HONOLULU – Starting April 22, 2026, the “HA” flight code used by Hawaiian Airlines for 97 years is officially retired.

Every Hawaiian Airlines flight now carries Alaska Airlines’ “AS” code. That beloved Honolulu to Pago Pago flight, HA865? It’s AS865 now. Two little letters. Almost 100 years of history behind them.

If you have a trip booked and your confirmation just looks a little different, keep reading. Nothing bad happened. We promise.

A Hui Hou, HA: The Hawaiian Airlines Flight Code Is Gone Forever

There are two kinds of people reading this right now. The first group is thinking, “Wait, what? The letters changed on my ticket and now I’m panicking.”

The second group is quietly pouring one out for a nearly century-old piece of aviation history. Both reactions are completely valid.

Nearly 100 Years of Two Little Letters

Here is something worth actually sitting with for a moment.

Hawaiian Airlines has used the HA code continuously since 1929. That is not a typo. 1929!

The code predates Hawaii statehood by 30 years. It was on tickets during World War II. It flew kama’āina home for Christmas, carried honeymooners to Maui for the first time, and moved generations of island families back and forth across the Pacific.

One of the most fun facts about Hawaii that aviation nerds love to drop at parties: HA is one of the longest-running airline codes in all of American commercial aviation history.

That is not nothing. That is, in fact, a lot of something.

So yes, this is a moment worth noticing. Even if your next flight still lands in the same paradise.

How the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Merger Led Here

(I’ll do my best to not let my ‘salty-ness’ come across)

The Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merger officially closed in 2024

But merging two airlines is not like merging two email inboxes. (by the way, I just did that and that was a headache!)

It involves federal regulators, years of planning, overlapping systems, and roughly one thousand moving parts.

The biggest regulatory milestone came on October 31, 2025, when the FAA granted a Single Operating Certificate to the combined airline group.

That means both carriers now operate under one regulatory framework, shared safety procedures, shared training, shared manuals.

As Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diane Birkett Rakow put it to local Hawaii news station KHON2 at the time:

“When we become one operating entity, we move from having two different call signs to one call sign. So that’s what happened overnight.”

Then came the technical piece. Overnight on April 21, 2026, Hawaiian Airlines migrated its entire Passenger Service System from Amadeus to Sabre, the same reservation platform Alaska uses.

That single overnight flip is what made the code change possible. There was also a quiet interim step most travelers never noticed: starting October 26, 2025, Hawaiian flights shifted to a temporary numbering range of HA800 through HA1299 to avoid conflicts with Alaska’s existing flight numbers.

All of that work, all of those late nights in server rooms, all of it leads to this: two new letters on a boarding pass.

If you want the full picture of how this merger is reshaping Hawaii travel in 2026, our piece on Hawaii 2026 travel changes covers all of it.

The Hawaiian Brand Is Not Going Anywhere (for now)

Let’s be direct here because a lot of people are catastrophizing this on the internet and it is not helpful.

Hawaiian Airlines is not disappearing. Alaska Air Group has made a clear, public commitment to keeping both brands distinct.

The gorgeous Pualani tail logo stays on the planes. Hawaiian cabin crews will continue serving flights with the warm, genuine hoʻokipa hospitality the airline has always been known for.

The Alaska Air Group newsroom confirms that when you book a Hawaiian-branded flight, it will appear as “operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines” so you always know what you are getting.

The Hawaiian music when you board. The flight attendants who feel like they actually want you to have a good time.

The general vibe of arriving in the islands. That is all still there.

Only the two letters on the flight number changed. The aloha spirit did not get merged out of existence.

What This Means for Your Hawaii Trip

Okay, here is the practical stuff, because that is why you are actually reading this.

If you booked before April 22, 2026: Your ticket still shows the HA prefix. Do nothing. Your flight is the same flight on the same plane with the same crew.

If you are booking now: Any new reservation for travel on or after April 22 will show the AS code.

You are still flying a Hawaiian Airlines-operated aircraft. It just has different letters on the ticket.

One heads-up worth knowing: on some third-party booking sites, your flight may briefly look like a full Alaska Airlines flight with no Hawaiian branding visible. Alaska Air Group says this is a display lag and they are working to correct it across all platforms.

The operating disclosure will catch up.

And while you are sorting out your flights, it is also a great time to check on Hawaii airfare for summer 2026 because fares are moving and you want to be ahead of that, not behind it.

Also worth downloading the Alaska-Hawaiian app if you have not already.

It is the best place to manage your booking through all of this transition.

The HA code is gone. Ninety-seven years, retired.

But the next time you step off that plane and the warm Hawaii air hits you for the first time, or the hundredth time, you are not going to be thinking about what letters were on your boarding pass.

You are going to be thinking about where you are.

And where you are is still the most beautiful place on earth.

A hui hou, HA. You had a good run.

Key Takeaways

• The HA flight code is officially retired as of April 22, 2026 after 97 uninterrupted years, making it one of the longest-running airline codes in U.S. commercial aviation history. This is the final major step in the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merger.
• All Hawaiian Airlines flights now carry the Alaska “AS” code, but if you booked before April 22, your existing ticket still shows HA and is completely valid. You do not need to do a single thing.
• Hawaiian Airlines is not going away. The Pualani tail logo, Hawaiian crew, hoʻokipa hospitality, and in-flight experience all remain. New bookings will show “operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines” for Hawaiian-branded flights.
• Some third-party booking sites may temporarily show your flight as Alaska-only with no Hawaiian branding. This is a display issue Alaska Air Group is actively correcting. Your booking and your experience on board are not affected.
• Download the Alaska-Hawaiian app and check current Hawaii airfares if you are planning a summer 2026 trip. The merger integration is reshaping how you book, manage, and experience Hawaii flights right now.

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