Upgrading with Hawaiian Airlines: Your Guide to Premium Seats

The allure of a more spacious seat, enhanced service, and the general comfort of a premium cabin is a common dream for many travelers, especially when embarking on long-haul journeys to or from the enchanting Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiian Airlines, a carrier synonymous with the Aloha spirit, offers several pathways to elevate your flight experience. Understanding these options—ranging from bidding for an upgrade and utilizing loyalty miles to leveraging elite status benefits and certificates—is key to transforming your travel from standard to special. This guide delves into the various methods Hawaiian Airlines provides for securing that coveted upgrade, helping you navigate your way to a more comfortable journey. The airline’s approach provides a degree of flexibility, catering to different passenger preferences, whether it’s a willingness to pay a bit extra, redeem accumulated loyalty currency, or enjoy the perks of frequent flying.¹

Pualani Platinum Certificates: A Premium Perk

For Hawaiian Airlines’ most loyal flyers, Pualani Platinum status—the apex of the HawaiianMiles elite tiers—has traditionally come with highly valued upgrade certificates.² These certificates represent a tangible reward for sustained loyalty, offering a confirmed upgrade to a higher class of service.

Typically, achieving Pualani Platinum status requires flying 40,000 miles or 60 segments within a calendar year.³ Historically, an alternative, though currently unavailable, path to this status and its accompanying certificates was through a direct purchase offer, such as one previously facilitated by Cobalt Corporate Travel. This particular offer included two one-way Business/First Class upgrade certificates.² These certificates were designated for upgrades to First Class on North American routes or Business Class on international services operated by Hawaiian Airlines. The status obtained through that specific purchase was noted as valid until March 1, 2026.²

The existence of a purchasable top-tier status that included systemwide upgrade certificates was a notable feature.² Such an option could be seen as a shortcut, potentially impacting the perceived value of status earned through extensive flying. The current unavailability of this purchase option might indicate a strategic reassessment by Hawaiian Airlines, possibly influenced by the ongoing merger with Alaska Airlines and a broader re-evaluation of how elite status and its most significant benefits, like upgrade certificates, are distributed.³ As loyalty programs integrate, airlines often streamline and align qualification and benefit structures, and it’s plausible that third-party status sale arrangements are paused or discontinued during such complex transitions to maintain the integrity and exclusivity of earned status. This could mean that access to these valuable upgrade certificates may become more closely tied to actual flight activity with the airline. Passengers interested in these certificates should monitor Hawaiian Airlines’ official channels for any updates on Pualani Platinum benefits and qualification.

Bid Up: Name Your Price for a Better Seat

Hawaiian Airlines’ “Bid Up” program offers an intriguing opportunity for eligible passengers to name their price for an upgrade from Main Cabin to First or Business Class.¹ Passengers can check their eligibility for the program by visiting the Bid Up webpage on the Hawaiian Airlines website and entering their booking confirmation code and last name.⁵

The process involves an invitation-based system. If a booking is eligible, passengers can submit one offer per flight segment. A crucial detail is that if a booking includes multiple passengers, the bid must be for all individuals on that passenger name record (PNR), and the offer amount is applied on a per-passenger basis.⁵ The submitted bid represents an amount additional to the original ticket price.⁵ Payment for successful bids is typically handled via credit card; debit cards requiring a PIN are not accepted. Upon submitting a bid, a zero-dollar authorization hold is placed on the card, which is released whether the bid is successful or not. The card is only charged the full bid amount if Hawaiian Airlines accepts the offer.⁵

It is important to understand that Hawaiian Airlines retains sole discretion in accepting or rejecting bids, and there is no guarantee of an upgrade, regardless of seat availability in the premium cabin.⁵ This underscores that Bid Up is a revenue management tool for the airline, designed to monetize otherwise unsold premium seats. For passengers, it’s a chance at a potentially less expensive upgrade compared to purchasing a First Class ticket outright, but it remains a gamble with no transparent formula for success.

Passengers can modify or cancel their bids up to 28 hours before the scheduled departure, provided the offer has not already been accepted and the credit card charged.⁵ Refunds for accepted bids are generally not provided, with limited exceptions, such as if the flight is canceled and the passenger is re-accommodated in their original cabin class.⁵

Several important considerations apply to Bid Up upgrades: HawaiianMiles are earned based on the original fare class purchased, not the upgraded cabin. If a passenger had previously paid for an Extra Comfort seat, this fee is not refunded upon a successful Bid Up upgrade. However, passengers upgraded through Bid Up are entitled to two complimentary checked bags.⁵ While there are no explicit tips in the provided information for successful bidding, general strategies might include bidding a reasonable amount that reflects the value of the upgrade to the passenger, and understanding that success is not guaranteed.

Mileage Upgrades: Using Your HawaiianMiles Wisely

Utilizing HawaiianMiles for upgrades is another popular pathway to a more comfortable flight experience.³ The HawaiianMiles award chart details the number of miles required for an upgrade, which varies depending on the route—such as Neighbor Island, West Coast to Hawaii, East Coast to Hawaii, or international destinations.³

For instance, upgrading a Main Cabin ticket to First Class on flights between North America and Hawaii typically starts at 25,000 HawaiianMiles one-way for the “Upgrade 1” or saver level.⁶ To secure these saver-level upgrades, passengers need to find availability in the “A” fare class. Tools like ExpertFlyer can be helpful in searching for this specific fare class availability.⁷ The “A” fare class is essentially the gateway to the most attractively priced mileage upgrades, but its availability is often limited, making proactive searching a crucial element of this strategy.

The process for requesting mileage upgrades on cash tickets usually involves contacting Hawaiian Airlines directly via phone or their online chat service.⁷ It’s important to note that to be eligible for a mileage upgrade, the original ticket must generally be booked in Main Cabin, not Basic Economy.⁷

A common and often effective strategy is to purchase an inexpensive Main Cabin ticket and then apply miles for an upgrade. This approach can be significantly more cost-effective than purchasing a First Class ticket outright, especially if miles are acquired through credit card sign-up bonuses, spending, or during mileage sale promotions.⁷ The ongoing merger with Alaska Airlines and the current 1:1 mile transfer facility between HawaiianMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan temporarily broadens the ways members can accumulate miles usable for these upgrades, as Alaska miles can effectively become HawaiianMiles for this purpose.³ However, the landscape for mileage use is dynamic, with Hawaiian Airlines set to end several of its airline partnerships by June 2025.⁸ This evolving environment may impact the overall value and flexibility of HawaiianMiles, potentially making upgrades on Hawaiian Airlines’ own flights a more central focus for mileage redemption.

Elite Status Upgrades: Perks for Frequent Flyers

Loyalty has its rewards, and for Hawaiian Airlines’ Pualani elite members, upgrades are a significant benefit. Pualani Platinum members, the top-tier elites, are entitled to complimentary upgrades, subject to availability.² This is one of the most valuable perks of achieving this status.

Both Pualani Gold and Pualani Platinum members also benefit from discounted First Class upgrades on the day of departure.³ These upgrades are typically processed closer to the flight’s departure time, with Pualani Platinum members generally having higher priority for both complimentary and discounted options.

Elite upgrades are a cornerstone of any airline loyalty program, designed to incentivize continued patronage. The value of Pualani Platinum status, in particular, is substantially linked to the prospect of these complimentary upgrades. The merger with Alaska Airlines ⁴ and the anticipated rollout of a combined loyalty program, expected around mid-2025 ⁴, will inevitably reshape how these elite upgrades are awarded and prioritized across the integrated network. Current Hawaiian Airlines elite members should stay informed about communications from the airline regarding these changes, as the structure of elite benefits, including upgrade eligibility and priority, is likely to evolve.

Other Upgrade Avenues

Beyond certificates, bidding, miles, and elite status, Hawaiian Airlines offers other ways to enhance your cabin experience:

• Extra Comfort Seats: While not a First or Business Class product, Extra Comfort seats provide a noticeable step up from standard Main Cabin. These seats offer additional legroom, priority security screening and boarding at select airports, and personal AC power outlets.¹ Extra Comfort can be selected and paid for during the initial booking process or later by managing an existing trip through the Hawaiian Airlines website or mobile app.¹ This option serves as an intermediate upgrade, appealing to travelers who desire more space and a few extra perks without the full expense of First Class. The pricing and availability of Extra Comfort can influence the perceived value of attempting a First Class upgrade, as it provides a more affordable comfort enhancement.
• Day of Departure Upgrades: As mentioned, Pualani Gold and Platinum members are eligible for discounted day-of-departure upgrades.³ Additionally, subject to availability, general passengers may sometimes be offered the chance to purchase upgrades at the check-in counter or at the gate. The cost for these upgrades varies by route; for example, Neighbor Island upgrades might be around $50, while North America routes could start from $379, with international routes potentially higher.¹⁴

Comparison of Hawaiian Airlines Upgrade Methods

To help travelers decide on the best upgrade strategy, the following table summarizes the key features of each method:

Feature	Pualani Platinum Certificates	Bid Up	Mileage Upgrade (Saver “A” Fare)	Elite Complimentary/Discounted	Extra Comfort Purchase
Eligibility	Pualani Platinum status	Eligible Main Cabin ticket holders (invitation/lookup based)	Main Cabin ticket (specific fare classes, “A” for saver upgrade)	Pualani Platinum (complimentary), Pualani Gold/Platinum (discounted)	Any passenger (except Basic Economy for post-booking upgrade)
Cost	Certificate (earned with status)	Bid amount (additional to ticket price)	Miles (e.g., 25,000 for NA-HI) + original ticket cost	Free (complimentary) or discounted cash rate (day of departure)	Fixed cash price (varies by route/demand)
How to Request	Typically via phone/managing booking	Online bid via invitation/website lookup	Phone or chat for cash tickets; online for some award tickets	Automatic (complimentary, by priority) or at airport (discounted)	Online during booking or via “Manage My Trip”
Confirmation	Confirmed at booking if space available	Notified up to 24 hours before flight (not guaranteed)	Confirmed at booking if “A” class available	Closer to departure/at airport (subject to availability)	Instant at time of purchase
Pros	High chance of confirmation; no extra cash/miles for certificate	Potential for lower cash cost than full First; flexible bidding	Good value, especially for lie-flat seats; uses miles not cash	Free or reduced cost for elites; recognizes loyalty	Guaranteed extra legroom/perks; more affordable than First Class
Cons	Requires top-tier status; limited number of certificates	Not guaranteed; outcome uncertain; miles earned on original fare	“A” fare availability can be scarce; requires miles	Subject to availability; lower priority for Gold vs. Platinum	Not First/Business Class; seat cost is non-refundable
Key Snippets	2	5	6	3	1

This table consolidates information from various sources ¹ to provide a comparative overview, aiding passengers in selecting the upgrade path that best aligns with their resources and travel preferences.

Conclusion: Your Best Path to a Better Seat

Hawaiian Airlines offers a commendable range of options for passengers seeking to upgrade their travel experience. From the exclusive Pualani Platinum certificates and the chance-based Bid Up program to strategic mileage upgrades and the perks of elite status, there’s a method to suit various preferences and budgets. Even the more modest upgrade to Extra Comfort can significantly improve the journey.

The “best” path to a better seat ultimately depends on individual circumstances, including your HawaiianMiles balance, elite status level, budget, and tolerance for uncertainty. As Hawaiian Airlines continues its integration with Alaska Airlines, the specifics of loyalty benefits and upgrade processes may evolve. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult the official Hawaiian Airlines website for the most current information and to carefully weigh your options to make the Hawaiian journey as comfortable and enjoyable as the islands themselves.