With Hawaii unable to recover from a myriad of challenges, airlines are making yet more strategic adjustments to their routes to adapt to this evolving island travel landscape. Hawaiian Airlines was the latest to announce last week, but they certainly aren’t alone. Southwest Airlines and others are reassessing their service offerings to Hawaii, responding to less demand and changing market conditions.
Hawaiian Airlines’ the latest to announce shifts.
Hawaiian Airlines is attempting to redirect its focus toward the U.S. mainland as it contends with declining demand from Japan, a critical market for the airline. It contends that the depreciation of the yen against the U.S. dollar, and we will add, other factors, have increased travel costs for Japanese tourists and suppressed Hawaiian’s largest international market.
During last week’s earnings call, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram announced the strategy to offset the decline in Japanese demand by intensifying its focus on the U.S. primarily. On the other hand, that doesn’t complete describe another simultaneous development.
“We’ve backfilled some of this missing Japan point-of-sale demand by proactively intensifying our focus on the U.S. and other international markets.”
Hawaiian Airlines CEO
Hawaiian Airlines to cut flights between Bay Area and Maui.
The airline’s schedule now reflects a reduction in flight frequencies between the Bay Area and Maui, effective starting in the normally very busy winter season, from January 2025. The airline’s latest move will decrease flights from Oakland to Kahului from seven to five times weekly and cut services from San Francisco and San Jose each by one flight weekly.
Expanding some other Hawaii flights.
In response to a fast-shifting market, and continued losses, Hawaiian is doubling down on other domestic routes, including Sacramento, as well as from Salt Lake City where it will upguage its aircraft to widebody. Hawaiian said at the call that these additions will help absorb extra capacity resulting (in part) from reduced international demand.
Despite their efforts, Hawaiian’s international yields and load factors continue to trend down, reflecting ongoing challenges in its international operations outlook. “We can’t control the currency environment,” said the airline.
We’d include that demand from Japan is down for significant reasons other than currency conversion. The perception of Japanese visitors towards Hawaii is changing, not unlike that of U.S. mainland visitors. Both note that the expected value in Hawaii vacations is not being met. Too high costs are cited by Japanese and American visitors as being among their top concerns.
Southwest Airlines’ Hawaii route adjustments, current and upcoming.
Southwest Airlines is continuing to make strategic changes to its Hawaii flight offerings. The airline recently suspended indefinitely its route between Los Angeles and Maui, also citing lower demand. The route, launched three years ago, was a very popular route that saw declining passenger numbers over time, leading to its suspension.
Southwest continues to offer flights to Hawaii from other locations, including its focus gateways of Las Vegas, Phoenix, and San Jose, among others. The airline also maintains routes to Honolulu from Los Angeles and other West Coast cities to continue its presence in Hawaii.
Impact of Maui wildfires and other factors on Hawaii tourism.
Maui’s tourism sector in particular faces challenges following last August’s wildfire. Tourism has not yet returned to earlier levels and it isn’t clear if and when that might occur. Maui also suffers more than the other islands from the both overpricing and questions about visitor welcome. Initial advisories from Hawaii to avoid the island last year continue to concern visitors a year later, as was amplified by social media. That led many regular Maui visitors to choose other tropical destinations either in Hawaii or elsewhere, like Tahiti. That is in part why Beat of Hawaii is reporting from Tahiti this month.
Looking ahead in Hawaii travel.
As Hawaii travel continues to evolve, airlines flying to the islands will continue to adjust their strategies, aligning with these trends and visitor preferences. The ongoing issues on Maui and statewide, plus the reduction in international demand will also play crucial roles in shaping future Hawaii route plans.
Are you still visiting Hawaii, or is your absence part of the problem that airlines must adjust to?
Hawaii has got expensive. Lots of taxes if you stay in a condo etc. I’m from New Zealand, and used to fly Hawaii airlines to get to Honolulu but they took the flight away for our winter which is when we all head to the sun. They were going to put the plane on the Japan run. There are many flights available from there by Japanese airlines.
I will be coming back to holiday next year and hope I am not going to have to cancel because it costs so much.. It will be my 5th visit.
We plan to visit Maui 9/5-14th. This is annual trip we have made for 26 years. Last year we found the same beautiful beaches, sunsets and buy local when possible. We support Maui.
Too expensive than previous years at ABC stores, etc.
Maui is no longer a friendly place for tourists and local politicians have created a mess out of vacation rental restrictions and typically have done nothing but increase taxes to the point that people increasingly are finding better places to visit. Unfortunately the unemployment and housing issues will get worse when your government only solution for a problem is taxation and restrictions
When we lived in San Diego we visited Maui often and loved it. Our last visit in May 2021 the locals were mostly pleasant, but there is definitely hostility and it continues to grow.
Now that we have moved to East Coast we won’t be going anymore. We will always have great memories, but the locals who are hostile and are making it unpleasant not only for visitors, but for locals as well may end up regretting it in the end.
Definitely not the problem. Me and my husband went for our first time last march for my birthday and we already booked for this October for his birthday! I don’t understand these comments on how it’s super expensive. We took an extended weekend there and total cost including impromptu tattoos that cost us $600 was around $3500 at the utmost, including all the purchases leading to the trip as I had no luggage and needed reef safe sunscreen and other travel essentials I just didn’t have, due to not taking vacations. I don’t anticipate this upcoming trip costing this much even with planned tattos and we are going for an additional day. I sat 3k for a wonderful vacation is a pretty solid deal.
Usually I go to Hawaii every single August for my birthday but this birthday I won’t be able to call because everything is expensive hopefully by that end of August 2024 I will be able to take my fly from Las Vegas to Honolulu and then Maui and then come back to Vegas. I have enough Hawaiian airline mileage that I can travel for free but book a hotel or AirNb is getting so expensive
My absence of visiting Hawaii has nothing to do with the airlines. I have been coming to Hawaii since 1988, and then I had the privilege of living there for 14 years. I moved back to the mainland in 2019 after retirement, because I could no longer afford to live in Hawaii. Then COVID hit and the draconian rules by the governor and island mayors, and the hostility directed at visitors because of the propaganda was ridiculous. I did visit last December and what I experienced was closed businesses, poor service, lack of Aloha towards visitors, and unbelievable, exorbitant prices for food and accommodations. Now they have passed a law dictating to private citizens who they have to rent to. I don’t know if I’ll ever visit Hawaii again. The government has ruined Hawaii.
I live on Hawaii Island, in Hilo to be exact, and have for a few decades. We lost our mainland flights from Hilo in 2020. I’m sure we didn’t only lose our own transport out but also tourists coming in.
I do not understand why people would only want to go to Maui or Oahu, visit the other islands as well, and get out and look at things like National Parks, water falls, hiking trails, art galleries, museums, local stores, farmers markets, you name it, we got it – and some less expensive accommodation as well. Hawaii has a lot more than sitting on beaches.
As the Maui fires go, I have not seen it even mentioned that the large landowners mauka of Lahaina let the invasive grasses grow out of hand.
The vast abandoned fields on west Maui are owned by a variety of people, corporations, Maui county and charitable enterprises. It’s my understanding the city council has been discussing weed abatement on vacant land around the island for over 10 years with no decision. I think you have to follow the money especially campaign contributions. The same is true with the STR band, follow the money.
“my strategy all along from the beginning before the fire was to get some impact fee from travelers to pay for disasters”
This quote from Gov Green was reported August 5 in KHON2 news.
The Government of Hawaii fails to prevent 102 deaths in the Lahaina fire and the Gov thinks an impact fee on tourists can pay for disasters?
Justice for the victims is not only monetary, those who failed to protect the citizens need to be held accountable.
I cancelled a trip to Hawaii this year and will not book next year, either. I’ve been vacationing in Hawaii almost every year since 1984. A major reason why I have always returned is the quiet, gentle spirit of Aloha. The current environment over there has turned decidedly negative towards tourism. Closing vacation rentals, bitter complaints about tourism, people don’t want to go where they are not welcome. People need to change their attitude, from the governor on down. The Lahaina fire feels like a major turning point, and I worry that Hawaii residents do not realize the level of self-sabotage that’s becoming a new normal. People all over the world still have good will and love for Hawaii. It is not too late to turn things around and become a leader in disaster recovery.
Like so many others, I’m starting to think that I may never return to Hawaii. I know that I don’t want to be around so many people who don’t want me there, and in a place where the hotels seem to be running things (while pandering to the public and convincing them that their government is doing things to reduce “bad” tourism – while actually serving the interests of hotel profit.) And I had great trips to London, Paris, Stockholm, Durban, and New York. I’m genuinely having trouble remembering why I kept going back to Hawaii when there are so many great places to visit.
We usually stay two weeks annually in Lahaina, Maui.
Earlier this year we stayed at an oceanfront resort in Kaanapali.
With Lahaina destroyed, we realized that ninety percent of Maui was unscathed, so we explored the rest of the island beyond the West Side.
Upcountry Maui really caught our eye. Beautiful ocean views and peaceful scenery made for relaxing times, away from the crowded beaches. We booked an Airb&b for next February in Upcountry Maui.
Check it out, it’s lovely up their with lots to see and good eateries too!
I’m not the problem….headed for Maui in September and Waikiki in December. Lived on Oahu for a time back in the ’70s and getting to Maui regularly this days, usually once a quarter. Yes, prices have skyrocketed but I have so many friends there and other ties to Hawaii. Simply too hard to leave the Islands behind.
We have lived in Hawaii and returned to visit many, many times. However, we had stopped going to Hawaii and are visiting lovely places in Mexico and Costa Rica. Hawaii has out-priced itself. Other tropical destinations are fairly priced and welcoming. I doubt we will ever return to Hawaii.
Sadly, we are not traveling to Hawaii. I love Hawaii and we’ve visited more times than I can count- but the cost of our last trip (2023) was outrageous. I can’t imagine never going back but for sure we will not be going as often.
I just returned from Maui and was most shocked by the level of price gauging by the hotels. No other destination with low occupancy rates would charge peak prices, but you find it among every hotel in Maui. Also, I often got the feeling from workers across industries (tour guides, servers, etc.) that they could care less about providing true hospitality and only appreciated tourists for their money. Travelers have discovered other more welcoming and affordable destinations—and I don’t blame them. Hawaii is a special place—but not that special.
*gouging
Hawaii needs to get rid of resort fees and other fees that make no sense
Airlines are cutting flights to Maui due to high costs and half empty planes.
And the government’s handling of fires has caused the economy to collapse. The goverment and Media propaganda portraying Maui residents as unfriendly to tourists is also problematic. The economy collapsed due to poor leadership, and hotels have tripled their rates to compensate.
……..They are charging triple the rates in a bad economy nationwide.
As a property manager very familiar with the local Maui situation. Hotels and condo owners should reduce rates temporally and quit blaming taxes. ……They were booming with profits before the fires. It was back too pre-covid profits.
But they rather have empty rooms and condos then discounting temporarily.
Stabbing themselves with that mindset.
Without tourist the whole Island economy is affected.
If condo owners can’t afford short term losses. They made an investment over their budget.
And the corporate hotels have Zero excuse for insane rates.
While Hotel costs are skyrocketing, STRs are lowering rates to attract tourists. I’m guessing the Hotels believe that Mayor Bissen will be successful in eliminating their only competition and for the short term don’t care how expensive they are. If the STR ban succeeds it will be a massive win for Hotels and a massive setback for Tourism.
Ironically, on my last visit to Maui the hotel staff were the only people that made me feel welcome to their state. The rest of the entire island made it perfectly clear I was not welcome, including the rental car company. I don’t think it’s fair to say the economy is collapsing because of leadership. I think it’s because the residents of Hawaii are tired of being host to tourists and don’t want to do it anymore. It looks like they are getting what they wished for. I’ll never go back. Like someone else said, Hawaii is special but not that special.
Every time we check on flights on the airlines, they seem to Jack up the prices every time we logged in, why is that? We had planned for the whole family to take a trip. Each time we log in to make a few changes, the prices increased by 10, 25, sometimes 50% more! Then after we try to select our seats, the chart shows all full, then when we finally board the aircraft we find many seats empty! Why is that? Scam screams out and the whole industry are in with the whole Lie Or Lying!!!