Airline Partner Booking Options

Partner Airline Options for Booking Alaska & Hawaiian Flights

Partner Airline Program Can Book Flights On Pros Cons
JetBlue TrueBlue Hawaiian Airlines
(Only until June 30, 2025)
  • No cancellation fees (good for flexibility or backup bookings).
  • Potential option for booking Hawaiian nonstops from the East Coast (NYC/BOS) if you have JetBlue points.
  • Partnership ends June 30, 2025 (last day to book).
  • Cannot be used for Alaska Airlines flights.
  • Prices per segment, making it less ideal for connecting flights.
  • Costs more points (37,900) for East Coast > Hawaii routes than booking direct with Hawaiian (30,000).
  • Always compare with cash prices, which might be lower.
American AAdvantage Alaska Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
  • No cancellation fees (good for flexibility or backup bookings).
  • Can book Hawaiian nonstops from the East Coast (NYC/BOS) which AA doesn't fly itself.
  • Uses an award chart for partner bookings (can offer predictability).
  • Award chart pricing for partners can be confusing or higher than expected (e.g., East Coast > Hawaii showing 35k-42.5k miles vs. stated 22.5k).
  • Often costs more miles than booking directly with Alaska/Hawaiian or using Avios.
  • Alaska flights generally cost 12,500 miles (potentially more than Avios).
  • AAdvantage miles can be harder to accumulate for some.
Qatar Airways Avios Alaska Airlines
(Hawaiian expected post-merger)
  • Cheapest option (9,500 Avios) for short nonstop Alaska flights (<650 miles).
  • Avios are easy to earn (transfer partners with all major banks).
  • Transfer bonuses from banks to Avios programs are common.
  • Avios can be moved between partner programs (BA, Iberia, Finnair, Qatar).
  • Prices per segment (cost doubles with a connection).
  • Only the best value for specific short, nonstop routes.
  • Has change/cancellation fees ($25 if >24 hours before flight).
  • Booking process can be more complex than booking direct.
Finnair Avios Alaska Airlines
(Hawaiian expected post-merger)
  • Excellent value (11,000 Avios) for Alaska flights >651 miles within the continental US/Canada, including connections and flights to/from Alaska state.
  • Good value (13,500 Avios) for Alaska flights to/from Hawaii.
  • Avios are easy to earn & benefit from transfer bonuses.
  • Can move Avios between partners.
  • Difficult booking process: Cannot search or book online for US partner awards; requires searching availability via other partners (like Qantas) or tools (Seats.Aero) and then calling or using Finnair chat to book.
  • Booking takes extra time and effort.
  • High cancellation fee (€50 per person).
  • Availability relies on Alaska releasing saver award seats to partners.
Singapore KrisFlyer Alaska Airlines
(Nonstops only)
  • Potentially very low award rates (starting at 8,500 miles).
  • KrisFlyer miles are easy to earn (transfer partners with all major banks).
  • Extremely difficult to book: Agents are often unaware of the partnership or unable to find/book awards; very low success rate reported.
  • Requires significant persistence and specific instructions for agents (if successful).
  • Cannot be used for Hawaiian Airlines flights.
  • Considered an unreliable option ("hardly recommended").

Key Considerations:

  • Alaska/Hawaiian Merger: This merger is ongoing (as of late April 2025) and will likely change partner booking options, especially potentially allowing Avios programs (Finnair, Qatar) to book Hawaiian flights in the future.
  • Flexibility vs. Cost: American and JetBlue offer free cancellations, which is valuable if plans might change. Avios options (Finnair/Qatar) are often cheaper but have cancellation fees and can be more complex to book.
  • Booking Effort: Booking via Finnair or Singapore requires significantly more effort (searching elsewhere, calling/chatting, dealing with potentially uninformed agents) than booking directly or via American/JetBlue.
  • Compare Cash Prices: Always check the cash price of the flight. Sometimes, using points isn't the best value, especially if cash fares are low or if booking through a bank's travel portal offers a better return.

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