The History of Hawaiian Airlines & Its 2025 Alaska Merger

The History of Hawaiian Airlines: From Island Hops to the Alaska Merger

When most travelers think of Hawaiʻi, they imagine sandy beaches, warm hospitality, and flights that bridge paradise with the mainland United States and the world. For nearly a century, Hawaiian Airlines has been central to that connection. From its humble beginnings as an inter-island carrier to its current role as Hawaiʻi’s largest and longest-serving airline, the company’s journey mirrors the evolution of aviation in the Pacific.

In late 2023, the airline made headlines with the announcement of its merger with Alaska Airlines, a deal set to reshape the future of Hawaiʻi’s skies. To understand what this means, it’s worth exploring the history of Hawaiian Airlines, the aircraft that defined its service, the rivals that came and went, and how this new chapter may unfold.

Founding as Inter-Island Airways (1929)

Hawaiian Airlines traces its roots back to January 30, 1929, when it was incorporated as Inter-Island Airways, a subsidiary of Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company. At the time, ships were the dominant form of travel between the Hawaiian Islands, but aviation was rapidly emerging as a faster alternative.

On November 11, 1929, Inter-Island Airways made its first flight: a Sikorsky S-38 amphibious aircraft carrying passengers from Honolulu to Hilo, with a stop in Maui. That inaugural flight marked the beginning of commercial aviation in Hawaiʻi.

The airline expanded quickly, adding more amphibious aircraft like the Sikorsky S-43 in the 1930s, and by 1941, it officially rebranded as Hawaiian Airlines, a name that reflected its growing identity and permanence.

Growth Through the Jet Age

Like many carriers in the postwar years, Hawaiian Airlines transitioned from propeller-driven aircraft to jets, modernizing its fleet to keep up with passenger expectations.

Aircraft Over the Years:

• 1940s–50s: Douglas DC-3s became the backbone of inter-island service, reliable workhorses that served through WWII and beyond.
• 1960s: Hawaiian introduced Convair 640 turboprops, modernizing short-haul inter-island routes.
• 1970s: The airline entered the jet age with the McDonnell Douglas DC-9, later replaced by the DC-10 widebodies for long-haul flights.
• 1980s–1990s: Hawaiian expanded to the mainland U.S. and international routes, introducing the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar and Boeing 767s.
• 2000s–2010s: Hawaiian operated Airbus A330s for long-haul flights and Boeing 717s for inter-island service — a fleet combination that remains familiar to travelers today.
• Future: The airline has ordered the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with plans to introduce the aircraft on long-haul routes in the mid-2020s, offering greater fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.

This evolution in aircraft reflects Hawaiian Airlines’ dual identity: serving short-haul island hops while also connecting Hawaiʻi to Asia, the South Pacific, and the U.S. mainland.

Competitors Over the Years

Hawaiian Airlines has long dominated the inter-island market, but competition has been fierce, with many rivals rising and falling.

Aloha Airlines

For decades, Hawaiian’s greatest rival was Aloha Airlines, founded in 1946. Like Hawaiian, Aloha provided inter-island service and later expanded to the mainland U.S. and international markets. The two airlines fought a bitter rivalry that defined Hawaiʻi’s skies for more than half a century.

Aloha Airlines is remembered for its innovative service but also for tragedy: in 1988, Flight 243, a Boeing 737, suffered explosive decompression mid-air. Miraculously, the crew landed the aircraft safely, though one crew member was lost.

Despite resilience, rising fuel costs and fierce competition pushed Aloha into bankruptcy in 2008, ending its passenger operations. Its closure left Hawaiian Airlines as the sole major legacy carrier in the islands.

Go! Airlines

Mesa Airlines launched Go! in 2006 as a low-cost inter-island carrier. The move sparked lawsuits, with Hawaiian and Aloha accusing Mesa of unfair competition. Go! briefly disrupted fares but never gained deep loyalty. After Aloha folded, Go! remained, but by 2014 it too ceased operations.

Island Air

Founded in 1980 as Princeville Airways, Island Air served smaller markets and neighbor island routes. It changed ownership several times and faced constant financial struggles. By 2017, Island Air shut down, leaving Hawaiian Airlines as the dominant inter-island carrier once more.

Hawaiian Airlines’ Survival and Resilience

What set Hawaiian Airlines apart from its competitors was a combination of financial stability, careful expansion, and strong brand identity. It leaned heavily into cultural branding, emphasizing aloha spirit, Hawaiian language announcements, and local cuisine on board.

Unlike mainland carriers that saw Hawaiʻi simply as a destination, Hawaiian positioned itself as an extension of the islands’ culture, offering passengers a taste of Hawaiʻi from the moment they stepped on board.

The airline weathered challenges — including recessions, fuel crises, and the COVID-19 pandemic — but continued to modernize its fleet and expand routes, making it a rare example of longevity in Hawaiʻi aviation.

The Alaska Airlines Merger (2024–2025)

In December 2023, news broke that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal valued at approximately $1.9 billion. Pending regulatory approval, the merger is set to close in 2025, creating the fifth-largest airline in the U.S.

Why the Merger?

• Fleet Synergy: Alaska’s Boeing fleet complements Hawaiian’s Airbus and Boeing mix, with potential operational efficiencies.
• Route Expansion: Alaska gains Hawaiian’s strong presence in Asia and the South Pacific, while Hawaiian benefits from Alaska’s extensive West Coast network.
• Competitive Strength: The merger allows both carriers to compete more effectively with the “Big Four” U.S. airlines (American, Delta, United, Southwest).

What It Means for Hawaiian Airlines

While Alaska Airlines is the acquiring company, executives have pledged to retain the Hawaiian Airlines brand, recognizing its cultural and strategic importance. Hawaiian’s identity — from its logo featuring Pualani, the Island Girl, to its emphasis on Hawaiian culture — will continue, though backed by Alaska’s larger infrastructure.

For employees, the merger offers greater job security in the face of industry consolidation. For customers, it may mean expanded connectivity — booking a single ticket from Honolulu to a small Alaska city via Seattle, for example.

Still, concerns remain about fares and competition. With fewer airlines serving Hawaiʻi, regulators will scrutinize the merger closely to ensure it does not harm consumers.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Hawaiian Airlines

As the merger unfolds, Hawaiian Airlines stands at a crossroads. Its nearly century-long history has been defined by resilience, adaptation, and cultural pride.

In the coming years:

• Boeing 787 Dreamliners will bring new long-haul capabilities.
• Expanded codesharing with Alaska could make Hawaiian a bigger player on the global stage.
• The brand’s focus on aloha spirit will be critical to differentiating itself in a competitive market increasingly dominated by megacarriers.

The Alaska merger marks not the end of Hawaiian Airlines’ story, but rather the start of a new chapter — one where the airline has the chance to bring Hawaiʻi’s culture and hospitality to more passengers than ever before.

Final Thoughts

From its first amphibious flights in 1929 to the modern Airbus A330s crossing the Pacific today, Hawaiian Airlines is more than just an airline. It is a cultural ambassador, a survivor of fierce competition, and a vital link between Hawaiʻi and the world.

The merger with Alaska Airlines represents both uncertainty and opportunity. But if history is any guide, Hawaiian Airlines will continue to soar, carrying with it nearly 100 years of tradition, resilience, and aloha.