Alaska, Hawaiian cargo integration on IBS iCargo begins Jan 10

Alaska Air Group has announced that its subsidiaries, Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo, will officially unify their operations under a single, integrated cargo management system beginning January 10, 2026.

The two carriers are adopting the IBS iCargo digital platform to implement streamlined software. This new system is designed as a one-stop-shop experience, offering customers a consolidated online portal to book, ship, and track cargo across both networks.

While Alaska Air Cargo has been utilising the iCargo system since March 2022 to manage sales, inventory, and terminal operations, the shift represents a significant upgrade for Hawaiian Air Cargo clients.

For the first time, Hawaiian’s customers will gain access to the same advanced online booking tools that have modernised Alaska’s logistics. This transition moves Hawaiian away from SmartKargo, the cloud-based SaaS solution the carrier has relied on since 2015, and onto the unified IBS platform.

"Our single cargo booking system is a significant improvement that standardises policies across our entire network," said Ian Morgan, Vice President of Cargo at Alaska Airlines. "We are building the foundation for future growth while maintaining the personalised service our customers expect."

As part of the operational alignment, the company is launching its GoldStreak Package Express service throughout the Hawaiian Islands. GoldStreak is a next-flight-out shipping product designed for time-critical items such as medical supplies and urgent documents.

"Our GoldStreak product will add significant value for customers in Hawaii, improving cutoff and recovery times and extending access across the network," said Morgan.

Global expansion and widebody service
Alaska Air Group is also shifting toward global markets. In spring 2026, the carrier will debut nonstop long-haul service from its Seattle (SEA) hub to London Heathrow (LHR) and Rome (FCO).

The expansion allows the company to connect Asia-to-Europe cargo traffic via Seattle, utilising its existing widebody connections to Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Seoul Incheon (ICN).

Following regulatory approval, Alaska Air Group finalised its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024. The acquisition was initially announced in December 2023. The company has stated that the two airlines will operate as a single entity, but they will maintain their distinct public-facing brands, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, after obtaining a single operating certificate (SOC) from the FAA.

The integration brings together two carriers with a combined history of nearly 200 years, Hawaiian Airlines (96 years) and Alaska Airlines (93 years). Having achieved a single operating certificate from the FAA, the company is now focused on leveraging this legacy to serve states that are uniquely dependent on air freight.

By combining the transpacific expertise of Hawaiian with Alaska’s extensive West Coast network, the group aims to become a more competitive player in the global supply chain. "We are building the foundation for future growth, and we’re already starting to see that in our global expansion out of Seattle," Morgan added.

This transition from the previous SmartKargo system is a direct consequence of the merger with Hawaiian Airlines, which was finalised in September 2024.

Hawaiian Airlines had been an early adopter of the SmartKargo air cargo management solution, becoming the first carrier in the Americas to implement it in 2015 to support its growing cargo operations.

The airline continued its commitment to the advanced, end-to-end Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for real-time, cloud-delivered management of its air cargo operations by renewing its contract with SmartKargo for a five-year term in 2019.