From the West Coast, flights to Hawaii average about six hours. That has not moved much in six decades, whether it was on a 707, a DC-10, or an A321neo today. What has changed is how those hours feel to the people in the seats. So how can that be?
Cabins are decidedly tighter and more crowded. Status perks that once made a difference have faded, while upgrades are scarcer and harder to confirm. Food and entertainment are less reliable than they once were, depending on the airline and the aircraft. For many, those six hours now feel longer and more uncomfortable than they ever did before.
Yet the basic math is still on the side of the vacation. Even a ten-hour round trip represents only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of 168 hours spent in a one week vacation, or 336 spent in a two week vacation in the islands. That was the blunt point multiple readers made, and they were not wrong. The flight is the hinge that makes the trip possible, and should not be the part that defines the entire experience.
Yesterday’s glamour, today’s longing.
For many, the flight to Hawaii was once part of the magic itself. Boarding a Pan Am Clipper in the 1930s meant dining rooms, sleeper berths, and fares that would be equivalent to nearly $6,000 today. Depending on the model, a Martin M-130 might carry as few as eight or as many as forty passengers. At the same time, the later Boeing 314 could hold up to seventy-four passengers by day or around forty in sleeper configuration. The journey was long and expensive, but it was also, by all reports, unforgettable.
By the 1970s and 1980s, jumbo jets like the 747 and DC-10 turned the Pacific crossing into a veritable spectacle in the sky. Passengers still talk about prime rib carved in the upstairs lounge, Hawaiian music drifting through the cabin, and lei greetings the moment they stepped off onto the tarmac. That nostalgia runs deep. Steven called the loss of widebodies a deal breaker, while Rocky said his last narrowbody ride was so cramped he preferred his four-week sailboat crossing back to San Francisco in 1998.
For these flyers, the widebody nostalgia is not just about an aircraft. It is the last thread of a time when the journey to Hawaii felt like part of the vacation itself, not just a bus ride across the ocean.
The pragmatists focus on price and schedule.
Not everyone sees romance in a bigger plane. For another group of travelers, the only things that matter are price, schedule, and whether they can sit together. Jerry said it directly: he does not care about body type. Victor F echoed that view, arguing that grandeur is gone from all air travel, at least domestically speaking, and lower fares with more choices work just fine as the alternative.
This camp is willing to accept narrowbodies if it means more routes, more departure times, and sometimes lower fares. They argue that Hawaii itself is the luxury, and the flight is simply a means to an end. That perspective explains why airlines lean heavily on smaller jets that are easier to fill and more easily integrated into the network.
For more on how these trade-offs are playing out, see Hawaii Travelers Brace As Comfort Collapse Spreads Across Airlines.
Stop repeating it, the dismissers say.
There is also a third camp, and they are tired of the entire argument. Some say nostalgia has no place in running an airline and that Hawaiian’s Dreamliner order was part of what sank the company. Laurie argued that Hawaiian was poorly managed and that Alaska’s stepping in saved thousands of jobs. For this group, the widebody debate is just sentimental clutter. Airlines will do what works financially, and passengers will adapt.
Their blunt message is to stop rehashing the past and start addressing the industry as it exists now. Logically, who can argue with that?
Unimaginable airfare myths your wallet keeps repeating.
Many readers say Hawaii airfares have gone through the roof. In some cases, especially around holidays or last-minute bookings, it has. However, the longer story is more complex and nuanced than that, and it does not always align with today’s perception.
That $199 one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Honolulu in 1980 would equal nearly $800 today when adjusted for inflation. By that measure, most current fares are still far lower than ever before. We have seen a few $119 Hawaii airfares in the past week. Keep in mind that this is the equivalent of $30 in 1980 dollars, and there were definitely no $30 Hawaii airfares in 1980.
What has shifted most is how we pay and how it feels to pay. Loyalty used to cushion the blow with reliable awards and upgrades, but those benefits are diluted now industry-wide. Miles buy less, upgrades are rare, ancillary fees are higher, and perks no longer feel like much of a reward. That makes airfare sting more even when it is not objectively higher.
Yesterday’s nostalgia still collides with today’s reality.
Readers still share stories of flights, airfares, and lei greetings. Others described Kona as a sleepy fishing village with one stop sign when they first arrived on a prop plane. Those memories remain personal and vivid, and they help explain why the flying experience still stirs strong feelings today.
Now the tone has shifted. Some readers say narrowbodies are fine if it means more choices and lower fares. Others say they will not step onto a Hawaii flight unless it is on a widebody, because the larger planes still feel like the right way to cross the Pacific. A third group insists that both sides are missing the real problem, which is the shrinking of legroom and the growing of ancillary fees across the industry.
That mix of nostalgia, frustration, and realism is precisely why this conversation keeps going. The facts alone do not settle it, because the feelings around Hawaii travel are just as important as the facts, at least to aficionados.
Would you skip Hawaii over the plane or the price?
Would you refuse a trip to Hawaii if it meant flying six hours in a narrow-body aircraft? Would you pay more for a widebody even if the schedule was worse? Do you believe the vacation outweighs the discomfort, or are you no longer willing to accept less value in exchange for higher costs?
Tell us what year your first Hawaii flight was and what made it memorable. Was it the aircraft, the crew, or the moment you first stepped outside into the tropical night air?
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We flew PanAm in 1977 for our honeymoon. I was 18 and my husband was 21 (yes we’re still married) and we just got back on Friday. We flew First Class as a gift from my in laws. The minute we boarded we were given a bottle of champagne (at the time the drinking age in Hawaii was 18). We were given booties and headphones and warm washcloths. We ate our meal up the spiral staircase in the 747. It was Lobster Bisque and Filet Mignon. This was my first time to Hawaii, we went to Oahu and Maui. I instantly fell in love with Hawaii, the smell of Pikake as soon as we deplaned. I wish we would have moved there; but to this day we are fortunate to visit plenty.
The first time I stepped off the airlines,and the warm heat,was awesome,it was like magic,!!
Aloha
I have been traveling to Hawaii since 1970. I now use Hawaiian Airlines with my miles credit card discount. I hope the merger with Alaska will provide equal services.
I now live in Kona so travel is now for going back to the mainland for business or family
Maholo
Michelle J
Resident
The real problem is airlines keep allowing a bunch of clutter crap outside checked baggage and 1 carry on and one under the seat
The one under the seat has as much in it as I do in 4 drawers of a bedroom dresser. Or somebody thinks u can put a back pack under the seat. Clean it up
Or give me my leg room back to me
Room is important to be. After a couple hours, I’m squirming and feeling claustrophobic. I need premium economy or a wide body or I’m not going.
For our family, the journey starts before the flight which is part of the vacation. We’ve been blessed to spend 9+ months in the islands since 2004. The last and final trip was 2019. Why? The flights, accommodations, people and state government have degraded the experience terribly.
I have spent over 12 weeks there in the last couple years and I completely disagree. I still find Hawaii filled with Aloha, maybe take a look and see how you are treating the locals as I never have issues that I see posted here all the time.
James: I appreciate your statement because I have witnessed people like you mention… but that is not who we are nor is it ever how we treat anyone. If you’ve only been there 12 weeks in the last few years you do not grasp nor can you appreciate our 20+ years of historical experience or the fact that we’ve made many long lasting relationships with the Hawaiian people…. perhaps you invented a personal of us that ignores how we’ve personally and professionally invested and donated to these people.
Hello Dana,
You mentioned you haven’t been going since 2019. The reason I pointed out the 12 weeks I’m speaking about has been since 2022 which is after you stopped going and the reason I pointed out was to mention that I don’t ever have an issue there. I also have been going 20 plus years, every year for a month at a time. So yes I understand Hawaii and I hear locals frequently complain about how they are treated.
The question was about “Flyers are split between price, comfort, and nostalgia” I have traveled & worked there since 1972. I have been there over 25 times. It is clearly the airlines. And the entitled tourist not respecting Hawaiian’s home. Many have had to move to Las Vegas or Washington because of the cost of living. Hawaiian people are the warmest humans on Earth and are not a resort people. Full of Aloha.
I totally agree. We’ve been coming to Kona for over 15 years now (here right now) and the place has degraded. It’s at the point where we’re not likely to return. Kona officials allow (even enable) lazy bums to hang out and actually make camp right in the main walkways of tourists, etc. So many shops in downtown Kona have closed up, restaurant quality has degraded a lot (even Kona Brewing company!) Then of course there’s the very unreasonable price hikes on everything. Heck, just to go to Hapuna beach state park cost is $10 a car PLUS $5 for each person in the car! Enough is enough!
Went to Hawaii for the first time in 1989 for our honeymoon,flew on Delta Airlines.We had economy seating, was served a choice of Fillet Mignon or Stuffed Chicken Breast for no extra price.Trip cost 1200 dollars for flight and hotel on lewers street.Went last year trip with flight cost 4000 dollars with no food given out on plane unless you paid 20 dollars for a box lunch.Times sure have changed 😀
The first time I flew to Honolulu was as a 16 year-old way back in 1976 on United Airlines Boeing 747. Far different than from today’s travel I went into the airline business and of course it’s changed drastically.
I prefer the wide bodies and going on a narrow body with cramped legroom for six hours is a test of endurance. I did take a 14 day cruise from San Diego to Hawaii and it was fantastic coming back stopping off in Ensenada back to San Diego. Extremely enjoyable and relaxing, but then again I love the sea days and several ports in Hawaii.
Family trip in 1972 to visit my brother in Honolulu. We all dressed in aloha wear in the new Continental 747. Large seats, spiral staircase and a front lounge in which my parents drank and we played cards. This was all for a regular fare. Dining was like a 4 star restaurant. We departed rereceiving leis from them and then my brother up to our ears. Leaving this week again and I had to pay for extra leg room, selecting seats, and no pay one bag. Wow, luxury gone! 12 hour trip that I dread but oh how I love Hawaii after all these years. Aloha🌈
I miss the days when you could catch a RED-EYE and lay across the isle of empty seats. Only to be awaken to dine or grab a drink 🍻🍷. The flight use to mark the beginning of my travels. A more civil time was marked by warm towels to refresh ones self and a chocolate macadamian treat before disembarking the plane followed by a lei greeting. I do get the price argument but not so much when every airline has flights to Hawaii, technology is greater than before but yet the seats are much smaller, no meals to speak of ,paying extra for luggage, extra for a mere 4 inches of leg room , just another mass production line ! No more corporate bailouts.
Look at Vegas. They kept pressing customers with more and more fees…now people aren’t going there.
People are certainly still going to Vegas. Recent numbers show the number of people going to Vegas is down. However, the amount of money the tourist who go has increased. Gambling income for 2025 is up 7%(per Google) despite less people going.
I believe this is exactly what Hawaii is trying to do. Price out the middle class who try to do Hawaii on the cheap. In exchange for more wealthy tourist who will spend more money.
Correction. If it takes 6 hours to fly to Hawaii what length of time does it take to get back home. 6 hours right. That’s a minimum of 12 hours in the air plus loss time in TSA screenings, baggage claims and of course the time involved in traveling to and from the airport. How much of a factor not spoken of is how much one can afford for airfare ticket costs..
My first trip to Hawaii memory is of the people, the smell of the ocean and the beauty of the land. I stayed at a terrible condo that was incredibly dated and I stopped going to Mexico and have continued to go to Hawaii ever since because of how amazing being there feels . I don’t even remember the airline or what type of flight I took. To sum it up, it was about being there not about the condo or the flight that I took to get there. Hawaii was and is still amazing to me:)
I live on Maui in winter and fly back and forth from Reno about 6 times each year. I haven’t paid for a ticket in about 3 years since I keep getting huge bonuses for opening Chase credit cards and I exchange those points for Southwest points. Although Southwest is not as great now as it has been, it’s still great. Since I have a Southwest credit card card I can check my golf bag free and carry on a suitcase. Even if I neglect to check in exactly 24 hours before, I always get an aisle seat – at least 20 times in a row. It’s not a tough trip to make.
The seats are getting to cramped for the increasing size of the general population.
Makes it hard to get the whole family to Hawaii comfortably.
Thank you for the great article. Have flown on the DC8’s, 747’s, DC-10’s, 757’s, 777’s, 321’s, and 737’s. I really don’t enjoy the 737’s at all, especially first class. In fact I probably have close to 500,000 miles in first class on the 757 with the routes being SFO to LIH or LAX to LIH. I really miss the 757’s!!! My mom always liked the Mumu’s the flight attendants used to wear in the 60’s and 70’s!
Has anyone else noticed or had difficulty trying to book on Hawaiian app? I have, was (forced?) to book at Alaska web site. So I decided to go all-in. Booked no choice seat no checked bag, no soup for me. I’ll treat myself to a luau dinner with the money saved. In the past I have flown Alaska 1st class lax-bze it was so not worth it. Middle seat 5 hours no big deal is my new mantra, more money to spend at destination
Unfortunately, what used to be a great part of the overall vacation experience today is just a necessary evil. Flying is no longer a pleasurable experience unless you are flying in 1st class or in business class.
The first flight I took was on Delta from LAX in 1991. I remember it was coach. My parents and I got served a real breakfast! Real scrambled eggs! And a snack later as well. So the food was the highlight. It was the first plane ride for me and the flight was perfect. No issues, no delays, nothing negative. Leis on arrival from the airport store by baggage, but cant have everything! My mom and Dad met and got married in Waikiki so this was their return trip and truly the flight was forgotten about when we got there. But thats only because it was smooth and comfortable and we ate on the plane! Love Hawaii! 🌺
My wife and I have used Northwest and Delta many many times from Minneapolis to Honolulu on both nonstop wide body and Westcoast stopover narrow body. We do prefer the wide body nonstop and premium seating even more but we love our 2 week winter trip in Waikiki so much that we are will to go with the flow to have the vacation. The most important thing to us on this very long flight is we sit together and have 2×2 seating in some configuration.
Back in 2018, we switched to Hawaiian Airlines from Delta for our annual two weeks in Maui. Our vacation began when we stepped aboard that roomy Airbus 330 widebody full of Aloha. Big smiles from
Aloha uniformed flight attendants and soft, breezy island music greeted us.
Our Comfort Plus seats in the
main cabin gave us enough room to wiggle.
Complimentary Hawaiian punch and a bag of Hawaiian chips made us feel on Maui already.
Gradually the amenities have slipped away.
If Alaska takes away widebody service from Seattle to Maui on
Hawaiian Airlines, I’ll probably return to Delta.
I heard the 737 service to Maui is nicknamed the “Sardine Express”
because of the cramped passenger space.
C mon Dennis, I’ve had the punch and Maui chips. If that’s all it takes to make it feel like Hawaii then you should be doing a hula dance in the aisles of Costco
Yea, I’ll miss Hawaiian airlines, much like I miss virgin and likely will miss my other favorite airline, spirit.
Airline travel has become very ordinary. Thankfully it’s safe and affordable. Comfort and entertainment, not so much.
Aloha I first started in the mid 70’s. The planes were widebodies and smoking and bars were allowed on them. The party atmosphere was prevalent and no one cared how long the flight was. We were having a great time flying. The soft fragrant air and humidity was a sensory experience that I remember. And that beautiful colour of the ocean. Never changes for me each time I go. Just the plane rides went downhill.
Great recap of reader opinion, BOH. My own first flight to Hawai’i was far from fabulous–and it goes back to the mid 1970s. It was a charter from SEA-HNL aboard a Western Airlines Boeing 720. Because of very strong headwinds, the trip took 8 hours!
My best trip was in the early 2000s, on a Northwest DC-10 red-eye from HNL-SEA. I had airline status, got upgraded to first class, and upon landing in the 5 am hour, discovered that Ichiro Suzuki had been sitting behind me the whole flight!
I am in the camp that the entire airline industry just ain’t what it used to be. I still remember Continental DC-10s with bar areas in economy on domestic flights. These days, I get antsy even with a lie-flat business class seat on long haul flights. That’s why I am more about the destination than the flights–and why HI will always have a shot at my travel dollars.
Mahalo.
I was 9 yrs old & my sister was 8 in 1973 when our parents took us to Honolulu Hawaii. Yes, we flew on one of those huge 747s. Though I didnt know the difference between a wide body & narrow bodied aircraft at that time, I do remember that the seats were wide enough that my sister & I sat in one seat as we posed for a picture. Granted we were 8 & 9, but that wouldnt be possible now. I haven’t been back to Hawaii since then but I have flown on DC1Os & recently on a 350 900. Would I travel to Hawaii on a narrow bodied aircraft? NO, I don’t think I would! It would be too uncomfortable & it would feel like a longer flight than the projected 6hrs. If Hawaii is losing tourism, maybe thay need to rethink about how they are getting people there.
Less leg and elbow room too many oversized travelers, and the elephant in the room is that once you arrive, everything has become less than affordable. And I love the islands always have always will.
Try a 10.5 flight from the East Coast to HNL in bad seats. While the “basic” airfares which most airlines have are high, it is the incessant nickle & diming for things that were once included in a reg, actual fare not too long ago. I have been traveling to HI for about 30 yrs. Lately, the fees are the worst. You want to choose a seat & be able to sit with your family? Have to pay more. Want to have a carry on bag, pay more. Want to sit next to a window? Pay more. Don’t want to sit next the bathroom or galley? Pay more-and this is after paying to not have a “basic” ticket so you could choose your seat and bring a bag. Forget extra leg room seating or actually checking bags. Those rates are ridiculous. Then get on the plane, did you bring your own food? If not, there you will find out just how little & terrible a $32 meal can be. Nevermind worrying about the sanitization quality if any, of hot water & ventilation system & seats & pillows etc. Do better Airlines