The airline has faced recent operational challenges, including temporary groundings due to maintenance issues and a history of reliability problems. However, they serve routes that the major airlines don’t, particularly connecting smaller airports on Molokai and Lanai. Hawaiian remains the undisputed king of interisland travel with over 170 daily flights connecting all major airports. They’ve been doing this since 1929, so they know exactly what they’re doing. Hawaiian operates the most comprehensive route network and averages 170 daily flights between the Hawaiian Islands, serving Honolulu, Kahului (Maui), Lihue (Kauai), and both Kona and Hilo on the Big Island. In March 2003, Hawaiian Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in its history.
- Within the company, it was suggested that the plan be terminated.
- The two teams formerly flew on Hawaiian’s Boeing 767s to and from all their games, but now travel on Hawaiian’s Airbus A330s.
- Sales can appear and disappear quickly, especially for popular weekend travel times.
- On average, the best time to buy tickets to Hawaii is between 21 and 121 days before departure, with the period between 40 and 50 days often mentioned as optimal.
- The airline currently serves five Hawaii airports with Boeing 737s and maintains their signature no-assigned-seating policy.
With Southwest’s future uncertain and Hawaiian’s monopolistic tendencies historically well-documented, the window for affordable, competitive interisland travel may be narrowing. Interisland travel remains the best way to experience Hawaii’s diverse islands, but it requires more planning and budgeting than in recent years. Book early, join loyalty programs, pack light to avoid baggage fees, and build flexibility into your itinerary. The days of consistently finding $39 interisland flights may be ending.
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Children under the age of 12 traveling without an accompanying adult will be subject to fees. If Southwest significantly cuts service, expect fewer flight options and less flexibility in scheduling. The conventional wisdom about booking flights doesn’t always apply to Hawaii’s unique market dynamics.
The Current Airline Landscape: Who Flies Where
But if they scale back operations significantly, those benefits might become harder to access. Southwest maintains two free checked bags for Hawaii residents on interisland flights, even as they’re introducing bag fees for mainland routes. This policy continues for residents with Rapid Rewards accounts and Hawaii addresses. For visitors, Southwest’s baggage policies are still more generous than Hawaiian’s, though you’ll pay standard mainland rates. Southwest disrupted the market five years ago with $39 fares, but recently hinted at plans to reduce its Hawaii interisland operations in 2025 significantly.
- The conventional wisdom about booking flights doesn’t always apply to Hawaii’s unique market dynamics.
- Southwest brought real competition to interisland routes, forcing Hawaiian to lower prices and improve service.
- These shoulder seasons offer the best balance of decent weather, lower prices, and smaller crowds.
- Interisland baggage policies are different from mainland flights, and the fees add up quickly if you’re not prepared.
- The airline uses Boeing 717s for most interisland routes, seating about 123 passengers.
Travel Pono
Even if you’re not a frequent flyer, join HawaiianMiles and Southwest Rapid Rewards before booking. The savings on baggage fees alone can justify the five minutes it takes to sign up. Early morning and late evening flights are typically the lowest priced, while flights timed for connecting with trans-Pacific flights tend to fill up first and be the most expensive. April, May, September, and October generally offer periods of low demand where you may find good airfare deals, and weekday flights tend to be cheaper than weekends. These shoulder seasons offer the best balance of decent weather, lower prices, and smaller crowds.
Medium and long-haul fleet
During these periods, fare sales won’t take place, and even discounted fares can be double the cheapest mid-week prices. If you’re traveling during peak season, book as early as possible and accept that you’ll pay premium rates. Interisland baggage policies are different from mainland flights, and the fees add up quickly if you’re not prepared.
With HawaiianMiles that never expire, our guests can explore even more by redeeming for free flights and benefits. Save time and money when you book your flight, hotel or car rental together, and earn HawaiianMiles on every package.
Budget for $ per segment as a more realistic baseline, with occasional sales dropping below that range. Sometimes booking two one-way tickets on different airlines costs less than roundtrip tickets on a single carrier. Compare Hawaiian outbound with Southwest return, or vice versa. Mokulele has faced recurring maintenance issues, sudden groundings, and reliability problems that have frustrated passengers and raised concerns about the carrier’s long-term viability. While they serve essential routes to smaller airports, their operational challenges make them a risky choice for tight connection schedules. Hawaiian Airlines serves destinations in several Asia-Pacific countries and territories.
Is Hawaii Right For You?
Southwest’s potential reduction of Hawaii interisland operations in 2025 raises the possibility of a return to a near-monopoly on interisland routes, which historically resulted in higher fares for everyone. This shift could fundamentally change the competitive landscape that has kept fares relatively affordable. Hawaiian offers some direct flights between neighbor islands (like Maui to Kauai), but these routes have limited frequency and often command premium pricing. Southwest focuses primarily on routes connecting through Honolulu. The key to successful island hopping isn’t finding the perfect deal—it’s understanding the system well enough to make informed decisions about when to splurge for convenience and when to adapt your plans for savings.
Passengers should arrive at least 90 minutes before interisland flights at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Despite being domestic flights, interisland travel requires full TSA screening. Factor in rental car returns, parking, and potential traffic when planning connection times. On average, the best time to buy tickets to Hawaii is between 21 and 121 days before departure, with the period between 40 and 50 days often mentioned as optimal. However, interisland flights operate differently from mainland-to-Hawaii routes. Mokulele operates small Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft seating just nine passengers plus crew.
Always have backup plans, especially if you have chicken road non-refundable reservations on your destination island. Many newcomers underestimate the time required for interisland connections. A “quick hop” to another island can easily consume half a day when you factor in airport arrival time, security, flight delays, baggage claim, and ground transportation on the destination island. Summer (June-August), Christmas/New Year, and major holidays see the highest demand and prices.
Weight limit is 50 pounds, with hefty overweight fees starting at $50 for bags between pounds. Hawaiian Airlines started to offer jet service in 1966 with the acquisition of Douglas DC-9-10 aircraft, which cut travel times in half on most of its routes. Plan accordingly, book strategically, and remember that even expensive interisland flights cost less than missing out on experiencing multiple Hawaiian islands. The memories you’ll make island hopping are worth navigating the complexity of Hawaii’s changing aviation landscape. Hawaiian Airlines is now a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, with changes in leadership and potential service integration planned. The full impact of this merger on interisland operations remains to be seen, but historically, airline consolidation has led to higher prices and reduced service frequency.
Limited baggage allowance (15 pounds for carry-on), higher per-seat costs, and operational reliability issues. Mokulele is the most pet-friendly airline in Hawaii, allowing dogs and cats up to 80 pounds in the cabin for $25 one way. On July 24, 2007, Hawaiian Airlines and Air New Zealand signed a $45 million contract for Air New Zealand to perform heavy maintenance on Hawaiian’s Boeing 767 aircraft.