Book Hawaiian Business Class With Points: 26K Finnair Avios
⏱ 7 min read
If you want to fly Alaska and Hawaiian's 787 lie-flat business suites from Honolulu to the mainland, the cheapest way to book them right now is not through Atmos Rewards. It is 26,000 Finnair Avios each way, versus 40,000 Atmos Rewards points for the exact same seat. Big mahalo to the team at Thrifty Traveler, and reporter Gunnar Olson specifically, who surfaced this one first. I am just bringing it home for us in the islands.
Here is the catch worth knowing up front: you cannot book this online. You have to call or chat a Finnair agent to lock it in. Annoying, yes. Worth it for a private suite with a door to the mainland, also yes. Let me walk you through the whole thing.
The short answer
Those gorgeous new 787 suites, the ones with the closing door, the huge screen, and the guava juice mimosas, normally cost 40,000 Atmos Rewards points each way. That is already a fantastic redemption. But because of the Alaska and Hawaiian merger, those same flights can now be booked through Finnair for just 26,000 Avios each way. Same plane, same seat, same lounge, roughly 14,000 fewer points per direction. For a round trip that is nearly 28,000 points back in your pocket.
Wait, how is this even possible?
Here is the mechanics, because it matters. When Hawaiian merged with Alaska and the loyalty programs came together under Atmos Rewards, Hawaiian came along into the Oneworld alliance that Alaska already belonged to. Finnair is a Oneworld member too, and Finnair uses Avios as its points currency. That combination is the whole reason you can now point Finnair Avios at an Alaska or Hawaiian flight and pay a distance-based partner rate instead of the Atmos rate.
This is a great example of why keeping up with the Oneworld partner picture pays off. If you want the full lay of the land on the merged program, I keep our full Atmos Rewards guide updated as things shift.
One honest caveat: Finnair reworked its Alaska and Hawaiian award chart earlier in 2026, and economy rates to Hawaiʻi actually got more expensive. The good news for us is that the premium cabin rates went the other way, which is exactly why this business class number is so sharp right now. Sweet spots like this can move, so if a trip is on your radar, I would not sit on it too long.
The numbers, side by side
Here is the same lie-flat suite, priced three different ways. All figures are one way.
Points each way for the same 787 lie-flat suite. Sources: Thrifty Traveler, Finnair Plus and Atmos Rewards partner pricing, July 2026.
You cannot book these Alaska or Hawaiian awards on Finnair's website. You have to call a Finnair agent (929-474-6049 or 323-694-7646) or use their online chat. Confirm the seats are available before you move a single point.
How to book it, step by step
Step 1: Find the seats using American's search tool
You will not book with American, you are just using their calendar to spot availability, because American's award search is the cleanest in the business. On aa.com, choose Redeem miles, set it to one-way, pick your passenger count, and select Business or First for the cabin. Then open the Calendar view and filter for nonstop, First.
Now the tricky part. You will see a lot of dates at 55,000 miles. Skip those. That price is a different plane with recliner seats, not the suites you want. The rate that signals the lie-flat 787 or A330 is 62,500 miles each way, and it can hide behind the cheaper 55,000 fare on the calendar. When you find it, favor the 787 if you have the choice. Same price, noticeably better cabin.
Step 2: Set up your Finnair Avios account now
Do this today even if your trip is months out. There is an Avios rule requiring accounts to be open for 30 days before you can move points between Avios programs, and you do not want that clock working against you the week you find a seat. Open your Finnair Plus account, and while you are at it, set up any other Avios accounts you might route through.
Step 3: Get your points into position
This is where your cards do the heavy lifting, and most local folks are closer to 26,000 Avios than they think. Here are the paths:
- Capital One and Rove transfer directly to Finnair, so those points are basically one hop away.
- Amex, Bilt, Chase, and Wells Fargo points transfer to British Airways, which you can then move over to Finnair.
- Citi points transfer to Qatar Avios, which also works for booking these Alaska and Hawaiian seats.
If you are wondering which everyday card earns points that feed this play, that is exactly what I break down in the best cards for Hawaiʻi travelers. The move for most people is a flexible points card, because flexible points can chase whichever program has the deal, like this one.
Step 4: Call or chat Finnair to book
Have your details ready before you reach out: full passenger info and dates of birth, your Avios numbers, the exact date, route, flight number, departure time, and cabin. Then tell the agent something like, can you check availability to fly Alaska Airlines first class using Finnair points, and give them the route and dates. Only transfer your points after the agent confirms the seats are live. Transfers are usually instant, so ask them to stay on the line until your Avios land, then have them ticket it and read you the confirmation numbers from both Finnair and Alaska or Hawaiian.
Step 5: Pick your seat, then go enjoy it
Take your Alaska or Hawaiian confirmation number over to their website or app and choose your seat. Traveling as a couple? The two middle suites are made for that. Want the coastline on the way out of Honolulu? Grab a window. Then just show up and enjoy one of the best seats in the sky between the islands and the West Coast.
Is this actually worth it for us?
For most kamaʻāina flying to the mainland, yes, with two honest asterisks. First, this is a premium cabin play. If you only ever fly economy off-island, the Finnair economy chart to Hawaiʻi got worse this year, and Atmos or a cheaper option may serve you better. Second, the phone or chat requirement is real, so this rewards the planner, not the last-minute booker. If you want to sanity check whether 26,000 Avios is a good use of your stash versus other redemptions, I put real dollar figures on this in what your points are actually worth, and I round up more redemptions like it on the travel deals page.
Scottie's Take
I love this one. Twenty-six thousand points for a private suite with a closing door, a real bed, and mimosas from Honolulu to the mainland is the kind of value that makes all the points hoarding worth it. Yeah, having to call or chat Finnair is a little old-school, but I have found their agents patient and sharp, and I will happily spend fifteen minutes on a chat to save 14,000 points each way and fly lie-flat. My honest advice: open your Finnair account this week even if you have no trip booked, so that 30-day clock is already behind you when a great date pops up. Sweet spots like this do not tend to last, so I would treat it as book-it-while-it-is-here.
Have you flown these suites yet, or are you eyeing a booking? Drop a comment or reach out and let me know the route you are chasing, I would love to help you map it.
A hui hou,
Scottie
