The 5 Things I’m Personally Looking Forward to in the Atmos Rewards Program in 2026
Your personal guide from Scottie @ Hawaii Reward Travel
Mikela & I at the Atmos Rewards Celebration at ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
2026 is going to be a massive year for Hawaii travelers, and honestly, I haven’t felt this level of excitement around a loyalty program in a long time.
After going to the recent Atmos event and hearing directly from the team shaping the future of Alaska + Hawaiian, I walked away with one big thought:
This will be the most Hawaii-friendly rewards program we’ve ever had.
Atmos Rewards isn’t just a name change. It’s a chance to upgrade parts of the loyalty program in a way that adds more flexibility, brings in stronger global partnerships, and creates new routes and opportunities that make more sense for how we travel here in the islands.
This guide breaks down 5 key Atmos Rewards features coming in 2026 and why they might matter for local travelers like you. My goal is simple: help you stay ahead of the curve so you’re ready when the new program fully rolls out.
1. Choose-To-Earn™: The Most Local-Friendly Earning Feature Ever
This is the feature I’m personally the most excited about.
Atmos Rewards will introduce Choose-to-Earn™, a customizable earning system that lets you pick how you want to earn points based on your lifestyle and your travel goals. You’ll be able to choose to earn from distance traveled, price paid, or by segments flown.
For kamaʻāina who spend more time flying interisland, or families who save all year for that one big trip to Japan, this is the kind of personalization we’ve never had before.
2. New Routes to Europe: Iceland, Rome & More Through Seattle
One of the biggest wins coming in 2026 is how much easier it will be for Hawaii travelers to reach Europe, without crazy backtracking or complicated connections.
Atmos, Alaska, and their global partners will open two major new gateways for us:
HNL → SEA → KEF (Iceland)
Iceland has become one of the most popular (and surprisingly affordable) destinations, and from KEF you get fast, easy connections deeper into Europe.
For many Hawaii travelers, this could end up being one of the best-value ways to reach Europe using Atmos points.
HNL → SEA → FCO (Rome)
Rome has been one of the top-requested routes in our HRT community, and 2026 finally makes it more realistic.
With Atmos + Alaska tapping into expanded partnerships, we should see better award availability and smoother premium-cabin options to Italy.
Why this matters for Hawaiʻi:
Europe becomes far more accessible with cleaner routings
Seattle turns into a powerful hub for Hawaii travelers
New partners (and oneworld access) should open more award seats
Better options for honeymoons, family trips, cultural travel, and bucket-list itineraries
This is one area I’ll be tracking closely throughout 2026 as we update our “Hawaii to Europe” redemption guide.
3. Atmos + oneworld: Global Partner Access Coming in Spring 2026
One of the biggest reasons 2026 will feel different is that Hawaiian Airlines is officially joining oneworld in Spring 2026, as part of its ongoing integration with Alaska Airlines.
This means:
Hawaiian-branded flights will enjoy full oneworld alliance status, which opens the doors for seamless connections, codeshares, and smoother global itineraries.
As an Atmos member, you’ll be able to earn and redeem points on any oneworld carrier, whether you’re flying Hawaiian, Alaska, or one of their global partners.
Once official, common oneworld perks like reciprocal lounge access, coordinated award redemptions, and elite-status recognition across carriers will also apply to Hawaiian flights.
This alliance move dramatically improves global connectivity for Hawai‘i travelers. That long-desired “doorway to the world” becomes more real, with streamlined access to destinations across Asia, Europe, and beyond, all while keeping Hawaiian-style hospitality on departure/return.
4a. Huakaʻi by Hawaiian Remains Local + New 2026 Benefits
One of the biggest questions I hear from our community is:
“With Atmos going global… will Hawaiian still take care of the people of Hawaiʻi?”
At the Atmos event, Hawaiian Airlines Marketing Director Alison Onishi answered that loud and clear, and her message was powerful:
“Huakaʻi by Hawaiian stays 100% focused on kamaʻāina.”
Even though Atmos Rewards is a global program, Huakaʻi by Hawaiian remains the local layer designed exclusively for Hawaiʻi residents, and it will continue offering:
Neighbor Island flight discounts
Free interisland checked bags
Special kamaʻāina-only deals at places like Foodland, UH Athletics, local events, and other community partners
More local perks continually being added throughout 2026
She emphasized that Hawaiian will never lose sight of its commitment to the people of Hawaiʻi, no matter how big the Atmos program becomes.
50% Bonus on Points + Status Points for Interisland Travel (Starting 2026)
This was one of the biggest announcements of the night:
If you fly between the islands often, you’ll earn:
50% more Atmos points, and
50% more status points,
every time you book interisland flights in 2026.
For local families, business travelers, athletes, and weekend warriors, this means:
Faster status
More upgrades
More points for mainland and international trips
Better overall value for living here and flying here
This is Hawaiian recognizing how unique our interisland travel patterns are. We have ohana in Kona, so this is very generous for our family travels!
4b. Atmos Rewards Unlocked: A New World of Experiences
Alison also introduced Atmos Rewards Unlocked, a feature that lets members redeem points for curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, not just flights.
This includes:
Exclusive concerts
Sports events
Culinary experiences
Cultural packages
Global adventures
And even experiences here in Hawaiʻi
There are already 150+ Unlocked experiences available to browse online today, with many more coming.
It’s a reminder that Atmos isn’t just a frequent-flyer program.
It’s becoming a lifestyle program, one built for both global travelers and our local ʻohana.
5. Ultra-Fast Inflight Wi-Fi: A Modern Upgrade for 2026
One thing I’m seriously looking forward to: starting in 2026, members of Atmos Rewards will get free, ultra-fast Wi-Fi on flights operated by Alaska Airlines (and by extension with Hawaiian Airlines once joint-fleet upgrades complete).
What that means in real terms:
On Starlink-equipped aircraft you’ll get high-bandwidth, low-latency Wi-Fi, good enough for video calls, streaming, real-time messaging or working remotely.
The benefit is complimentary for Atmos members, no Wi-Fi fee, no pay-per-flight add-on, just free access.
For frequent travelers, whether flying inter-island or mainland/international, this turns flying into a more useful, connected time: check in with family, plan trips, stream shows, stay current, without worrying about data caps or airplane-mode boredom.
For Hawaiʻi travelers, especially those using flights to connect to the mainland, Asia, or Europe: this isn’t just a minor convenience. It’s a realistic upgrade to how we fly. I can finally edit these articles while flying!!!!!
Scottie’s Take
2026 is the year Hawaii travelers finally get a loyalty program that feels like it was built for us.
Atmos Rewards is shaping up to be:
Flexible
Powerful
And honestly… FUN.
I’ll be tracking every update, breaking down every feature, and testing every sweet spot, so our local families, kūpuna, and young travelers can make the most of this brand-new program.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, this is where the you can be updated by the Hawaii Reward Travel Ohana!
Aloha,
Scottie
