Hawaiian Airlines Cancels Hawaii Flights As FAA Cuts Begin – Live Updates

Hawaiian Airlines announced Thursday it will start by cancelling four Neighbor Island flights on Friday as FAA-mandated air-traffic reductions take effect. This marks the first real disruption reported in Hawaii’s skies since the government shutdown began. It comes just under three weeks before Thanksgiving as Hawaii enters its peak travel season. The FAA’s directive to cut capacity at 40 major U.S. airports has now reached Honolulu, one of the most geographically isolated airline hubs in the country.

Hawaii flight cancellations live.

We’re monitoring Hawaii flight cancellations through Friday. Latest updates appear below, with the most recent at top. Check back for new information as it develops.

LIVE UPDATES: 7:10 a.m. HST Friday

Delta cancelled its first Hawaii flight, the overnight flight from Lihue to Seattle. There were more Hawaiian AIr flights just canceled, but beyond that no other Hawaii flight cancellations have been reported for Friday. Please be diligent about checking your Hawaii flights with your airline before heading out as this situation is fluid.

LIVE UPDATES: 4:45 p.m. HST Thursday

No additional Hawaii flight cancellations have been reported.

LIVE UPDATES : 2:15 p.m. HST Thursay
Hawaiian and Southwest have already begun canceling interisland Hawaii flights for Friday 11/7. Beat of Hawaii is monitoring throughout the day.

4 6 Hawaiian interisland flights canceled at Honolulu.
2 4 Hawaiian interisland flights canceled at Maui.
2 Hawaiian interisland flights canceled at Kona.
2 Southwest flights reported canceled at Honolulu.
1 Delta flight reported canceled at Lihue.
2 Southwest flights canceled at Kona.

Hawaii DOT Director Ed Sniffen has formally requested that the FAA exempt Honolulu and other state airports from the planned 10% reduction in flights. In a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Sniffen wrote Hawaii is “uniquely vulnerable as the nation’s most isolated population center” and offered to immediately fund the full salaries and benefits of all FAA air-traffic controllers and TSA screeners assigned to Hawaii facilities until the shutdown ends. He said DOT is prepared to implement this emergency measure within 24 hours to “maintain full flight schedules, protect public safety, and prevent unnecessary damage to a state that contributes disproportionately to America’s strategic interests.”

Hawaiian acts first.

Hawaiian Airlines said it will first cancel two roundtrips between Honolulu and Maui and two between Honolulu and Kona on Friday. Twenty other daily roundtrips to Maui and fifteen to Kona remain scheduled, but the move signals the start of real flight reductions after weeks of FAA warnings. The four flights may represent only the beginning of far broader cuts ahead.

The airline said affected travelers will be rebooked or refunded. Flights to Kauai and Hilo are currently set to operate as normal, and longer-haul service to the mainland and Pacific destinations are currently unaffected.

Unlike on the mainland, there are no alternate modes of rapid travel between islands. When a flight cancels, plans don’t just shift, they stop. For residents and visitors alike, these first cuts are more than an inconvenience. They’re a reminder that Hawaii’s inter-island system and its entire air network are fragile lifelines.

Alaska Airlines follows, Southwest stays quiet.

Alaska Air Group, parent company of both Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines, issued a joint statement Thursday confirming both carriers will cancel “a limited number of flights” starting Friday. While Hawaiian specified its four inter-island cancellations, Alaska has not detailed which Hawaii routes will be cut. The company said most cancellations will occur on routes with multiple daily frequencies, allowing passengers to rebook with minimal disruption. International flights remain unaffected.

Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, has yet to weigh in fully. The carrier operates multiple daily flights between California and Hawaii, plus a large network of inter-island service connecting Honolulu to Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai. Because its planes rotate between mainland and Hawaii routes throughout the day, any capacity limits at West Coast airports could quickly ripple into its island schedule. For now, we await more details about how the restrictions will affect Southwest Hawaii flights.

Honolulu’s fragile air hub.

Honolulu is the heartbeat of Hawaii’s air network. The majority of flights and inter-island connection flows through HNL. When Honolulu slows, the rest of Hawaii feels it almost without delay.

Friday’s cancellations may seem small, but they expose just how quickly a mainland policy decision can ripple across the islands. A slowdown at HNL will not stay contained, it is likely to touch every neighbor island within hours.

What travelers need to know.

For now, Hawaiian and Alaska say most affected travelers can be rebooked the same day. If you’re flying Friday between Honolulu, Maui, or Kona, check notifications you should have received before leaving for the airport.

Flights to the mainland and international destinations remain stable for now. But if the FAA extends the order, more cuts could follow at any time.

Trip-insurance holders should double-check their coverage. Most plans don’t cover government-related disruptions unless Cancel For Any Reason coverage was purchased. We covered this in detail when the cuts were first announced in Hawaii Travelers Face Flight Chaos As FAA Cuts Loom.

Hawaii’s air travel network.

Hawaii’s air system has always been one of the most interdependent in the nation. When one part slows, the entire network feels it. Friday’s four canceled flights may seem small, but they’re a reminder of how fragile this lifeline is and how quickly implications can grow.

For Hawaiian Airlines, the timing adds to an already challenging year of fleet transitions, operational hurdles and technical meltdowns. For travelers, it’s another reality check: Hawaii’s beauty and isolation come with a cost. Everything depends on air travel.

What’s next for Hawaii flights.

The FAA says only that the reductions are “temporary and safety-driven.” With no end to the shutdown clearly in sight, more adjustments could follow as airlines reassess weekend and holiday schedules.

For Hawaii travelers, the shift from “looming” to “in effect” has officially begun. Once flight cancellations begin here, it’s no longer hypothetical, it’s real.

Have you received a cancellation notice for this weekend? What did the airline tell you about rebooking? Share your experience in the comments below.

BOH file photo: Honolulu Airport flight information board.