Hawaiian Airlines and Japan Airlines Tuesday announced a partnership that provides for extensive code sharing and will give passengers lounge access and frequent flyer reciprocity.
The deal, which is still subject to government approval, is expected to start from March 25, 2018.
The move comes after JAL was freed from restrictions placed on it after it was bailed out of its 2010 bankruptcy by the Japanese government. It is expected to see an end to Hawaiian’s code-sharing deal with rival All Nippon Airways.
The two carriers also announced they also intend to establish a joint venture aimed at mutiple Asian markets beyond Japan.
Hawaii is an immensely popular destination for Japanese tourists and captures about 10 per cent of the country’s outbound market
The new deal gives Hawaiian passengers full access to JAL’s domestic network, including destinations such as Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai and Aomori.
JAL passengers will have access to Hawaiian’s network, including flights to the big island. Hawaiian provides about 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands.
It will also see Hawaiian’s flights from Japan offered by JAL subsidiary and package tour operator JALPAK.
JAL has been serving Honolulu for more than 60 years and flies To Hawaii from Tokyo’s Narita Airport, Osaka’s Kansai Airport and Nagoya’s Chubu Airport. Hawaiian services Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda airports.
Frequent flyer members from both airlines will initially be able to earn miles on codeshare flights with the partners promising further opportunities for accrual and redemption at a later date.
Passengers will have access to the lounges of both carriers, with Hawaiian planning to relocate to Terminal 2 at Tokyo Narita Airport.
“Our partnership will greatly increase travel choices for those in Japan looking to travel to Hawaii as well as for those in Hawaii looking to travel to Japan,” Hawaiian chief executive Mark Dunkerley said in a statement.
