The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
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.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
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.
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
September 29, 2026 • 11 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.
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.
Related stories
Quick summary
Alaska Airlines announced a major upgrade to its premium offerings, including the introduction of lie-flat business-class suites and premium economy on select domestic and long-haul aircraft starting in 2028.
Hawaiian Airlines will refresh its flagship jets with new suite-style business-class pods and premium economy seating, increasing the proportion of premium seats onboard.
Both airlines are investing in new airport lounges, with Alaska planning an upscale Aurora Lounge in Seattle and Hawaiian introducing a premium lounge in Honolulu.
These enhancements follow Alaska's acquisition of Hawaiian in 2024 and signal a significant evolution in both airlines' premium travel experiences.
What to consider
The rollout of new seats and lounges is expected to begin in 2028, contingent on aircraft deliveries and regulatory approvals.
Access to the most exclusive lounges will be limited to business-class suite passengers and select top-tier loyalty members on eligible flights.
Premium economy, branded as 'Premium Reserve,' will be available on specific aircraft models and routes, with amenities similar to domestic first-class.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed previews of seat layouts, lounge amenities and how these upgrades compare to offerings from other major U.S. airlines.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Alaska Airlines is planning a major premium spending spree. The Seattle-based airline on Tuesday announced a slew of upgrades for its planes and its airport lounges.
For the first time, Alaska will install lie-flat seats on domestic planes. You could start seeing those fancy new suites on key transcontinental routes as soon as 2028.
Also on deck: premium economy. For months, Alaska executives have been dropping hints about the cabin. Now, it’s actually coming.
Premium Reserve on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner. ALASKA AIRLINES
Plus, Hawaiian Airlines’ flagship jets are getting a significant upgrade, complete with new state-of-the-art business-class suites.
We are also getting new details about new lounges the airline is planning in Seattle, Honolulu and San Diego.
All told, it’s a ton of news involving America’s fifth-largest airline — and in a lot of ways, it marks the next step in Alaska’s evolution after acquiring Hawaiian in 2024.
Now, at least 25 of those jets are slated to get a true long-haul style, business-class product up front.
ALASKA AIRLINES
With this move, Alaska will have a top-notch transcontinental offering that can compete with its top rivals on prime coast-to-coast routes. I’d certainly expect to see these specially configured MAX 10s on routes like Seattle-New York City.
Special livery
By the way, the MAX 10s that get the business suites will also look different on the outside, too. Those jets will don Alaska’s new shimmering, Aurora Borealis-inspired livery that debuted earlier this year on the larger Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX 10. ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska hopes to start taking delivery of its first MAX 10s as early as 2027. But that’s contingent on Boeing’s new jets (finally) receiving certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Alaska and Hawaiian introduce premium economy
Those new 737 MAX 10s won’t just have a new business-class cabin. They’ll also have a true premium economy section. So will Alaska and Hawaiian’s long-haul planes.
The carrier will call the cabin “Premium Reserve.”
1 of 3
Premium Reserve on Alaska Airlines' Boeing 787. ALASKA AIRLINES
2 of 3
Premium Reserve on Alaska Airlines' future Boeing 737 MAX 10s. ALASKA AIRLINES
3 of 3
Premium Reserve on the Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330. ALASKA AIRLINES
You’ll see the new premium economy seats on:
Alaska's luxe new 737 MAX 10s (12 recliner seats)
Alaska’s Boeing 787s (35 seats)
Hawaiian’s Airbus A330s (28 seats)
Like most premium economy cabins, Alaska and Hawaiian’s Premium Reserve cabins will roughly resemble domestic first-class recliners.
ALASKA AIRLINES
The seats will come with privacy wings, leg rests, larger tray tables and more storage — along with 16-inch 4K screens.
Earlier this year, Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci told TPG that premium economy was the “true piece that’s missing” as the airline expanded globally.
Now, it's officially coming: Alaska and Hawaiian flyers will start seeing the seats in 2028.
Alaska's new 'Aurora' business-class experience
Meanwhile, both Alaska and Hawaiian will roll out an all-new flagship experience for travelers seated at the front of the plane.
Alaska's 'Aurora Suites'
Going forward, Alaska will debut a new business-class product known as its “Aurora Suites” on the Boeing 787 and 737 MAX 10.
Inspired by the northern lights, the name is a clear play on the airline's state of Alaska heritage.
The business suites on Alaska's existing 787s will get some new touches and finishes. And the carrier will roll out an all-new product on newly-delivered planes.
1 of 5
Aurora Suites on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. ALASKA AIRLINES
2 of 5
Aurora Suite on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. ALASKA AIRLINES
3 of 5
Aurora Suites cabin on the Boeing 737 MAX 10. ALASKA AIRLINES
4 of 5
Aurora Suite on the Boeing 737 MAX 10. ALASKA AIRLINES
5 of 5
Aurora Suite on the Boeing 737 MAX 10. ALASKA AIRLINES
Aurora Lounge planned in Seattle
Passengers flying in Alaska’s Aurora Suites will get access to the airline's new premium check-in facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which opened earlier this year.
SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Plus, Aurora Suites passengers flying long-haul service from SeaTac will be (eventually) able to access the upscale lounge the carrier is building on the airport's expanded C concourse.
That club, set to open in late 2027, will fittingly be known as the Aurora Lounge.
As TPG reported earlier this year, it will include a la carte table-service dining and shower suites. There will also be an outdoor patio and fireplace, according to the airline, along with “wellness spaces."
ALASKA AIRLINES
This facility is Alaska’s answer to the upper-echelon, business-class clubs offered by competitors (such as the Delta One Lounge or the United Airlines Polaris Lounge).
Access will be limited to passengers flying long-haul in Alaska’s Aurora Suites. Top-tier Titanium elite status members of the carrier’s Atmos Rewards program will also be allowed inside when booked on those flights in any cabin.
New Alaska Lounge at SEA
Beneath the Aurora Lounge, the airline is also working on a new 500-seat Alaska Lounge for members of its traditional club network.
The combined Seattle facility will span a whopping 41,000 square feet.
New Alaska Lounge planned for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). ALASKA AIRLINES
Hawaiian's new 'Leihoku' business-class experience
Hawaiian Airlines is getting a glow-up, too.
Airbus A330 slated for major refresh
In the coming years, each of the carrier’s 24 Airbus A330s will get its own business-class suites with sliding privacy doors.
It’s part of a larger nose-to-tail refresh of the legacy jets, which are a fixture on Hawaiian’s routes between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii — along with its transpacific service to Asia and Australia.
A Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 in Seattle. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Up front, Hawaiian will replace its dated business-class product with suite-style pods, complete with sliding privacy doors and updated technology.
ALASKA AIRLINES
Instead of the legacy 2-2-2 configuration, the 22 pods will be arranged in a 1-2-1 setup. And, unlike the current setup, each of Hawaiian’s lie-flats will have direct aisle access.
Legacy business-class seats on Hawaiian Airlines' Airbus A330. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
The new suites are a similar “hard product” to what Alaska is rolling out in business class, but they will have a classic Hawaiian Airlines look and branding. Hawaiian is calling these seats its Leihoku Suites.
In the middle part of the cabin, the A330s will have the new Premium Reserve recliners. Once the retrofits are complete, these A330s will have about 40% premium seats on board — up from 30% currently.
ALASKA AIRLINES
This refresh should be a major upgrade for passengers flying Hawaiian’s flagship jets. The new interiors will start appearing on A330s in 2028.
Other upgrades coming
We also heard about a few other upgrades in the works.
That 13,000-square-foot space is on track to open in early 2028 with space for 200 guests. Hawaiian is promising locally inspired food and drinks and a “signature local coffee experience.”
The facility will be located at the entrance of the Mauka concourse at HNL’s Terminal 1.
Leihoku Suites passengers will be allowed to enter. Beyond that, access rules will be similar to those of the current Plumeria Lounge at HNL, Hawaiian said.
1 of 2
ALASKA AIRLINES
2 of 2
ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska Lounge in San Diego
Elsewhere, Alaska shared a sneak peek of its new club planned for its hub at San Diego International Airport (SAN).
Details are sparse, but the new Alaska Lounge will span 14,000 square feet once it debuts in 2028.
Alaska Lounge planned for San Diego International Airport (SAN). ALASKA AIRLINES
Bottom line
Since the Alaska-Hawaiian merger in 2024, we've seen new international routes and a new loyalty program. Now, travelers can expect to see some pretty significant premium investments over the next few years.
In particular, 2028 should be a huge year for the two airline brands, as many of these new seats, lounges and luxe products start appearing on planes and in airports.
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.
