Hawaiian Airlines, now part of the Alaska Air Group, is advancing its fleet modernization by replacing older Airbus A330 aircraft with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The airline operates primarily from Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and maintains a secondary hub at Kahului Airport on Maui. Hawaiian Airlines is one of the ten largest carriers in the United States and offers extensive routes connecting Hawaii to destinations across the Pacific Rim, including Australia, New Zealand (seasonally), Japan, the Cook Islands, and South Korea.
The decision to transition to the Boeing 787-9 came after initial plans to renew the fleet with Airbus A330-800s. Hawaiian Airlines finalized a deal with Boeing in March 2018 for ten 787-9 aircraft, later increasing this order to twelve as part of a delivery deferral agreement. After delays, the first Dreamliner joined the fleet in early 2024 for domestic routes to the U.S. West Coast. According to ch-aviation data, four Boeing 787-9s are currently operated by Hawaiian Airlines; however, all are scheduled for transfer to Alaska Airlines by spring 2026. There are also plans for up to five more 787-9s on order that may be converted into larger-capacity 787-10 models.
Configured for up to 300 passengers across two classes—34 in Premium Cabin (business/first), 79 in Extra Comfort (economy plus), and 187 in Main Cabin (economy)—the Boeing 787-9 provides slightly higher capacity than Hawaiian’s Airbus A330-200.