Hawaiian Airlines this month started construction of its new premium lounge in Honolulu, marking the milestone with a traditional Hawaiian blessing for the future, nearly 13,000-square-foot space conveniently located at the entrance of the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport’s (HNL) Mauka Concourse.
The Hawaiian Airlines Lounge is a key investment under Alaska Air Group’s Alaska Accelerate strategy to build a more global, premium and diversified company. Through its Kahuʻewai Hawaiʻi Investment Plan, the company is committing more than $600 million to improve travel to, from and within the islands by modernizing airport spaces, upgrading technology and retrofitting Hawaiian Airlines aircraft interiors.
Hawaiian hospitality comes to life in Honolulu
Set to open in the first half of 2028, the Hawaiian Airlines Lounge will welcome approximately 200 guests and offer an elevated standard of preflight comfort. It will expand the company’s existing HNL portfolio, which currently includes the Plumeria Lounge and six Premier Clubs across the islands. The new lounge also complements Hawaiian’s recently unveiled premium Leihōkū experience.
Guests visiting the Hawaiian Airlines Lounge will enjoy:
- Locally inspired food and beverages
- A signature local coffee experience
- A full-service bar featuring handcrafted cocktails
- Private workspaces and comfortable gathering areas
- Artwork and installations celebrating Hawaiʻi artists
- A design and guest experience that feels unmistakably Hawaiian Airlines
The new Honolulu lounge also reflects Hawaiian Airlines’ longstanding commitment to investing in Hawaiʻi with local partners. Architects Hawaii, the project’s architect of record, is contributing local expertise and deep understanding of Hawaiʻi; Gensler is bringing global hospitality design experience; and Nordic PCL Construction is providing local construction leadership and resources. Together, the partners are creating a modern premium environment that celebrates the culture, hospitality and natural beauty of the islands and feels authentically Hawaiian.
The new lounge is a key part of the company’s broader Kahu‘ewai Hawai’i Investment Plan that includes comprehensive upgrades to Hawaiian’s airport lobbies and gates across the islands, a premium interior retrofit of the Airbus A330 fleet, more modern web, app and airport technology for travelers, and exclusive deals for residents enrolled in Huaka‘i by Hawaiian within Atmos Rewards, in addition to sustainability and community investments. The plan is strengthening the Hawaiian Airlines brand and delivering greater value for guests, employees and the communities the combined company serves throughout Hawaiʻi.
A premium lounge experience takes shape in Seattle
At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, construction is underway on Alaska Airlines’ nearly 41,000-square-foot lounge complex located in the newly expanded C Concourse. The space will bring two distinct experiences under one roof: a 500-seat Alaska Lounge and a 200-seat Aurora Lounge for Aurora Suites guests and eligible long-haul international travelers. The Aurora Lounge will be a key part of Alaska’s newly designed end-to-end guest experience unveiled last month to bring premium touches to every stage of the journey.
Scheduled to open in late 2027, the expansive lounge complex will be the largest lounge at SEA, among the biggest in the United States and will further strengthen Seattle’s role as Alaska Air Group’s global gateway. Designed to reflect the spirit of the Pacific Northwest, it will offer guests a variety of ways to relax, work and dine before their journey. Highlights will include:
- Outdoor patio space with a fireplace
- Private work pods and wellness spaces
- Multiple premium bar experiences
- A coffee lab and fresh pastry offerings
- A pizza oven and locally inspired food and beverage program
- Premium shower suites and elevated dining experiences in the Aurora Lounge
Designed by Gensler and being built by PCL Construction, the new SEA lounge complex continues a partnership that has supported Alaska Lounge projects in Seattle for more than a decade, including four previous builds and major renovations. This next chapter brings to life a destination designed around the evolving needs of domestic and international travelers.
The new Seattle lounge destination will be the largest in Alaska Airlines’ lounge network and will complement the airline’s three existing Lounges in Seattle. It joins Alaska’s growing portfolio of premium spaces, including the newly opened 14,000-square-foot Lounge in Portland and a new Lounge planned for San Diego in 2028.
