Hawaiian and JAL sign new partnership

Hawaiian and Japan airlines signed a new partnership agreement Tuesday in Tokyo that will provide extensive code-sharing, lounge access and frequent-flyer program reciprocity. The agreement takes effect March 25, subject to government approval.

Among the highlights:

>> JAL guests will have unlimited access to Hawaiian’s neighbor island and Japan-Hawaii network, including nonstop flights between Sapporo and Honolulu.

>> Hawaiian Airlines will have full access to JAL’s domestic network, which includes Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai and Aomori.

>> Hawaiian’s Japan-to-Hawaii flights will be offered as new options within Japan Airlines’ wholly owned subsidiary JALPAK, a package tour operator in Japan.

>> JAL Mileage Bank and HawaiianMiles members will be able to earn miles on the code-share flights. Further opportunities for accrual and redemption of mileage will be expanded at a later date.

>> Guests will have access to both airlines’ lounges, and when Hawaiian has completed its planned relocation to Terminal 2 at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, guests of each airline will be able to more easily transfer between each carrier’s networks.

As part of the partnership, the two carriers also intend to establish a joint venture designed to provide even more choices, convenience and enhancements to the traveling public to and from Japan and beyond to multiple Asian markets.