Hawaiian Holdings Stock Price, News & Analysis

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA) is the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., which operates in the scheduled passenger air transportation industry within the broader transportation and warehousing sector. According to the company, Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaiʻi's largest and longest-serving airline, with a history of continuous service spanning more than nine decades. The carrier focuses on connecting the Hawaiian Islands with each other and with key destinations across the United States and the Pacific region.

Hawaiian Airlines reports that it offers approximately 150 daily flights within the Hawaiian Islands. In addition, it operates nonstop flights between Hawaiʻi and multiple U.S. gateway cities, as well as international services connecting Honolulu with American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Tahiti. These routes position the airline as a major provider of passenger air service to and from Hawaiʻi, as reflected in both recent company communications and earlier descriptions of its network.

Business model and route network

Hawaiian Airlines’ core business centers on scheduled passenger air transportation. The airline operates a substantial interisland network, with numerous daily jet flights between the Hawaiian Islands, and a transpacific network linking Hawaiʻi to a range of cities on the U.S. mainland and in Asia and Oceania. Company materials note that Hawaiian offers nonstop service between Hawaiʻi and 16 U.S. gateway cities, more than any other airline serving the islands, and also maintains routes to several Pacific destinations.

The airline’s operations include both domestic and international flights, with Honolulu serving as a key hub for connections within Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific. Hawaiian has also developed cargo operations and has reported investments in new aircraft, such as Boeing 787-9 planes, as part of its fleet modernization efforts. These initiatives are described in the company’s Corporate Kuleana (Responsibility) Report, which outlines its approach to growth and environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities.

Brand, service and recognition

Hawaiian Airlines emphasizes its identity as Hawaiʻi’s hometown carrier and highlights a service philosophy centered on “connecting people with aloha.” Company communications state that the airline offers complimentary meals for all guests on transpacific routes and does not charge change fees on Main Cabin and Premium Cabin seats. Its HawaiianMiles loyalty program features miles that do not expire, and the airline encourages guests to “Travel Pono,” or travel responsibly, in the islands.

Hawaiian has received recognition in consumer surveys and rankings. The airline reports that Condé Nast Traveler and TripAdvisor have placed it among the top domestic airlines serving Hawaiʻi. It has been named Hawaiʻi’s best employer by Forbes and has topped Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best list as the No. 1 U.S. airline for multiple years. The company also notes that it led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for 18 consecutive years from 2004 to 2021, based on U.S. Department of Transportation data.

Loyalty program and partnerships

The HawaiianMiles frequent flyer program is a central part of the company’s customer offering. Hawaiian describes HawaiianMiles as a program where miles never expire and can be earned through flights and a variety of partners. The airline has a long-standing co-branded credit card relationship with Barclays US Consumer Bank, which issues the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard for consumers and the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Business Mastercard for small businesses. Cardholders can earn HawaiianMiles through purchases and receive travel-related benefits tied to the airline.

Hawaiian has also expanded its loyalty-related partnerships. It works with Plusgrade’s loyalty business unit, Points, to power its Buy and Gift miles products, allowing members to purchase or gift miles online. In addition, Hawaiian has partnered with Plusgrade since 2016 on a bid-based upgrade product, enabling travelers to bid for upgrades to higher cabins. These arrangements are intended to increase the flexibility and utility of HawaiianMiles for members and to support ancillary revenue for the airline.

Technology, distribution and onboard connectivity

In its distribution strategy, Hawaiian Airlines uses both traditional and newer technology channels. The airline has made its HA Connect NDC (New Distribution Capability) content available through the Sabre global distribution system, allowing Sabre-connected travel agencies and corporate buyers to access and book its NDC and traditional content in numerous markets. This includes access through Sabre’s APIs, agency point-of-sale tools and corporate booking platforms, which the airline states will broaden access to its products and offers.

Onboard, Hawaiian has introduced high-speed connectivity on long-haul flights. The airline announced that it is offering Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency Wi‑Fi free of charge to guests on Airbus-operated flights between the islands and the continental U.S., Asia and Oceania. Hawaiian reports that Starlink service has been installed across its Airbus A330 fleet and that guests can connect to the internet as they board, with performance suitable for work, streaming and gaming. The airline has also indicated plans to install Starlink on its Boeing 787-9 fleet.

Sustainability and Corporate Kuleana

Hawaiian Airlines publishes a Corporate Kuleana Report that outlines its ESG initiatives and long-term sustainability goals. The company has stated a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and has committed to replacing a portion of its petroleum-based jet fuel with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030. It has announced plans to source SAF from biofuel suppliers and to collaborate with Par Hawaii on potential local SAF production.

The airline reports that it is working to conserve jet fuel through operational initiatives and to reduce waste and single-use plastics in its in-flight service. Hawaiian has documented reductions in single-use plastics per transpacific flight compared to a prior baseline and has introduced more sustainable catering products and onboard amenities. The Corporate Kuleana Report also references alignment with frameworks such as the Task Force on Climate-Related Disclosures (TCFD) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) for its reporting.

Community engagement and workforce

Hawaiian Airlines describes extensive community and philanthropic activities across Hawaiʻi and its broader network. Through its Team Kokua program, the airline and its employees support cultural, educational, environmental and health and human services initiatives. The company reports that employees volunteer thousands of hours annually and that Hawaiian donates HawaiianMiles and financial contributions to nonprofit organizations, including support for voyaging and environmental projects.

The airline also highlights its response to significant events affecting Hawaiʻi communities. For example, company materials describe how Hawaiian mobilized flights, supplies and support following wildfires in West Maui, including evacuating displaced residents and visitors and transporting first responders and relief supplies. The airline has produced Travel Pono content to guide visitors on respectful and supportive travel practices in affected areas.

Hawaiian notes that a large majority of its employees identify as racially or ethnically diverse and that it places emphasis on diversity, inclusion and belonging. The company has been recognized for having a relatively high percentage of women pilots compared with U.S. airline averages and maintains workforce development and educational partnerships to support future aviation careers.

Corporate structure and acquisition by Alaska Air Group

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., which has traded under the ticker symbol HA on the NASDAQ. In a news release from Alaska Air Group, Inc., it was announced that Alaska Air Group completed its acquisition of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. and that Hawaiian Airlines became a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group. The announcement states that Hawaiian Airlines’ brand will be maintained and that Honolulu will serve as a major hub within the combined organization.

Following completion of the transaction, Alaska Air Group indicated that Hawaiian Airlines’ stock would be delisted and cease trading on the NASDAQ, with the combined organization continuing to trade under the ticker ALK on the New York Stock Exchange. At the same time, company communications explain that Hawaiian and Alaska will initially operate as separate carriers under separate operating certificates while integration work proceeds, with both brands continuing to serve guests.

Status of HA ticker and historical context

Given the completion of the acquisition of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. by Alaska Air Group and the stated delisting of Hawaiian’s stock from NASDAQ, the HA ticker symbol represents the historical listing for Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. Investors researching HA are often reviewing the company’s legacy as the parent of Hawaiian Airlines, including its role in scheduled passenger air transportation, its interisland and transpacific networks, its loyalty and co-branded credit card programs, and its ESG and community initiatives prior to and through the acquisition.