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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Hawaiian Airlines card vs. Hawaiian Airlines Business card: Which is right for you?
TPG's director of travel content Eric Rosen has used points and miles to visit some of the world's most remote corners, including swimming with whale sharks off Western Australia's Ningaloo Coast, exploring the wilds of Botswana's Okavango Delta and tasting the high-altitude wines of Argentina's Mendoza region.
When Ryan worked as a TPG credit cards writer, he oversaw refreshes of card reviews and card offer stories. He enjoyed racking up cash back and helping readers maximize their points and miles for their next big trip.
also contributed to this story
October 28, 2024 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article compares two travel-focused cards tied to a major Hawaii-based airline, outlining their benefits and earning structures.
Both cards offer perks such as a companion discount, free checked bags (on one card), and no foreign transaction fees.
The personal version is highlighted for its annual companion discount, higher introductory bonus, and checked bag benefit, while the business version is geared toward those with significant office supply spending.
Both cards allow redemption of miles with the airline, select partners, and through conversion to another major U.S. carrier's loyalty program.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available.
Redemption options include dynamic pricing, partner airlines, and point transfers, but value varies by method per TPG's October 2024 valuations.
The business version offers additional bonus miles for high annual spending, while the personal version provides more travel perks.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed side-by-side comparison of benefits, earning categories, and redemption strategies to help you choose the best fit for your travel habits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Although it has a strong route network along the West Coast and flies not one but two of the longest domestic flights in the world (and serves some great mai tais), Hawaiian Airlines still gets short-changed in discussions of U.S. airlines. However, this is likely to change with its merger with Alaska Airlines.
For travelers based in Hawaii, the airline’s cobranded credit cards are well worth considering. But even if you only take a vacation there once every year or two, you can still get a lot of value from carrying either the Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard® or the Hawaiian Airlines® Business Mastercard®. Both offer some great bonus spending categories and anniversary benefits, not to mention one-time companion deals and discounted awards.
Let’s take a closer look at both cards so you can decide which one might be better for you.
The information for the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard and Hawaiian Airlines Business 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 vs. Hawaiian Airlines Business comparison
Card
Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard
Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard
Annual fee
$99
$99
Welcome offer
70,000 miles after spending $2,000 on the card in the first 90 days of account opening
50,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first 90 days of account opening
Earning categories
3 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases
2 miles per dollar on gas, dining and eligible grocery stores
1 mile per dollar on everything else
3 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases
2 miles per dollar on gas, dining and office supply stores
1 mile per dollar on everything else
Benefits
$100 annual companion discount
Two free checked bags
One-time 50% companion discount
No foreign exchange fees
Earn 20,000 bonus miles with $50,000-$99,999 in annual purchases
or
Earn 40,000 bonus miles (in total) with $100,000 or more in annual purchases
One-time 50% off companion discount
No foreign exchange fees
Hawaiian Airlines vs. Hawaiian Airlines Business welcome offer
Right now, the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard is offering a welcome bonus of 70,000 HawaiianMiles after spending $2,000 on the card in the first 90 days of account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
The Hawaiian Airlines Business, meanwhile, offers 50,000 HawaiianMiles after spending $4,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. Based on TPG's October 2024 valuations, these welcome bonuses are worth $840 and $600 respectively.
These are both pretty standard offers for the cards' respective histories and can easily be taken advantage of with a relatively low spending requirement.
Winner: The Hawaiian Airlines personal card. It offers 20,000 more HawaiianMiles with the half the required minimum spend.
Hawaiian Airlines vs. Hawaiian Airlines Business benefits
You'll get these perks with either card:
A one-time 50%-off companion discount
No foreign transaction fees
The "Share Miles" feature, which allows the primary cardholder to send and share HawaiianMiles without a fee, up to 10 times per calendar year
FRESHSPLASH/GETTY IMAGES
Beyond these perks, the Hawaiian Airlines personal card comes with two valuable benefits:
An annual $100 companion discount for a travel companion on round-trip travel between Hawaii and the mainland after each account anniversary
Two free checked bags for the primary cardholder on Hawaiian Airlines flights between North America and Hawaii and between neighboring islands
The Hawaiian Airlines Business, meanwhile, allows you to earn 20,000 bonus miles with $50,000-$99,999 in annual purchases, plus an additional 20,000 bonus miles (for 40,000 in total) with $100,000 or more in annual purchases.
Winner: The Hawaiian Airlines personal card. It comes with more benefits at the same cost to cardholders.
Earning miles with the Hawaiian Airlines vs. Hawaiian Airlines Business
Both of these cards accrue 3 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases, which puts them ahead of many other cobranded airline credit cards.
Both also earn 2 miles per dollar on gas and dining purchases. However, the business card earns 2 miles per dollar at office supply stores, while the personal version earns 2 miles per dollar at grocery stores instead. Both earn 1 mile per dollar everywhere else.
BJONESMEDIA/GETTY IMAGES
Both cards have broad bonus categories that will appeal to many consumers.
The business card is definitely geared more for business use thanks to that office-supply category, while the personal version rounds out its earning potential with a third major category, supermarkets. These cards have not one but four bonus spending areas, making them exceptional potential earners.
Winner: Tie. The earning rates you prefer will come down to whether you spend more at office stores or grocery stores each year.
Redeeming miles with the Hawaiian Airlines vs. Hawaiian Airlines Business
Hawaiian Airlines has a dynamic pricing system, but it also publishes an award chart that lists the price ranges into which awards will fall. You can also redeem your Hawaiian Airlines miles for JetBlue, Japan Airlines, Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic flights.
Honolulu, Hawaii. Hawaiian Airlines airplane being fueled and loaded for the next flight at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport MICHAEL SILUK/UCG/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Each partner has a separate award chart, which can be viewed here. Former TPG writer Ryan Wilcox recommends round-trip Korean Air awards within Asia for 30,000 miles in economy or 60,000 miles in business class and round-trip business-class flights with Virgin Atlantic between the U.K. and the east coast of North America for 125,000 miles.
Lastly, your Hawaiian Airlines miles can be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy at a 2:1 ratio. TPG's October 2024 valuations peg Bonvoy points at .85 cents each, so you'll get far less value from this option, but it's still viable if you prefer Marriott.
Additionally, with the merger of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, you can convert HawaiianMiles to Alaska MileagePlan miles at a 1:1 ratio with no fee. You can then use those miles to book Alaska or Alaska partner award flights.
Winner: Tie. The cards have identical redemption options.
Should I get the Hawaiian Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines Business?
Most consumers will get more value from the personal Hawaiian Airlines card since it has a $100 annual companion discount, two free checked bags and a higher welcome bonus. However, if you want to earn more Hawaiian miles on office supplies over grocery stores, then you might want to opt for the business version.
Bottom line
Both the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard and the Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard are viable card options that offer substantial value for those who fly a lot with the airline and want to start racking up value. It might even make sense for you to get both cards.
The information for the Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard and Hawaiian Airlines Business 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.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
