Hawaiian Airlines Flight Deals 2025: Unlock the $99 Companion Fare That Slashes Hawaii Vacation Costs

Hawaiian Airlines is charting a new course for West Coast travelers, announcing plans to open a Seattle crew base that will support its expanding mainland–Hawaii network and future Boeing 787 operations. The carrier, now a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines Group, says the facility will be up and running by early 2026 and will house both pilots and flight attendants assigned to long-haul Hawaiian Airlines flights linking Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with Honolulu (HNL), Kahului (OGG) and Kona (KOA) as well as potential new routes to Asia and the South Pacific. Why the Emerald City matters Seattle already generates some of the highest year-round demand for flights to Hawaii. By positioning crews in SEA, Hawaiian can schedule additional early-morning departures and late-evening returns, giving leisure travelers an extra full day on the islands. The move also tightens coordination with parent company Alaska Airlines, which operates its largest hub in Seattle and will codeshare on every Hawaiian Airlines flight once the carriers’ loyalty programs merge later this year. What this means for fares and award seats Travel analysts expect the Seattle base to unlock more low-fare inventory during shoulder seasons, a relief as basic-economy restrictions have been creeping up across all airlines serving Hawaii. The integration with Alaska’s Mileage Plan also brings the popular $99 Companion Fare to Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America, creating a new sweet spot for families booking SEA-HNL trips. Fleet refresh on the horizon Crews in Seattle will eventually operate Hawaiian’s forthcoming Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which feature roomy 2-4-2 economy seating and lie-flat business-class suites. The 787s will gradually replace the airline’s aging Airbus A330s on prime mainland-Hawaii routes and enable nonstop flights from Seattle to destinations such as Tokyo Haneda and Sydney once bilateral slots become available. Operational resilience in focus Hawaiian Airlines has battled a string of high-profile disruptions in recent months, including a June cyber-attack that temporarily knocked out internal IT systems while flights continued to operate on schedule and an Airbus A330 diversion to San Diego after a passenger’s cellphone became stuck and emitted smoke. By spreading crew resources across Honolulu, Maui and soon Seattle, the carrier aims to recover faster when a Hawaiian Airlines flight is delayed or diverted, reducing the odds of rolling cancellations that strand visitors. What travelers should watch • Schedule changes: Additional SEA-HNL frequencies are expected to appear in the GDS by late August, with introductory one-way fares projected to dip below $179. • Aircraft swap alerts: If your reservation is moved to a 787, check seat maps—extra-legroom seats in rows 11–14 should be bookable with Alaska MVP Gold status or for a small up-charge. • Mileage earnings: Until the loyalty programs merge, HawaiianMiles members will continue accruing at the standard 1 mile per mile flown on any Hawaiian Airlines flight, while Alaska award charts remain in effect for codeshare segments. Bottom line The new Seattle base is more than an internal staffing shuffle; it signals a strategic pivot that could make Hawaiian Airlines flights both more plentiful and more affordable for Pacific Northwest residents. Combined with fleet upgrades and deeper ties to Alaska Airlines, the initiative positions the Honolulu-based carrier to defend—and potentially expand—its share of the fiercely competitive West Coast-to-Hawaii market in 2026 and beyond.