Hawaiian Airlines has announced plans to introduce a premium economy cabin for the first time, as part of a five-year, $600 million investment plan. The new seats will be retrofitted to the carrier's long-haul Airbus A330-200 aircraft from 2028.
Alongside premium economy, the airline will install new first-class seats, refresh the main cabin, and add Bluetooth-enabled seatback entertainment screens, free Starlink wi-fi and new carpets. Currently, long-haul cabins are divided into first class, main cabin and “extra comfort” seats with additional legroom, but not considered premium economy.
The new cabins are expected to feature on flights from Honolulu to destinations including Tokyo, Osaka, Los Angeles, Auckland, Las Vegas, New York City, Austin and Orlando, although schedules have yet to be confirmed. No renderings of the cabin have been released, but the airline has unveiled images of planned airport renovations.
As part of the investment, airport lobbies and gates in Honolulu, Līhu‘e, Kahului, Kona and Hilo will be renovated to improve passenger flow and comfort, with better seating and increased power charging. A 10,600-square-foot premium lounge will also be built at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1 of Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
The first improvement will arrive this spring with an updated app and website offering improved travel planning and self-service features. The airline said full functionality will be possible once Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines share the same passenger service system and Hawaiian joins the Oneworld alliance, both scheduled for late April.
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow said the investment represents one of the airline's largest single investments in its infrastructure and products. Hawaii's Governor Josh Green added that modern, welcoming airports will strengthen the state's economy and keep Hawaii competitive as a global destination.
