Just a year in, Hawaiian shutters its most exclusive lounge and VIP service
Hawaiian Airlines is bucking the trend by eliminating its most premium airport experience.
The Honolulu-based carrier will wind down its premium airport VIP service and close its Apartment 1929 lounge March 14, just over a year after the lounge's introduction.
The airline exclusively confirmed the premium strategy shift to TPG, with a carrier spokesperson saying in a statement that "we will sunset our Premium Airport Service on March 14 to focus on delivering an elevated lounge strategy."
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The airline shared that it is "developing an enhanced lounge program with Alaska Airlines to bring greater value to more guests in Hawai’i and across our network." Last month, Hawaiian shared two renderings of its upcoming premium lounge that will debut in Honolulu at the end of 2027.
As such, Hawaiian isn't giving much notice to flyers about the closure, and it wasn't immediately clear why the airline is seemingly in such a rush to close the space and end its VIP ground handling more than two years before the upcoming premium lounge opens.
Apartment 1929 was a small, intimate space near The Plumeria Lounge in Terminal 1 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). The space, marketed as a private lounge, featured a full dining menu from Bar Leather Apron, a James Beard Award-winning bar in downtown Honolulu.
The lounge could hold just 24 guests, and it offered a handful of indoor and outdoor tables and luxurious shower facilities to refresh before a long-haul flight.
Access to the Apartment 1929 lounge — named for the year when Hawaiian was founded — was exclusively reserved for those who purchased the airline's Premium Airport Service. Hawaiian's concierge-esque program included a host of paid perks for departing, arriving or connecting passengers.
The program's rates started at $500 for a party of two and scaled up depending on the type of service you were looking for.
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These changes come as Hawaiian is in the midst of a major transformation with the ongoing integration into Alaska Airlines. The two carriers are developing a joint network strategy, retooling their commercial organizations and building a unified lounge strategy.
That said, while the combined airline has been adamant about expanding its premium offerings, this move is seemingly a step backward, especially given the airline industry's focus on premium experiences in recent years.
From new cabins to snazzy new lounges, premium has been the talk of the airline industry for months. Even budget carriers like JetBlue and ultra-low-cost discounters like Frontier Airlines are joining the bandwagon by debuting a domestic first-class product in the coming months.
Perhaps Hawaiian needs to shutter Apartment 1929 to make room for the construction of the new lounge, but that still doesn't explain why the carrier is suddenly ending its VIP ground services.
It'll be interesting to see if this program gets reintroduced in the coming years, but for now, deep-pocketed travelers who were looking to upgrade their Hawaiian Airlines ground experience will be out of luck.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.