What the Hawaiian Airlines credit card offers
Hawaiian Airlines offers a co-branded credit card through Bank of Hawaii that earns miles on every purchase and gives you checked baggage benefits and priority boarding. The card comes in two versions: the Hawaiian Airlines World Mastercard and the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard. Both cards earn miles at the same rate but differ in annual fees, sign-up bonuses, and premium perks.
The standard World Mastercard charges a $49 annual fee and earns 2 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. The World Elite version costs $99 per year and earns the same rates but includes higher sign-up bonuses, a statement credit toward baggage fees, and lounge access. Neither card is a flat-rate rewards card — your earning power depends on how much you fly Hawaiian and how you structure your spending.
Key Takeaways
- The Hawaiian Airlines World Mastercard earns 2 miles per dollar on airline purchases and 1 mile per dollar elsewhere, with a $49 annual fee and a checked bag benefit.
- The World Elite version costs $99 per year but includes higher sign-up bonuses, a $100 statement credit toward baggage fees every two years, and priority pass lounge access.
- Both cards give you a free checked bag on Hawaiian Airlines flights, which saves $30 to $40 per round trip if you normally check luggage.
- Miles do not expire as long as your account remains open and active, but they are worth roughly 1 cent each when redeemed for flights.
- The card makes sense if you fly Hawaiian Airlines at least three to four times per year; otherwise, the annual fee outweighs the benefits.
Earning rates and sign-up bonuses
The World Mastercard typically offers a sign-up bonus of 30,000 miles after you spend $500 in the first 90 days. The World Elite version usually offers 50,000 miles under the same spending requirement. At roughly 1 cent per mile, the World Mastercard bonus is worth about $300 in flight value, and the World Elite bonus is worth about $500. You should compare the current offer to what Bank of Hawaii is advertising at the time you explore, since sign-up bonuses change.
After the sign-up period, earning is straightforward: 2 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases (tickets, seat upgrades, in-flight purchases) and 1 mile per dollar on all other spending. There are no bonus categories for groceries, gas, or dining, and no rotating categories. If you spend $10,000 per year on the card and half of that is Hawaiian Airlines purchases, you would earn roughly 15,000 miles annually from spending alone — enough for one domestic round-trip ticket.
Checked baggage and travel benefits
Both versions include a free first checked bag on Hawaiian Airlines flights for you and up to three when ready family members traveling on the same reservation. This benefit alone saves $30 to $40 per round trip if you normally check a bag. The benefit applies to flights booked with the card and does not extend to partner airlines or flights booked through third parties.
The World Elite card adds a $100 statement credit toward baggage fees every two years, which covers the cost of a second checked bag on multiple trips. You also receive priority boarding on Hawaiian Airlines flights, which means you board before general passengers and can find overhead bin space. The World Elite version includes Priority Pass lounge access, giving you entry to airport lounges worldwide — though the benefit is limited to 10 visits per year.
Annual fees and when the card pays for itself
The World Mastercard's $49 annual fee breaks even if you take just two Hawaiian Airlines round trips per year and check a bag both times, since the free checked bag benefit saves $60 to $80. If you fly Hawaiian once or less per year, the annual fee is unlikely to be worth it unless you carry a high balance and earn enough miles to offset the cost.
The World Elite card's $99 annual fee is steeper, but the $100 baggage credit every two years and higher sign-up bonus make it worthwhile if you fly Hawaiian at least four times per year or spend heavily on the card. The lounge access has value only if you use it; a single lounge visit at a major airport can cost $25 to $35 if purchased separately, so 10 visits per year could be worth $250 or more depending on your travel schedule.
How Hawaiian Airlines miles work
Miles earned through the card can be redeemed for Hawaiian Airlines flights, seat upgrades, or partner airline tickets through Hawaiian's frequent flyer program. A domestic round trip typically costs 25,000 to 40,000 miles depending on the route and how far in advance you book. Miles are worth roughly 1 cent each when redeemed for flights, though premium cabin upgrades and partner redemptions may offer better or worse value.
Miles do not expire as long as your account remains open and you have account activity at least once every 24 months. Account activity includes earning miles, redeeming miles, or even a credit card purchase. If your account goes inactive for more than two years, Hawaiian will close it and forfeit your miles. There is no way to transfer miles to another person or combine them with a family member's account.
Comparing the two card versions
| Feature | World Mastercard | World Elite Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $49 | $99 |
| Typical Sign-Up Bonus | 30,000 miles | 50,000 miles |
| Miles on Hawaiian Airlines | 2 per dollar | 2 per dollar |
| Miles on Other Purchases | 1 per dollar | 1 per dollar |
| Free Checked Bag | Yes (1st bag) | Yes (1st bag) |
| Baggage Fee Credit | No | $100 every 2 years |
| Priority Boarding | No | Yes |
| Lounge Access | No | Priority Pass (10 visits/year) |
Who should consider this card
The Hawaiian Airlines card makes sense if you live in Hawaii or fly Hawaiian Airlines regularly for work or family visits. The free checked bag benefit alone justifies the annual fee for frequent travelers, and the miles earning accelerates if you put most of your spending on the card. If you fly Hawaiian four or more times per year, the World Elite version's higher bonus and baggage credit likely outweigh the extra $50 annual fee.
The card is less useful if you fly Hawaiian once a year or less, or if you rarely check bags. In that case, a general-purpose rewards card with no annual fee and 1.5% to 2% cash back on all purchases would give you more value. Similarly, if you fly multiple airlines equally, a card that earns points across all airlines (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Gold) would be more flexible than a single-airline card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Hawaiian Airlines miles to book flights on other airlines?
Yes, Hawaiian Airlines miles can be redeemed for partner airline flights through the frequent flyer program, though the redemption rates and availability vary. Partner airlines include American, Delta, and others, but award availability is often limited and may require more miles than a Hawaiian Airlines flight on the same route.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Your miles remain in your Hawaiian Airlines frequent flyer account and do not disappear when you close the credit card. However, if you have no account activity for 24 months, Hawaiian will close your frequent flyer account and forfeit the miles. You can keep the account active by earning or redeeming miles, even if you no longer hold the card.
Does the free checked bag explore to flights booked with miles?
Yes, the free checked bag benefit applies to any Hawaiian Airlines flight booked with the card, whether you pay with cash or redeem miles. The benefit covers the first checked bag for you and up to three when ready family members on the same reservation.
Is there a way to waive the annual fee?
Bank of Hawaii does not offer an automatic annual fee waiver for the Hawaiian Airlines card. Your only option is to close the card if the annual fee no longer makes sense for your travel plans, though you will lose the free checked bag benefit on future flights.
How do I know if the sign-up bonus is worth it?
Compare the current sign-up bonus to the annual fee and your expected spending. If the bonus is 30,000 miles (worth roughly $300) and the annual fee is $49, you are ahead by $251 in year one, even before earning miles on purchases. For the World Elite card, a 50,000-mile bonus ($500 value) minus the $99 fee leaves you $401 ahead, plus the baggage credit and lounge access.