As you’re about to see, Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 first class is a little different than all the other US domestic first class products. And that’s a good thing.
You’re likely to notice that the seats aren’t very private. They’re also a little weird looking, and the lack of video screens will probably have you wondering if you made a bad choice.
I can tell you from experience, however, that looks can be deceiving. It’s still the best first class product to and from Hawaii IMHO (despite what any other airline would like you to believe).
HAL10
Honolulu, HI (HNL) – Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Aircraft: A330-243
Registration: N390HA
Duration: 4 hours 53 minutes
Seat: 3A (First Class)
Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 (N390HA) side view illustration by NorebboStock.com.Our route from Honolulu to Los Angeles today as HAL10.
My full review of Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 first class from Honolulu to Los Angeles
For the record, this wasn’t the first time I had flown Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 class. Check out the following video to see what my first experience was like a few years ago:
I went the opposite direction this time. What you’re about to read is an in-depth review of flight number 10 from Honolulu to Los Angeles – and yes, I would’ve much preferred to fly directly to San Diego instead.
Unfortunately, the usual A330 on the HNL-SAN route had been swapped to an A321 (temporarily) when I needed to take this flight. Los Angeles was my next best option (because A330 > A321).
Arrival at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu
HAL10 was scheduled to depart Honolulu and exactly 8 AM, so I rolled up to the main entrance at 7 feeling like a total boss. Would you believe that was still far too early?
The moral of the story is that you can learn from my mistake, and show up to this airport much later than you can at other airports. I could’ve easily arrived at 7:30 and still made the flight with time to spare.
But what if I don’t want to go home yet? Oh well. I’m here, so let’s just get on with this.Yes, the thought of turning right around and running away from the main entrance here did cross my mind.Then again, the Hawaiian Airlines check in hall and baggage drop area is always a pleasant place to begin a long journey, and I do need to get content for this review. I can think of much worse places to be (doing far more miserable things). I mean, somewhere in this world (right this instant) I’m sure there is a underpaid plumber attempting to unclog a toilet with his bare hands. It’s probably a little foolish of me to complain about flying to LA in Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 first class today.
Lounge access
Flying Hawaiian Airlines domestic first class to the US mainland from HNL will get you into the Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club. Honestly, it’s not even worth going into IMHO, and you’re better off finding a quiet spot to hang out in the main terminal instead.
It should also be noted that first class Hawaiian Airlines passengers traveling internationally have access to a completely different lounge. You’re not gonna get into that one with a ticket to the mainland (or a neighboring island) unfortunately.
Whoa. Concourse A in Terminal 1 at HNL is amazing!
It’s not very often that I’ll dedicate a complete section of an airline review to an airport terminal, but this is justified.
On one hand, the all new Concourse A here at HNL looks freaking amazing.
On the other hand, it has absolutely none of the charm of the old open air terminal that all of us old-timers know and love about the Honolulu International Airport.
The hell? Since when did HNL start looking like a major international airport?This is cool and all (really impressive actually), but…what happened to the open air concourses?Yeah, it was more than a little shocking to see how drastically things had changed since my last visit. Holy moly. Gate A8 is our departure point to LAX today. And I’ll admit that I was sad that there was nobody here telling us that the flight was canceled and that we needed to go back to the beach.Dang it. There is even an A330-200 parked out there that looks all prepped and ready to go.Said “prepped and ready to go” A330-200.
The boarding process for Hawaiian Airlines flight number 10 to Los Angeles
Boarding started exactly 7:20 AM (as they said it would). It’s always a bummer to leave Hawaii, but it’s never a bad thing to know that you’re about to be spoiled rotten for the next five hours in Hawaiian Airlines first class.
The most interesting part of the boarding process was the dedicated agricultural scanning station that everyone must pass through immediately after having your boarding pass scanned. It’s a little different than the way it used to be.
There’s still time to cancel this flight if they want! I think I’d survive.“At least I’m not unclogging toilets with my bare hands, at least I’m not unclogging toilets with my bare hands…”And then, suddenly, all was right with the world. Seeing that beautiful Hawaiian Airlines livery up close was all I needed to feel excited about getting to experience one of the best domestic first class seats again. It’s gonna be a good day. Don’t panic! I’m still trudging my way up to first class, and what you see here is not that. BTW, Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 Extra Comfort is a pretty decent “premium” economy product if you can nab one of these seats for a decent price.
My thoughts on the Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 first class seat
Having already had the chance to try these seats on a flight from San Diego to Honolulu a few years ago, I already knew that they were pretty good. They’re also a heck of a lot better than the old A330 first class seats.
The Hawaiian airlines A330-200 first class seat is unlike anything else that I ever seen on any other airline. I do like the colors and the textures, but I’m not a very big fan of how open and exposed they are. There isn’t very much privacy in these seats.
There we go. Welcome to what is easily the weirdest (but maybe the best) domestic first class cabin of any US airline.Seats 3A and 3B. I told you it was weird.The window seat is mine today. I give it bonus points for looking like a seat straight out of a 1985 Porsche 911 (brown “leather” and all).I really like this!Yup, pillows and blankets are included (as they should be).After all these years, I still don’t understand these overly-complex non-adjustable foot rests. Am I doing this right? I’m tempted to ring the flight attendant call button for clarification…Once you see the screaming face there on the center console, you’ll never unsee it. The “eyes” are actually a really interesting feature though – stay tuned for a full demonstration…Here’s my lame *** attempt to show you the underseat storage bins, the power outlets, seat recline mechanism, and the reading light. Who says weird can’t be functional?Seriously though – even if you think this first class cabin is ugly as sin, it’s hard not to appreciate the uniqueness of it. Me? I want to give Hawaiian Airlines a double-handed high-five for being so bold. This totally rocks!Here’s a preview of the menu for today’s flight. It looks great, but seeing Canadian bacon as part of the offering threw me off a little. What do they serve for lunch? Poutine?Filled with Canadian geese feathers, I’m sure.Actually, I wouldn’t mind a bit if this blanket was hand woven by an Inuit tribe in the northern Arctic somewhere (people who no doubt know a thing or two about staying warm). I froze my *** off the last time I flew Hawaiian Airlines!Imagining everything that had to go wrong for the Hawaiian Airlines board to sign off on Canadian bacon instead of pulled pork. That must’ve been a wild meeting!
The departure
Remember in my United Airlines 777-200 business class review where I was complaining about having to leave Hawaii so dang early in the morning? The exact same feeling applies here.
Not only was the weather exactly the same, the scenery on the way to the reef runway was just as beautiful. Yeah, departures from the Honolulu Airport are always spectacular.
Jet bridge detached. I was so depressed about leaving Hawaii that it didn’t even occur to me as I was taking this pic that “A8” is a clever long-form spelling of “eight.”Pushing back for an on-time A8am departure.Looking for a good time? I highly suggest reading my Hawaiian Airlines 717 economy review (which features screaming kids, stunning scenery, and awesome engine views). I can’t recommend it highly enough.Speaking of screaming kids, there was one seated in 1C that was none too pleased about having to leave Hawaii today. I was quite tempted to join in on her protest of the situation.One last look at Diamond Head (and the skyline of Waikiki) looming in the distance. “At least I’m not unclogging toilets with my bare hands, at least I’m not unclogging toilets with my bare hands…”Looks like we’re being trailed by a Delta 767-300. How much you wanna bet that Hawaiian pulled pork is on the menu in Delta One this morning?Be sure to watch the video of the departure (embedded below) to hear how amazing this sounded!*sniffle*In the immortal words of the Terminator: I’ll be back.
In-flight entertainment
First class in-flight entertainment on the Hawaiian Airlines A330 is weird, but good. There are no video screens integrated into the seats. Instead, they hand out giant iPads to everyone which fit into clever holders (built into the center console between the seats).
Remember those “eyes” I showed you earlier? They’re actually very clever retractable holders for the iPads (which the crew will be handing out shortly).Oh, and good news: there are retractable dividers in these seats as well (which come up from the center console). This definitely helps to make it a more private experience – but it’s not a large enough panel to prevent your seatmate from eavesdropping on your choice of in-flight entertainment.Anti social mode: engage!
The selection of movies and TV shows is excellent. It seems to be mostly modern stuff, and unless you’re the pickiest person in the world, you won’t have any issues trying to find something to watch.
Voila! These arms are highly adjustable by the way (you can adjust both height and angle). Oh, calm down. These iPads are loaded with enough excellent content to make you forget about the fact that there are no video screens built into the seats. It’s actually a very nice solution!
Noise canceling headphones decent. I’ve had better, but they certainly weren’t the worst.
The noise canceling headphones plug directly into the iPads. I can neither confirm nor deny that (at first) I foolishly tried looking for an audio input in the seat itself.Looks like somebody just found the “soothing sounds of Hawaii” channel.
The food
One thing that makes it worth flying Hawaiian Airlines over any other (at least in first class) is that they actually make an effort to serve Hawaiian-themed cuisine (minus the Canadian bacon stuff you saw on the menu earlier).
The food is slightly above cafeteria quality at best, but the meal they served on this flight to Los Angeles was plenty tasty. I ate every last bite, and I have no shame in admitting it.
No Canadian nuts today? How disappointing.Breakfast. It’s not exactly what I imagined it to be, but it doesn’t look all that bad either. I’m going in…Not before getting some sexy closeups of the Canadian bacon first, though.Do you suppose Canada signed off on this?I don’t want to speak for Canada, but I can tell you that this earned the coveted SANspotter stamp of approval. It was actually quite good!And I don’t even care that this fruit was probably grown in Mexico and processed in a factory in east LA somewhere. It seemed really fresh, and that’s all that really matters.Cake for dessert? After breakfast? Yet another reason why Hawaii is the greatest land of all.Someone’s a little jealous me thinks.
Testing out the lie flat seats
Because there’s nothing more healthy than lying flat on your back after consuming a gut-busting meal, I wasted no time in whipping out the heavy blanket they provided and putting my seat into a deep state of recline.
I didn’t go fully lie flat, as I wasn’t all that tired – but I can assure you that this would be a very comfortable seat to sleep in on long international flights. As long as you can deal with the lack of privacy, you won’t have any issues.
Yes, I can see everyone (and everyone can see me), but no matter. This is a really comfortable seat for lounging.It’s probably a really good seat for sleeping in as well, but I wouldn’t know. The sugar rush from the cake was no joke!Yes – window seat passengers can access the aisle without the person in the aisle seat having to move, but it will be awkward at times (especially with the iPads in place).Sigh. Staying properly hydrated means awkward interactions with your seatmate (as you climb over them) to use the lavatory. Bottoms up I guess! Both figuratively and literally lol…Speaking of the lavatory…it’s a nice place to hide in shame after an awkward encounter with your seatmate as you stumbled over them just now. The flowers are a nice touch!
A few words about the cabin service for the second half of the flight
One of the other things that I’ve always liked about flying Hawaiian Airlines first class is how well the flight attendants take care of everyone during the course of the flight. My glass of water was never more than half empty the entire time, and the flight attendants were constantly coming through the aisles offering snacks to anyone feeling a little hungry.
Although these first class seats aren’t as good as what some of the other airlines are offering, it’s the onboard service which makes flying Hawaiian Airlines first class to and from Hawaii so darn good.
The descent and arrival into Los Angeles
Unfortunately, it’s true. All good things must come to an end, and I got my first glimpse of the coast of California much sooner than I had hoped to.
Land! (That’s not me being bossy – I’m just reporting what I see). The cabin is prepared. Let’s do this.
We approached LAX from the south, making landfall just south of Long Beach and then making a wide left-hand suite in turn to line up with runway 25L.
Looks like we’re setting up for a south side arrival into LAX this afternoon. That’s Long Beach down there, so…25L is is then!Damn I’m good. Can’t say that I wasn’t tempted to knock on the cockpit door and ask if they needed any help on the way in. I know. They’d surely kick me out as soon a I started spewing off classic Top Gun quotes such as “you’re a little low Cougar, pull up!”Welcome to LAX – as well as the new home for Hawaiian Airlines here (the farthest west end of the Tom Bradley International Terminal).
Note: Hawaiian Airlines has moved to the far west end of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. This is inconvenient in my opinion, as it requires one heck of a long walk back to the main terminal. Oh well. At least I was in a good mood from yet another really awesome flight in Hawaiian A330 first class.
The seatbelt sign was turned off 10 seconds ago, and not surprisingly, nobody seems all that eager to end their Hawaiian vacation.The truth is I’m not all that eager either.Curious about what’s in my bag? Thanks to that very thorough agricultural inspection back at HNL before boarding this flight, I can promise you that I’m not smuggling pineapples and flowers today. Dirty socks and underwear yes, but definitely no pineapples and flowers.That moment when you realize how long of a walk it’s going to be back to the main terminal. Hawaiian Airlines got the short end of the stick with these new gate assignments here at LAX!
Pros and cons of flying first class on the Hawaiian Airlines A330-200
I’m just gonna come right out and say it: this is the best premium seat to and from Hawaii on any airline. Actually, I should be more specific: it’s actually the best first class product. The seat is kind of so-so.
Pros
It’s one of the most unique looking first class products you’ll ever fly. I qualify this is a “pro” because of how comfortable it is.
The quality of the in-flight entertainment is quite good.
Even the window seat passengers don’t have direct aisle access, there’s so much space between the seats that it’s extremely easy to step over / around the person in the aisle seat (even if they’re sleeping).
It’s a relatively small first class cabin, so you won’t have to wait long to be served food and drinks if you’re seated in the last row.
Cons
There are only three rows of first class seats on the Hawaiian A330-200 (18 seats total), so there’s not a lot to go around. Book early if you want a good seat!
The lack of privacy in the seats is borderline awkward. Thank God for the retractable divider, because otherwise, you’d get to know your seatmate quite well (whether you like it or not).
The lack of integrated video screens in the seats makes in-flight entertainment a somewhat clumsy experience.
Yep, as expected, this review was a lot better than the one from 2019! It was really great actually.
I think the main takeaway from this review is that Hawaiian’s A330 first class product has a lot of character, and it’s certainly unique.
Also, has the open air terminal at HNL really been replaced? Surely you can’t be serious!
I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley. Haha! Really though, the open air terminals still exist (thank goodness) – but it seems like the all new A concourse is a preview of what is to come at HNL over the coming years. I can only hope that they retain the open air features when they eventually redo the other terminals.
Haha! I’m of the firm opinion that “Airplane!” qoutes are the best kinds of quotes.
Anyway, it’s good to hear that there are still some open air terminals at HNL, even if their days might be numbered. Hopefully I’ll get to visit them before they are stripped of all character. If not, well, I think Hawaii has a lot more to offer than just an airport. Lol
I really wish Hawaiian Airlines would offer seasonal service to Hawaii from Anchorage, Alaska. It’s the same distance and time from the West Coast. There is space at the B Gates when the seasonal summer carriers like Sun Country pull out. Alaska Air has us hostage here, they could use some competition. We would fight over these first class seats!
Didn’t Hawaiian used to fly to Anchorage? I’m surprised that didn’t work out, as I’ve heard that Hawaiians love Alaska, and Alaskans love Hawaii. It’s a good thing I don’t run an airline, because that would be one of the first routes I would launch! lol
You’re very welcome Diane! I really enjoyed putting this review together (I mean, what’s not fun about going to Hawaii?), so I’m glad you found it useful.
Peter
Yep, as expected, this review was a lot better than the one from 2019! It was really great actually.
I think the main takeaway from this review is that Hawaiian’s A330 first class product has a lot of character, and it’s certainly unique.
Also, has the open air terminal at HNL really been replaced? Surely you can’t be serious!
Scott (SANspotter)
I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley. Haha! Really though, the open air terminals still exist (thank goodness) – but it seems like the all new A concourse is a preview of what is to come at HNL over the coming years. I can only hope that they retain the open air features when they eventually redo the other terminals.
Glad you enjoyed this updated version!
Peter
Haha! I’m of the firm opinion that “Airplane!” qoutes are the best kinds of quotes.
Anyway, it’s good to hear that there are still some open air terminals at HNL, even if their days might be numbered. Hopefully I’ll get to visit them before they are stripped of all character. If not, well, I think Hawaii has a lot more to offer than just an airport. Lol
MsJan
I really wish Hawaiian Airlines would offer seasonal service to Hawaii from Anchorage, Alaska. It’s the same distance and time from the West Coast. There is space at the B Gates when the seasonal summer carriers like Sun Country pull out. Alaska Air has us hostage here, they could use some competition. We would fight over these first class seats!
Scott (SANspotter)
Didn’t Hawaiian used to fly to Anchorage? I’m surprised that didn’t work out, as I’ve heard that Hawaiians love Alaska, and Alaskans love Hawaii. It’s a good thing I don’t run an airline, because that would be one of the first routes I would launch! lol
Diane
Thank you! That was very informative and funny! I couldn’t find other pics of those seats so your article was above and beyond! Aloha!
Scott (SANspotter)
You’re very welcome Diane! I really enjoyed putting this review together (I mean, what’s not fun about going to Hawaii?), so I’m glad you found it useful.