JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) has signed a partnership agreement with Hawaiian Airlines (HA, Honolulu) encompassing extensive codesharing, lounge access, and frequent flyer program reciprocity.
Signed during a ceremony in Tokyo, the deal with JAL will come into effect from March 25, 2018, onwards subject to all government approvals being secured. It will also signal the end of an existing partnership between Hawaiian and JAL rival ANA - All Nippon Airways (NH, Tokyo Haneda) which dates back to 2012.
As part of the JAL/Hawaiian partnership, the two carriers also intend to establish a joint venture designed to offer greater choice, convenience and enhancements to clientele travelling to/from Japan and beyond to multiple Asian markets.
Among the more imminent benefits of the tie-up include JAL having access to Hawaiian’s vast neighbor island and Japan-Hawai’i network, including non-stop flights between Sapporo Chitose and Honolulu, while Hawaiian Airlines will have full access to JAL’s domestic network, which includes Nagoya Chubu, Fukuoka, Sendai, and Aomori as some key destinations. Hawaiian’s Japan-Hawai’i flights will also be offered as new options within Japan Airlines’ wholly-owned tour operator subsidiary, JALPAK.
In terms of frequent flyer cooperation, JAL Mileage Bank and HawaiianMiles members will be able to earn miles on codeshare flights while in terms of lounge access, passengers will be able to use both airlines’ lounges. According to Hawaiian, its planned relocation to Terminal 2 at Tokyo Narita Airport will allow passengers to seamlessly transfer between each carrier’s respective networks.
JAL currently serves Honolulu from Narita, Osaka Kansai, and Nagoya Chubu. Hawaiian flies from Honolulu and Kona to Narita and Tokyo Haneda airports, as well as from Honolulu to Osaka Kansai and Sapporo Chitose airports.
