How Wealthy Fly To Hawaii Becoming Lower-cost, More Accessible

The non-airline Hawaii air travel industry is poised to surge. Allowing passengers to set their own schedules and access smaller airports with last-minute flexibility and easy security. You proceed directly to and from the aircraft, offering the utmost convenience and luxury. Beyond what most of us know about, and the realm of economy, business and even first-class air travel to Hawaii, there exists an exclusive and largely concealed world. That is private jet travel to Hawaii, as well as semi-private and charters. There have been some changes to that lately in Hawaii, including one Maui charter jet service pulling the plug Wednesday.

Our personal encounters with private planes are very limited, and never quite like this. Although honest, Jeff especially is ready to try. One of our prior private flights was to resolve getting stranded on Lanai with no commercial flights to Honolulu, and the other occurred in South Africa not long ago. Both on Cessna single-engine prop planes, which clearly don’t fly to Hawaii.

For those seeking more cost-effective options, those are coming.

In light of the growing challenges associated with commercial airline travel, including delays, flight changes and cancellations, overwhelmed airline call centers, and unruly passengers, the future of luxury private flights to Hawaii looks great. Whether through membership-based services or ad-hoc rentals, these flights offer a level of opulence that extends beyond the flight itself. Passengers enjoy gourmet meals prepared by Michelin chefs, in-flight entertainment and WiFi, and the option to travel with their pets, among the perks.

Maui jet-sharing charters have ended, at least for now.

Roam Maui announced this week that it has ended all flights and that a complete business reboot is needed. But this won’t be the end of the concept, to be sure. Roam Maui had been running charters between Maui and LA, the Bay Area, and Seattle for some elite Maui vacation homeowners. They used 737-700 charters outfitted with just 44 first-class seats. Members are said to have pre-paid more than $100K to participate in these flights, although we do not know the exact cost details.

The company was hard hit by the impact on travel as a result of the Maui fires. Before they ceased operations, they were offering their services to part-time residents of specific Maui communities, including Kula, Makena, Wailea, Kaanapali, and Kapalua.

According to Roam Maui, they only flew with an average of 14 guests on the planes, which made the service unaffordable for them to provide.

Roam Maui reboot may look more similar to JSX model.

Roam Maui is looking at an entirely new format, which includes “a coop style program” where they can sell empty seats. Details are being worked out according to the company. That could open the door to people who do not live on Maui and who are wanting to just pay for a single flight.

JSX is the jet service making waves on the mainland.

Safety review challenged JSX is very fast growing and offers the public scheduled flights. It does not operate to Hawaii at this time. They are creating a huge upset within the airline industry. JSX and similar companies are benefiting in part because they fly from private hangars and eliminate security lines and airport crowding in a way similar to private flights but without the extraordinary cost of a ticket.

JSX operates 46 jets with 30 seats each, flying on average 80 flights a day. They say they are acquiring two new jets every month. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union, said, however, “The entire premise of their business is to elude TSA security and all of the security measures put in place to keep people safe after 9/11.”

By the way, we priced a flight from Burbank to Denver today on JSX, and the cost started at just $239 each way.

Why private and charter Hawaii flights?

In a world where people seek to avoid the hassles of airports, commercial airlines, long security procedures, and crowded terminals, the popularity of this still relatively new industry, is unsurprising, despite its associated costs, safety and environmental concerns.

Four Seasons Lanai Resort includes some private air charter in room rates.

For those contemplating private air travel in Hawaii, consider an offer from Four Seasons Lanai. This exclusive deal, available for booking until December 31, 2023, for trips through July 31, 2024, incorporates private air service between Honolulu and Lanai into the cost of your stay.

For those flying in from further afield, Four Seasons Resorts partners with both VistaJet and NetJets to arrange guest travel to their resorts.

Private jet travel to Hawaii is growing from private jet airports like Van Nuys.

This niche sector has catered primarily to the super-wealthy, providing expedited access to iconic Hawaiian destinations like Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Oahu. Private charter flights can accommodate groups of up to 14 passengers and whisk them to airports such as Kona, Hilo, Waimea-Kohala, Kapalua, Lanai, Molokai, and Lihue, ensuring a unique travel experience.

The environmental impact of private jet travel to Hawaii is a concern.

The aviation industry’s climate impact is high and increasing, with private jets, especially for short-distance flights, being a significant contributor. In a single hour, a private jet emits two tons of CO2, a stark contrast to the annual emissions of an average individual, which stand at eight tons.

Who flies private to Hawaii?

The clientele for private and semi-private jet travel to Hawaii includes a diverse group of individuals, including celebrities, the ultra-wealthy, business executives, and professional athletes. Among high-profile individuals, Jeff Bezos owns a $65 million Gulfstream G650ER, Mark Cuban, a relative newcomer to Hawaii, possesses three private jets. And Oprah Winfrey owns a Gulfstream G650 jet. Mark Zuckerberg flies to and from Kauai on his own private jet, a Gulfstream G650ER, as well.