Your Guide to Hawaiian Air To Alaska Transfer

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Can You Transfer Hawaiian Airlines Miles to Alaska Airlines?

When you're building miles toward a specific airline ticket, the ability to move points between programs can feel like a safety valve. If you've earned Hawaiian Airlines miles and need Alaska Airlines miles instead, you might wonder whether a direct transfer is possible. The short answer: Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines do not have a direct transfer partnership. Understanding why—and what your actual options are—matters for how you approach earning and using airline miles strategically.

How Airline Mile Transfer Partnerships Work ✈️

Airline loyalty programs belong to different ecosystems. Some programs allow transfers between partners; others don't. Transfer partnerships require formal agreements between airlines that specify:

  • Which programs can send miles to which other programs
  • Whether transfers are one-way or reciprocal
  • Any conversion ratios (whether miles transfer 1:1 or at a different rate)
  • Minimum transfer amounts and processing timelines

These partnerships exist primarily within larger airline alliances (like OneWorld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance) or between airlines that have codeshare agreements or other business relationships. Not every airline partnership includes mile transfers—many only offer co-branded credit cards, lounge access, or booking privileges.

The Hawaiian-Alaska Situation

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines operate independently. They have no formal transfer agreement, meaning you cannot move miles directly from a Hawaiian Airlines account to an Alaska Airlines account. This is the fundamental constraint that shapes your options.

However, "no direct transfer" doesn't mean your Hawaiian miles have no value or that you're stuck. It means you need to think about miles conversion or alternative redemption paths.

What You Can Do With Hawaiian Miles Instead 🔄

Use a Credit Card Transfer Portal

If your Hawaiian miles came from a co-branded Hawaiian Airlines credit card (or a general travel rewards card), the card issuer may offer a transfer partner network that includes Alaska Airlines. For example:

  • Some travel card issuers partner with multiple airlines, including Alaska
  • You'd transfer points from the card's program to Alaska Airlines, not from Hawaiian Airlines directly
  • The relationship is between the card program and Alaska—not between the two airlines

This is a workaround, but it only works if your card's issuer has established this partnership.

Redeem Hawaiian Miles for Alaska Flights (Indirect Route)

Some Hawaiian Airlines members book Alaska Airlines flights using Hawaiian miles through third-party booking platforms or by searching Hawaiian's award chart. However, this approach varies:

  • Hawaiian's website may show Alaska Airlines flights available for award redemption
  • Availability and pricing depend on Hawaiian's partnership agreements and award inventory
  • This isn't a "transfer"—you're simply using Hawaiian miles to purchase an Alaska ticket directly

Verify current options on Hawaiian's website, as partnership details change.

Convert Miles Through Airline Partnerships

If Hawaiian Airlines has transfer partnerships with airlines that also partner with Alaska Airlines, you might theoretically move miles through an intermediary. This is rarely practical:

  • It involves multiple transfer steps
  • Conversion ratios may be unfavorable
  • It defeats the purpose of a quick redemption

Key Variables That Affect Your Situation

FactorImpact
Card issuer vs. airline milesCard programs often have broader transfer networks than airlines do alone
Award availabilityEven if you can transfer miles, the flights you want must be available for award bookings
Transfer minimumsCard programs typically require minimum transfer amounts (often 1,000–5,000 points per transfer)
Conversion ratesSome transfers occur at 1:1 ratios; others may be less favorable
TimingProcessing can take days to weeks, so plan accordingly

What to Evaluate Before Making a Decision

Before you decide what to do with your Hawaiian miles, ask yourself:

  1. Did these miles come from a credit card or direct airline earnings? Your source determines which transfer options are available.
  2. What Alaska Airlines flights do you need? Check whether those flights are available for award redemption at all—and under what program.
  3. What's the real cost? Compare the transfer value (including any conversion losses) against the actual award ticket price you're targeting.
  4. Are there better uses for these miles? Sometimes the better redemption is simply to use Hawaiian miles for Hawaiian Airlines flights, even if that wasn't your original plan.

The landscape of airline partnerships shifts, so checking directly with both airlines or your card issuer will give you the most current picture of what's possible right now.