Every airline with flights to Hawaii has made some downward adjustments to island flying in 2024. Yesterday, American joined that group.
The list of Hawaii airline flight cuts has been coming since last fall as Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest, and United all positioned themselves against waning demand for Hawaii travel, lack of new aircraft, and the need for airlines to make flying profitable. More changes are ahead, that’s clear.
American has reduced flights and eliminated some widebody from its Dallas and Phoenix hubs.
The Kona nonstop flight is removed from their schedule except from late October until March. Flights between Phoenix and both Honolulu and Maui are being downguaged. Except for a few days, those will now be on Airbus A321 narrow-body planes, not Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Last month, we reported that Southwest Airlines had also trimmed its Hawaii Routes By Over 50%. That was even before the airline realized the severity of headwinds it was facing in terms of aircraft deliveries and more. Overall, Southwest cut or reduced service on sixteen Hawaii routes and kept just fifteen full-time routes. Los Angeles to Maui was among those axed entirely.
Delta has also cut and “seasonalized” routes while simultaneously adding others. In a competitive attack against Alaska and Hawaiian, Delta recently announced that it would compete on Hawaiian’s longest route from Boston to Honolulu. That will be, however, only during the most profitable months, between November and April.
At the same time, they are hitting back against competitor Alaska Airlines, with more flights from Alaska hubs in Seattle and Salt Lake City. Delta is also restoring its previous flights between Atlanta and Maui, but only on a seasonal (November through March) basis. They also announced boosts to Honolulu frequencies from Seattle and Salt Lake City on a seasonal winter basis. Delta’s nonstop from Minneapolis to Maui has been cut entirely.
Hawaiian and United have faced cut-backs on Hawaii flights, as we have also previously reported.
Are you concerned about the airlines reducing some Hawaii flights for the remainder of 2024?
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The way I read the article is that American still had a seasonal (late Oct-Mar) widebody flight DFW to KOA. That is no longer the case – the seasonal is not there anymore either. Sadly, I received confirmation of that today in a rescheduled flight email for the flight home from Hawaii. My true lie-flat first class (with miles of course) on a widebody through DFW got changed to business through PHX.
Is the push to reduce mainland visitors already having an effect on airline seat utilization?
The swap between A321’s and 787’s on AA out of PHX is a seasonal thing. Happens every year. Nothing to see here.
Upon reading your news article, contacted American Airlines about upcoming existing reservations on direct Kona to Phoenix flights. Representative had no knowledge of changes to Kona to Phoenix flight schedule.
I had been monitoring the price for the American DFW->KOA widebody flight in early December and it seems to have disappeared also. No more Oct 27th-March DFW to KOA route it seems.
Sincerely appreciate your clarification on American’s KOA plans; our November red eye had been on my ‘worry list’.
Any educated guesses on potential for inventory over reaction by the car rental companies; lingering memories of two nightmare situations?
This is very bad for our economy. Fewer tourists means fewer jobs, less tax revenue, more poverty and higher taxes for locals. Hawaii is becoming a less desirable vacation destination. It’s too expensive and the hostility from certain locals, especially on Maui, has become a real turn off. There are plenty of other places people can go on vacation and feel more welcome. It’s time to silence the antis.
The State of Hawaii, and local governments have been trying to kill the goose that laid the golden egg (the tourist) for years. So between tax on car rentals, hotel prices and room tax, eliminating short term private rentals and financing their new transit system via tourist sales taxes, they are getting their wish. Less tourists leads to less airlines flying there. Pretty straightforward equation.
and the tax is going to go up another 3%, because after all, we don’t have enough graft around here already.
It’s called getting what you wish for. You want fewer tourists…you are going to get them one way or the other. Airlines are not going to fly half empty airplanes to Hawaii. You asked for fewer tourists so people are going where they are wanted and appreciated and where they can get more for their hard earned money. This reduction in flights should be of no surprise to anyone who reads the comments from (former) repeat Hawaii visitors on this site.
Looks like Governor Green will get what he wants, less Halle’s, the local population can thank One-Party Rule, and what appears to be a major corruption scandal.
“less Halle’s”? Leaves me puzzled.
Aloha! Fyi it’s haole but totally agree.
Airlines, same as the Gasoline, Big Tech, Big Government, Automobile, Health Care, Insurance, Food, and Housing industries are limiting supply to make Americans pay more for less. Very sad and won’t end well.
No concern! It just makes sense when we read that the Hawaii Legislature, along with the Governor’s signature is going to cause a dwindled down number of tourists/visitors to the islands because the Lodging Industry is trying to run the little guys out of the rental business. Watch it get worse!
A lot of housing speculators with their mini-hotels are going to lose their shirts in a real recession, which will be good for Hawaii as it will help bring the housing market back into balance and employers will eventually be able to find workers.
And I’m not talking about just low-wage service jobs. I’m talking about the massive shortage of doctors, nurses, engineers, planners, mechanics……all jobs at all levels that have left or are not in-migrating due to stupidly high housing prices and rents.
Interesting concept. Use a recession to become a prosprus state. People lose jobs, go into foreclosure, banks sell properties at a loss, large numbers are underwater on their mortgages. Tax revenue drops, and taxes are increased rather than cut spending. All this will entice doctors and other professionals to move here.