Hawaii’s air network remained stable through Saturday despite federal air traffic reductions now underway. The FAA’s phased order, 4% this week, 8% by November 13, and 10% by November 14, has so far produced limited disruption across the islands. Airlines and state officials are preparing for deeper cuts with greater impact by the end of next week.
Flights stable but reductions ongoing.
According to FlightAware data, Saturday cancellations were modest: seven at Honolulu, four at Maui, one at Hilo, and two at Kona. Delays also remained manageable, generally under an hour. Most passengers were re-accommodated the same day, and airlines report that interisland schedules continue operating close to normal.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority confirmed Friday that the phased flight reduction plan is now active and will reach its full level by next Friday. The agency thanked airport employees, FAA personnel, and airline crews “for keeping operations moving safely and with aloha during the federal shutdown.”
FAA waiver request still unanswered.
The State of Hawaii continues to await word on its formal request for an exemption from the FAA’s 10% reduction order. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, as we reported in Hawaiian Airlines Cancels Hawaii Flights As FAA Cuts Begin, describing Hawaii as “uniquely vulnerable as the nation’s most isolated population center.”
Sniffen offered to have the state temporarily fund the salaries and benefits of all FAA air traffic controllers and TSA screeners assigned to Hawaii airports to prevent any loss of capacity. He said the state could activate this emergency measure within 24 hours.
As of Saturday, however, no public response had been issued from the FAA or the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Hawaii within the broader context.
While Hawaii’s situation is distinct due to its geography and reliance on a single aviation hub, other states are also exploring ways to maintain operations. Denver International Airport officials are reportedly discussing a similar funding proposal to sustain full staffing during the FAA-mandated reductions.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on November 7 that the reductions could rise to 15% or even 20% of all scheduled flights nationwide if staffing shortages worsen. For now, however, the FAA says the official target remains 10%.
Preparing for next week’s 10% phase in Hawaii.
Airlines in Hawaii continue to advise travelers to confirm their contact details within their frequent flyer accounts or airline apps to ensure they receive timely flight notifications. Both the BOH and the Hawaii Tourism Authority recommend checking flight status before heading to the airport, allowing extra time for check-in, and confirming hotel flexibility in case of delays.
As of now, no major disruptions are reported to flights between Hawaii and the mainland or international destinations. However, as the phased reductions continue through next week, travelers can expect some schedule tightening and limited rebooking availability during peak hours. We will continue monitoring for any changes.
What travelers should watch.
The full 10% flight reduction is scheduled to take effect by Friday, November 14, unless the FAA revises or grants Hawaii’s exemption request. For now, operations remain calm, and the islands’ fragile air network continues to hold under pressure.
We will be traveling interisland this week and monitoring how the reductions affect our own flights and meetings.
Have your Hawaii flights been affected by the FAA reductions yet? Share your experience in the comments.
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Talk about a confused State of Hawaii, wanting their cake and eating it too.
One article in this email talks of Hawaii short term rental fines of up to $10,000/day (is your rental going to be legal when you get there) then the next article is Hawaii needs to do all it can to keep the Air Navigation system at 100% during these FAA restrictions, to keep tourists coming.
I’m confused…do you want us tourists there or not? Oh, you want low numbers of $$$$ (the kind that don’t care or respect aina or culture) , not moderate numbers of us $$ tourists (the kind that participate and volunteer while visiting). Message received. This year (2026) we split out regular 8 week Hawaii into 4 weeks on island, 2 weeks in Caribbean Looks like next year we may do 2 weeks on island 4 week Caribbean/Mexico/Cuba. Maybe no weeks in 2028. After 15yrs, sad. Too bad, lovely place….but clearly no “Aloha” being felt anymore.
Dear Would-be Visitors,
Please don’t rent a condo. Please don’t use our beaches. Please don’t try to park at our parks or monuments. Please don’t expect to be treated the same as ‘locals.’
In fact, better for you to just stay home.
Oh, but please send us $$$$
s/ Hawaiian politicians
Landed at Lihue Airport this afternoon on AA flight #119 from LAX. Everything was quite normal. The plane, a 321neo, was packed to capacity, service was efficient and friendly, and the Akamai Arrival program was smooth and easy. However, I must say that the Lihue Airport terminal looked and felt dirty and very tired and outdated in the few short months since our last visit in late January, 2025.
Aloha to all.
“As of Saturday, however, no public response had been issued from the FAA or the U.S. Department of Transportation”. No surprise there ..maybe when resorts and timeshare owners in West Maui feel the effect, things will change ….