{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"94516","rtpr_id":"nPn2xnNkza","ticker":"ALK","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["ALK"],"title":"Alaska Airlines, Inc. selects 737-800s to strengthen Hawaiian Airlines' Neighbor Island service, enhancing the guest experience and increasing capacity","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-07-21T20:30:01.420Z","article_body":"Alaska Airlines, Inc. selects 737-800s to strengthen Hawaiian Airlines' Neighbor Island service, enhancing the guest experience and increasing capacity\n\nPR Newswire\n\nHONOLULU, July 21, 2026\n\n * Hawaiian Airlines-branded Boeing 737-800s will replace the retiring Boeing 717\nfleet, bringing proven, reliable aircraft with premium interiors and fast,\nfree Starlink Wi-Fi to Neighbor Island flying.\n * The future fleet will be based in Honolulu (HNL) and flown and crewed by\nHonolulu-based pilots and flight attendants.\n * This represents the next step in the journey to bring more value to Hawai'i\nand the Hawai'i traveler, building on an expanded network, industry-leading\nloyalty program and comprehensive investments across technology, aircraft,\nairports, guest experience and community.\nHONOLULU, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --  Alaska Airlines, Inc. today\nannounced the future fleet plan for Hawaiian Airlines' Neighbor Island flying\n– a modern fleet of Hawaiian-branded Boeing 737-800 aircraft that will\nreplace Hawaiian's retiring Boeing 717 fleet, delivering a significantly\nimproved guest experience and greater reliability for Hawai'i and the Hawai'i\ntraveler.\n\nThe 737-800 aircraft will feature a modern premium onboard experience that\nincludes:\n\n * Twice as many First Class seats and the addition of more than 30 Premium Class\nseats, creating more upgrade opportunities for Huaka'i by Hawaiian and\nAtmos™ Rewards members\n * Fast, free Starlink Wi-Fi on all flights\n * More room in cargo for surfboards\n * Reclining leather Recaro seats throughout the aircraft\n * 110V power outlets, USB charging and seatback device holders at every seat\n\"Neighbor Island service is part of the fabric of life in Hawai'i, and we know\nhow deeply our guests, employees and communities care about its future,\" said\nDiana Birkett Rakow, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. \"This decision reflects our\ncommitment to invest in Hawai'i for the long term, to strengthen Hawaiian\nAirlines and to honor the local expertise, culture and care that have made\nHawaiian the airline of Hawai'i for nearly a century.\"\n\nThe future fleet will carry the Hawaiian brand and focus on Neighbor Island\nservice, based in Honolulu (HNL). The airline's plan is for these aircraft to\nbe flown by Honolulu-based pilots and flight attendants once the integration\nis complete, sustaining the safe, reliable and frequent service Hawai'i\nresidents depend on for work, school, family, medical care and everyday life\nacross the Islands while delivering a more modern and premium onboard\nexperience for all guests.\n\nNeighbor Island flying is uniquely demanding, with short segments, frequent\ndaily cycles and operations in a salt-air environment. The 737-800 is a\ndurable, reliable and proven aircraft with airframes and engines that can\nwithstand the high cycles of Neighbor Island operations, while enabling the\nairline to maintain capacity to meet demand with a full schedule of frequent\ndepartures from morning to evening.\n\n\"The 737-800 gives us a proven, capable platform for the next chapter of\nNeighbor Island flying,\" said Jim Landers, Head of Hawai'i Operations. \"It is\nwell suited to the operational needs of the Islands and gives our teams a\nclear path to transition from the 717s while continuing to deliver the\nreliable service our guests expect.\"\n\nThe goal is to begin the fleet transition in 2028 and move quickly to bring\nthis additional capacity and enhanced experience to our guests. Additional\ndetails will be shared as planning continues.\n\nTo sustain frequency and capacity and meet the needs of Hawai'i's communities\nin the near-term, prior to the transition, Alaska will supplement 717 Neighbor\nIsland flying with 737 capacity. Starting in October, one Alaska-branded 737\naircraft will fly three round trips per day between Honolulu and Kahului\n(OGG). This 737 will operate out of Terminal 1 at Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye\nInternational Airport, and guests will be able to check in at Terminal 1.\n\nThe fleet decision is a key step in Alaska Accelerate, Alaska Air Group's\nstrategic plan to deliver long-term growth by strengthening the company's\ndual-brand strategy, expanding the reach of Hawaiian Airlines and investing in\nthe markets that matter most to guests. Strength in Hawai'i and continued\ninvestment in the Hawaiian Airlines brand are central to that plan.\n\nSince combining Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, the company has\ncontinued to invest in Hawai'i, strengthening connectivity through a broader\nnetwork, launching a new, more valuable loyalty program, improving technology,\nplanning a new Honolulu lounge and airport improvements across Hawai'i, and\nelevating the guest experience while deepening its commitment to local\ncommunities. The future Neighbor Island fleet builds on that journey, serving\nHawai'i better together while honoring and sustaining two strong and beloved\nbrands.\n\n \"We fly for Hawai'i and have the privilege of serving and representing\nHawai'i through the Hawaiian Airlines brand, which will be reflected across\neven more flights as our operational integration continues. Investment in a\ndedicated Hawaiian Airlines-branded 737-800 fleet is about more than aircraft.\nIt is about protecting the connections that make life possible across the\nislands and ensuring Hawaiian remains strong for the future,\" added Birkett\nRakow.\n\nAbout Alaska, Hawaiian and Horizon\nAlaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska\nAir Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a\nglobal airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los\nAngeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our\nguests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America,\nAsia, the Pacific and Europe. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=4282034587&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaskaair.com%2F&a=alaskaair.com)\nand hawaiianairlines.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=3778583007&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawaiianairlines.com%2F&a=hawaiianairlines.com)\n. Alaska and Hawaiian are members of the oneworld alliance. Members of our\nAtmos Rewards\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=73799507&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaskaair.com%2Fatmosrewards&a=Atmos+Rewards)\n loyalty program can earn and redeem points with oneworld airlines and our\nadditional global partners that serve over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Learn\nmore about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=3434848490&u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.alaskaair.com%2F&a=news.alaskaair.com)\n. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as \"ALK.\"\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-inc-selects-737-800s-to-strengthen-hawaiian-airlines-neighbor-island-service-enhancing-the-guest-experience-and-increasing-capacity-302831270.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-inc-selects-737-800s-to-strengthen-hawaiian-airlines-neighbor-island-service-enhancing-the-guest-experience-and-increasing-capacity-302831270.html)\n\nSOURCE Alaska Airlines\n\n\n\nMedia Relations, newsroom@alaskaair.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1890462/HA-737-Clouds.jpg?id=OA2778131\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1890466/HA-737-Sunrise_01.jpg?id=OA2778151\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS408206/Alaska-Airlines-Logo-Logo.jpg?id=OA2778153\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn2xnNkza","title":"Alaska Airlines, Inc. selects 737-800s to strengthen Hawaiian Airlines' Neighbor Island service, enhancing the guest experience and increasing capacity","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"ALK","created":"2026-07-21T20:30:01.420Z","tickers":["ALK"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"Alaska Airlines, Inc. selects 737-800s to strengthen Hawaiian Airlines' Neighbor Island service, enhancing the guest experience and increasing capacity\n\nPR Newswire\n\nHONOLULU, July 21, 2026\n\n * Hawaiian Airlines-branded Boeing 737-800s will replace the retiring Boeing 717\nfleet, bringing proven, reliable aircraft with premium interiors and fast,\nfree Starlink Wi-Fi to Neighbor Island flying.\n * The future fleet will be based in Honolulu (HNL) and flown and crewed by\nHonolulu-based pilots and flight attendants.\n * This represents the next step in the journey to bring more value to Hawai'i\nand the Hawai'i traveler, building on an expanded network, industry-leading\nloyalty program and comprehensive investments across technology, aircraft,\nairports, guest experience and community.\nHONOLULU, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --  Alaska Airlines, Inc. today\nannounced the future fleet plan for Hawaiian Airlines' Neighbor Island flying\n– a modern fleet of Hawaiian-branded Boeing 737-800 aircraft that will\nreplace Hawaiian's retiring Boeing 717 fleet, delivering a significantly\nimproved guest experience and greater reliability for Hawai'i and the Hawai'i\ntraveler.\n\nThe 737-800 aircraft will feature a modern premium onboard experience that\nincludes:\n\n * Twice as many First Class seats and the addition of more than 30 Premium Class\nseats, creating more upgrade opportunities for Huaka'i by Hawaiian and\nAtmos™ Rewards members\n * Fast, free Starlink Wi-Fi on all flights\n * More room in cargo for surfboards\n * Reclining leather Recaro seats throughout the aircraft\n * 110V power outlets, USB charging and seatback device holders at every seat\n\"Neighbor Island service is part of the fabric of life in Hawai'i, and we know\nhow deeply our guests, employees and communities care about its future,\" said\nDiana Birkett Rakow, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. \"This decision reflects our\ncommitment to invest in Hawai'i for the long term, to strengthen Hawaiian\nAirlines and to honor the local expertise, culture and care that have made\nHawaiian the airline of Hawai'i for nearly a century.\"\n\nThe future fleet will carry the Hawaiian brand and focus on Neighbor Island\nservice, based in Honolulu (HNL). The airline's plan is for these aircraft to\nbe flown by Honolulu-based pilots and flight attendants once the integration\nis complete, sustaining the safe, reliable and frequent service Hawai'i\nresidents depend on for work, school, family, medical care and everyday life\nacross the Islands while delivering a more modern and premium onboard\nexperience for all guests.\n\nNeighbor Island flying is uniquely demanding, with short segments, frequent\ndaily cycles and operations in a salt-air environment. The 737-800 is a\ndurable, reliable and proven aircraft with airframes and engines that can\nwithstand the high cycles of Neighbor Island operations, while enabling the\nairline to maintain capacity to meet demand with a full schedule of frequent\ndepartures from morning to evening.\n\n\"The 737-800 gives us a proven, capable platform for the next chapter of\nNeighbor Island flying,\" said Jim Landers, Head of Hawai'i Operations. \"It is\nwell suited to the operational needs of the Islands and gives our teams a\nclear path to transition from the 717s while continuing to deliver the\nreliable service our guests expect.\"\n\nThe goal is to begin the fleet transition in 2028 and move quickly to bring\nthis additional capacity and enhanced experience to our guests. Additional\ndetails will be shared as planning continues.\n\nTo sustain frequency and capacity and meet the needs of Hawai'i's communities\nin the near-term, prior to the transition, Alaska will supplement 717 Neighbor\nIsland flying with 737 capacity. Starting in October, one Alaska-branded 737\naircraft will fly three round trips per day between Honolulu and Kahului\n(OGG). This 737 will operate out of Terminal 1 at Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye\nInternational Airport, and guests will be able to check in at Terminal 1.\n\nThe fleet decision is a key step in Alaska Accelerate, Alaska Air Group's\nstrategic plan to deliver long-term growth by strengthening the company's\ndual-brand strategy, expanding the reach of Hawaiian Airlines and investing in\nthe markets that matter most to guests. Strength in Hawai'i and continued\ninvestment in the Hawaiian Airlines brand are central to that plan.\n\nSince combining Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, the company has\ncontinued to invest in Hawai'i, strengthening connectivity through a broader\nnetwork, launching a new, more valuable loyalty program, improving technology,\nplanning a new Honolulu lounge and airport improvements across Hawai'i, and\nelevating the guest experience while deepening its commitment to local\ncommunities. The future Neighbor Island fleet builds on that journey, serving\nHawai'i better together while honoring and sustaining two strong and beloved\nbrands.\n\n \"We fly for Hawai'i and have the privilege of serving and representing\nHawai'i through the Hawaiian Airlines brand, which will be reflected across\neven more flights as our operational integration continues. Investment in a\ndedicated Hawaiian Airlines-branded 737-800 fleet is about more than aircraft.\nIt is about protecting the connections that make life possible across the\nislands and ensuring Hawaiian remains strong for the future,\" added Birkett\nRakow.\n\nAbout Alaska, Hawaiian and Horizon\nAlaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska\nAir Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a\nglobal airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los\nAngeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our\nguests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America,\nAsia, the Pacific and Europe. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=4282034587&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaskaair.com%2F&a=alaskaair.com)\nand hawaiianairlines.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=3778583007&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawaiianairlines.com%2F&a=hawaiianairlines.com)\n. Alaska and Hawaiian are members of the oneworld alliance. Members of our\nAtmos Rewards\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=73799507&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaskaair.com%2Fatmosrewards&a=Atmos+Rewards)\n loyalty program can earn and redeem points with oneworld airlines and our\nadditional global partners that serve over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Learn\nmore about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4736312-1&h=3434848490&u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.alaskaair.com%2F&a=news.alaskaair.com)\n. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as \"ALK.\"\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-inc-selects-737-800s-to-strengthen-hawaiian-airlines-neighbor-island-service-enhancing-the-guest-experience-and-increasing-capacity-302831270.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-inc-selects-737-800s-to-strengthen-hawaiian-airlines-neighbor-island-service-enhancing-the-guest-experience-and-increasing-capacity-302831270.html)\n\nSOURCE Alaska Airlines\n\n\n\nMedia Relations, newsroom@alaskaair.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1890462/HA-737-Clouds.jpg?id=OA2778131\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1890466/HA-737-Sunrise_01.jpg?id=OA2778151\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS408206/Alaska-Airlines-Logo-Logo.jpg?id=OA2778153\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-07-21T20:30:01.568903537Z","server_sent_at_ms":1784665801568},"received_at":"2026-07-21T20:30:01.620Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-inc-selects-737-800s-to-strengthen-hawaiian-airlines-neighbor-island-service-enhancing-the-guest-experience-and-increasing-capacity-302831270.html"},"analysis":{"id":"83558","press_release_id":"94516","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Airlines","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Alaska Airlines announced a fleet plan to replace Hawaiian Airlines' retiring Boeing 717s with Hawaiian-branded Boeing 737-800s for Neighbor Island service, marking a key step in the integration of the two airlines.\n\nThe new fleet, scheduled to begin transition in 2028, will be based in Honolulu and feature premium interiors, Starlink Wi-Fi, and increased capacity to meet demand.\n\nTo support service in the near term, Alaska will supplement flying with one 737 aircraft operating three daily round trips between Honolulu and Kahului starting in October.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Alaska accelerates integration with new 737 fleet plan for Hawaiian."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"transition_year":2028,"first_class_seat_change":"Twice as many","premium_class_seats_added":"more than 30","supplemental_flights_daily":3}},"quotedText":"Neighbor Island service is part of the fabric of life in Hawai'i, and we know how deeply our guests, employees and communities care about its future","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Diana Birkett Rakow","role":"CEO of Hawaiian Airlines"},{"name":"Jim Landers","role":"Head of Hawai'i Operations"}],"products":["Boeing 737-800","Boeing 717","Starlink","Atmos Rewards","Huaka'i by Hawaiian"],"companies":[{"name":"Alaska Airlines, Inc.","ticker":"ALK","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Hawaiian Airlines","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Alaska Air Group","ticker":"ALK","relationship":"parent company"},{"name":"Boeing","relationship":"manufacturer"},{"name":"Horizon Air","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"McGee Air Services","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"Significant operational shift replacing the Hawaiian Airlines 717 fleet with 737-800s, signaling long-term investment and integration progress under the 'Alaska Accelerate' strategy. While strategically important, the transition begins in 2028, limiting immediate materiality."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"ALK"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":40,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"S&P 500","eventGravity":"Operational fleet plan","sectorWeight":"Airlines","retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Alaska Airlines announced a fleet plan to replace Hawaiian Airlines' retiring Boeing 717s with Hawaiian-branded Boeing 737-800s for Neighbor Island service, marking a key step in the integration of the two airlines.\n\nThe new fleet, scheduled to begin transition in 2028, will be based in Honolulu and feature premium interiors, Starlink Wi-Fi, and increased capacity to meet demand.\n\nTo support service in the near term, Alaska will supplement flying with one 737 aircraft operating three daily round trips between Honolulu and Kahului starting in October.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"transition_year":2028,"first_class_seat_change":"Twice as many","premium_class_seats_added":"more than 30","supplemental_flights_daily":3}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Diana Birkett Rakow","role":"CEO of Hawaiian Airlines"},{"name":"Jim Landers","role":"Head of Hawai'i Operations"}],"products":["Boeing 737-800","Boeing 717","Starlink","Atmos Rewards","Huaka'i by Hawaiian"],"companies":[{"name":"Alaska Airlines, Inc.","ticker":"ALK","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Hawaiian Airlines","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Alaska Air Group","ticker":"ALK","relationship":"parent company"},{"name":"Boeing","relationship":"manufacturer"},{"name":"Horizon Air","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"McGee Air Services","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-07-21T22:03:23.832Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":40,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"S&P 500","eventGravity":"Operational fleet plan","sectorWeight":"Airlines","retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"durationMs":228114,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}