Hawaiian Airlines at the 2026 Merrie Monarch Festival
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Summary
Hawaiian Airlines has proudly sponsored the Merrie Monarch Festival for over 50 years.
Through its long-standing support of the festival, Hawaiian Airlines connects communities, families and cultural practitioners while perpetuating Hawaiʻi’s culture and traditions — showing the world that hula is not merely a performance, but a living history.
As another unforgettable Merrie Monarch Festival comes to a close, Hawaiian Airlines is reflecting with gratitude on its many employees and partners who work hand-in-hand each year to make the revered celebration of hula possible.
As another unforgettable Merrie Monarch Festival comes to a close, Hawaiian Airlines is reflecting with gratitude on its many employees and partners who work hand-in-hand each year to make the revered celebration of hula possible.
Hawaiian has proudly sponsored the Merrie Monarch Festival for over 50 years, leveraging its operations to support hālau (hula groups), musicians, cultural practitioners and festival goers from across the Islands and beyond and carry them to that famous stage at Hilo’s Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium.
Leading up to the festival
In the weeks leading up to the festival, Hawaiian Airlines employees step in to support hālau, attendees, residents, vendors and cargo traveling to Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island for the festivities. Local artisans from around the state rely on Hawaiian Air Cargo to transport their goods to the various craft fairs and markets that pop-up during Merrie Monarch. Festival organizers also count on the service to transport supplies like its event collateral, as well as coveted surprises such as ipu heke (double gourd drums) and ʻukulele made in Hawaiʻi and played to honor excellent performances at the competition
Hawaiian this year added 46 additional roundtrip flights to accommodate the influx of travelers to Hilo. The airline gifted the festival organizers dozens of complimentary tickets to support the hālau traveling to Hilo in addition to special group rates and two free bags. Hawaiʻi residents enrolled in Huakaʻi by Hawaiian received a special discount for Neighbor Island travel for themselves and up to six companions.
On the ground in Hilo
From transporting guests in the air to moving them on the ground, Hawaiian returned its popular shopping shuttle for festivalgoers between Hilo International Airport and the Merrie Monarch Arts & Crafts Fair in downtown Hilo – making it easier than ever to shop local and support Hawaiʻi artisans. Hawaiian also operated a complimentary shuttle between the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium and select Hilo hotels throughout the three competition days.
On the last day of the Festival, over 29 Team Kōkua volunteers gathered with aloha and pride to walk in the Merrie Monarch Royal Parade. Parade watchers were also greeted with a float for the Royal Court of the festival assembled entirely by Hawaiian Airlines employee and retiree volunteers.
Photo gallery: Hawaiian Airlines at the 2026 Merrie Monarch Festival
Through its long-standing support of the Merrie Monarch Festival, Hawaiian Airlines connects communities, families and cultural practitioners while perpetuating Hawaiʻi’s culture and traditions — showing the world that hula is not merely a performance, but a living history.
Here is a look back at Hawaiian Airlines at the 2026 Merrie Monarch Festival:
About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We’ll serve Europe beginning in spring 2026. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance, with Hawaiian scheduled to join oneworld in spring 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations with Atmos Rewards. Learn more about what’s happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as “ALK.”
