Is Alaska Airlines good? Here’s what to know before you book your next flight

Alaska Air Group’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines is now complete, with both unified under Atmos Rewards and Hawaiian joining the oneworld alliance in April 2026. That means flyers now have access to 1,000+ destinations across Alaska, Hawaiian, and 30+ global partners on one account.

Is Alaska Airlines good? They have an award-winning loyalty program, but does that reputation hold up?

We’re here to break down the data, the onboard experience, what the merger changes, and how to still find the lowest fares with Alaska Airlines.

What’s the Alaska Airlines flying experience actually like?

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is free for Atmos Rewards members, and signing up for the program doesn't cost anything either. Alaska runs Starlink on its A321neo and A330 planes right now, with the rest of the fleet getting it through 2027. If your flight isn't on Starlink yet, you can still buy a session for around $8, so you're not cut off no matter what you board.

Meals

On any flight over 670 miles, you can pre-order snacks or a meal up to 20 hours before you fly. That's a nice touch on its own, but it also means your first choice won't be sold out by the time the cart reaches your row. The menu pulls from West Coast and Hawaii flavors, which lines up with the Hawaiian side of the airline now.

Legroom

Legroom comes down to which cabin you book. Economy gives you 31 to 32 inches of pitch, Premium Class bumps that to 35 to 36 inches, and First Class stretches out to 41. A few inches doesn't sound like much on paper, but on a five-hour flight it can make a big difference.

What it’s like in the air

Specs and research can only tell you so much about a flight. For a first-hand look at how all of this comes together at 35,000 feet, our writer flew Alaska to Hawaii and wrote up the whole trip, from boarding to touchdown. If you want to see what it’s really like up there, check out our first-hand Alaska Airlines review.

How does the Hawaiian Airlines merger change things?

Alaska Air Group bought Hawaiian Airlines outright in 2024, meaning Alaska owns Hawaiian rather than just partnering with it. Then came Atmos Rewards in August 2025, which merged the old Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles into a single program. Separate from all of that, Hawaiian joined the oneworld alliance in April 2026, an alliance Alaska has been part of since 2021.

What that adds up to for you is pretty simple. One account covers both airlines, your points and status carry across the whole network, and oneworld plus a handful of other partners push your reach past 1,000 destinations.

You don't have to choose between the two anymore because they finally work as one.

How to find the best Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines deals

Finding affordable airfare across the combined network is about as easy as it gets. Pick your departure city, pull up the one-way deals for that route, and choose the Saver fare for the lowest price.

From there, you can slide across flexible dates to see which days are cheapest to fly. Unlike other airlines, there’s no surprise add-ons that get tacked on along the way, so you always know what you're paying for.

You can see current routes and prices on the Alaska Airlines flight deals page and book once the dates work for you.

Is Alaska Airlines good?

Alaska Airlines has the kind of onboard experience most people are hoping for when they fly: free Wi-Fi, food worth pre-ordering, and a lot of options if you want more legroom.

The Hawaiian merger only sweetens the deal now that one account stretches across two airlines and more than 1,000 destinations. For a traveler who wants a comfortable flight without babysitting a complicated rewards setup, Alaska is an easy airline to recommend.