Alaska and Hawaiian unveiled a major push into all things “premium” travel on Tuesday: new business class suites – even on domestic routes – as well as more new lounges, a dedicated premium economy cabin, and several new ways to earn Atmos Rewards points … including the potential of transferring points from several major banks.
The flurry of news came out of the airline's investor and media day Tuesday. There, Alaska unveiled a new look for its flagship Boeing 787 business class cabins as well as plans to retrofit Hawaiian's Airbus A330s with state-of-the-art business class suites. On those planes and several more, the carriers will install premium economy cabins. And for the first time, Alaska will offer lie-flat business class seats on transcontinental domestic routes when it brings in Boeing 737 MAX-10 aircraft to fly across the country.
That's not all. The airlines are opening several new lounges as soon as late 2027 – including a dedicated “Aurora Lounge” for international business class passengers departing from Seattle (SEA). And Atmos Rewards members will have new ways to earn miles, including a debit card, a new transfer partner in Bank of America, and a choice of how to earn status going forward.
Let's dig into all the details. Fair warning: There's a lot.
New ‘Aurora' & Leihoku Suites
Hawaiian's Leihoku Suites on the 787 have been one of our favorite business classes in the sky for several years. Alaska and Hawaiian are already planning a major makeover.
It starts with the Boeing 787s that Alaska adopted from Hawaiian as part of their merger. Those jets will retain the same 34-suite cabin with the same bones but get a new look … and a new moniker: Alaska is calling it “Aurora.”
The green, navy, and wood finishings on the Aurora seats make for a very attractive seat and complement the airline's Northern Lights aesthetic.
But in bigger news, starting in 2028 Hawaiian plans to retrofit the Airbus A330s it flies long-haul from the mainland as well as to Asia and Australia – and not just in business class but from nose to tail.
In business class, the airline will ditch its antiquated 2-2-2 business class cabins in favor of a similar suite to what's on those Alaska-operated 787s. It'll be laid out 1-2-1 with closing doors at every suite, with maroon-tinged seats, light-blue flourishes and a beige- and wood-paneled cabin throughout.
Each Hawaiian A330 will have 22 of these new suites onboard. Like Alaska's business suites, each will be equipped with 19-inch 4K screens and Bluetooth connectivity.
Alaska Introduces Premium Economy
Called “Premium Reserve,” the airlines will finally install new premium economy cabins on both Alaska and Hawaiian-branded planes starting in 2028.
Setup in a 2-3-2 alignment, these seats promise 38 inches of legroom, a calf and foot rest, and 16-inch 4K screens with Bluetooth connectivity at every seat. There will be:
- 35 seats on Alaska's 787s
- 28 on Hawaiian's A330s
- 12 on the Alaska 737 MAX-10s
Premium economy has been a darling of the airline industry for years now, with CEOs touting the profitability of the seats. It only makes sense that Alaska and Hawaiian joined the party.
Lie-Flats Coming to Domestic Jets
One of Alaska's few true weaknesses as a major domestic carrier was its first class cabin: Even on long transcontinental routes, the best you could do was a standard first class recliner.
That's changing: Alaska will also install “Aurora Suites” on its upcoming fleet of 737 MAX-10s, which are expected to begin flying from coast-to-coast starting sometime in 2028. Alaska says “at least 25” of these jets will have lie-flat seats at the front of the plane.
There will be 12 suites on each of these planes. Renderings show a similar design to Alaska's 787 Dreamliners – even in a reverse herringbone layout, with suites angled toward the windows for additional privacy.
You won't just find these jets departing from Seattle (SEA), either. According to a promotional video from Alaska during the product launch Tuesday, these planes will criss-cross the U.S. from the west coast hubs of Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), and San Diego (SAN) to the East Coast.
More Lounges – Including an Exclusive Biz Class Lounge in Seattle
You can't court “premium” travelers without lounges, so Alaska is building even more.
That starts with a massive, 41,000-square-foot space opening in Concourse C in Seattle (SEA) in “late 2027.” That behemoth lounge will serve two purposes:
- There'll be a dedicated, 200-seat “Aurora Lounge” space exclusively for long-haul international business class passengers featuring shower suites, wellness spaces, and made-to-order dining right at your table
- Plus, another Alaska Lounge with space for 500 people that will include an outdoor patio and fireplace
In Honolulu, Hawaiian confirmed its plans for a new, 13,000-square foot lounge in the Mauka Concourse of Terminal 1. That's expected to open sometime in early 2028.
Finally, an Alaska Lounge in San Diego (SAN) is coming in 2028, too.
Earning Atmos: A Debit Card, a Transfer Partner & More!
Besides what's happening in its planes and airports, Alaska is also adding some intriguing new points-earning options to its Atmos Rewards program.
Starting on Oct. 1, travelers can choose how they earn Alaska Atmos status points: based on distance traveled, price paid, or segments flown. Travelers who don't choose will earn based on distance traveled, the airline says … except for new members who join Jan. 1 and onward, for whom the default will be earning miles based on price paid.
That was no surprise: Alaska and Hawaiian signaled this “choose-your-own-mileage” system was coming more than a year ago when unveiling Atmos Rewards. The airlines are unique among U.S. carriers for still award miles based on distance flown – all its competitors have switched to a revenue award system.
But even bigger changes are on tap.
Notably, the airlines announced that Atmos Rewards would become a transfer partner with their co-branded banking partner, Bank of America. That's big news: Unlike Chase, American Express, and other banks, Bank of America does not currently offer transferable travel rewards.
But it could go even further. The airlines said Atmos Rewards “also plans to add points-transfer opportunities with other select global financial institutions.”
Starting early 2027, the airline is rolling out an Atmos Rewards debit card, too – giving travelers a way to earn points on their debit card transactions. Crucially, this card will have no foreign transaction fees.
The airline also announced it'll revamp its Atmos Rewards Visa Business Card later this year. It will include perks like Alaska Lounge passes and the ability to make same-day changes for free.
Hidden in the announcement are some awesome new perks for Alaska's top-tier Titanium members, too.
Those travelers will get a dedicated check-in area in Seattle as well as being able to bring children and one adult companion into Premium Class for free when upgrade space is available. While “when upgrade space is available” is doing some heavy lifting here, that's a first-of-its-kind upgrade option strictly for the highest-tier elites.
Bottom Line
Alaska and Hawaiian announced sweeping changes today with three words at the heart of them: premium, premium, and premium.
The airlines are showcasing new business class suites, lie-flat seating coming to domestic transcontinental routes, and a premium economy cabin – all expected to take flight sometime in 2028. At the same time, some massive (and potentially troubling) changes are in the works for how you earn Atmos Rewards.
All images courtesy of Alaska and Hawaiian
