Alaska Airlines, Inc. announced that Hawaiian Airlines will replace its retiring Boeing 717 fleet with Hawaiian-branded Boeing 737-800 aircraft for Neighbor Island service, with the fleet transition planned to begin in 2028, according to a company press release.

The 737-800 aircraft will be based in Honolulu (HNL) and operated by Honolulu-based pilots and flight attendants. The new fleet will include twice as many First Class seats, more than 30 Premium Class seats, Starlink Wi-Fi, reclining leather Recaro seats, 110V power outlets, USB charging, seatback device holders, and additional cargo space for surfboards.

"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," said Diana Birkett Rakow, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines.

Before the full fleet transition, Alaska Airlines will add interim capacity on Neighbor Island routes. Starting in October, one Alaska-branded 737 will operate three round trips per day between Honolulu and Kahului (OGG), departing from Terminal 1 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

"The 737-800 gives us a proven, capable platform for the next chapter of Neighbor Island flying," said Jim Landers, Head of Hawai'i Operations.

The fleet decision is part of Alaska Air Group's strategic plan called Alaska Accelerate, which focuses on a dual-brand strategy involving both Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ALK).