New Alaska Hawaiian App Guide: What Kamaʻāina Travelers Need to Know (2026)

Aloha ʻohana! If you fly Hawaiian Airlines regularly, you have probably felt the frustration of an app that could not quite keep up with your travel day. Checking in was fine, but changing a flight? Forget it. Apple Pay? Nope. Sharing a boarding pass with your travel companion? Still not possible. Well, that all changes right now. As of March 30, 2026, a brand-new combined app is here, and for us Hawaii locals who hop on Hawaiian to visit the mainland, head to Japan, or connect anywhere across the network, this upgrade is genuinely worth paying attention to.

This is your complete guide to the new app, what is in it, how to get it, and what to expect over the next few weeks as the full feature set goes live.

What Is the New Alaska Hawaiian App?

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines officially merged their mobile experiences into one unified app. It launched on March 30, 2026, and it replaces both the standalone Hawaiian Airlines app and the Alaska Airlines app going forward.

Here is the part I love: you can still make it feel like Hawaiian Airlines. The app lets you choose between an Alaska Airlines or a Hawaiian Airlines-themed look and feel. So the familiar spirit of Hawaiian travel is still there. The platform underneath is just a whole lot more powerful now.

The Transition Timeline: What You Need to Know Right Now

The switchover is happening in two stages and this is important if you have upcoming Hawaiian flights. Here is exactly how to handle it:

• Now through April 21, 2026: If you have a Hawaiian Airlines flight booked during this window, keep using the old Hawaiian Airlines app for check-in and day-of travel. It still works fine and will remain available in the app store through April 21.
• Starting April 22, 2026: The old Hawaiian app stops working. Everyone moves to the new combined Alaska Hawaiian app. This is also the date when the biggest new features go live for Hawaiian travelers.
• Already have the old Alaska Airlines app? It has likely already auto-updated to the new combined version if you have automatic updates enabled on your device.

Good to Know

If you fly Hawaiian Airlines between now and April 21, do NOT delete the old Hawaiian app yet. Use it for check-in and boarding passes on those flights. Then download the new Alaska Hawaiian app before April 22 so you are ready for the full feature rollout. You can have both on your phone in the meantime.

The New Features Hawaiian Travelers Finally Get

This is where it gets exciting. Starting April 22, Hawaiian Airlines flyers gain a set of features that other airline apps have had for years. For us kamaʻāina who travel frequently, these are going to change how we manage our trips on the fly.

• Change or cancel flights directly in the app. No more calling the airline and sitting on hold. If your plans shift, you handle it yourself in seconds. This alone is a massive upgrade.
• Apple Pay integration. Pay for flights and add-ons using Apple Pay. Quick, secure, and one less thing to fish out of your wallet at checkout.
• Share boarding passes with your travel companions. Traveling with your ʻohana? You can now send their boarding pass right from the app. No more crowding around one screen at the gate.
• Book partner award travel. The combined network now includes over 30 airline partners, and you will be able to search and book award flights using your miles directly through the app.
• Manage both Hawaiian and Alaska flights in one place. If your itinerary connects across both carriers, it all lives in a single app now. No more switching back and forth.

Features Already Baked In From Day One

Beyond the April 22 additions, the app already includes a solid set of tools that make your travel day smoother. Here is what you can use starting now:

• Mobile check-in and boarding passes. Check in up to 24 hours before your flight and pull up your boarding pass right on your phone. Works at all Hawaiian and Alaska airport locations.
• Interactive airport maps with turn-by-turn directions. Available at HNL, OGG, and LAX among others. Find your gate, baggage claim, lounges, and dining without wandering.
• Real-time flight status and gate updates. Get notified the moment something changes on your flight.
• Standby and upgrade waitlists. See exactly where you are on the list so you know whether to hover near the gate agent or relax at the bar.
• In-app chat with a Hawaiian Airlines agent. Skip the hold music. Chat directly with an agent through the app when you need help.
• In-flight entertainment streaming on A321neo aircraft. Stream movies and TV shows to your phone. Bring a charged phone and good headphones.
• Rideshare booking via Uber and Lyft. Hail a ride directly from the app when you land. One less thing to figure out when you are bleary-eyed at baggage claim.
• Self-service bag tag integration. Check in through the app, bring your boarding pass to the lobby, and use Hawaiian's bag tag stations to tag your own bags. Faster than waiting in line.

How to Download the App Right Now

The new Alaska Hawaiian app icon, now available in the App Store and Google Play

Getting set up is straightforward. Here is what to do depending on where you are starting from:

• iPhone users (iOS 16.0 or later required): Search "Alaska Hawaiian" in the App Store or visit hawaiianairlines.com/content/mobile/mobile-apps for the direct link. Enable Face ID or Touch ID after logging in for faster sign-ins going forward.
• Android users: Search "Alaska Hawaiian" in Google Play or use the same link above.
• Already have the old Alaska app? It will auto-update to the new combined version if automatic updates are turned on. Check your app store if you do not see the new look yet.
• Sign in with your HawaiianMiles number and password. Your trips, miles balance, and account details all carry over automatically. Nothing is lost in the transition.

Download the App

The new Alaska Hawaiian app is available now on iPhone and Android. Get it set up before your next flight so you are ready when the full feature rollout hits on April 22.

Download the Alaska Hawaiian App

Tips to Get the Most Out of the App as a Kamaʻāina Traveler

A few things I would recommend doing right after you download:

• Enable push notifications. Real-time gate changes and flight updates are genuinely useful. Turn them on so you are not the last person to know your gate moved.
• Set up Face ID or Touch ID. Logging in with your HawaiianMiles number every time is annoying. Enable biometric login once and skip that step forever.
• Add your boarding pass to Apple Wallet immediately after check-in. A Wallet pass works even in airplane mode, which matters when your data connection drops inside the terminal.
• Check the standby and upgrade list early. If you are waiting on an upgrade, the app shows your position on the list. Check it right after check-in rather than waiting to ask a gate agent.
• Pick the Hawaiian Airlines theme. When you first open the app, it will ask you to choose your look. Go Hawaiian. The purple and pink branding is beautiful and the experience is the same either way.
• If the theme selector does not appear, delete and re-download the app. A reader flagged this and it is a great catch. Simply updating the old Alaska app is not always enough to trigger the theme selection screen. If you do not see it, delete the app completely and do a fresh download from the App Store or Google Play. That should do the trick.
• Use the interactive map at HNL before your next departure. If you are flying out of the Overseas Terminal, it is a long walk. The map with turn-by-turn directions helps you plan your time more accurately.

Quick Tip

Mark April 22 on your calendar. That is when the old Hawaiian Airlines app stops working entirely, and when the biggest new features, including in-app flight changes, Apple Pay, and boarding pass sharing, all go live. Download the new app before then and you will not miss a beat.

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Scottie's Take

Honestly? I am excited about this. The old Hawaiian Airlines app was fine for the basics, but the moment anything got complicated, you were on the phone. The inability to change a flight in the app was the thing that frustrated me most, and that is finally going away on April 22.

For us kamaʻāina who travel outbound regularly, having a single app that handles Hawaiian and Alaska flights, shows partner award availability, and lets us manage bookings from the couch instead of a hold queue is genuinely useful. The Hawaiian-themed look option is a thoughtful touch too. I appreciate that they kept the identity alive inside the new platform.

My advice: download the new Alaska Hawaiian app today, keep the old Hawaiian app handy if you have flights before April 21, and then lean fully into the new app starting April 22. The transition is smooth if you do it in that order.

Have you downloaded the new app yet? Drop a comment below or reach out to me here and let me know how it is running for you. And if you want help pairing the right credit card with your Hawaiian and Alaska travel to maximize every mile, that is exactly what my Ohana Program is designed for. Mahalo!