Travelers flying Hawaiian or Alaska out of Honolulu need to arrive earlier starting Saturday, a small hassle for late arrivers but a push for smoother boarding.

• Checked bags must be tagged and dropped off 50 minutes before departure instead of 30.
• Hawaiian says most passengers already check in on the app well before the cutoff, so the change mainly hits people who cut it close.
• The tighter deadline is tied to more seats flying between the islands as bigger planes come into the fleet.
• International check-in moves to Terminal 2, Lobby 4, covering flights to Japan, Sydney, Tahiti, the Cook Islands and American Samoa.
• The vacated lobby space is being rebuilt into extra Alaska check-in counters so both airlines feel the same.

Outlook: Expect longer lead times at Honolulu's airport and more combined Hawaiian-Alaska check-in space as the two carriers keep merging operations.