The Hawaiian Airlines Card gives you miles on every purchase, free checked bags, and priority boarding

The Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard is issued by Bank of America and earns miles on all spending. You get a sign-up bonus of miles (the exact amount changes by offer), an annual free checked bag for you and one companion on Hawaiian Airlines flights, priority boarding, and a mile for every dollar you spend on the card. The card also gives you a statement credit toward Hawaiian Airlines purchases once per year.

The card costs $99 per year. That fee is worth reconsidering if you fly Hawaiian Airlines fewer than two or three times yearly, or if you live somewhere the airline doesn't serve. If you do fly Hawaiian regularly, the free checked bag alone saves you $35 to $70 per round trip, which covers the annual fee quickly.

Miles earned on this card work the same way as miles earned by flying: you redeem them for tickets, seat upgrades, or partner airline tickets. The redemption rate varies by route and season, so a mile might be worth less than a cent on a popular route in December and more on an off-season flight to a smaller island.

Key Takeaways

  • The card earns one mile per dollar on all purchases and includes a sign-up bonus of miles when you open the account.
  • You get one free checked bag per trip for yourself and one companion flying on the same reservation with Hawaiian Airlines.
  • The $99 annual fee is offset by the free checked bag benefit if you take at least two round trips per year on Hawaiian Airlines.
  • A statement credit toward Hawaiian Airlines purchases (usually $100 or $50, depending on the card tier) posts once per year if you keep the card active.
  • Miles can be redeemed for flights, seat upgrades, or tickets on partner airlines, though the value per mile changes by route and travel date.

How the Sign-Up Bonus Works

When you open the Hawaiian Airlines card, you earn a bonus of miles if you spend a certain amount within the first few months. The bonus size and spending requirement change throughout the year depending on the bank's current offer. You can find the current offer on the Bank of America website or by calling the number on a Hawaiian Airlines credit card mailer.

The bonus miles post to your Hawaiian Airlines account once the spending requirement is met and the account has been open for at least one statement cycle. This usually takes two to four weeks after you hit the spending threshold. You can then use those miles when ready to book a flight or hold them for a future trip.

If you don't think you'll spend enough to earn the bonus within the timeframe, don't open the card. A bonus you can't reach is worthless, and you'll pay the annual fee for nothing.

Earning Miles on Everyday Purchases

After the sign-up period, you earn one mile for every dollar charged to the card, on any purchase. This includes groceries, gas, restaurants, and online shopping — not just Hawaiian Airlines tickets. The miles post to your Hawaiian Airlines account monthly, usually within a few days of your statement closing date.

Some cards offer bonus miles in specific categories (like 3 miles per dollar at restaurants), but the Hawaiian Airlines card does not. You earn the same rate everywhere, which makes it simpler to track but means you won't earn extra miles by timing purchases to certain merchants.

If you have a Hawaiian Airlines co-branded debit card as well, miles earned on that card post to the same account. You can combine miles from both cards when you book a flight.

The Free Checked Bag and Other Travel Perks

The most valuable benefit for frequent Hawaiian Airlines passengers is the free checked bag. You get one free checked bag on every Hawaiian Airlines flight you take as the cardholder, plus one free checked bag for a companion on the same reservation. This benefit works even if you don't use the card to buy the ticket — you just need to be the cardholder on the reservation.

The second checked bag normally costs $35 on Hawaiian Airlines, or $70 for a round trip. If you take two round trips per year, the free bag benefit alone saves you $140, which more than covers the $99 annual fee.

You also get priority boarding, which means you board before general passengers and can choose your seat earlier. This is useful on smaller aircraft where overhead bin space fills quickly, but it doesn't may provide a window or aisle seat.

The card includes a $100 annual statement credit (on the World Elite version) or $50 (on the standard version) toward Hawaiian Airlines purchases. This credit posts once per year and covers ticket purchases, seat upgrades, baggage fees, or other airline charges. You don't have to do anything to claim it — it appears automatically if you've charged something to the card during the year.

How to Redeem Miles for Flights

Miles are redeemed through the Hawaiian Airlines website or by calling their reservations line. You log into your Hawaiian Airlines account, search for flights on your desired dates, and select the option to pay with miles instead of cash. The number of miles required depends on the route, the time of year, and how far in advance you book.

A flight that costs $200 in cash might require 20,000 miles during peak season or 15,000 miles during off-season. There is no fixed conversion rate, so you can't assume one mile equals one cent. On some routes and dates, a mile is worth less than half a cent; on others, it's worth more.

You can also use miles to upgrade a paid ticket to first class, though the cost in miles varies. Some upgrades cost 5,000 miles; others cost 15,000 or more. Check the upgrade price before you book if upgrading is important to you.

Miles don't expire as long as you have some account activity with Hawaiian Airlines at least once every 24 months. Account activity includes flying, earning miles from the credit card, or redeeming miles. If your account goes inactive, miles may be forfeited.

Partner Airlines and Other Redemption Options

Hawaiian Airlines is part of the OneWorld alliance, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and others. You can redeem Hawaiian Airlines miles for flights on these partner airlines, though the mile cost is usually higher than for Hawaiian Airlines flights.

You can also use miles to book hotel stays, car rentals, or activities through the Hawaiian Airlines shopping portal, though these redemptions typically offer lower value per mile than flight bookings.

If you have miles left over after a trip or don't plan to use them, you can donate them to a charity through the Hawaiian Airlines website. This doesn't give you a tax deduction, but it prevents miles from expiring if your account becomes inactive.

When the Card Makes Sense and When It Doesn't

The Hawaiian Airlines card is worth keeping if you fly the airline at least twice per year and live in a place it serves regularly. The free checked bag benefit and annual statement credit cover most of the $99 fee, and the miles you earn on everyday spending add up over time.

The card is less useful if you fly Hawaiian Airlines only once a year or less, or if you rarely check bags. In that case, the annual fee costs more than the benefits are worth. You might also consider whether another airline card or a general cash-back card would earn more value on your everyday spending.

If you're considering the card mainly for the sign-up bonus, make sure the bonus is large enough and the spending requirement is realistic for you. A 50,000-mile bonus is only valuable if you can spend the required amount within the timeframe and actually use the miles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use the Hawaiian Airlines card to get the free checked bag?

No. The free checked bag is a cardholder benefit, not a purchase benefit. You get the free bag on any Hawaiian Airlines flight as long as you're listed as the cardholder on the reservation, even if someone else paid for the ticket with cash or a different card.

What happens to my miles if I close the card?

Your miles stay in your Hawaiian Airlines account and don't disappear when you close the credit card. However, if you don't have any account activity with Hawaiian Airlines for 24 months, your miles may expire. Activity includes flying, earning miles from any source, or redeeming miles.

Can I transfer miles to someone else?

Hawaiian Airlines allows you to transfer miles to another person's account, but there is a fee per mile transferred. The fee makes transfers expensive for large amounts, so most people use miles for their own travel or give miles as a gift only for special occasions.

How do I know how many miles a flight will cost?

Search for the flight on the Hawaiian Airlines website and select the option to pay with miles. The website will show you the mile price for that specific flight on that specific date. Prices vary by route, season, and how far in advance you book, so there's no way to know the cost until you search.

Is the annual statement credit automatic, or do I have to claim it?

The credit is automatic. It posts to your account once per year as long as you've used the card for at least one purchase during the year. You don't have to do anything to claim it — just check your statement to confirm it appeared.