Alaska Airlines has tapped Boeing's 737-800 airliners to replace its retiring Hawaiian Airlines-branded fleet for travel across Hawai‘i's islands.

Alaska, which acquired Hawaiian Airlines in 2024, announced Tuesday it has selected the aircraft to succeed the current Boeing 717 fleet.

The future fleet will be based in Honolulu, O‘ahu. The transition will likely kick off in 2028, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow told The Seattle Times on Monday.

The aircraft will feature free Starlink Wi-Fi, more cargo space for surfboards, twice as many first-class seats and over 30 extra premium class seats, according to the news release.

Island hopping is commonplace on Hawaiʻi, which is made up of eight major islands. Tourists can only easily go to six: Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

Some locals also commute between islands to work, visit loved ones, attend school and obtain medical care. Because there is no statewide ferry service, they instead rely on select airlines like Hawaiian for the short flights, which usually take under an hour.

Jim Landers, head of Hawaiʻi operations, said the steady number of short flights made while island hopping means we're flying airplanes twice as hard."

Instead of spending time in high altitude or the cruise space, the aircraft are largely operating in a salt-air environment, Landers said, which can make maintenance uniquely demanding.

Alaska Airlines chose the Boeing 737-800 for its durability and capacity, per the news release.

“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," Birkett Rakow said. "This decision reflects our commitment to invest in Hawai‘i for the long term.

Huakaʻi by Hawaiian, a free program for residents of Hawaiʻi that includes travel deals and discounts, was launched in late 2024.

The recent move by parent company Alaska Air Group to modernize the Hawaiian fleet follows a plan to strengthen both airlines.

The Hawaiian aspect includes bolstering its reach and making market investments. Alaska Air Group aims to open a new lounge in Honolulu and spearhead improvements at airports in Hawai‘i.

Alaska Air Group has hubs in Seattle and Honolulu as well as Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. It frequents over 140 destinations around the globe.

©2026 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.