Earlier this year, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines announced the Kahu’ewai Hawai’i Investment Plan, which will invest over $600 million over five years. This would modernize the airline’s infrastructure and guest experience, whilst being committed to the local community and sustainability goals. This includes airport renovations, including the lobbies, gates, and amenities at Honolulu, Lihu’e, Kahului, Kona, and Hilo. A new premium lounge would also be added at Honolulu International Airport(HNL).
The airline will update its app and website, offering more self-service features and investing in new technology for employees. The carrier will also invest in a refreshed onboard experience with upgraded interiors across the Airbus A330 fleet. Let’s find out more about how Hawaiian Airlines is updating the cabins on its A330 fleet.
Plans For The A330 Fleet
Since 2010, the Airbus A330 fleet has been carrying passengers across the Pacific. Each aircraft is named after a celestial body of importance to Polynesian navigators. The A330 seats 278 passengers mostly in a 2-4-2 configuration in the main cabin. There are three classes: First Class, Extra Comfort, and the Main Cabin. Hawaiian Airlines has 24 A330-200s in its fleet, and they are an average of 13 years old. The airline also operates the Boeing 717, Airbus A321neo and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The A330s based in Honolulu will undergo a full interior upgrade, including new seats, carpets, and lighting. They are upgrading first class seats to suites and investing in premium economy. The inflight entertainment system will be Bluetooth-enabled, have high-definition screens, and have an extensive library of content. Fast, free WiFi has already been fitted to the A330 fleet. The airline will also be acquiring three of its leased A330s to support its future fleet.
Alaska Airlines completed its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024. This created a combined company operating as a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group. They now operate on the same operating certificate, they maintain their individual brands, and the merger allows them to expand. Significantly, Hawaiian Airlines joins the oneworld Alliance on April 22, 2026, which aligns with both airlines’ move to a single passenger service system. Hawaiian Airlines will become the 16th airline to join the alliance, acting as a sister carrier to Alaska Airlines.
The A330 Premium Economy Class
The current workhorse A330 fleet has 260 economy class seats in the main cabin, of which 88 are premium economy seats. The Extra Comfort seats have a 36-inch pitch, a 6-inch recline, additional legroom, and a power outlet. The main cabin seats have a 31-inch pitch and a 16.5-inch to 18.1-inch width. An LCD touchscreen monitor provides in-flight entertainment. Starlink WiFI has been fitted throughout the A330 fleet.
The Extra Comfort seats will be replaced with four rows of wider reclining seats for greater comfort. The seats are expected to provide more personal space and privacy than the current seats and will be more akin to the newer first class domestic seats. Inflight entertainment can be viewed on high-definition screens and will have Bluetooth audio streaming. There will be a higher level of amenities and upgraded inflight dining.
The premium economy cabin has become a huge success at most airlines, due to passenger demand. It bridges the gap between economy and business class, which passengers are willing to pay extra for. Hawaiian Airlines’ new premium economy cabin promises enhanced space and more comfort at a better price than business class. This will align them with other international airlines and premium domestic carriers that fly to the Hawaiian Islands, 
Delta Air Lines being one example.
Hawaiian Airlines Will Remove Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Flights To New York-JFK
The airline is swapping the equipment it uses on the long-haul route.
The A330 First Class
In the United States, first class refers to seats at the front of the aircraft and is not a true first class seat as refined by international standards. The current first class has 18 Optimares MaximaPlus seats in a 2-2-2 configuration that convert into 180-degree 76″ fully flat beds in three rows. The current first class seat has a pitch of 45 to 46 inches. The cabin is inspired by the Hawaiian Islands and their hospitality.
Passengers in window seats do not have direct aisle access, unlike in many modern airline configurations. The current outdated seats in first class will be replaced by new, more private business class suites. Details at this stage are quite limited, but it is expected to be a similar product to that of Hawaiian Airlines’ new 787-9. These include the Leihoku Suites, which are comfortable, stylish, and fitted with the Adient Ascent seat.
Hawaiian Airlines first class offers a premium, island-inspired experience, particularly on their new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which features private, lie-flat suites with doors. Passengers enjoy priority service, gourmet meals by local chefs, and signature Mai Tais. The service is competitive with other US carriers, with a similar 1-2-1 configuration on newer aircraft types and 2-2-2 on the Airbus A330. The Dreamliner has private lie-flat suites, unlike the A330’s lie-flat seats.
The Upgrades
The upgrade program for the 24 Airbus A330s will commence in 2028. The A330s currently fly to the mainland, Asia, and the South Pacific. The new interior upgrades will not necessarily change the competition between the islands and the mainland, but will make it more competitive with other airlines flying internationally.
Alaska Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison confirmed, “We’re going to be reconfiguring the A330 and increasing the first class cabin, the J cabin. We’re also going to be putting international premium economy seats on that.” He also added that the new seats in both premium economy and the new suites in first class would also, “Over the next few years, will generate significantly more revenue than they do today.” As reported by Executive Traveler.
In the past, Hawaiian Airlines ordered twelve Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which will be transferred to the new owner, Alaska Airlines, after its $1.9 billion acquisition in 2024. These aircraft will feature the new Northern Lights-inspired livery and be based in Seattle. They will become part of the long-haul fleet covering flights to Europe, Asia, and potentially Australia. The Hawaiian Airlines A330s will continue to fly out of Honolulu with their current livery.
A Little Background
Hawaiian Airlines has its headquarters in Honolulu and is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. The airline has flights to the US mainland as well as American Samoa, French Polynesia, Canada, Alaska, Australia, and New Zealand. It has a fleet of 73 aircraft, including the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to planespotters.net. The airline’s overall fleet consists of the Airbus A330, A321neo, Boeing 717, and the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The airline was founded in 1929 as Inter-Island Airways. It is the longest-serving and largest airline in Hawaii. The airline was renamed Hawaiian Airlines in 1941, and the company replaced its older fleet with Douglas DC-3s. The Douglas DC-9 was introduced in 1966, cutting journey times considerably. In 1984, the airline started flying to the US West Coast. In 2024, Alaska Air Group acquired the carrier, though operations continued under its own brand for a period before transitioning to a shared certificate in 2025.
Hawaiian Airlines has always been known for its warm island hospitality and for its route frequency between the Hawaiian Islands, as well as to the US mainland and many international destinations. The airline has long been characterized by its focus on Hawaiian culture, offering an ‘Aloha’ experience that connects the islands to the world. The airline has an unblemished safety record and is one of the most punctual US carriers. It is the primary connecting airline between the Hawaiian Islands, the US mainland, and the Asia-Pacific.
Key Takeaways
Alaska Air Group has announced plans to invest $600 million over the next five years to modernize infrastructure and improve the guest experience in Hawaii. The investment plan is part of Alaska Air Group’s ‘Alaska Accelerate’, a strategic plan to deliver the combined airline vision of connecting guests to the world with a travel experience rooted in safety, customer care, and performance. Hawaiian Airlines joins the oneworld Alliance on April 22, 2026.
With industry demand for premium products rising and many airlines upgrading their business class seats to suites and adding premium economy cabins to their aircraft, Hawaiian Airlines has followed suit. This will increase competitiveness with other international airlines, not so much on local routes but on international routes. The upgraded A330 fleet will take place in 2028. The airline will also be acquiring three of its leased A330s to support its future fleet.
The Boeing 787s will eventually move to Alaska Airlines’ Seattle base and change livery, whereas the Airbus A330 fleet will remain in Honolulu in Hawaiian Airlines livery and become the backbone of the airline. The carrier plans to begin upgrading customer-facing technology and the lobbies and gates at airports in Honolulu, Lihue, Kahului, Kona, and Hilo, starting this year and continuing throughout the next ten years.