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless: (i) travel is on a flight operating out of Honolulu, Hawaii, and (ii) the flight is the only flight to the Unaccompanied Minor’s destination for the day.

They will not accept any unaccompanied minors for travel on any flight connecting to any other flight when such other flight is the last flight of the day to the unaccompanied minor’s destination.

If you’re sending your unaccompanied minor on a connecting flight, you need to pay special attention to how long the layover is.

That is because they will not accept unaccompanied minors when the connection time is greater than two hours or less than one hour.

The exception to this is when there are no scheduled arrivals or departures that would allow for a connecting time within those parameters and Hawaiian Airlines decides to make an exception.

There are a few other restrictions to be aware of.

For example, Hawaiian Airlines will not accept:

  • Unaccompanied Minors when any connecting flight would require an overnight stay.
  • Unaccompanied Minors who are connecting to or connecting from any flight operated by any other air carrier other than ‘Ohana by Hawaiian.
  • Unaccompanied Minors on any flight they operate that is ticketed by another carrier with a flight number other than that of Hawaiian’s.
  • Unaccompanied Minors for travel in extra-comfort (coach or first-class only)

It’s worth noting that they also reserve the right to change the child’s itinerary if they “believe there is any reasonable possibility that the flight upon which the Unaccompanied Minor holds a reservation could be diverted to another airport.”

This is one reason why I recommend people to reconsider unaccompanied minor travel when major storms or weather systems are blowing through. It can seriously complicate your logistics.

Hawaiian airlines extra-comfort seats
These seats are not available for unaccompanied minors.

Documents needed for unaccompanied minor check-in

In order to properly send off your unaccompanied minor, the parent, guardian, or responsible adult will need to have the necessary paperwork finished. Thankfully, it’s not a very complicated process.

The responsible adult will have to fill out the Hawaiian Airlines unaccompanied minor form.

It’s a really basic form and you can print it out and fill it out before you arrive at the airport or wait to be issued the form when you check-in.

I would recommend filling it out before you get to the airport and making a couple of copies of it for your reference.

In addition to that form, the responsible adult will have to provide:

  • A valid and unexpired government-issued photo identification
  • The name, phone number and address of (i) the parent, guardian, or responsible adult who will be meeting the unaccompanied minor at his/her destination and (ii) where possible, an alternate responsible adult authorized to pick up the unaccompanied minor

Make sure that you take some time to consider adding an alternate.

If for some reason the primary responsible adult is not able to pick up the child it will be a much lengthier process trying to add a new individual.

The flying process

It’s recommended that the responsible adult arrive a little bit early at the airport so that they can take care of the check-in process which sometimes might require a little bit of extra time.

It shouldn’t require you to wait a very long time but you never know what kind of little mishaps can occur when extra paperwork is involved.

The adult will then receive a gate pass which they can use to escort the unaccompanied minor to his or her departure gate.

Keep in mind that adult will have to get through TSA security so it’s best to make things easy and avoid bringing bags or liquids.

Super important: the adult is required to stay at the gate until the flight has departed. And by departed they don’t mean left the gate.

Instead, they want the adult to remain at the gate until the plane has actually left the ground because sometimes a plane may have to return to the gate for unexpected issues.

In the event passengers have to deplane it will be much easier if the adult is already waiting at the gate.

Pick up

Whoever is picking up the child at the airport should arrive extra early.

This is especially the case for flights between Hawaii and the mainland.

Because those flights are much longer, the plane might be capable of landing extra early. So I would recommend arriving about 45 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time.

The adult must be present and available at the destination to receive the unaccompanied minor at the baggage claim or other designated area immediately upon arrival.

If the adult desires to greet the child at the gate once they arrive they may be able to acquire a gate pass.

They should just check with the agents at check-in at the airport of arrival and if they have the resources available, they should be able to provide the adult with a gate pass.

The adult receiving the child must be one of the contact people listed on the Unaccompanied Minor form submitted at the time of departure.

For obvious reasons, airlines have a very strict policy of not releasing a minor to people not on the original form.

Make sure that you are on top of picking up the child on time because if nobody is available to receive the child at the destination, the airlines may contact the police/government for assistance to take custody of the child.

Not only will that be a stressful situation for both you and the child but you will have to reimburse them for any costs and expenses.

Unaccompanied minor flying tips

Baggage

Try to keep carry-on baggage at a minimum so that nothing gets lost. It is a good idea to attach ID and contact information on the outside or even the inside of their baggage.

Also, because this is Hawaii you have to be extra careful about certain items that you take into the state or out of the state.

It’s best to avoid bringing things like fresh fruit and vegetables because most of them are not allowed although there are exceptions for certain types like pineapples. 

Related: Hawaiian Airlines Baggage Fees Guide

Food

Many short flights will not offer a meal service and may only supply snacks so it’s a good idea to pack food for the flight.

In other cases, there may be a more extensive menu selection for longer flights. You may want to call ahead of time to clarify if your child will have access to free food on the flight.

Related: Can You Bring Food on a Plane?

Entertainment

It is also a good idea to give your child some form of entertainment. Popular items include tablets, books, and other toys to keep them occupied.

If they are flying first class between the mainland and Hawaii, they will be issued a tablet that they can use to watch movies and play games on. Some economy cabins like the A330 will have seatback TVs.

Inform the child properly

Do whatever you can to get your child comfortable and knowledgeable about traveling alone. Let them know that they should only speak to Hawaiian Airlines agents if they have any questions or need any help.

Also, make it clear that they should never leave the airport or even the gate area unless they are accompanied by a Hawaiian Airlines employee with a badge.

How to book unaccompanied minors on Hawaiian Airlines

When I called Hawaiian Airlines I was told that I could book an unaccompanied minor ticket online.

However, when I tried to book a ticket for an unaccompanied minor I was not allowed to proceed and got a message that said:

“If you are booking a flight for an unaccompanied minor or child under the age of 13, please contact our Reservations Department at 1-800-367-5320.”

Therefore, I think you may have to call that number to make a booking for your unaccompanied minor.

International unaccompanied minor rules

Hawaiian Airlines unaccompanied minor rules are a little bit different for international flights.

They state that children under the age of 12 traveling on an international flight are not allowed to travel alone.

If traveling with a companion, minors under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a companion who is at least 18 years old. Note that the domestic age requirement is only 15 years old.

Final word

Hawaiian Airlines has a pretty clear-cut policy for unaccompanied minors. Compared to other airlines, they have a pretty flexible and reasonable policy when it comes to things like the age limits, route restrictions, etc. Their fees are also in line with other major airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines Boarding Groups & Process Explained [2022]

Are you getting ready to fly Hawaiian Airlines but trying to make sure you understand the boarding process clearly?

In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Hawaiian Airlines boarding groups and give you some insight into the boarding process.

You’ll find out when you can check in and when the latest is that you can check your bags when heading to different destinations such as between islands or to and from the mainland.

Full list of Hawaiian Airlines boarding groups

Hawaiian Airlines has a total of 10 boarding groups and they are as follows:

  • Pre-boarding
  • Premium Cabin
  • Zone 1
  • Zone 2
  • Early Boarding
  • Zone 3
  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Main Cabin Basic seats

Keep reading below and I’ll break each of these groups down into detail.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Check in and checking bags

Whether you are flying Hawaiian Airlines international, inter-island, or to and from the mainland, you can check in online 24 hours prior to your flight.

My recommendation would be to download the Hawaiian Airlines app and to do everything on your mobile device. It just makes things easier to receive notifications regarding your flight.

Hawaiian Airlines recommends different times for arriving at the airport based on your destination/route.

Here are the recommendations that they make:

  • North America to and from Hawaii: Arrive in the check-in lobby 2 hours and 30 minutes prior to departure.
  • Neighbor Island flights: Arrive in the check-in lobby 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to departure.
  • International flights: Arrive in the check-in lobby 3 hours prior to departure.

If you have bags to check then you need to make sure your bags are dropped off before the cut off times which are the following:

  • North America to and from Hawaii: no later than 45 minutes prior to departure
  • Neighbor Island flights: no later than 30 minutes prior to departure.
  • International flights: no later than 1 hour prior to departure.

Note that some airports in Hawaii do checked bags a little bit differently. Once your bags are weighed and receive luggage tags, you may have to personally drop them off at a TSA screening station.

This usually does not take a lot of time but it is a departure from the norm in a lot of cases.

Related: Hawaiian Airlines Baggage Fees Guide

Hawaiian airlines check-in area

If you are an experienced traveler or are familiar with the airport and wait times of course you can sometimes arrive even later than the recommended arrival times especially if you have TSA Pre-Check and/or CLEAR.  

Personally, I like to arrive at the airport extra early to give me the least stressful experiences as possible.

Typically, that’s because I’m spending time in a nice airport lounge but keep in mind that Hawaiian Airlines does not have the most premium airport lounges.

You can read about the Hawaiian Airlines airport lounges at HNL here but they are pretty much on par with a basic Priority Pass lounge (or worse).

Arriving at the gate for Hawaiian Airlines boarding

Hawaiian Airlines states that you need to arrive at the gate area no later than 30 minutes prior to departure. If you arrive after that time, it’s possible that you could be denied boarding or put on a later flight!

So to avoid any disastrous outcomes, just try to be at the boarding area a couple of minutes before boarding begins. You should be able to find the time boarding begins on your boarding pass. (It’s usually located right next to where your boarding gate is found.)

When you arrive at the gate area, you will see boarding lane signs in the gate area designating two boarding lanes: one for first/business class and one for main cabin guests. (The first/business class lane is also used for elite members.)

The gate agents usually don’t like when economy passengers line up early because there are so many economy passengers that they can quickly become way too congested near the gate.

However, if you are a first class passenger they often allow you to line up early.

Just make sure that you leave plenty of room in the lane for people to get in and out. I usually line up early but I stand towards the end of the lane so that I’m not in the way of anybody at any time.

Hawaiian airlines boarding gate sign

Hawaiian Airlines boarding groups explained

Once you are in the gate area, it’s just a matter of waiting for your boarding zone to be called.

If you are not sure what boarding zone you are in then just take a look at your boarding pass and you should be able to find it clearly stated (although sometimes it’s not there).

Below, I’ll cover all of the different boarding groups and give you some details as to who is allowed to board in each group.

Pre-boarding

Just like every other major airline, Hawaiian Airlines allows for pre-boarding first.

Pre-boarding for Hawaiian Airlines will include special passengers like unaccompanied minors and also those with disabilities or special needs. For example, those needing wheel chairs.

Note that Hawaiian Airlines does not provide for pre-boarding for active military and instead they put them in a separate boarding group.

 Related: Guide to Visiting Airports & Flying with Vision Impairments.

Premium Cabin

Premium cabins are going to include both first class and business class passengers.

The designation of your cabin may depend on your destination so there may not be any “business class” for flights between islands or to and from the mainland.

If you are not at the gate when boarding for premium cabins is called you could still use the premium cabin lane to enter and that will allow you to bypass any lines currently waiting for economy seats.

Articles you might be interested in:

Hawaiian airlines first class cabin

Zone 1

The next boarding group will be for zone one which includes Pualani Platinum Members. Something interesting about these passengers is that they can board with up to two guests.

Zone 2

After Pualani Platinum Members, the next elite members who can board include Pualani Gold Members and Premier Club Members. They are also allowed to board with two guests.

Early Boarding

After zone two, boarding for main cabin or “economy” will begin. The first passengers allowed on the plane include those eligible for early boarding.

This includes families with children under two years old and also active military members.

I’m not sure why military members don’t get pre-boarding but perhaps it has to do with the high volume of military travelers to and from Honolulu?

Hawaiian airlines boarding gate

Zone 3

Zone 3 is when passengers with Extra Comfort seats can board.

These are the seats that have slightly more legroom and their very own power outlets but you need to pay a little bit extra for them.

The price will vary depending on the length of your route. To give you an example of the pricing, I checked out the price from LAX to HNL and the Extra Comfort prices ranged from +$92 to $127 per seat.

These seats can also get you Priority Security at Austin, Honolulu, Las Vegas, New York, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.

Also, on international flights you can get a comfort (amenity) kit.

Hawaiian airlines extra comfort seats

Zones 4 & 5

Zones four and five are for economy passengers. If for whatever reason you do not see a boarding zone on your boarding pass Hawaiian Airlines recommends you to board with zone four.

Zone 6

And finally, the last boarding group to board the plane will be those passengers with Main Cabin Basic seats.

Hawaiian Airlines boarding FAQ

When can you check in for a Hawaiian Airlines flight?

You can check in online 24 hours prior to your flight.

When should you arrive at the airport for a Hawaiian Airlines flight?

North America to and from Hawaii: Arrive in the check-in lobby 2 hours and 30 minutes prior to departure. Neighbor Island flights: Arrive in the check-in lobby 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to departure.
International flights: Arrive in the check-in lobby 3 hours prior to departure.

How many boarding groups does Hawaiian Airlines have?

They have a total of 10 groups including:

Pre-boarding
Premium Cabin
Zone 1
Zone 2
Early Boarding
Zone 3
Zone 4
Zone 5
Zone 6
Main Cabin Basic seats

When do you need to arrive at the gate area for Hawaiian Airlines?

You should arrive at the gate area around the time listed on your boarding pass for boarding. But you should never arrive later than 30 minutes prior to departure or you may not be able to board the plane.

When do passengers with Extra Comfort seats board on Hawaiian Airlines?

Passengers with Extra Comfort seats board in Zone 3.

Do US military members get pre-boarding with Hawaiian Airlines

US military members get early boarding but do not get pre-boarding.

Final word

The boarding process for Hawaiian Airlines is about as straightforward as they come.

They have some small differences with things like pre-boarding for military passengers and allowing guests to accompany you during boarding but for the most part things are pretty standard.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 HNL-PHX Review [2022]

Flying between Phoenix, Arizona and Hawaii is in that medium-haul flight range. It’s not quite the convenient flight that it is from the West Coast and it’s not a long-haul flight like it would be to the East Coast of the US.

You’re talking about 5.5 to 6 hours.

So while you could get by with a standard recliner seat, we really wanted to try out Hawaiian Airlines First Class on the A330 from HNL to PHX.

In this review article, I’ll give you the complete review including how we booked it without paying a single dollar and what the experience was like when it came to things like in-flight entertainment and dining.

Hawaii Trip Overview

This trip came at the end of a 10 night trip to Hawaii where we spent five nights in Oahu and five nights in Kauai.

The goal of the trip was to capture a lot of content related to Jurassic Park and Jurassic World filming sites and to also do a detailed write up on Pearl Harbor (coming soon).

It was a super fast paced 10 days in which we got very little rest but thoroughly enjoyed the experiences with some hiking, off-roading, hotel-hopping, and all-around exploring.

We were very fortunate that the weather cooperated with us and allowed us to capture a lot of additional content including what you can find in the links below:

Here are some of the Hawaii hotel reviews from the trip:

Booking

We used American Express Membership Rewards to book these Hawaiian Airlines tickets.

With the Amex Business Gold Card, I spent 80,751 points per ticket after factoring in the 25% points rebate on business class tickets.

I figured this would make more sense than transferring 80,000 points to Hawaiian Airlines because I’d also earn 4,375 Hawaiian Miles on the flight and would not have to pay the small $5.60 fee.

It also meant I would not be limited to award seats which would make the booking easier for the two of us.

So while I was not in love with cents per point I got (1.25), I still felt pretty good about the booking.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Check-in

Check in at HNL was pretty smooth as there was no line when we arrived.

The first class check in area for flights back to the mainland is in a slightly odd location since it’s not by the main check-in desks.

It’s also in a completely different part of the terminal from inter-island first class flights.

Related: Hawaiian Airlines First Class Inter-Island (HNL-LIH) Boeing 717-200 Review

Hawaiian Airlines First Class HNL check-in

We were checked in by a slightly less than pleasant Hawaiian Airlines agent.

Every staff member that we dealt with during our flight was awesome so this was the only service shortcoming we experienced when on Hawaiian Airlines.

After weighing our bags, we were told to bring our checked bags to TSA.

But right after that a staff member came by to load up our bags onto a cart and to take care of it for us.

The check-in agent also did not mention anything about lounges that we had access to which is usually customary when checking in for business class or first class.

Luckily, I knew we would be headed to the Plumeria Lounge by utilizing Priority Pass.

However, if we were not aware of what lounges we could access it may not have even occurred to us to go to a lounge so check-in agents need to do better letting passengers know what they are entitled to.

Related: Which Lounge at HNL: Premier Club or Plumeria Lounge for Hawaiian Airlines?

Boarding

We were among the very first to board on the A330 and the boarding process went smoothly and on time.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class boarding

The A330 First Class cabin

As we entered the forward cabin, it was nice to be greeted by such nice and friendly crew members.

The first class cabin on the A330 is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. There are three rows for a total of 18 passengers.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class cabin A330

This means that some passengers will not have direct aisle access when they choose a window seat.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class cabin A330

With Hawaii being such a big leisure travel destination this is not that big of a deal for lots of passengers and in our case we were flying as a couple so it worked perfectly. It truly does feel like a honeymoon cabin.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class cabin A330

If you are flying solo I don’t think a middle seat would be bad because you have direct aisle access and (as you’ll see below) the privacy partition you can raise is pretty big.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class cabin A330

Thankfully, the seats are angled from each other which provide you with a decent amount of elbow room between seats — something that some business class seats really lack with similar configurations.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat
Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat

As far as the seat goes, it has some pretty simple functionality.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat

You’ll find a power outlet and two USB outlets on the side of your seat for easy charging.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat power outlet usb

The seat control is limited to one wheel control and you simply push it one way to recline and the other way to go back up. Some people will love the simplicity and others will prefer something that gives them a more customized feel.

There was one point where I felt like the control was broken since my seat was not going back up.

Eventually, it did work but it took several attempts so sometimes the seats might be a little tricky, despite the apparent simplicity. Also, I might just be an idiot sometimes.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat control usb

Directly under the seat control, you have another USB port and the controls for your overhead light and service needs.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat usb

You’ll have a little ottoman along with a storage net by your feet.

Usually, an ottoman like this is covered so that your feet don’t slip off the edge so having one uncovered was a little bit different. Those people with longer legs or Jolly Green Giant feet might prefer this type of set up since your feet don’t feel so constricted.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat ottoman

For me, it felt like a perfect fit.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat leg room

You have a decent amount of storage underneath the seat in front of you and as mentioned you also have some storage space in the netting on the side.

There’s not that much space under the seat in front of you. There was no way my backpack was going to fit in that space and you can take a look at the image below to get a sense of how limited the storage space is.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat storage

If you have any kind of normal sized backpack/carry-on bag you’ll most likely have to store it above.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat overhead storage

In-flight entertainment

One of the knocks of Hawaiian Airlines First Class is that they don’t offer TV screens.

At first, this was an extremely odd concept to me to have a lie-flat first class product with no TV monitors. To be frank, it was a bit of a turn off.

However, it’s actually not as bad as you might think.

Instead of TV monitors, they will bring you out large tablets that you can use to pull up movies, TV shows, etc. These tablets rest on a little stand that pops out.

You basically push down on a little circular button between the seats and a rod extends out that allows you to display your tablet or other device.

You can swivel it but it does not stay which is kind of a drawback, especially whenever you are lying down.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat tablet holder

Brad decided to just use his phone for his entertainment needs.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat tablet holder phone

However, I wanted to give the tablet a try so I went with that.

They’ll give you your tablet and also a pair of somewhat decent headphones if you opt-in.

It took about 15 minutes for them to bring out the tablets so you do lose a bit of in-flight entertainment time in the beginning although it’s not that bad.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat tablet headphones

They had a pretty decent selection of movies and I felt almost obligated to watch Disney’s Jungle Cruise since we were just at the Luau Kalamaku which was used as the train station in the movie.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat movies

Here’s a look that gives a good contrast of how the tablet compares to using an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat tablet phone

They also had a decent selection of TV shows and other things you could try like Hawaiian music and games.

The only real drawback of the tablet experience is that they don’t bring them out until after you are up in the air and they take them back before you descend so it cuts down on your overall in-flight entertainment time.

Dining

When it comes time for dining it’s pretty easy to pop out your tray, which is thankfully much more sturdy than the tray used in inter-island first class.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat tray table

As they came around with the tray table cloth, they also passed out the tablets.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 seat tray table

They first brought out some crunchy macadamia nuts and I went with a sparkling club soda to kick things off.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining nuts

Brad decided to try out one of the signature drinks: the mai tai. It’s worth noting that they did not do pre-departure drinks on this flight but that might change after the pandemic maybe?

I really enjoyed the dining experience on this first class flight.

We decided to try each of the main course options which included a fine herb ravioli with roasted pepper and balsamic sauce and also wine braised chicken with olive tapenade and Negi Panisse.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining menu

I liked the ravioli but some of the pieces were a little bit undercooked.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining main course

Brad really enjoyed the chicken dish, although it had way too many mushrooms for me.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining main course

The rolls and desert were both on point.

They had a few snacks you could grab at any time during the flight and I tried out the Maui Style potato chips and this little pineapple shaped cookie which was very good.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining snack
Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining snack
Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 dining snack

Service

I really can’t say enough nice things about the crew. They offered exceptional and friendly service throughout the entire flight and I was highly impressed by them.

They issued each of us a blanket and a pillow for the flight.

If you’re taking a longer flight you may be issued more extensive bedding amenities like a bedding pad and perhaps thicker blankets. But you also might have to ask for that.

Being limited to a pillow and a blanket on a flight of this duration seems pretty standard because I’ve flown short international first class flights and received similar “bare-bones” treatment.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 lie flat

Without any additional bedding, it’s not the most comfortable experience in the fully reclined position but given the duration of the flight it’s enough to get you by and a hell of a lot better than being in economy so….

Privacy

As for the privacy shade, I feel like it would do a pretty good job if you needed your own privacy from a stranger.

Here’s a look at the privacy you would have.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 privacy shade

If you’re wondering what it looks like without direct aisle access here’s a picture of my perspective with Brad having his feet propped up.

If the person next to you pulls their legs up a little bit you should be able to get by relatively easy but again if you’re flying solo, a middle seat might just be better.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 aisle access

I took a second to check out the lavatory which was a pretty standard one although it seemed a little bit more spacious and had a few Hawaiian accents to it.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class A330 aisle lavatory

Final word

I really had no idea what to expect with Hawaiian Airlines First Class on the A330. All things considered, I’d say I was pleasantly surprised. The level of service was better than I expected and probably the biggest thing that stuck out to me.

Dealing with the tablet for in-flight entertainment was not a major issue at all and the only thing that bothered me was that you lose out on some time when taking off and landing so you have to time up your movies.

Dining was good but not great and I enjoyed having the lie-flat seat although I’m not sure it was the most comfortable when lying down. Maybe that was due to minimal bedding or maybe it was due to the seat I’m not sure.

But overall, I was definitely pleased with the flight and would happily fly again.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Inter-Island (HNL-LIH) Boeing 717-200 Review

If you’re flying between Hawaiian islands you might be tempted by the Hawaiian Airlines first class experience.

Could it actually be worth it to fly first class on such a short flight or are you better off just saving money in economy?

In this review, I’ll give you a detailed look at the first class experience on the Boeing 717-200 when flying Hawaiian Airlines between neighbor islands.

Trip overview

We recently took a 10 night trip to Hawaii in order to get some awesome content tracking down all of the Jurassic Park filming sites on Kauai and also documenting a lot of the Pearl Harbor sites.

Other content opportunities we came across included:

All of our content objectives were met without any major issues which is always a plus when you’re out capturing content for ten days in a place with pretty volatile weather. So this trip was very much a success!

Booking

Initially, we looked to book this flight through AmexTravel.

I’m definitely glad that we did NOT do that though because when we checked the prices on the Hawaiian Airlines website the prices were like 50% cheaper.

I could not believe the price difference but it’s definitely good to know that AmexTravel sometimes will show you prices that are way higher.

The total price came out to $137 per person including all of the fees. I used my American Express Platinum Card to book this so that earned us almost 700 Membership Rewards. Not bad.

This would also be the only flight on our trip that we paid out-of-pocket for. All other flights were paid for with points.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Check-in

After dropping off our Turo vehicle we took an Uber to the airport.

Initially, they dropped us off at the drop off for Hawaiian Airline trips to the mainland so we had to walk a little bit to get to the check-in area for neighbor island flights but it’s not far at all.

Related: Uber vs Turo in Honolulu, Hawaii (Which is Cheaper?)

The check-in area for mainland flights was really busy but when we got over to the check-in station for inter-island flights it was pretty much a ghost town.

We utilized the first class check-in desk and got our bags checked for no additional cost.

For flights within Hawaii, baggage fees are $25 each way for the 1st checked bag and $35 each way for the 2nd check bag. I was going to be checking two bags so I would have been paying $60 in baggage fees.

That was almost the exact price difference between economy and first class so in my opinion it actually made sense to fly first class. Why not pay basically the same amount but get extra comfort?

The big thing to note is that Hawaiian Airlines does not give you a bigger weight allowance when flying first class. Most airlines bump up your weight allowance to 70 pounds but they keep it at 50 pounds.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class check-in hnl
Hawaiian Airlines First Class check-in hnl

With the short line, we got through security very quickly and then it was time to head to one of the HNL lounges.

Initially, I was kind of surprised we had lounge access because a domestic first class flight usually does not grant you access to a lounge and flying between islands is akin to flying between states.

But the first class inter-island ticket would get us free access to the Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club lounge.

I did a breakdown on the Hawaiian Airlines lounges at HNL so be sure to check that out but basically the Premier Club is an extremely basic airport lounge.

They have coffee, tea, and soda and little snack packs but that’s all. After visiting only a few minutes we were ready to check out the Plumeria Lounge, which is the more equipped airport lounge.

Our tickets did not get us access to the Plumeria Lounge but Priority Pass did.

It was at that lounge that we were actually able to enjoy some food and much better drink selection. I would highly recommend you go to that lounge instead of the Premier Club.

But keep in mind that the Plumeria Lounge is still very much a standard airport lounge.

Close to boarding we made our way over to the boarding area where we stood first in line as we normally do unless we get beat out by some other over-eager passengers.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class boarding

It was interesting because on the way there you are partially outside and get to take in some beautiful garden views.

But this exposes the gate area to the outdoors and so birds get into the gate area. We watched a number of birds just hop around which was a first for me.

Eventually, it was time to board our Boeing 717-200 and because we were first class passengers we got to hop on the plane first (after pre-boarding).

Immediately, I was a fan of the plane’s color scheme. I love the teal economy section contrasted with the brown first class seats.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717-200

One thing I noticed quickly was that economy was configured in a 3-2 configuration.

So for a lot of couples you may think about just flying economy and saving since you can lock down a row with only two seats.

If you want one of those seats close to the front of the cabin you’ll need to pay extra and in this case it would have been $10. But it looks like you can select some of those two person row seats further back for free.

Just be sure to act quickly because I think those seats get taken up pretty fast!

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717-200 map

The seats in first class are pretty spacious and felt like any other domestic first class product. You’re looking at a pitch of 37 inches and width of about 18.5 inches.

The seats are basic with no seatback TV and no USB or power outlets from what I could tell. It’s all understandable considering that these flights are usually only about 30 minutes long.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 leg room

The entire first class cabin only had two rows for a total of eight seats. So it’s a pretty small cabin on the Boeing 717-200, which I always love because it’s easier to get service and it just feels more exclusive.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 seats

When we finally sat down I tested out the recliner which you can control with a button on the side of the armrest.

The seat reclines in a different way than a normal domestic first class seat does. It’s hard to explain but it’s like the entire seat sort of slides.

I’m not sure if I liked it more but it did not really matter because you’re talking about such a short flight that you don’t even really need to recline your seat.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 seats

After a pretty quick boarding process we were ready to head to the runway.

During takeoff we had some nice views of Honolulu and Waikiki. I would definitely try to always snag a window seat when flying between islands in Hawaii. The scenery is often breathtaking.

While on the left side we had good views of Honolulu we would miss out on most of the views when landing in Kauai.

Honolulu and Waikiki aerial view
Honolulu and Waikiki aerial view

You’ll be able to pull out your food tray directly from your armrest.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 seats

It’s one of those thin and wobbly food trays though. Definitely not the type you would feel comfortable leaving a drink on during a really bumpy flight.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 tray table

The good news is that they have a little slider tray that comes out between the seats so you can rest your drink on there. You also have plenty of room for drinks between the seats.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 tray

Speaking of beverages, I was surprised that they actually served up drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) on such a short flight. I tried out some sparkling water and also went with a cup of juice.

The crew member serving up the drinks was very friendly and offered some great service on this very short hop to Kauai.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class inter-island drinks
Hawaiian Airlines First Class inter-island juice

They also brought us out a small pack of snacks. I tried out the Pau Hana snacks a few times during our time in Hawaii and they did start to grow on me a little bit but I never fully acquired the taste for them.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class inter-island snacks

As soon as I finished up my beverages, it was pretty much time to put everything back up and get ready for landing in Kauai.

Like I mentioned before, you have very little views from the left side of the plane until right when you approach the shore.

After landing, we would make our way on a shuttle bus to the rental car station for Thrifty.

We found an awesome deal on Thrifty for a Jeep Wrangler and I was actually pretty nervous about using Thrifty for the first time.

Not only did we book with Thrifty but I made the booking through Expedia and I was going to have to change the name of the reservation to Brad when we arrived. So I was fully expecting things to go wrong.

But actually, check in went really smoothly and our vehicle ran really well throughout the trip. Overall, it was definitely a success.

Final word

I feel pretty good about this Hawaiian Airlines First Class Boeing 717-200 inter-island flight.

It’s such a short flight that it’s kind of hard to justify flying first class in a lot of cases but we found a decent deal and we also were checking multiple bags so the net price for flying economy probably would have been the same.

If you don’t have to worry about paying for bags then you might want to just think about flying economy and securing one of the seats that only have two seats. You might be able to choose them with no additional fee.

Which Lounge at HNL: Premier Club or Plumeria Lounge for Hawaiian Airlines?

In this article, I’ll go over both the Premier Club and Plumeria Lounge found at HNL and show you what each lounge has to offer when flying Hawaiian Airlines.

You can also find details for these lounges such as the different locations they are found at and how to access these.

So even if you are not flying in or out of HNL you could find this article helpful!

Premier Club overview

The Premier Club is the more “basic” lounge for Hawaiian Airlines and you can find these at just about all of the major airports in Hawaii.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Premier Club Access

  • North America and Neighbor Island First Class Hawaiian Airlines guests
  • Pualani Platinum and Gold members
  • Premier Club members

A lot of airlines don’t give you lounge access when you fly first class domestically.

I’d say that flying between Hawaiian islands is the equivalent of flying between states on the mainland so I was kind of surprised that we were granted lounge access when flying first class between Oahu and Kauai.

However, once I scoped out the lounge it all sort of made a little bit more sense because it’s not like the Premier Club has a whole lot to offer. More on that later, though.

Premier Club Locations

Honolulu, Oahu (HNL)

Location: 2nd Floor inside secure area near Gate A18
Weekday Hours: 5:00am–7:00pm
Weekend Hours: 6:00am–7:00pm

Hilo, Hawaii Island (ITO)

Location: Below Gate 6
Hours: Temporarily Closed

Kahului, Maui (OGG)

Location: Upstairs, across from Gate 17
Hours: 6:00-am – 8:30pm

Kona, Hawaii Island (KOA)

Location: Next to Gate 10
Hours: Temporarily Closed

Lihue, Kauai (LIH)

Location: Approximately 50 feet from Gate 5
Hours: Temporarily Closed

One thing to keep in mind is that some of these Premier Club lounges are known for being notoriously underwhelming. I’ve seen reviews and pictures of the lounge in LIH and it does not look like anything special.

So while you can find these Premier Clubs on quite a few of the islands, make sure you go into it with the right expectations.

Plumeria Lounge overview

The Plumeria Lounge is the upgraded version of the Premier Club. It’s essentially the flagship lounge of Hawaiian Airlines although it feels really weird to use that word to describe this lounge.

Plumeria Lounge Access

Many of you will be happy to know that you can get Plumeria Lounge access with Priority Pass.

It’s a little bit odd that Priority Pass gives you Plumeria Lounge access considering that this is essentially the flagship first class lounge for Hawaiian Airlines.

But whenever you take a closer look at the lounge and what it offers it makes a bit more since that Priority Pass would get you in.

Otherwise in order to get access you have to meet one of the following criteria:

  • Business Class guest departing Honolulu to a Hawaiian Airlines international destination.
  • First Class guest departing Honolulu to New York, Boston, or Orlando.
  • Pualani Platinums departing Honolulu to a Hawaiian Airlines international destination. Platinums may bring up to 1 guest.
  • A day pass can also be purchased.

I was a bit surprised to find out that we would not get access based on our first class ticket from HNL to PHX so make sure you are aware that first class passengers only get Plumeria Lounge access at HNL when departing to destinations on the East Coast.

The Plumeria Lounge Pass prices are below:

General$40 USD*
Pualani Gold$35 USD**
Pualani Platinum$30 USD**

*General Lounge Pass is only available for purchase at time of check-in on the day of travel and is subject to seat availability.

**Pualani Platinum and Pualani Gold Discounted Lounge Pass is only available for purchase with a lounge agent located at The Plumeria Lounge on the day of travel. Prices for elites applies to the member only.

Locations

There is only one Plumeria Lounge and it is at Honolulu International Airport, Terminal 1 on the third floor, after the TSA security check point.

Premier Club at HNL review

The Premier Club at HNL is pretty much a bare minimum airport lounge.

If you’re visiting during pandemic times, you may have to show proof of vaccination before you enter.

Inside the lounge you’ll find the following:

  • Pau Hana Snacks
  • Coffee and Hot Tea
  • Soda and Juice
  • Dedicated Customer Service Agent for lounge guests
  • High speed Wi-Fi
  • AC & USB charging outlets
  • Men & Women restroom (only in Honolulu)

You’ll notice that you don’t see any alcoholic drinks or any kind of meaningful food in the lounge. When it comes to drinks you’re pretty much limited to coffee, tea, juice, and a soda machine.

And for food, you’re going to be limited to just a package of Pau Hana snacks. So this is definitely not a lounge that you want to arrive at with the hopes of satisfying your growing appetite. You will be sorely disappointed if so.

HNL Premier Club tea
HNL Premier Club drinks
HNL Premier Club juice

So this lounge is basically a place to just escape the terminal and gate area and hopefully find relaxation while possibly enjoying a non-alcoholic beverage.

Also, if you want to get work done you can find outlets at some of the tables and some ground outlets as well.

HNL Premier Club

It’s not a bad looking lounge and it’s reasonably spacious but it is just a very basic lounge in terms of its food and drink offerings.

HNL Premier Club
HNL Premier Club

When we spent some time in this lounge it was pretty laid-back and I liked that but after only about 10 minutes we decided to head to the Plumeria Lounge where we would be able to get access with our Platinum Card’s Priority Pass membership.

Plumeria Lounge at HNL review

The Plumeria Lounge is significantly better than the Premier Club.

The lounge is a little bit harder to find because you have to take an escalator up and look around but if you follow the signs and look for the Wiki Wiki shuttle it’s pretty hard to miss.

If you’re visiting during pandemic times, you may have to show proof of vaccination before you enter.

The Plumeria Lounge offers more food and drink options including:

  • Assortment of Sandwiches
  • Beer and Wines
  • Coffee and Hot Tea
  • Soda and Juice
  • Assortment of Snacks
  • Dedicated Customer Service Agent for lounge guests
  • High speed Wi-Fi
  • AC & USB charging outlets
  • Men & Women restroom

With that said, the Plumeria Lounge is still a pretty basic airport lounge.

It’s not on the same level as an American Express Centurion Lounge and not even on the same level as newer legacy carriers lounges like Delta Sky Clubs that offer hot food and have nice bar areas.

Instead, I would put it on par with a typical domestic Priority Pass lounge (which it kind of is).

Here’s what it’s like at the lounge.

Once we entered, I noticed a partitioned little private area to the right of the entrance of the lounge. The tables were marked with reserved but I’m not sure how are you can reserve them.

At one point, I saw a couple of people in the section that did not look like they had reserved it so I’m not sure if they strictly enforce the reservations. YMMV.

Plumeria Lounge HNL

Overall, the lounge does feel a bit nicer than the Premier Club but it’s not a substantial upgrade in terms of decor, seating, etc.

Plumeria Lounge HNL
Plumeria Lounge HNL

While the lounge did get a little bit busy at times, there were pretty much always a few open seating areas.

Plumeria Lounge HNL

We visited during one of the playoff games with the Los Angeles Rams playing the San Francisco 49ers and it was cool that they had it on the TV. At one point, this corner with the TV had a lot of people into the game.

Plumeria Lounge HNL

There’s a row of seats lined along the window where you can get some work done.

Plumeria Lounge HNL outlets

I thought there might be a decent view behind the shades but when I pulled them back it did not look like there was much to see behind this pretty dirty window. I suddenly understood why they have the shades.

While still a pretty basic offering, this lounge is a significant step up from the Premier Club when it comes to food.

You’ll find a corner with all of the food options which include two varieties of sandwiches, cup of noodle soup, chips, fruit, cookies, and fruit snacks.

Honestly, the sandwiches were really good and a perfect little food item to hold you over until your flight. Or, if you were trying to fill up it would not be hard to do so with those sliders.

Plumeria Lounge HNL food

You can grab you a pack of mayo or mustard to put on your sandwich if it’s a little too dry.

I grabbed one of the turkey and cheese sandwiches and really loved it but they also had mushroom and onion sliders. I don’t really do mushrooms so that was an easy no for me.

Plumeria Lounge HNL food

And if you’re looking for some snacks they had a good variety of potato chips, Welch’s fruit snacks, and Biscoff cookies.

Plumeria Lounge HNL food

The bowl of noodle soup was interesting because I don’t think I have ever seen that in an airport lounge before.

Plumeria Lounge HNL food

They also had a decent little selection of wine along with beer.

Plumeria Lounge HNL wine

The bathroom at this lounge was also a bit nicer.

Final word

Visiting a Hawaiian Airlines airport lounge at HNL can be a pretty disappointing experience if you don’t properly adjust your expectations before arriving.

I’m guessing that because leisure travel is so much more prevalent than business travel here that there just is not a strong demand to create high-quality airport lounges.

But if you have to choose between these two lounges I would definitely try to get into the Plumeria Lounge because it is significantly better than the Premier Club.

Hawaiian Airlines Lost and Found Guide (What to Expect) [2023]

Misplacing an item while traveling can not only be stressful, it may upset your travel plans as well. But many of the stories of people losing things while traveling end up on a happy note especially if you take quick action.

If you have recently lost something while traveling on Hawaiian Airlines, just follow all the important steps I have listed below as that might drastically increase your chances of being united with your lost item.

Hawaiian Airlines lost and found

If you lose an item while flying Hawaiian Airlines, follow all of the steps outlined below to help increase your odds of recovering your lost item.

If you just exited the plane

If you just exited the plane and have entered the airport premises then due to strict security policies, you will not be allowed to go back into the aircraft to look for your lost item(s).

The immediate course of action in this scenario is to get hold of a Hawaiian Airline staff member near the gate or a crew member that is exiting from the aircraft/jet bridge. 

Most of the time these people can quickly go and fetch your belonging for you. You just need to give them your seat number and they will search the area and try and recover the item.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

If you still have not left the airport premises

If you have lost an item on a Hawaiian Airlines flight and have exited the plane but have not exited the airport premises yet, then your first point of contact should be Hawaiian Airlines and not the general airport staff.

The simple reason for this is that they will also initiate a process that will eventually end up contacting the relevant airline staff and all this does is waste precious time. Time in such cases is of the essence because once the passengers have left the aircraft, it is thoroughly freshened up for the next flight.

Through experience, I can tell you that most cleaning crews are honest and very helpful. If they find a lost item left behind by a passenger they follow the proper protocol to have it reported.

Having said that, there have been cases where the cleaning crew have been known to pocket the item and sell it for a quick profit.

We don’t live in a perfect world. If the crew also missed your item and it is later discovered by the next passenger who takes up your old seat then you are completely left at the mercy of his/her personal code of ethics.

If you are unable to make your way back to your gate without going through TSA airport security, then you need to find the nearest Hawaiian Airlines baggage services counter.

There are many information desks all over the airport that can help you find an airline representative near you. This person will have the training to guide you to the right place to make an official report.

Items left at the Ticket Counter, Gate Area or TSA Security Checkpoint

If you think that you have lost your item at the ticket counter, at any of the gates, or at a TSA Security Checkpoint, the airlines will not be able to help you much as these areas come under the jurisdiction of TSA (Transportation Security Administration).

TSA has its own Lost and Found Department located at all the airports and you can find the relevant contact details for each of them here.

Related: TSA Lost and Found Guide: (How to Get Your Items Back)

Around the airport

If you have misplaced your belongings at any place inside the airport other than the ticket counter, gate areas, or TSA Security Checkpoints, then the item will probably find its way to the concerned airport’s Lost and Found department. And yes, they are different than the airline’s and TSA’s Lost and Found Departments.

Every airport has a dedicated counter for the Lost and Found department which you should easily find by simply asking around. They will have a similar procedure to file a lost and found report. Again, give as much information about your movement while at the airport, your travel plans, and the item’s details.

Airport Lost and found services have dedicated contact numbers and or email that you should note for follow-ups. Try as much as possible to get a generic email address because you generally get a better response when you try to communicate with a specific individual.

If you think you left the item at a specific business at the airport, a bar, restaurant, or perhaps even a rent a car service then your best chances for recovery are to contact them right away.

It is also a good idea to check with Airport Lost and Found even if you have lost your items on the plane. Sometimes lost items bounce back and forth and may end up there.

If you have left the airport

If you have left the airport then your best bet is to file a report online.

Traveling first class or having Premier Club membership

If you are traveling in first-class, extra-comfort, or if you have a Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club membership, it might be useful to mention that to airline staff and the personnel at the Lost and Found department. 

Airlines are usually extra helpful when it comes to premium service and loyal customers. They will go out of their way to help you find your lost belongings.

Third-party services

While it is not recommended for you to go to third-party services for lost item recoveries, in some cases it might be actually helpful. For example, TSA has officially partnered with Rejjee to help you find items misplaced in TSA jurisdiction areas. The service is free and easy to use and you can file an online report to start the process.

In all of the situations above, if your item is found you might have to pay for delivery charges so that the courier service can deliver the item to you.

Final word

While there are chances that you may not recover your lost item while traveling through airports, the good news is that many items that are lost are reunited with their owners on a daily basis. The key is speed. 

How quickly you take action and the action you take in the right order will drastically increase your chances of recovering your belongings.