6 min read
As of October 26, 2026. Access rules for the new lounge have not been announced yet. I will update this article as Alaska and Hawaiian share details before opening. Advertiser disclosure: Hawaii Reward Travel may earn a commission from some links on this site.
Quick overviewTap to expand
- Hawaiian Airlines started construction on a new premium lounge at Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in October 2026, with a traditional Hawaiian blessing.
- The new HNL lounge will be nearly 13,000 square feet, seat about 200 guests, and sit at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse.
- Hawaiian expects the lounge to open in the first half of 2028.
- Who gets in has not been announced. No credit card is confirmed to grant access yet.
- The lounge is part of the Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan, more than $600 million over five years.
Hawaiian Airlines just broke ground on a brand new premium lounge right here at HNL, and it is the lounge Hawaii locals and frequent flyers have been waiting for. Construction started this month with a traditional Hawaiian blessing, and the doors are expected to open in the first half of 2028.
For those of us who start every trip at HNL, this is the upgrade our home airport has needed for a long time. Here is what we know, what we don't know yet, and how I would get ready.
What did Hawaiian Airlines announce at HNL?
On October 26, 2026, Alaska Airlines announced that Hawaiian Airlines began construction of a new premium lounge at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Work started in October 2026 with a traditional Hawaiian blessing. The lounge is part of the Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan and will join the existing Plumeria Lounge and six Premier Clubs across the islands.
Alaska made the announcement alongside an update on its new Seattle lounge complex, a nearly 41,000-square-foot space in the expanded C Concourse at SEA that is expected to open in late 2027, and it has also released renderings of a new Alaska Lounge at San Diego (SAN). For kamaʻāina, though, the Honolulu lounge is the headline, because every trip off the rock starts at HNL.
| New HNL lounge | What we know (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Airline | Hawaiian Airlines (part of Alaska Air Group) |
| Location | Entrance of the Mauka Concourse, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport |
| Size | Nearly 13,000 square feet |
| Capacity | About 200 guests |
| Construction start | October 2026, with a traditional Hawaiian blessing |
| Expected opening | First half of 2028 |
| Design and build team | Architects Hawaii (architect of record), Gensler (hospitality design), Nordic PCL Construction |
| Access rules | Not announced yet |
What will the new HNL lounge have inside?
The new Hawaiian Airlines lounge at HNL will feature locally inspired food and drinks, a signature local coffee experience, a full-service bar with handcrafted cocktails, private workspaces and gathering areas, and artwork celebrating Hawaiʻi artists. At nearly 13,000 square feet and about 200 seats, it is a big step up for Hawaii-based travelers.
- Food and drink: Locally inspired menu and a signature local coffee experience.
- Bar: Full-service bar with handcrafted cocktails.
- Work and gather: Private workspaces plus gathering areas for ʻohana and groups.
- Art: Pieces celebrating Hawaiʻi artists and creators.
I really like the team behind it. Architects Hawaii is the architect of record, working with global design firm Gensler and Nordic PCL Construction. A local firm alongside international expertise tells me this lounge is being built to reflect Hawaiʻi, not copied from a mainland template.
When will the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge at HNL open?
Hawaiian Airlines expects the new Honolulu lounge to open in the first half of 2028. That is a little later than first planned. When Hawaiian first previewed the lounge in January 2025, it targeted an opening at the end of 2027. Construction officially began in October 2026.
Good to Know
The current HNL lounges are not going anywhere yet. Until the new lounge opens, Hawaiian's Plumeria Lounge and Premier Club are still your options at HNL. Check my HNL airport lounge guide for how to get into each one today.
What is the Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan?
The Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan is Hawaiian Airlines' commitment of more than $600 million over five years to improve air travel in and out of Hawaiʻi. Hawaiian announced it in January 2026. The plan covers airport lobbies and gates, a premium retrofit of the Airbus A330 fleet, new technology, Huakaʻi by Hawaiian deals, and community and sustainability investments.
Here is what has been reported so far for the pieces that matter most to locals:
- The new HNL lounge: Nearly 13,000 square feet, opening in the first half of 2028. Across the wider network, Alaska is also building new lounges in Seattle and San Diego.
- A330 retrofit: Hawaiian plans to refurbish all 24 of its Airbus A330s with new interiors, starting in 2028.
- Premium Reserve: A new premium economy cabin is set to debut in 2028 on select aircraft.
- Airports and tech: Upgrades to lobbies and gates across the islands, plus modern web, app and airport technology.
- Huakaʻi by Hawaiian: Exclusive deals for Hawaiʻi residents enrolled in Huakaʻi within Atmos Rewards.
Who will get into the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge?
Nobody knows yet. Alaska and Hawaiian have not announced access rules for the new HNL lounge. The airline has said guest access details will be shared at a later date. That means no credit card, status level or membership is confirmed to get you in today, so be careful with anyone promising otherwise.
The best clue is how Hawaiian's HNL lounges work right now. The Premier Club is open to elite frequent flyers, first class passengers and club members. The Plumeria Lounge is for long-haul first class passengers and select top-tier elites. If the new lounge follows that pattern, Atmos Rewards status and premium cabin tickets will matter most. That is my read, not an announcement.
Which credit cards could help with lounge access at HNL?
No credit card is confirmed to grant access to the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge yet. The cards that help most today are the ones that earn Atmos Rewards points and status points, because status and premium cabin tickets are how Hawaiian's lounges work right now. Treat card lounge perks as a bonus, not the plan.
Here is how the cards locals ask me about actually stack up today:
| Card | Lounge benefit today | New HNL lounge? |
|---|---|---|
| Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite | 8 Alaska Lounge day passes per year, 2 per quarter. Alaska Lounges only, not Hawaiian lounges. | Not announced |
| Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard | Earns Atmos Rewards points. Lounge access is not a listed benefit. | Not announced |
| Cards with Priority Pass or Amex lounge networks | Third-party lounge networks, not airline-owned lounges. | I would not count on it |
Card benefits change often. Confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.
Here's the move. Build your Atmos Rewards balance and status with everyday card spend now, so when the lounge opens and access rules drop, you are not starting from zero. Start with my Atmos Rewards guide and my picks for the best credit cards for Hawaii residents.
What should Hawaii travelers do now?
Hawaii travelers should use the next year and a half to build Atmos Rewards points and status, review which cards they hold, and keep using today's HNL lounges. Access rules for the new lounge will likely come out closer to opening, so there is no rush to open a new card just for this.
- Review your current travel card lineup and note which ones earn Atmos Rewards points or status points.
- Check what lounge access you already have today, using my HNL lounge guide.
- Keep earning Atmos Rewards points and status points so you have options when access rules are announced.
- Join Huakaʻi by Hawaiian if you have not yet. It is free with a Hawaii mailing address.
- Watch for the access announcement. I will post it on HRT the moment it drops.
New HNL lounge FAQ
When will the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge in Honolulu open?
Hawaiian Airlines expects its new premium lounge at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to open in the first half of 2028. Construction began in October 2026 with a traditional Hawaiian blessing. The original target, announced in January 2025, was the end of 2027, so the timeline has moved back slightly. Until then, the Plumeria Lounge and Premier Club remain open.
Where will the new HNL lounge be located?
The new Hawaiian Airlines lounge will sit at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The lounge will be nearly 13,000 square feet and designed for about 200 guests at a time. Hawaiian has said it will join the existing Plumeria Lounge and six Premier Clubs across the islands.
Who can use the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge?
Access rules have not been announced. Alaska and Hawaiian have said guest access details will be shared later. Today, Hawaiian's Premier Club is open to elite flyers, first class passengers and club members, and the Plumeria Lounge is for long-haul first class passengers and select top-tier elites. The new lounge may follow a similar model, but that is not confirmed.
Will a credit card get me into the new HNL lounge?
No credit card has been confirmed to grant access to the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge. The Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite includes eight Alaska Lounge day passes per year, but those passes currently work at Alaska Lounges only, not Hawaiian lounges. Wait for the official access rules before opening a card for lounge access.
What is the Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan?
The Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan is Hawaiian Airlines' commitment of more than $600 million over five years, announced in January 2026. It covers the new HNL lounge, airport lobby and gate upgrades, a premium retrofit of all 24 Airbus A330s starting in 2028, new technology, Huakaʻi by Hawaiian deals, and community and sustainability investments.
Who designed the new HNL lounge?
Architects Hawaii is the architect of record for the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge at HNL. Global design firm Gensler is handling hospitality design, and Nordic PCL Construction is building it. The lounge will feature locally inspired food and drinks, a full-service bar, private workspaces and artwork celebrating Hawaiʻi artists.
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Join the ʻOhana ProgramScottie's Take
Every time I fly out of HNL I walk past the lounges and think about how Hawaiʻi deserves better. Our airport is the front door to the islands. It is where our ʻohana says goodbye and where we come home. For years the lounge experience here has not matched what that moment deserves.
The fact that Hawaiian Airlines started construction with a traditional Hawaiian blessing says everything about the intention behind this project. This is not a generic airport lounge with beige walls and packaged snacks. The team behind it is using Architects Hawaii, featuring Hawaiʻi artists, and building a space that is meant to feel like home.
For our HRT community, this is the long game. Keep building your Atmos Rewards points and status now, and take a look at whether your current cards have you covered. The lounge opens in the first half of 2028, and when the access rules drop, I will break them down right here.
Mahalo to the entire Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Airlines team for making this investment in Hawaiʻi. This is what it looks like when a company puts its money where its aloha is. What are you most excited to see inside? Drop a comment or send me a message. A hui hou!
Scottie Kobayashi, Hawaii Reward Travel
