The Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Business Mastercard® offers a nice welcome bonus and 2x miles at gas stations, dining, and at office supply stores.
But it lacks the typical benefits of an airline credit card, such as a free checked bag or priority boarding.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
Welcome Bonus
The Hawaiian Business Mastercard currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn up to 70,000 Bonus HawaiianMiles: 60,000 miles after spending $2,000 and 10,000 miles after a purchase on an employee card, each within the first 90 days.
Additionally, new cardmembers receive a one-time 50% off companion discount between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airlines.
Earning HawaiianMiles
The Hawaiian Business Mastercard earns HawaiianMiles at the following rate:
- 3 miles per dollar on Hawaiian Airlines purchases;
- 2 miles per dollar at gas stations;
- 2 miles per dollar for dining;
- 2 miles per dollar at office supply stores; and
- 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Annual Fee
The Hawaiian Business Mastercard has a $99 annual fee which is high considering the card lacks any notable benefits.
You can also add complimentary employees card to earn additional rewards for your business spending.
Card Benefits and Perks
Below are the benefits and perks of the Hawaiian Business Mastercard:
Up to 40,000 Anniversary Bonus HawaiianMiles
Cardmembers can earn up to 40,000 HawaiianMiles, but it requires a lot of spending on the card each year.
You can earn 20,000 miles if you spend at least $50,000 and additional 20,000 miles after spending $100,000 in annual purchases.
Transfer HawaiianMiles With No Transaction Fee
Cardmembers can transfer HawaiianMiles to friends and family without a fee by holding the card.
World Elite Mastercard Benefits
This card is a World Elite Mastercard, which gets you access to these special benefits and discounts:
- DoorDash: Automatically get $5 off your first DoorDash order each month.
- Lyft: Take 3 rides in one calendar month and pay with your World Elite Mastercard to earn a $5 Lyft credit.
- Fandango: Spend $20 at Fandango or on Fandango’s streaming service and get a $5 Fandango Reward.
- ShopRunner: ShopRunner is an online membership that unlocks free 2-day shipping and free returns at dozens of top stores, including Under Armour, Cole Hann, Bloomingdale’s, and more.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card has no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S., which is helpful if you travel internationally to help you avoid paying a 3% fee on those international purchases.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
- Nice welcome bonus.
Cons:
- No free checked bags or priority boarding like most airline business credit cards.
- No airport lounge access.
- Lack of travel and purchase protections.
- $99 annual fee with little benefits to offset the annual fee.
Alternatives to the Hawaiian Business Card
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Better for Travel Benefits
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review) offers great rewards for small business owners. With bonus points on travel, shipping, advertising, and communication services, plus valuable travel protections, it’s a solid choice for companies looking to maximize their everyday spending.
Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards: 3x points on travel, shipping, advertising made with social media sites and search engines, and internet, cable and phone services on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year; 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
Card Benefits: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Better for Travel to Hawaii
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (review) stands out by offering free Wi-Fi on every Southwest flight and four Upgraded Boardings each year. Business travelers will appreciate additional perks including anniversary bonus points, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck reimbursement, and the ability to transfer points between accounts without fees.
Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earn Rewards: 4x points on Southwest Airlines purchases; 3x points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; 2x points on local transit, commuting (including rideshare), social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services; and 1x points on all other purchases.
Card Benefits: 9,000 bonus points each year after your Cardmember anniversary, Four upgraded boardings per year, up to 365 In-flight Wi-Fi credits per year, up to a $500 fee credit for points transfers to another Rapid Rewards Member each year, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee credit of up to $120 every four years, no foreign transaction fees, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty, and purchase protection.
Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Better for Everyday Spending
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 2 Points Per Dollar on the First $50,000 in Purchases Each Calendar Year (1x Points thereafter)
- 0.0% Intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months. After that, reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
- No Annual Fee (rates & fees)
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (review) offers a strong 2x Membership Rewards points on the first $50,000 in purchases annually, making it an excellent no-annual-fee (rates & fees) option for small business owners. This card provides good value for everyday spending and access to Amex’s 20+ transfer partners, though it does have foreign transaction fees.
Welcome Bonus: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
Earning Points: 2 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar on the first $50,000 spent on the card annually (then 1 point per dollar).
Card Benefits: Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Expanded Buying Power, and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, after that a reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR applies.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Air France – KLM Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, Hilton, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic.
Is the Hawaiian Business Card Worth It?
The Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard® is a lackluster card overall, but it could be valuable for the welcome bonus and one-time discount. After the first year, I would ditch the card for much better options.
If you are looking for another airline card, here are some of my favorites:
- Delta – Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card (review).
- United– United℠ Business Card (review).
- American– CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®.
- Southwest – Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (review).
For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, please click here. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
