I'm an aviation geek. I still had no idea what airline I was flying.

Read time: 1 min, 52 sec

I consider myself an aviation geek. I still stood at the gate in Long Beach completely confused about what airline I was actually flying to Maui.

If it confused me, it's confusing everyone.

We just got back from a week in Maui. Flew out of LGB in mid-April. Booked Hawaiian on the way there, ended up on Alaska on the way home. Different boarding passes, different apps, different everything.

Same trip. Total confusion.

Here's what actually happened.

Hawaiian Airlines is being absorbed into Alaska. It happened quietly, in stages.

Last October the call sign pilots use on the radio switched from "HA" to "AS." Then on April 22nd -- right when we were there -- the booking code on every ticket and departure board followed.

Perfect timing on our end.

Here's what makes this merger genuinely strange.

Alaska Airlines has an Inuit figure on its tail. It built its name flying between Seattle and Anchorage. Hawaiian Airlines spent 95 years becoming synonymous with aloha, long-haul Pacific flying, and some of the most loyal customers in the industry.

It's a ski lodge merging with a luau.

And now Alaska flies to Tokyo. They're adding European routes. They operate 787 Dreamliners across the Pacific.

So should they just rename themselves and go after American, Delta, and United directly?

Honestly, yes. Here are some names that would actually reflect what this airline has become:

Atlas Airlines -- global by definition, punches above its weight

Voyager Airlines -- adventurous, directional, works for everyone

Meridian Airlines -- sounds established, feels like a legacy carrier

Passage Airlines -- travel-forward, nothing regional about it

Solstice Airlines -- unexpected, memorable, zero geographic baggage

None of this will happen. Rebranding costs hundreds of millions. But the identity crisis is real, and every family standing confused at a Hawaii gate is a reminder of that.

Two things to do right now if Hawaii is on your list:

Check your HawaiianMiles balance. They've been converted to Alaska's Atmos Rewards program. The earning rules changed. Log in before you book anything.

Start pricing your trip earlier than you think you need to. Alaska now controls roughly 40% of Hawaii-mainland flights. Less competition means less pressure to keep fares low. Google Flights price tracking is your best friend here.

Then there's JetBlue.

A few years ago my wife and I flew JFK to SAN on JetBlue. Legroom was great, price was reasonable, flight was smooth. It felt like what flying used to feel like before everything got squeezed.

That version of JetBlue may not exist much longer.

The airline has hired advisers to explore selling itself. United, Alaska, and Southwest are all being floated as buyers. Nothing formal yet, but JetBlue's stock jumped when the news broke.

JetBlue hasn't turned a profit since 2019. That financial pressure is what's driving this.

If it gets absorbed, that competitive pressure on East Coast and Caribbean fares disappears with it. Here's what each merger scenario could mean for your family.

Here's my rule, and right now it applies more than ever.

If the price is good, book it.

Not "I'll check again next week." Book it.

Airline consolidation is accelerating. Fuel costs are climbing. The fare you're looking at today on that summer Europe trip or fall Hawaii itinerary is not guaranteed to exist in 60 days.

My guideline: lock in domestic trips when you find a good fare 4 months out. For international, I'm looking 6 to 9 months ahead.

The families who travel well aren't lucky. They're just decisive.

Start here. Google Flights, price tracking on, your top destination queued up.

Where are you trying to take your family this year? Reply with your destination and I'll tell you when to book it.

Follow along on LinkedIn between Thursdays.

Until next Thursday, Jeff