Does Hawaiian Airlines have business class? Indeed, it does. If you’re flying Hawaiian Airlines to Asia or the South Pacific, a business class ticket can get you there in a lie-flat seat that comes with excellent service and the airline’s famous aloha spirit.

Here’s what you need to know about Hawaiian Airlines business class to help you determine if it is worth the extra cost.

What is business class on Hawaiian Airlines?

International travelers can fly business class on Hawaiian Airlines. Passengers get a spacious seat — about 20 inches wide — with a full 76 inches to stretch out or lie fully flat. Plus, business class passengers get a privacy screen between seats, personal USB and AC outlets, elevated meal service and other perks.

On international flights, Hawaiian Airlines calls its most premium cabin business class. Hawaiian flies internationally to:

American Samoa.

Australia.

Japan.

New Zealand.

South Korea.

French Polynesia.

When you consider Hawaiian Airlines business class versus first class, it's hard to differentiate. The business class cabin on international flights is the same cabin that, for longer domestic flights, is called first class.

In short: Both business class and first class on Hawaiian are essentially the same.

Airport experience

On the ground, Hawaiian business class passengers get:

Two free checked bags.

Early boarding.

Priority check-in.

Priority security screening.

Lounge access in Honolulu, Sydney, Tokyo, Seoul and Auckland.

If you’re flying business class out of Honolulu, your ticket includes access to the airline’s Plumeria Lounge, serving complimentary food, beer, wine and soft drinks. Meanwhile, business class passengers flying out of Sydney, Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita, Seoul or Auckland get access to a partner lounge as part of their ticket.

The Plumeria Lounge at Honolulu International Airport. (Photo by June Casagrande)

In-flight experience

What is Hawaiian Airlines business class like inflight? Passengers enjoy:

Hawaii-regional cuisine created by award-winning chefs.

Unlimited beverage service, including signature Hawaiian-inspired cocktails and Maui Brewing Company beer.

Free movies, TV and music.

180-degree lie-flat seats with premium bedding.

Amenity kit with personal grooming products on flights eight hours or longer.

How to book Hawaiian Airlines business class

Booking with cash

At the Hawaiian Airlines website, enter the details of your international trip and click “Search flights.”

Your search results will automatically include a business class option, if available.

Click “View seats” to pull up a chart of the business class cabin for your flight, showing which seats are already claimed and which are still unclaimed. If you like your options, select the flight you want and book it. You’ll be able to select your seats before you finalize your ticket purchase.

Booking with HawaiianMiles

Before booking a ticket with HawaiianMiles, you must be logged in to your account. That way, you can see how many miles your business class seat will cost — and ensure that you have enough to cover the award ticket's cost.

Enter your travel dates and destination as you would for a cash fare, then click “Search.” Because you’re logged in, the search results page will now give you the option to use miles. Choose this option and you see the name of the business class column changes to first class.

It’s the same premium cabin seat, just with a different name to correspond to Hawaiian’s award charts and other online information.

Select the first class itinerary you want, then proceed to booking and seat selection.

There’s also a “Dollars and miles” option, but it tends to be a poor value. We recommend aiming for a redemption rate of at least 1.2 cents per point when booking award tickets on Hawaiian.