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Hawaiian Airlines will upgrade the interiors of its Airbus A330 fleet beginning in 2028, part of a broader push to expand premium offerings.
The retrofits will add new seats, first-class suites and a premium economy cabin, in addition to new lighting and inflight entertainment. Hawaiian’s A330s are currently outfitted with 278 seats, offering a first class and a main cabin with extra legroom rows.
The total number of seats “will remain competitive with today’s configuration” following the upgrades, an airline spokesperson said. “But the cabin mix will evolve … [we] will share more details about our seating configuration as we get closer to starting the retrofit.”
Hawaiian’s timeline for the work takes into account operational needs, fleet availability, certification requirements, and supply chain timelines. A seat provider has yet to be selected.
Parent Alaska Air Group had previously disclosed that widebody upgrades were ahead, poised to follow an ongoing refurbishment of its Boeing 737s. The company is targeting a 29% premium seat share by summer 2026, when all 218 Boeing narrowbody aircraft retrofits are complete.
“We will also be elevating the guest experience by upgrading our Airbus 330 fleet with refreshed interiors and enhanced amenities,” Alaska Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison said during a July 2025 earnings call. “These strategic investments are not only meeting a structural growing demand for premium travel, they’re diversifying our revenue base and reinforcing our long-term competitive edge.”
Alaska gained access to widebody aircraft through its merger with Hawaiian and intends to continue operating a two-type widebody fleet for the foreseeable future, basing A330s in Honolulu and as many as 17 787s in Seattle—up from the four in service today. Hawaiian has 24 passenger A330s according to the Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database, a fleet averaging 12.6 years of age, and 10 A330Fs operating on behalf of Amazon. The carrier is acquiring three of its A330 aircraft off lease over the next 12 months “to support the future of this fleet in its service across the Pacific,” it noted while detailing the coming upgrades. Hawaiian currently owns half its passenger A330s, Fleet Discovery shows.
Timing for the A330 retrofits was announced by the company on Jan. 5, as it unveiled a five-year $600 million investment plan targeting the guest experience through upgrades to fleet, services, products, and infrastructure. Work will include renovations to airport lobbies and gates in Honolulu, Līhu’e, Kahului, Kona and Hilo beginning in 2026, and construction of a new 10,600 ft.2 premium lounge in Honolulu.
“Our Kahu’ewai Hawaii Investment Plan represents one of Hawaiian Airlines’ largest single investments in our infrastructure, products and services in Hawaii,” Hawaiian CEO Diana Birkett Rakow said.
Upgrades to the carrier’s app and website are also planned, as well as investments in new technology for employees, while an operational integration of Alaska and Hawaiian continues to progress. Receipt of a single operating certificate was announced at the end of October 2025, and the two brands expect to transition to a single passenger service system by late April. Alaska Air Group closed its acquisition of Hawaiian in September 2024.
“Hawaiian Airlines’ investment is exactly the kind of long-term commitment Hawaii needs,” stated Hawaii Gov. Josh Green. “Modern, welcoming airports improve the experience for residents and visitors alike, strengthen our economy and keep Hawaii competitive as a global destination.”
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