The DoT has announced some ‘binding, enforceable public-interest protections from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines prior to the close of their merger‘. The biggest of which is that Hawaiian miles must convert to Alaska at a rate of 1:1. Other protections include:
No expiration for miles earned under current programs: All HawaiianMiles miles and Alaska Mileage Plan miles earned prior to conversion into the new combined loyalty program must not expire.
Transfer miles at 1:1 ratio: Rewards members can transfer HawaiianMiles miles to and from Alaska Mileage Plan miles at a 1:1 ratio prior to the launch of the new combined loyalty program. Each outstanding HawaiianMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan mile must be converted into a mile in the new loyalty program at a 1:1 ratio, resulting in all members having the same number of miles before and after conversion.
Maintain value of miles: The combined airline must not take any actions that would devalue HawaiianMiles miles, must maintain the value of each unredeemed HawaiianMiles mile earned prior to the merger closing, must honor all active HawaiianMiles promotions from prior to the merger closing, and must continue to award HawaiianMiles miles at the same or greater value. The combined airline must maintain a minimum dollar value for all miles in the new loyalty program, measured by the guest-facing value of miles redeemed for carrier-operated flights.
Match, maintain, or increase status: Under the new combined loyalty program, the combined airline must match and maintain the equivalent status levels that HawaiianMiles members hold under the HawaiianMiles program, match and maintain status levels and conferred benefits that are equivalent to Alaska’s Mileage Plan program, and match or increase status and conferred benefits as necessary to ensure members of each existing loyalty program are treated no less favorably relative to status, including by matching or increasing members’ elite status in the new combined loyalty program, for the remainder of the applicable program year.
No new junk fees: The combined airline must not impose change or cancellation fees on rewards redemption tickets for travel on carrier-operated flights.
Unfortunately American Express is no longer offering a 20% transfer bonus to Hawaiian and the business 70,000 mile offer has ended as well. The personal card still has a 70,000 mile bonus.