Most airlines fly narrowbody jets to and from Hawaii, with standard first class recliners at the front of the plane. And while you may occasionally find lie-flat seats to Hawaii , including Hawaiian Airlines' older Airbus A330s, those outdated seats fall far short of the airline's sterling service.
Enter Hawaiian's brand-new first class suites on their Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which have changed the game. Dubbed Leihōkū suites, these are on par with (or even better than) the business class suites flying on the world's top-ranked airlines.
The seats themselves are incredibly spacious and unbelievably private, with closing doors to shut out the rest of the cabin. And while the lack of lounge access beforehand and paltry inflight amenities stood out, so did Hawaiian's warm service onboard.
Just weeks after these new suites finally entered service, I recently flew from San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL). From the booking process to the incredibly spacious seats and Hawaiian's inflight service, here's what it was like.
How to Book Hawaiian Airlines First Class Suites
The first step to booking these beautiful Hawaiian Airlines First Class suites is to know which routes Hawaiian is flying its 787 Dreamliner. There aren't many of them – at least not yet.
Hawaiian launched this new bird flying from San Francisco to Honolulu on April 16. While I wasn't on the inaugural flight, I flew this route during the short one-month window when you could from SFO as Hawaiian shifted this plane to new markets in mid-May.
As of publication, you'll currently find the 787 Dreamliner equipped with these first class suites scheduled on the following routes:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL) – one daily flight
Los Angeles (LAX) to Maui (OGG) – starting Nov. 3, 2024
Phoenix (PHX) to Honolulu (HNL) – through Nov. 2, 2024
That said, this could easily change. And over time, these suite-equipped 787s should become prevalent on more and more routes – including between Honolulu and the East Coast, Asia or even the South Pacific – as Hawaiian Airlines gets more jets delivered.
But you also need to pay close attention to the individual flight, not just the route. Flying between Los Angeles and Honolulu, for example, Hawaiian also flies its older Airbus A330s several times a day. That means you'll need to zero in on the single frequency that flies aboard the 787 with these fancy first class suites.
As of publication, flight numbers HA3 (LAX to HNL) and HA2 (HNL to LAX) are on the 787. On Google Flights , look for “individual suite” when searching for business or first class tickets.
Typically, you'll find fares north of $2,500 roundtrip to fly these stylish suites first class to Hawaii. But we've seen it dip below $1,500 on occasion, alerting Thrifty Traveler Premium members immediately when it happens.
But the best way to book these flights is with points and miles.
Hawaiian Airlines charges as low as 40,000 Hawaiian miles each way – and those miles are incredibly easy to earn. You can instantly transfer Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt points directly to Hawaiian miles. Hawaiian also sells seats for double this price … but if you hunt for these cheapest “saver” award seats , you can see that it sometimes costs the same number of miles for first class as it does for a standard award in economy.
Better yet, you can also book these flights with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. While Virgin charges the same 40,000 points one-way , there are often transfer bonuses which can drop the number of points required down to as low as 31,000 each way.
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Since Virgin is a transfer partner with all the major banks, you can book these flights through Virgin whether you have Amex, Bilt, Chase , Capital One , or Citi points , too. This means points earned on top travel cards like the *chase sapphire preferred* , *amex gold* , or the *venture x* , can be used to book Hawaiin's first class suites.
A small hurdle when booking with Virgin points is you'll need to call Virgin to book Hawaiian Airlines flights . These redemptions are not available to book online. But any dates you find on Hawaiian's website for 40,000 miles can typically be booked with Virgin over the phone.
In my case, we transferred 40,000 Amex points to Hawaiian, paying just a $5.60 tax bill on top of the miles for a one-way to Honolulu in brand-new first class suites.
At Thrifty Traveler, we don’t accept freebies. We use our own points, miles, or cash to pay for every single flight or hotel you see reviewed here – including this one.
About a week before my flight, I received an email asking if I'd like to purchase Hawaiian Airlines Premium Airport Service . After researching what was included, I decided it wasn't worthwhile for a flight into Honolulu: The airline charged $500 (for a party of two) for escorts through the terminal, baggage delivery, and a “Premium lei greeting” for arrivals.
Departing from (or connecting through) Honolulu, that premium service also includes access to the airline's private new “Apt. 1929” lounge, which looks quite fancy.
Photo courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines
Can You Upgrade to Hawaiian First Class?
Travelers always ask if they can upgrade an economy ticket to first class.
In almost every case, it's better to book the cabin you want to fly than bank on an upgrade. There's no guarantee that an upgrade will be available – if it's possible at all.
With Hawaiian, it's a mixed bag. To be eligible for an upgrade on Hawaiian Airlines, you'll need to have purchased at least a Main Cabin economy ticket with cash – economy award redemptions or basic economy tickets are not eligible for upgrades, period.
And while it's possible to upgrade to first class with Hawaiian miles , it hinges on upgrade availability, which isn't a slam dunk. Hawaiian has two different levels of upgrades using miles, starting from 25,000 miles one-way for a “saver” upgrade between North America and Hawaii, and double that for a “flex” upgrade. In some cases, that charge of 50,000 miles or more to upgrade exceeds the cost of booking first class from the beginning.
You can also bid for an upgrade up to 28 hours before departure. If your bid is accepted, you'll get an email 48 hours to 24 hours prior to departure. Finally, day-of-departure upgrades may be available based on availability starting from $399 between the West Coast and Hawaii. I wouldn't count on these being available for Hawaiian's new first class suites, but it's worth checking with an agent at the airport if you're interested.
Checking In & Boarding Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines' check-in and boarding process is fairly standard, but one thing that's worth noting is that Hawaiian doesn't offer lounge access with your ticket when departing mainland U.S. airports .
Terminal A at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) was fairly empty when I arrived for my morning departure to Honolulu (HNL). You can choose to check-in online, at a kiosk, or with a Hawaiian Airlines agent at the desk. If you have bags to check, you'll have a dedicated check-in line when flying first class.
While Hawaiian Airlines doesn't have a lounge at SFO (or any mainland U.S. airport) for its first class passengers, the Golden Gate Lounge at SFO is accessible for those with Priority Pass – a perk you can get with many premium travel cards .
The lounge wasn't crowded when I was there and had a good selection for breakfast. Personally, I didn't care for Hawaiian Airlines' inflight meal, so I'd recommend grabbing a bite to eat before your flight if you can – especially if they're serving breakfast onboard.
If you're departing from Honolulu (HNL), all first class tickets get access to Hawaiian's Premier Club . And travelers flying all the way to East Coast cities like Boston (BOS) and New York City (JFK) can access The Plumeria Lounge .
You can also enter The Plumeria Lounge for free if you have Priority Pass, but Hawaiian restricts Priority Pass access to this lounge if it's full. This means first class ticketholders flying to the East Coast shouldn't have to wait to enter the lounge in Honolulu.
I arrived at the gate in San Francisco about an hour before departure and found it to be quite busy. Despite plenty of nearby seating, people were still crowding the gate area.
First class passengers board just after Hawaiian's pre-boarding for passengers who need a little extra time. On my flight, there were a lot of passengers pre-boarding so there was a short wait before first class passengers were able to board.
We boarded at the door just behind the first class cabin, right into a galley with a modern look and wood-finished flooring. And the crew's Hawaiian-themed uniforms looked sharp.
As soon as I took a left to find my seat, I could tell this was going to be a good flight. The Hawaiian boarding music with video on the seat monitors was a nice touch, putting me in vacation mode right from the start.
Hawaiian Airlines First Class Cabin Aboard the 787
There's a lot to love about Hawaiian's first class cabin on its new 787 Dreamliners.
For starters, it's incredibly spacious. The dark brown seats with light blue accents really pop, while the lighting overhead brings a sense of calm as soon as you step on the plane.
There are a total of 34 first class seats spread across nine rows in a 1-2-1 configuration on Hawaiian's 787s. All window seats (A and J) angle toward the window, making them the best option for solo travelers as they provide the most privacy by far.
Those traveling with a companion may prefer to choose the middle section of seats (C and G), which angle toward the aisle. Since you'll be facing away from each other, it may be a little awkward to have a conversation during the flight. There's also a privacy divider if you don't know your neighbor.
If you're traveling with an infant, you may want to choose seats 2C or 2G, since these have built-in bassinets in front of the seat.
Looking up, the starry ceiling brings a relaxing feel to the cabin. It may be a little gimmicky but it had a cool effect when the lighting was dimmed. Plus, it goes with the airline's Leihōkū theme, which means “lei of stars.”
There are overhead lights above the seats but you won't find any personal air vents. This shouldn't be too much of an issue as I thought the cabin had a perfect temperature throughout the flight: I never felt too hot or too cold.
There are two lavatories for the first class cabin: one at the front and one at the rear. Both are typical airplane bathrooms, but since this is a brand-new plane, it seemed cleaner than your average onboard lavatory. There's a diaper-changing table that folds down for parents traveling with infants.
Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the first class cabin on Hawaiian's new 787 Dreamliner. When the doors are closed on the suites, it gives everyone their own personal space, which adds a level of comfort you don't get in other first class cabins.
Hawaiian Airlines 787 First Class Suites
Flying in a lie-flat seat is a nice way to kick off a vacation to Hawaii … but your own individual suite? That's a dream come true.
I chose window seat 5A and was immediately impressed with how spacious the suites were on Hawaiian's 787 Dreamliner. The lamp provides a nice ambiance, much like the excellent Hawaiian boarding music.
If you want some privacy during your flight, the sliding doors provide you with your own little pod. The doors don't latch but it still does the job if you want to shut off the outside world for a bit.
Inside the suite, the console table is on the small side but I was impressed with the stylish, marble-like finish. This was probably the newest aircraft I've ever flown, and it was obviously in mint condition.
Under the monitor, you'll find the tray table, which expands and swivels to your liking. I found it to be quite sturdy and there was plenty of space to use a laptop. The slip-proof surface is a great detail that can save you from a spilled beverage during turbulence.
There's no shortage of legroom in Hawaiian's first class suites. And while the seat width isn't as wide as the seats you'll find flying ANA business class or other prestigious international airlines, there's still plenty of room to get comfortable.
The biggest downside to Hawaiian's first class suites is the narrow footwell. This means there isn't much room for storage – or to move your feet around when you're fully reclined in lie-flat mode.
As for storage, you'll need to keep most of your belongings in the overhead bin for takeoff and landing.
There isn't much room to stow anything inside the suite. Other than the small space in the footwell, there's only a small nook to store personal items where the headphones usually hang. There's also a mirror behind the door to this compartment if you want to freshen up at your seat.
When that door is closed, it has a nice clean look. This space also includes a reading light you push to activate as well as a wireless charging pad for your phone. I wasn't able to get the wireless charging port to work during my flight … but that could very well have been a user error – I don't use these often.
In any case, it looks slick and includes an expandable strap to keep your phone secure while charging.
I had no issues charging my phone by plugging it into the standard USB port just below the built-in power inside every suite. You'll also find a wired remote here to control the entertainment screen.
There aren't any physical window shades. Instead, the amount of light allowed through the window can be controlled by the push of a button. Along with three dim settings on the lamp, you can create a pretty cool ambiance in your suite.
When you're ready to kick back and relax, or lie flat and take a nap, you can adjust your seat with the push of a button. There are three pre-set settings, which will hold when the light turns blue.
Halfway between upright and lie-flat mode, you can kick back while watching a movie or enjoying a good book.
The headrest is adjustable if you want to lean to either side and take a snooze while seated in this position. There's also an adjustable armrest on the aisle side that raises or lowers to whatever level is required.
