Hawaiian Airlines is expected to provide the University of Hawaii with some much-needed travel support as part of the airline’s naming rights deal for the field at Aloha Stadium.

The new artificial playing surface at the stadium will be known as Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium, the airline and stadium announced Thursday.

Although terms of the deal between the airline and Aloha Sports Properties, the stadium’s advertising representative, were not announced, Hawaiian is expected to pay $2.5 million over five years. The money is being designated for a replacement for the newly installed field when that warranty concludes.

In addition, as much as $250,000 will reportedly go to UH over the period of the agreement.

The official unveiling of the new $1.76 million UBU Speed Series turf is at the Aug. 11 media day. It replaces turf that had been in place for eight years through the 2011 Pro Bowl.

"I’m just happy with getting the new field and I’m happy with the deal," said Kevin Chong Kee, chairman of the Aloha Stadium Authority, which supervised the agreement. Chong Kee said the teaming of Hawaiian Airlines with the stadium "is an example of public-private partnership supported by the (Gov. Neil Abercrombie) administration."

Since UH is the marquee tenant and biggest draw for the 50,000-seat facility, the stadium authority said it talked with the parties about including the Warriors.

Travel is UH’s third-highest expense after salary-benefits and scholarships, comprising about 14 percent of the $29 million budget. Those numbers will climb in 2012 when UH leaves the Western Athletic Conference for the Mountain West (football) and Big West (most other sports). As a condition of membership in both, UH estimates it will pay about $1.2 million per year to subsidize opponent travel.

Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian president and CEO, said, "We are pleased to use funds from our marketing budget to contribute to these much-needed improvements and increasing our support of the home team at UH."