Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard review: Can be worth it even if you don’t fly Hawaiian often
I’ve never flown with Hawaiian Airlines, yet the Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard® is the latest addition to my wallet. With Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines sharing the same loyalty program, Atmos Rewards, the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard is an attractive option for anyone who regularly flies with either airline.
This card offers common airline-associated perks, but like many cobranded airline cards, it will likely prove hard to justify if you aren’t flying at least a couple of times each year with Alaska or Hawaiian. That said, if you’re able to properly take advantage of its perks, it can offer a lot to boost your travels. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The information for the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard: The basics
The $99-per-year Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard comes with some of the benefits you’d expect out of a mid-tier airline card, including:
- Two free checked bags on eligible Hawaiian or Alaska flights (when you pay with your card)
- $100 companion discount on Hawaiian or Alaska flights each year
- Bonus points on Hawaiian and Alaska flights, plus other purchases
You won’t find lounge access or statement credits on this card, but that simplicity may be welcome for those tired of needing a spreadsheet to help them justify a card’s annual fee.
Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard pros and cons
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Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard benefits
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I often fly Alaska Airlines domestically. As someone who unsuccessfully tried to get the earlier this year, I’m happy that my Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard offers perks on both Hawaiian and Alaska. They may not be as comprehensive as those offered by the Summit, but this card is substantially cheaper.
Receiving two free checked bags isn’t too common for a mid-tier card, so I appreciate this perk. But it’s important to note that free checked bags with this card are subject to a few restrictions:
- With Hawaiian, you can only use this perk when flying between North America and Hawaii or between the Hawaiian Islands
- International flights on both airlines do not qualify
- Only the primary cardholder is eligible for this benefit
- You must pay for your flight with your Hawaiian Airlines card to qualify
If you’re traveling with a companion, you could check their bag as your own bag to navigate around this card only allowing the primary cardholder free checked bags.
I face a $45 checked bag fee for my first bag and a $55 fee for my second when flying Alaska within the continental U.S. and Alaska. Even as someone who usually only checks one bag, I just need to do so on one round-trip with Alaska to almost entirely cover this card’s annual fee.
Aside from that, using the full $100 annual companion discount on a trip you’d otherwise book can offset the $99 annual fee. New cardholders also receive a one-time 50%-off companion discount. Both discounts can be used on eligible round-trip Main Cabin travel between Hawaii and North America on either airline.
I wish the Hawaiian Airlines card had priority boarding, since overhead bin space can be hard to come by and I’m not a fan of gate-checking my bag. Still, it isn’t a deal-breaker for me given this card’s annual fee is easy to at least break even on.
This card has no foreign transaction fees and offers standard travel protections like trip cancellation/interruption and travel accident insurance.
How to earn and use your rewards
Earning rewards
The Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard earns Atmos Rewards points, which is the loyalty currency both Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines use. It earns:
- 3 points per dollar spent on Hawaiian and Alaska purchases
- 2 points per dollar spent on dining, gas and groceries
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Through Dec. 31, you’ll earn 50% bonus points on every dollar spent if you’re a resident of Hawaii (up to 5,000 points).
With this card, you’ll also earn 1 Atmos Rewards status point per $3 spent, with no cap. You won’t get an elite status boost at the start of the qualification year, but this card can help you close the gap to elite status if you’re close.
Redeeming rewards
The best way to use your Atmos Rewards points is for flights on Hawaiian and Alaska or with partner airlines, such as American Airlines. Alaska Airlines in particular offers a lot of value for your points, especially on short-haul domestic flights.
Recently, I redeemed 5,000 Atmos Rewards points (plus $5.60 in taxes and fees) for a flight between Portland International Airport (PDX) and Spokane International Airport (GEG). Given the cash price was $184, I received over 3.5 cents per point in value (after taking taxes and fees into consideration). That’s more than double TPG’s November 2026 valuation of Atmos Rewards points at 1.6 cents per point.
It’s this combined loyalty program that allows me to justify holding this card despite never setting foot on a Hawaiian flight and having no current plans to do so. It’s hard to earn Atmos Rewards points, since they currently only partner with Bilt as a transfer partner. Without an Alaska Airlines-associated card, the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard is my best bet for earning points I can use with this program.
As an alternative to redeeming your points for flights, you can also use them for Alaska Vacations packages and Alaska Airlines-curated experiences.
Where the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard falls short
As I mentioned previously, the Hawaiian Airlines card lacks priority boarding and a comprehensive elite status boost at the start of the year. In ways like this, it’s clear this card hasn’t received a refresh recently, unlike many other popular airline cards.
That means this card may fall short of expectations if you’re anticipating a card with well-rounded airline perks. The inability to use this card’s free checked bag perk with companions is a non-issue if you’re only traveling with one person and two bags, but it becomes a larger limitation if you’re traveling with many bags or a group.
Is the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard worth it?
If you fly at least a couple of times each year with Hawaiian or Alaska and don’t have a cobranded Atmos Rewards card, I believe this card is more than likely worth it. Despite lacking several perks we’ve come to expect from airline cards these days, it’s still quite easy to get outsize value from the $99 annual fee.
When to apply for the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard
Currently, new Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard cardholders can earn up to 70,000 bonus points:
- Earn 60,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
- Earn an additional 10,000 points after spending a total of $2,000 on purchases within the first 180 days
According to TPG’s valuations, this welcome offer is worth up to $1,120. In an era when many welcome offers ask for thousands in spending, it’s refreshing to see a valuable one that only requires $2,000 in total spending.
Even if you’re on a limited budget, this should be an attainable welcome offer. I recommend applying now, given how much this bonus is worth and how easy it is to earn.
Just remember that Barclays can be inquiry-sensitive. If you’ve opened six or more cards in the past 24 months, you may have a hard time getting approved.
Other cards to consider if you don’t want the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard
If this card isn’t a good fit for you, consider one of these alternatives:
- If you want more perks when flying Alaska: The offers an accelerated pathway to Alaska Airlines status, Alaska Lounge passes and preferred boarding. To learn more, check out our full review of the Atmos Summit.
- If you want a card that earns rewards that can transfer to Atmos Rewards: The (see rates and fees) has a higher $495 annual fee (see rates and fees), but it’s one of the few ways to earn points on your rent without incurring transaction fees (subject to terms; see rates and fees). The Bilt Points you earn with this card are transferable to Atmos Rewards. To learn more, check out our full review of the Bilt Palladium.
- If you want more Alaska and Hawaiian benefits for a similar annual fee: The carries a $95 annual fee — but its free checked bag perk extends to six companions on the same reservation. You’ll also receive preferred boarding on Alaska and Hawaiian flights. To learn more, check out our full review of the Atmos Ascent.
For additional options, check out our picks for the best airline cards.
Bottom line
I’m happy I chose to add the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard to my wallet. Between two free checked bags and the annual $100 companion discount, I expect I’ll be able to easily get outsize value against the $99 annual fee each year.
While this card offers significant value to the right traveler, if you don’t fly with either Alaska or Hawaiian at least a couple of times each year, you will likely struggle to find a lot of value in this card. If you’re an Alaska Airlines loyalist and you qualify for a Bank of America card, I’d suggest the instead.
That said, if you fly at least occasionally with Hawaiian or Alaska, or you want to earn Atmos Rewards points to use with partner airlines, I recommend giving this card serious consideration.
Related: How to pick the best Atmos Rewards accrual method for you
