As red-eye flights from Hawaii become the new norm, expect more tense moments, such as the recent incident involving a neck pillow. It happened when an Alaska Airlines passenger was removed from a red-eye flight after refusing to remove a pillow that was strapped to his seat. He argued with the flight attendants, stating that he had used it many times before and claimed he had bought it at the airport. The crew called for his removal, and the incident went viral.
While the situation didn’t occur on a Hawaii flight, the timing, tone, and tension are a perfect match for the increasing number of overnight flights now departing the islands daily.
Airlines are stacking Hawaii departures at night.
On just one typical summer evening, more than two dozen flights departed Honolulu between 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., headed for major mainland and international cities.
These included overnight runs to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Portland, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and even international destinations including Canada and the South Pacific.
They are on virtually all airlines, including Hawaiian, Delta, United, Alaska, American, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet, and Fiji Airways.
Many of these flights leave after dark and land on the mainland just around sunrise. For Hawaii travelers, this is no longer a fringe schedule. It’s become the new default.
These aren’t business class red-eyes.
Overnight flights from Hawaii rarely offer lie-flat seats, premium economy, or upgraded service, although a small number do. In economy, seat pitch is tight, cabin lighting may stay on, and food options are minimal if they exist at all. Economy and basic “first-class” recliners dominate these routes. It’s no surprise that tension—like what just happened—rises in these conditions.
In the Alaska case, the neck pillow became a stand-in for something larger. The passenger insisted he had used it for years. He appeared calm on video, but earlier behavior triggered concerns. Once the pilot was told that a crew member felt uncomfortable, the outcome was no longer negotiable.
This is what happens on crowded overnight flights when fatigue meets policy. And Hawaii’s growing dependence on red-eyes means travelers may indeed see more of it.
Your last day in Hawaii is no longer restful.
A typical visitor pattern looks like this: check out of the hotel at 11:00 a.m., explore the island, grab dinner, return the rental car, and head to the airport for a 10:30 p.m. flight.
That’s more than twelve hours of activity before even boarding the plane. By the time the wheels lift off, exhaustion sets in. Sleep is inconsistent. Arrival on the mainland is often early morning, and connections may follow.
One traveler told us, “Our 11:45 p.m. flight to Seattle was full and loud. My neck hurt for days, and I had to go straight to work after landing.”
Another said, “We sat at the gate for two hours with no food options. Everything was closed, and the flight was delayed. We had no lounge, no water, no updates.”
If something goes wrong, few options remain.
Overnight flights leave travelers vulnerable when there’s a delay or cancellation. Hotels are already checked out. Rental cars are returned. Airport staff are limited. Once the last flight leaves, the terminal may close. Security checkpoints won’t reopen until early morning. If you’re stuck, there’s often nowhere to go.
We recently covered a similar issue in Maui, where Amazon managed to move pineapples overnight, but stranded passengers had no such efficiency.
Even elite flyers can end up sleeping on benches when the system breaks down after hours.
The neck pillow incident reflects a larger truth.
On that Alaska flight, it wasn’t really about the pillow. It was about refusing a crew instruction. FAA rules require passengers to comply with the flight attendants at all times. But fatigue complicates everything. Both crew and travelers are tired. Minor disagreements feel personal. Passengers want comfort. Flight crews want safety and control. That mix can catch fire quickly, especially at midnight on a packed red-eye.
What other travelers say follows a familiar pattern: people argue, then claim to comply, then protest again when it’s too late. Some are genuinely confused. Others just don’t want to back down. For the crew, the hardest part is distinguishing between frustration and risk. And for passengers, the consequences are real—a missed flight, a ruined trip, even a spot on the no-fly list.
On a Hawaii red-eye, these moments unfold faster. The cabin is dim, nerves are frayed, and minor conflicts can escalate before anyone realizes.
Why Hawaii flights shifted in this way.
The answer lies in scheduling efficiency. Hawaii is a leisure market. Business travelers are few, and airlines want to maximize the time their aircraft are in the air. Red-eye flights allow them to reposition planes and reuse crews, freeing those aircraft for daytime flying on the mainland.
This shift has created a long stretch of outbound Hawaii flights between 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. On some nights, more than 55 percent of all transpacific and international departures from Honolulu now leave during those hours. These flights work for the airlines, but not always for the people flying them.
If you’ve flown a Hawaii red-eye lately, you’ve probably noticed. They feel different. More crowded. Less forgiving. And more likely to turn sideways if anything goes wrong.
Tips for surviving the Hawaii to mainland overnight journey.
If you’re heading home from Hawaii on a red-eye, prepare for the ride. Pack food and water in advance. Wear layered clothing for temperature swings. Bring a neck pillow—make sure it doesn’t attach to the seat. Follow crew instructions the first time. Don’t expect upgrades, even if you have status. Those seats are being sold now. And don’t count on sleep.
If you can, consider flying earlier in the day. Some carriers still offer morning or afternoon departures from Honolulu. They’re less chaotic and easier on the body. If your schedule allows, they may be worth the extra fare.
For now, overnight departures are here to stay. They’re efficient for airlines and increasingly standard across all islands. But they come with a cost. And if a neck pillow can trigger a flight removal elsewhere, it can happen here, too. Hawaii’s travelers deserve to know what they’re getting into before they show up at the gate, tired and unprepared.
What’s it been like for you flying on red-eye flights? Do you like the extra day it gives you in Hawaii in exchange for staying up all night on the plane? Please share your comments.
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I feel for the visitors who have to deal with the late-night flights. For me, as a part-time resident, no 11:00am check-out to deal with. I fly from Hawaii Island to Honolulu, drag myself to the far end of the airport (carry-on only, solo senior traveler) and enjoy a light dinner in the lounge prior to the very late boarding. (The lounge will be more difficult to access going forward due to status benefit changes.) On board, no dinner, thank you! I’m ready to have a single glass of wine and (hoping!) off to dreamland — much easier if upgraded to lie-flat seats, but that is more infrequent of late, despite premium status. It’s harder for everyone. Restless leg syndrome, anyone? A brief mid-day nap after arriving home is a real luxury. Not sure how long I can keep it up. But travel abroad is even worse – so many places with only 1:30am to 3:00am departures! Asia and Middle East! Seriously! Hawaii is a breeze in comparison.
It’s time for DOT (or, preferably an airport authority) to Require the concessionaires to have one facility in every terminal open until the last scheduled flight departs – at least a grab and go with a live attendant, not vending machines. If the airport is open for business the vendor should be open for business. Regular restaurants should be open until 8:00 as well.
Absolutely not! That extra day comes at the cost of the lost day, once you land at your home destination. I flew only one red-eye flight my entire life and would never do it again. Come on, you’ve gotta sleep sometime! If there is not a morning or mid day flight back to the mainland then I won’t visit Hawaii ever again. Plain and simple. Additionally, I just looked up the Condo we stayed in last June and it’s on the “m-list”. What a sad state if these Condo Owners can no longer rent to short term visitors! Like sombody who lives there and works 2 jobs to make ends meet will be able to offord to “Rent” this unit as an apartment. The HOA fees alone are more than most could afford. The leaders there need to build more affordable appartments and housing for the people who work and live on Maui. Leave the Condo Owners who have properly contributed to the encomy of Maui for years alone. Many of them use these units as income to allow them to live on the islands!
We flew from HNL to Boston on non stop Delta mid April.
We left at 4pm, two hour delay.
We chose 1st as it a long non stop.
The service was excellent, food good and entertainment very
good.
Over all a very good experience.
We are two very senior citizens.
Regardless of how one feels about red-eye flights, one can book alternative flights to avoid them. Think of red-eyes as “more consumer choice.” Granted, there are some routes that seem to only have non-stop red-eyes (HNL-YVR). Otherwise, you can schedule non-red-eye flights if that’s your preference.
You could also see red-eyes to the West Coast as getting a head start on a flight to Europe so you don’t miss your connecting flight.
I am more sanguine about the red-eye angst. If the schedules are known when you book, you can choose your preference.
As a senior I dread red-eyes. It’s physically painful to try to sleep on board. On arrival, I feel terrible, not only for the rest of the day, but for days later; and I am lucky if I don’t get sick. . Red-eyes are a no go for me.
“between 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. On some nights, more than 55 percent of all transpacific and international departures from Honolulu now leave during those hours.”. And yet everything about shuts down at HNL by 5pm, Maybe 8pm. About as smart as putting all the Ag inspectors on Outbound flights but using “honor system ” on Inbound flts…bc that’s the best way to protect our fragile island ecosystem. Eye-yi-yi…our pineapple way of thinking I guess
Indeed, for some, late departures are a doable plan if it’s not too expensive in a hotel or rental are unit, but as I come from home on the big island it’s a whole different strategy. We take the earlier of two reasonable choices because we’ve often been confronted with Hawaiian cancellations, leaving us to scramble, gets seat on tje later flight. You do need one hour to retrieve luggage, get it over to United to check in doesn’t matter how you go, walk or wikiwiki
The extra day in Hawaii is a total waste. Once your bags are in the car, you are vulnerable to break ins. You aren’t dressed in comfy Hawaii-activity clothes; you are geared up for the arrival city, which in our case usually means snow during the fall/winter. Frequently we have a 4+ hour layover on the west coast until our flight to the midwest departs. The middle seat is totally impossible for sleep so the torture is being awake for 24+ hours adds to the complexities of travel. The flights home are pretty much only available with overnight flights. I dread the red eyes.
As I watch Hawaiian Airlines Flight 17 go overhead on my morning walk over the years, I bet few of those Las Vegas 1:50am departure travelers seem to mind that they land at 5am — extra time at the casinos! Then, they probably go immediately to their jobs from HNL, full of stories about how they won or lost at the tables. Red-eyes are in the “eye” of the beholder. 😉
As crazy and expensive as it seems I always book our place the extra day. It’s still a Full day and the peace of mind out ways the high cost.
I haven’t done a red eye from Hawaii yet, but I have some issues with it. As pointed out, you check out of your lodging in late morning. While you’re doing something, all your belongings are in the trunk where some enterprising person could take them. If you spent a last day at the beach, you are likely covered in sweat and sunscreen, where do you clean up before the flight. Some hotels will store your bags and let you hang around for a while, but in general there now seems to be a certain disconnect between the lodging system and the airline system.
A Deal-breaker. The un-written rationale, is in an effort to expand the market, Carrier’s want to fill early AM Domestic Flights from the Westcoast eastward! I gave up the Red-Eyes in First after Delta made that the Rule, then American and switched to Hawaiian specifically because of Daytime Service and space in Business-First. After 95 Round-trips from 1986 through 2019, I don’t see myself getting back on a Flight to Hawaii on small Single Aisle Aircraft, even in First. Too many great memories, it’s been done🌴🍍🌊🏄♂️
It ‘s really difficult bouncing back from an overnight return flight from Hawaii. Where I live, it’s either WestJet or Air Canada. Often, the flight lands at YVR, then getting through customs, then getting to a different terminal to catch the connecting flight. More often than not, our flight is cancelled, but at least WJ lets us know beforehand. This means extending the trip another few days or leaving earlier to catch the new flight time home. If we can actually find a direct return flight, even if it’s a red-eye, at least we land in our home city. Getting booted out of the accommodation at 10 a.m. and being “homeless” for the entire day is nerve wracking. Leaving the luggage in the trunk all day the worry of getting broken into is there. Of late, we book an extra day, at least we have a place to hang out/leave luggage in our unit for the day before the horrid red-eye flight that evening. Airlines do not make things easy for anyone these days.
We haven’t had any problems, we are fortunate to fly First Class Lihue to Denver, but killing time during the days is not fun – we have to be out of the hotel by 10:00 AM. I have walking disability, so hiking and or golf isn’t an option. We’ve even considered booking an extra day and staying there until time to leave for the airport ! We’d love any ideas for how to kill the day.
Book the extra day of lodging. It saves a lot issues including the anxiety of killing the day doing something.
Of course its ideal if you can book the extra day and have the funds for it however, many of our island travelers, have package deals and they can’t just pay for an extra day. Some hotels have a “day room” you can take a shower, and some even let you make a reservation for space,
The solution to Red Eye departing flights is simple, though expensive. Instead of vacating the room at 10 or 11 AM, pay for a late departure, or another night, so you can leave from that location and go directly to the airport without having to kill 11 or 12 hours before flying, which means driving around with luggage in the car, which is not recommended anyway. This way you have a more normal and relaxing day prior to taking off at night, but as indicated, most certainly comes at a price.
As a Senior having flown for 3/4 a century, dreaded red-eye flights are miserable. We rise and retire early. Waiting an eternity to board semi- conscious is tough. Last 6 flights saw 100% capacity. Access to United’s Lounge saves me after dragging necessary luggage a serious distance from Hawaiian Baggage claim on foot, 30 minutes. The shuttle is not frequent enough for dependability. Thus the journey begins depleted, dehydrated, and depressed.
After flying red eye flights in both economy and first class with lay flat seats, my husband and I decided it’s too brutal. We now find day time flights to the west coast and spend a couple of days there (usually L.A. or Las Vegas) before continuing onto our home airport in Missouri. If red eye flights become the only option, we’ll definitely rethink Hawaiian vacations.
We stay at a resort on Kauai and always book an extra day at the end of our stay, i.e., we catch a United red eye back to Denver on Thursday night, but book a Friday stay also so that we have a full day at the resort on Thursday- no 11AM checkout, easy day at the beach, lunch and early dinner, shower and put on fresh clothes before driving to the airport. And we try to get lie flat seats in first (United Polaris) so that we can- maybe- get a couple of hours sleep.
I’ve flown one red-eye from Hawaii, over dozens of visits. Never again. A drunk couple behind us and a woman on her way to rehab in front of us. FA’s did their best, but it was rough.
“Old Hat” for me. I fly a redeye back to DFW or ATL everytime I leave here. Always on a widebody w lie flats and I spring for the extra cost of FC for exactly the reasons cited above. It’s pretty brutal to arrive sleep deprived and jet lagged with a long drive ahead of you . As long as they fill those flights, they’re going to keep it up.
Best Regards