Turkish Airlines Just Devalued Their Award Chart, and Hawaii Got Hit Hard…
If you’ve been following Hawaii Reward Travel for a while, you know one of my favorite hidden gems in the points world has always been Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. They used to offer some of the craziest sweet-spot pricing for flights to and from Hawaii U.S. domestic Star Alliance flights, sometimes so good that people thought it was a mistake.
Well… bad news, fam.
Turkish just rolled out a devaluation, and the Hawaii routes took a pretty big hit.
And yeah… I’m bummed. This was one of the best deals we had.
What Just Changed?
Turkish Airlines updated their award chart with higher prices across a bunch of regions. But the standout gut punch for us in Hawaii is this:
Award Tickets on Star Alliance Member Airlines & Other Partner Airlines
Previously, it was 10,000 miles for economy and 15,000 miles for business class on a Star Alliance award seat. The real sweet spot was that you could sometimes snag a one-way business class ticket from HNL to New York (EWR) for just 15,000 miles!!! Most of us usually ended up finding economy space instead, but even then, 10,000 miles for a one-way to the mainland was a total steal.
| Class of Service | Previous Rate (U.S. Mainland Domestic) |
New Rate (U.S. Mainland Domestic) |
Rate of Increase | Previous Rate (Hawaii) |
New Rate (Hawaii) |
Rate of Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 10,000 | 15,000 | 50% | 10,000 | 25,000 | 150% |
| Business | 15,000 | 22,500 | 50% | 15,000 | 40,000 | 167% |
| First | 20,000 | 30,000 | 50% | 20,000 | 50,000 | 150% |
Why This Matters for Hawaii Travelers
This wasn’t just some niche trick. This was one of the best values in the world for flying between Hawaii and the mainland using points, especially when tickets get expensive during summer, holidays, and last-minute travel.
Ohanas and locals here relied on this.
People who don’t earn a ton of points relied on this.
And honestly… I relied on this.
I’ve helped some of you book incredible deals using Turkish miles. It was one of those redemptions that made people go, “Wait, this is actually possible?”
And now it’s gone… or at least, not the same.
Is the Deal Dead?
Not completely, just weaker.
At 25,000 miles each way (economy) and 40,000 miles (business), it’s still cheaper than most programs, when Turkish’s website actually works and availability lines up (two big “ifs,” as you know).
But the magic is gone.
It’s no longer the unbeatable, game-changing deal that made Turkish such a favorite among Hawaii travelers.
How We Pivot From Here
Okay, so what do we do?
Fortunately, we still have options:
1. Keep an Eye on Turkish, But Only When Prices Get Crazy
If cash fares shoot up to $400–$800 one-way (which happens a LOT from Hawaii), 25K miles can still be solid value, especially from HNL to EWR!
2. Lean More on Partner Programs
Here’s where I’m pivoting clients next:
Alaska Mileage Plan / Atmos Rewards for consistent pricing
Bilt → AA / Alaska transfers
British Airways Avios for West Coast flights
United MileagePlus for simplicity, not sweet spots
3. Focus on Signup Bonuses Instead of Hunting for Unicorn Redemptions
This is exactly why I push earning more points through smart credit card strategy.
Deals come and go… but your point balance gives you flexibility.
If you ever feel stuck or you’re not sure which cards to get next, join my free Ohana program and I’ll help guide you step-by-step.
Scottie’s Take
Not gonna lie, this one hurts…
Turkish Miles&Smiles was one of those rare sweet spots that truly made a difference for Hawaii families trying to stay connected to the mainland. And seeing it devalue overnight without warning isn’t fun.
But at the same time… this is the game.
Sweet spots disappear, new ones appear, and the people who keep learning, adapting, and earning strategically always win long-term.
We move forward. We adjust. And we keep traveling smarter for less.
