What happens when you transfer Hawaiian Airlines miles
When you transfer miles from your Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles account to another person's account or to one of their airline partners, the miles leave your account permanently. You cannot reverse the transfer or get them back. The person who receives them can use them to book flights, upgrades, or other rewards through that program.
Hawaiian Airlines lets you transfer miles to another HawaiianMiles member, to a family member's account, or to one of their partner airlines. Each route has different rules about how many miles you can move, how long it takes, and whether you pay a fee.
Key Takeaways
- Transfers to another HawaiianMiles member happen when ready and cost $5 per transfer, with no limit on how many miles you can send.
- Transfers to partner airlines take 5 to 7 business days and may cost $10 to $25 depending on the partner program.
- Family transfers let you move miles to a spouse or dependent at the same address for $15, with a 90,000-mile annual limit per person.
- You must have at least 1,000 miles in your account to transfer, and the receiving account must already exist before you start.
Transferring miles to another HawaiianMiles member
This is the fastest and cheapest way to move miles within the Hawaiian Airlines system. The transfer happens the same day you request it, and it costs $5 per transaction. There is no cap on how many miles you can transfer in a single move or over time.
To transfer, you log into your HawaiianMiles account online, go to the transfer section, and enter the recipient's HawaiianMiles account number. You will need their full name and account number exactly as it appears in their profile. If the information does not match, the transfer will not go through. After you confirm and pay the $5 fee with a credit card, the miles appear in their account within hours.
This option works well if you want to help a friend or family member book a flight, or if you have miles in multiple accounts and want to consolidate them into one. The recipient can use the miles when ready for any reward the program offers.
Transferring miles to partner airlines
Hawaiian Airlines has transfer partnerships with several other airline loyalty programs. The most common partners are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, United, and Air Canada. Transferring to a partner takes longer — usually 5 to 7 business days — and costs between $10 and $25 depending on which airline you choose.
The transfer rates vary by partner. Some partners offer a bonus: if you transfer 10,000 miles, you might receive 12,000 or 13,000 miles in their program instead. These bonuses change throughout the year, so check the current rates before you transfer. Hawaiian Airlines publishes the active bonus offers on their website under the transfer section.
Once the miles land in the partner program, you can use them according to that airline's rules. You cannot move them back to Hawaiian Airlines. This option makes sense if you fly another airline more often, or if that airline's award chart offers better value for the routes you want.
Family transfers and the annual limit
If you want to move miles to a spouse or dependent child at your same address, you can use the family transfer option. This costs $15 per transfer and has a limit of 90,000 miles per person per year. The transfer takes 3 to 5 business days.
To set up a family transfer, both accounts must be registered at the same address. You will need to provide proof of the relationship — a marriage certificate for a spouse, or a birth certificate or adoption papers for a dependent. Hawaiian Airlines may ask you to submit these documents before approving the transfer.
The 90,000-mile annual limit resets on January 1 each year. If you transfer 60,000 miles to your spouse in March, you can transfer up to 30,000 more to them before the year ends. The limit applies per recipient, so you could transfer 90,000 miles to your spouse and 90,000 miles to your child in the same year.
Minimum balance and account requirements
Your HawaiianMiles account must have at least 1,000 miles before you can transfer any. If you have 800 miles, you cannot transfer until you earn or receive more miles to reach the 1,000 minimum.
The receiving account must already exist and be active. You cannot transfer miles to create a new account or to someone who has never had a HawaiianMiles membership. If the person you want to send miles to does not have an account yet, they need to sign up for free on Hawaiian Airlines' website first. Once their account is open and active, you can transfer to them.
Fees and timing by transfer type
| Transfer Type | Fee | Processing Time | Annual Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| To another HawaiianMiles member | $5 | Same day | None |
| To family member | $15 | 3–5 business days | 90,000 miles per person |
| To partner airline | $10–$25 | 5–7 business days | None |
What to do if a transfer fails or takes too long
If you submitted a transfer and the miles did not arrive after the expected time, log into your HawaiianMiles account and check the transfer history. The status will show whether it is pending, completed, or failed. If it failed, the fee should have been refunded to your credit card within 3 to 5 business days.
If a transfer shows as completed but the miles do not appear in the recipient's account, contact Hawaiian Airlines customer service. Have the recipient's account number and the transfer confirmation number ready. Customer service can investigate whether the miles were sent to the wrong account or if there was a system error. Resolution usually takes 5 to 10 business days.
For family transfers, if you receive a message that proof of relationship is needed, upload the required documents as soon as possible. The transfer will not complete until Hawaiian Airlines verifies the relationship. This step can add 5 to 10 business days to the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer miles to someone who lives in a different state?
Yes, you can transfer to another HawaiianMiles member or to a partner airline regardless of where they live. Family transfers require the recipient to be at your same address, so out-of-state transfers do not may have access to for the family rate or the 90,000-mile annual limit.
What if I transfer miles by mistake to the wrong account?
Once a transfer completes, it cannot be reversed. Contact Hawaiian Airlines customer service when ready with the recipient's account number and the transfer confirmation. They may be able to contact the recipient and ask them to transfer the miles back, but this is not may provide. The recipient would have to agree and pay their own transfer fee.
Do I earn miles when I transfer miles to someone else?
No. Transferring miles does not earn you any additional miles or points. You only pay the transfer fee and lose the miles from your account.
Can I transfer miles to a business account or a corporate program?
Hawaiian Airlines does not allow transfers to business accounts or corporate loyalty programs. Transfers are only available between personal HawaiianMiles accounts, to family members, or to personal accounts in partner airline programs.
How do I know the current bonus rates for partner transfers?
Log into your HawaiianMiles account and navigate to the transfer section. The current bonus offers for each partner airline are listed there, along with the transfer fee and processing time. Bonus rates change several times per year, so check before you transfer if you want to take advantage of a bonus.