Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® Review
Overview
The Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® is a category rewards card from Barclays, running on the Mastercard network. The Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® earns up to 2x on dining, groceries, and gas, so it pays you the most exactly where you already spend. It carries a $99 annual fee, so the real question is whether its rewards, credits, and perks clear that bar for the way you spend. New cardholders can earn Up to 70,000 bonus points after $1,000 in 90 days + $2,000 in 180 days.
It lands in the mid tier: a modest annual fee in exchange for stronger earn rates and a meaningful welcome offer. The right call depends on whether your spending and the perks clear that fee each year.
Think twice if: you are not loyal to this brand. The rewards lose value the moment your travel plans point somewhere else.
Our 6.1 out of 10 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Rewards: how it earns
Where the Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® earns its rewards is its bonus categories: 2x on dining (about $60 a year on the $3,000 a typical household spends there), 2x on groceries (about $120 a year on the $6,000 a typical household spends there), and 2x on gas (about $43 a year on the $2,160 a typical household spends there). Across a full year of average household spending, the card returns roughly $403 in rewards before any welcome bonus, so the more your spending overlaps those categories, the better it does.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dining and restaurants | 2x | Bonus category |
| Groceries | 2x | Bonus category |
| Gas | 2x | Bonus category |
| Travel | 1x | Base rate |
| Everything else | 1x | Everything else |
Brand and bonus rates: beyond the everyday categories above, this card also earns:
- 3x points on eligible Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines purchases
The fine print on rates: Points now post in Atmos Rewards, the combined Alaska and Hawaiian program, worth about 1 cent each and redeemable for award flights across both airlines. They do not transfer to other airline or hotel programs. Note: Barclays no longer takes applications for the standalone Hawaiian card; this Bank of Hawaii version is the one still open to new applicants.
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Pros and cons
- 2x on dining
- 2x on groceries
- 2x on gas
- Welcome offer worth about $700
- No foreign transaction fees
- $99 annual fee to earn back every year
- Generally needs good to excellent credit to qualify
- Rewards stay locked to this card and cannot be moved to travel partners
- Rewards are tied to one brand, so value drops if your plans change
The welcome bonus
The current welcome offer is Up to 70,000 bonus points, earned after you spend $1,000 in 90 days + $2,000 in 180 days. Valued honestly at a flat 1 cent per point, that is worth about $700. Stacking the welcome offer on top of a typical year of rewards and accounting for the $99 annual fee, the first year is worth roughly $1,004.
Is it worth the annual fee?
To come out ahead on the Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® you need to clear its $99 annual fee, and it leans on rewards rather than credits to get there. On typical spending it earns about $403 a year. For anyone who spends in its categories, the fee is easy to justify. My honest rule of thumb is that most annual-fee cards are really a year-one play. The welcome bonus is where the value is, and unless the credits or perks clear the fee on their own, the move is to take the bonus and downgrade to a no-fee card after the first year. The Venture X is the classic exception, since its travel credit and anniversary miles cover the fee on their own.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | Up to 70,000 bonus points |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 90 days + $2,000 in 180 days |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,004 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $304 |
The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $1,004 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the $99 fee. After that, the honest figure is about $304 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- Two free checked bags on Hawaiian or Alaska operated flights
- Annual $100 companion discount on round-trip coach between Hawaii and North America
- Welcome: 60,000 points after $1,000 in 90 days, plus 10,000 more after $2,000 in 180 days
- No foreign transaction fees
Statement credits
This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.
Who should get it, and who should skip it
It is best for frequent flyers loyal to this airline who will use perks like free checked bags and priority boarding and want miles toward award flights.
Skip it if you are not loyal to this brand. The rewards lose value the moment your travel plans point somewhere else.
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Offer details verified against issuer sources as of August 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
