After Hawaiian Airlines is acquired, its miles will very likely convert to Alaska Airlines miles at a 1:1 ratio. So if you haven’t been applying for many cards lately and want to take a shot on Alaska miles, you may want to consider the two 70,000-point welcome bonus offers below. These are both at recent highs, and there’s a chance they could disappear after the deal closes.
- Hawaiian Airlines co-branded card 70,000 bonus (business card)
Alaska Airlines recently announced that its plan to acquire Hawaiian Airlines has received approval from the U.S. Department of Justice. The antitrust review waiting period has expired, and no lawsuit was filed to block the transaction. The $1.9 billion merger agreement was announced eight months ago.
The two airlines now still need approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) before the transaction can be completed. It is not yet clear how long that process will take.
According to Mergermarket data, this merger would be the largest in the U.S. airline industry since Alaska Airlines merged with Virgin America in 2016.
Since early 2020, Hawaiian Airlines has posted a net loss every quarter, though management recently said booking trends are improving. After Alaska Airlines announced the Hawaiian acquisition, Hawaiian’s stock rose more than 11% on Tuesday. The stock has nearly doubled over the past year, while competitors’ shares have fallen.
When the two airlines announced the deal last December, they said they would keep their respective brands and operate under a unified platform, creating an airline network with more than 360 aircraft serving over 130 destinations.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday: “We are reviewing the application and can approve the transfer only if it is consistent with the public interest.”
The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately comment.
