HawaiianMiles aren’t the most valuable travel rewards currency, but they do come in handy. It’s helpful to have another option for reaching Hawaii, there are some interesting international routes, and the service is actually quite good.
Readers who sign up for a HawaiianMiles account can log in to find an application offer for the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard from Barclays. Normally providing just 35,000 miles, you can get 50,000 miles for a limited time if you apply by November 30. You’ll also have to spend $1,000 within 90 days of opening the account and pay the $89 annual fee.
Additional card benefits include a free checked bag on purchased tickets and a 50% companion fare the first year ($100 off in subsequent years), though I’ve never found either to be very useful.
The lowest SuperSaver awards from Hawaii to the mainland are 20,000 miles one-way, although you may run into Saver awards for 30,000 miles, too. (Flex awards are 40,000 miles.) In any case, the 50,000 miles you receive from signing up will probably be enough to book one round-trip award, which you definitely can’t do with the standard sign-up bonus of 35,000 miles.
Inter-island flights start at just 7,500 miles if you need to visit more than one destination during your trip. You can also pool miles between accounts if you find yourself with a few left over.
View the entire award chart here. Remember there are no fuel surcharges on domestic flights, but taxes and fees for visiting Hawaii or Alaska are a little higher than you’re used to when staying within the contiguous 48 states.
I generally recommend using Avios to book travel on Alaska or American if you’re coming from the West Coast, legacy carriers such as American, United, and Delta may offer more comfort and more non-stop options if you’re coming from elsewhere. But it’s hard to argue with a free ticket. HawaiianMiles are a decent option for visiting Hawaii, freeing up the rest of your miles for other trips. This is the best offer I’ve seen for this card, and it’s not always available.
