Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
FAA single operating certificate for Alaska, Hawaiian
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines received a FAA single operating certificate on October 29, 2025, beginning formal operational integration.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval allows both carriers to operate under one set of training, policies and procedures while continuing to present separate consumer brands. The regulatory milestone, announced on October 29, 2025, is designed to streamline crew scheduling, maintenance coordination and operational oversight across the two airlines during a phased transition.
Customers should see changes gradually: Hawaiian flights will adopt new flight numbers as systems are consolidated, but ticketing, check-in and day‑to‑day brand elements will remain distinct through the transition. Loyalty programs for each airline will also stay separate for now, as the carriers work toward system-level alignment without immediate changes to frequent‑flyer balances or status.
What the FAA single operating certificate means
The certificate lets Alaska and Hawaiian unify operational control while retaining separate commercial identities. Key milestones noted by the airlines include a move to a single passenger service system — the IT backbone for reservations and check‑in — expected by April 2026. Until that changeover, passengers should expect mostly familiar booking experiences, with backend updates rolling out route by route.
- FAA single operating certificate enables unified training, dispatch and maintenance processes while preserving separate brands and loyalty programs.
- New flight numbers for Hawaiian flights will appear as scheduling systems are harmonized.
- Full passenger service system transition targeted for April 2026; operational integration began October 29, 2025.
Operational benefits cited by the carriers include improved schedule resilience and more efficient crew utilization, which can help reduce disruptions during irregular operations. For the workforce, pilots, flight attendants and maintenance teams will follow a single set of procedures and training standards, though employment terms and branding elements are being handled separately in the integration plan.
For travelers, the immediate impacts are modest: expect updated flight numbers for some Hawaiian services and continued communication from each carrier about loyalty and booking details. The shift to one operating certificate is an industry‑normal step for airlines consolidating operational control while managing commercial identity and customer experience over a longer timeline.
