Alaska Airlines, which flies 20 percent of its routes to the islands, is donating 1 million miles to Make-a-Wish Hawaii and has asked the community to help raise 1 million more miles.

The gift and new campaign were announced at a dinner Tuesday night hosted by Alaska Airlines’ board of directors and senior executives. Nearly 300 of Hawaii’s government, tourism, business and community leaders attended the event, held at the Royal Hawaiian.

Make-a-Wish Hawaii helps grant the wishes of local children with life-threatening medical conditions.

As part of the new partnership with the nonprofit, the Seattle-based airline also will donate 100 miles to Make-a-Wish for every Hawaii resident who registers for a new Mileage Plan account during 2013, up to 1 million additional miles. To sign up for the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Hawaii residents can visit www.alaskaair.com and click on the Mileage Plan link in the right corner of the home page.

"Alaska Airlines and our employees have been strong supporters of Make-a-Wish for nearly three decades, and we’re delighted to extend our involvement here in the islands to support Hawaii keiki facing life-threatening illness with this gift of 1 million miles," said Joe Sprague, the carrier’s vice president of marketing.

Of the 80 wishes Make-a-Wish Hawaii aims to grant this year, nearly 90 percent are travel-related, making air transportation vital to the organization’s mission.

Sprague estimates that each 1-million-mile donation could help another 25 Hawaii "wish children" and their families fly to their destination.

"Donating airline miles goes a long way to helping us grant children’s wishes and giving them and their families a much-deserved reprieve from the medical challenges they face every day," said Siana Austin Hunt, president and CEO of Make-a-Wish Hawaii.