A Hawaii flight bound for the mainland turned back this morning, circling for three hours before safely landing back in Honolulu. The incident, involving an aging United narrowbody jet, raises fresh concerns—at least for regular Hawaii flyers at Beat of Hawaii—about reliability on long overwater routes, especially when older aircraft are still in rotation.
One concern hits especially close to home: this is the same route on United that Beat of Hawaii editors will soon fly in to San Francisco in economy. We plan to review the wide-body experience onboard the Boeing 777 aircraft, which is often scheduled on this morning’s flight from Honolulu to California. Today’s unexpected turn-back is a sharp reminder of just how unpredictable Hawaii flights can be.
The situation would have had additional real consequences for us. Beat of Hawaii editors are scheduled to connect in San Francisco to another United flight to London. Had this diversion occurred on our upcoming travel day, we would have missed that connection, setting off a chain reaction that would have affected our hotel stay, car rental, and more. Fortunately, we often practice what we preach here: trip insurance was purchased in advance. And had we been onboard today, it would have, without question, come into play.
As commenter Ronald W. said, “I’m surprised that they are having this much problems with the 757s even as aged as they are. Especially since ETOPS protocol comes into play.” That surprise—and concern—is clearly still relevant today.
What just happened.
The flight left the gate at Honolulu just before 7 a.m., departing slightly ahead of schedule. But within 10 minutes of flight, its path started to change dramatically. Instead of continuing east across the Pacific, the aircraft reversed course and began circling incessantly over the water.
Tracking data showed the plane—registration N57870—completing multiple loops east of Hawaii before returning to the airport around 10 a.m. Total flight time: about three hours. While no emergency was declared that we are aware of yet, and the landing appeared uneventful, the incident was anything but routine.
We were advised by a 757 pilot that while the aircraft can land overweight if necessary—unlike some models, it lacks a fuel-dumping system—doing so often requires a post-flight inspection. The crew may have chosen to burn off fuel either as a precaution or while troubleshooting. In Boeing cockpits, pilots are often seen “working the checklists,” manually stepping through procedures to isolate an issue. That’s a contrast to Airbus systems, which lean heavily on automation and systems management to identify and resolve anomalies.
An aging aircraft on the route.
The Boeing 757-300, used today, is a 22-year-old narrow-body jet often criticized for its dense seating and recurring maintenance concerns. While pilots praise its performance, passengers and reliability data tell a somewhat different story. Airlines have been working to retire this model, but ongoing delivery delays and fleet constraints have kept them flying—especially on Hawaii routes like this one that are sometimes considered less premium.
A history of Hawaii flight diversions.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen problems on this route involving the same aircraft type. Past incidents include multiple mechanical turn-backs and inflight diversions often involving the 757.
See our prior coverage of the legendary Boeing 757 in Hawaii:
Is This Still the Reliable Workhorse? Another Hawaii-Bound Flight Diverts
Two Hydraulic Diversions in One Month: Same Hawaii Route
Hawaii Travel Was Forever Changed by Boeing 757
Each story adds to a pattern that continues to raise eyebrows for some including us. While today’s diversion was handled with aplomb, it’s another reminder that older aircraft operating long overwater routes remain a point of vulnerability. While we’ve enjoyed and in fact favorably reviewed the United 757 Hawaii experience before, in the future it wouldn’t be an aircraft we’d choose to fly.
What travelers should know.
If you’re like BOH editors, you may wish to start watching your flight in the days or weeks leading up to travel to check its recent performance. Tools like FlightRadar24 or FlightAware show aircraft assignments, departure patterns, and general reliability. It’s not foolproof, but it can give you a better idea of what to expect—and how to prepare.
Your turn.
Have you been on an aircraft that experienced a mid-flight diversion on a Hawaii route? Share your story and tips for navigating these unexpected changes. Do you check flights in advance to see what aircraft is being used? Does the type of plane affect how you plan your trip?
Your insights often reflect realities that aren’t shown on airline schedules—and they help others know what to expect when flying to or from the islands.
What’s next: Our widebody review.
This same route is set to return to widebody service soon, and Beat of Hawaii editors will be onboard to review the economy experience in detail. We’ll cover seating, service, inflight offerings, and what travelers gain or lose in the airline’s high-density configuration.
As we prepare to review the widebody experience on this Hawaii route, today’s diversion underscores why aircraft type matters so much for travelers. Stay tuned for our insights—and share yours in the meantime.
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I was on a United 757 in 2004 from Kona to the mainland. About 45 min into the flight, a smoke alarm started going off. Turns out the cockpit was filling with smoke! One of the flight attendant was crying. We had to make an emergency landing on Maui and use the emergency slides to get off. It was terrifying to say the least…
United bought some of Hawaiian’s old 767s when Hawaiian went to replace those aging planes with the newer and faster A330.
The average age of US airlines that fly to Hawaii fleets (all aircraft in their fleet):
American Airlines 12.8 years
Delta Air Lines 15 years
Southwest Airlines 11.7 years
United Airlines 16.3 years
Alaska Airlines 9.9 years
Hawaiian Airlines. 12.8 years (remove the 717 and is closer to 11 years average for the long haul aircraft)
United has the oldest average age fleet.
This really solidifies my choice to not fly united again. We just flew to honolulu on two united flights. First flight left 30 min late. We boarded 10 min late due to a flight attendant being late. This caused us to almost miss our connecting flight to Hawaii. I sprinted through the airport while my husband trailed behind because due to sprinting slightly hurt his leg. Then comes the 10 hour flight… we barely see the flight attendants, who were all nice people!, but their service severly lacked. The way home was so much nicer flying Alaskan! And two previous trips to Hawaii were all flown with delta another excellent choice! But United will not be a carrier I fly with going forward.
Aloha BOH ~
You guys are the Best!! Thank you for keeping us, your faithful readers (12 years and counting for me), updated on all things related to visiting the islands!!
As such seasoned travelers who have stated that they rely on trip insurance to cover their trip investment in the event of sn unexpected occurrence, please share your knowledge. What insurance company do you use? What coverage is most important? What cost does insurance typically add to the price of a trip? Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.
“Nothing Lasts Forever”… However, do the airlines know this???
Best Regards
We’ve flown 757’s for years between Denver and Lihue, Kauai and never have had a problem. It has been one of my favorite airplanes, at least until they changed out the economy section and put in more rows, thinner seats with a diminished pitch, and toddler-sized arm rests. Up front (faux) Polaris seating is exceptional, but Very pricey. As BOH has informed us in the past, United’s fleet of 90 B-777’s is around 20 years old. Delays in aircraft deliveries by both Boeing and Airbus are impacting US airlines, and alternative options are few.
I’ve been riding airlines for over 50 years. I have never experienced anything other than landing at the planned destination. A whole twice I’ve experienced a go-around, both times due to the aircraft ahead of us not clearing the runway in time. I’m not sure if I’ve been lucky, or if the “problem” is over blown. In any case, I will continue riding airlines. They really have no competition when you are traveling.
I’m traveling through SFO to Hawai’i next week on United, hoping not to have any issues. Best of luck to you all going in the other direction.
We were booked on this same flight last year and it got swapped to a 757 last minute. Definitely a letdown comfort-wise when we were expecting the 777.
Honestly, the 757 has always felt solid to me, but three hours of circling makes me wonder if it’s time to finally let these old birds go. I know the airlines are trying but their hands are tied trying to get more new planes.
This is exactly why I always get travel insurance now. Missed connections and hotel bookings can snowball fast with flight delays.
I just added FlightRadar24 to my phone—never thought to check that kind of detail before.
I’ve been on a 757 from HNL before and was surprised they’re still flying these long routes. It definitely felt dated. Glad this flight landed safely.