I don’t know anyone that would say no to extra comfort on a flight, so when I was offered the opportunity to review Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort class it was an easy ‘yes please!’
Unless you are flying at the pointy end of the plane, most of us find air travel something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Anything that can make that experience more comfortable is a no-brainer for me and I found that Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort seats definitely make the journey better.
Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort review
Boarding the Hawaiian Airlines plane that would transport me from chilly Sydney to Hawaii, I immediately felt the aloha spirit and a warm Hawaiian embrace. Despite being a late evening flight the crew were bright and personable with one crew member complimenting me on my bright Hawaii-inspired shirt. With Hawaiian music playing throughout the cabin, my anticipation for my trip was heightened and I felt the stresses of getting away soon leaving me.
Travelling in Extra Comfort was a real treat and the additional space was apparent as soon as I spotted my seat.
Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort seats are located at the front of the economy class cabin of the aircraft allowing for quick boarding and disembarking of the aircraft. It’s always great to be close to the exit to avoid the argy bargy that goes on as everyone rushes to get bags from overhead lockers and then push like they are contestants on the Amazing Race with a half a million dollar prize pool waiting at the baggage carousel. The reality is, we all meet again at the carousel as we wait for our bags to emerge.
The seating configuration on the Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 is two seats on either side of the aircraft and four seats in the middle (2-4-2 configuration). For me, when I’m travelling as a party of two, this feels like a private corner of the aircraft and I love not having a third wheel in the equation. It makes it easier to get to the bathroom and let’s face it, in confined space it’s a relief not to deal with an unknown quantity. And the middle four seats cater well to families.
Space is everything to me when I travel and the additional legroom offered in Extra Comfort allowed me to stretch out and change positions with ease. Even when the passenger in the row ahead of me reclined their seat I didn’t feel cramped. At 167cm (65.5inches) it’s a definite win for this gal.
Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort seats offer a 36 inch (91cm) seat pitch, which is an extra 5 inches (12.5cm) compared to the standard Economy class pitch of 31 inches (78.5cm). Five inches (12.5cm) may not seem much, but I can tell you the difference it makes is noticeable when I checked out the Economy versus Extra Comfort seating on the aircraft.
I usually don’t pay much attention to airline amenity kits as they are usually filled with fairly unimaginative inclusions, but the Hawaiian Airlines kit had me at Aloha. As an Extra Comfort guest on an international flight I received a NOHO HOME amenity kit made of sustainable materials and with useful items such as lip balm, moisturiser, toothbrush, pen and a fun Hawaii themed eye mask. My holiday mode engaged instantly and instead of arriving like a dried out prune, my lips and skin were thoroughly hydrated post flight.
My Sydney flight departed late in the evening so soon after take off I was served a snack before being bedded down for the overnight flight.
As a frequent traveller I enjoy seeing airlines putting a unique spin on their offerings and I loved the presentation of the snack arriving in a pretty bag. A sandwich and a Hawaiian cookie was included in my bag and my daughter had the vegetarian version which was a veggie sandwich and muesli bar.
Breakfast was served before landing in Honolulu and included a tasty spinach and Feta frittata, chicken sausage and tater tots with fresh fruits and a muffin. Everything was hot and tasty.
The vegetarian option included delicious potatoes, beans, eggs, fruit and a roll with jam.
Accessibility on Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330
One of Hawaiian Airlines greatest strengths is its crew. Not only are they friendly and welcoming but they know their accessibility and nothing is a bother to them. While other passengers were sleeping, I took the opportunity to chat to the lovely crew (shout out to Edie and Sheren) about the accessibility features on board the aircraft which assist travellers with a disability.
With the easy pop of a button the seat armrests lift up and allow for an easy transfer from aisle chair to aircraft seat.
An aisle chair is available for passengers needing assistance inflight to get to the bathroom. It offers a belt and armrests which can be raised to allow for a side transfer. The aisle chair is 33cm (13 inches) wide.
The footrest can also be lifted up and out of the way to also assist with ease of transfer.
An accessible bathroom/restroom is available on board. It has a wider entry door (64cm or 25 inches) than other toilet cubicles on the aircraft and grab rails beside the toilet and alongside the sink.
Within the cubicle there is a partition which connects to the adjoining toilet cubicle. This partition can be opened up by the flight crew to enlarge the bathroom space.
I was grateful to the Hawaiian Airlines crew who opened up the partition so I could share this information with travellers with a disability researching their next trip.
The removing of the partition enlarges the space which is particularly helpful for anyone assisting someone with a disability in the bathroom. The space is not sufficient to line up the aisle chair directly alongside the toilet but it is good that the location of this space means it can be curtained off for additional privacy.
Hawaiian Airlines flight crew advice
I asked the Hawaiian Airlines flight crew what helps them to better assist passengers travelling with a disability and they advised it all comes down to communication. They are keen to know what their passengers need and to understand what will make the journey more comfortable for them, but they need passengers to let them know. Given passengers with a disability board the aircraft first and usually have a personal briefing from the crew, this is the time to share what you may need.
I thought it was particularly helpful to know that the flight crew know before take off about anticipated turbulence and when the seatbelt sign might be illuminated. This information will assist in planning bathroom visits (where possible) to avoid this time.
And lovely flight attendant Edie had one travel tip I’d never heard before, which is to use mustard (one of those small takeaway sachets restaurants put in your bag) for cramps.
The flight from Sydney to Honolulu is a little shy of nine hours so it’s not a big flight for Aussies but despite this, I highly recommend splurging that little bit more of your travel budget on Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort seating. Whether it is a daytime or nighttime flight, that additional space makes the world of difference and who doesn’t want to arrive fresh and ready to get the most out of every day of a trip.
This week Hawaiian Airlines announced that they will be operating daily flights between Sydney and Honolulu from 18 December 2025 to 31 January 2026, aligning with the peak travel season between Australia and Hawaiʻi and vice versa. At the moment the airline operates five days a week which I still found convenient.
I was a guest of Hawaiian Airlines for the purposes of sharing an accessibility review but as always my opinions are my own. I’d like to especially thank the crew for their willingness to get out equipment and open up partitions in the middle of the night so this review could be more detailed and helpful.
