Lastest news on Southwest schedules and fares. Some routes continue to have great deals for summer. Find out more in today’s post.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Leave a Comment
1,796 thoughts on “Southwest Hawaii Stiffens Competition: 11 New Daily Flights Exposed”
Howeva! Wot could B mor “southwest” den da islands, brah!
Ha! 🌺 🦎🌈🗽💙
Little sad, as an old timer, that HA ever started long range flts(80’s). Woulda liked to see inter island airlines remain separate from long rangers. Prob responsible for eventual invasion of inter island by SWA… Aloha! We miss you!!
Glad SWA is expanding. Wish they had a direct flight from Houston to Honolulu or Kona.
Enjoyed our flights in August except for the 7+ hour layover in Oakland! Your Flight attendants are wonderful!!!
What happen to buy local. Hawaiian airlines are a homegrown airline which help keep our state running not to mention the economics of it all, buy a ticket on Southwest how much of the money actually stays in the state maybe 1 cent out of every dollar. As a local we would be doing ourselves a disservice to put our trust in a corporate entity from the mainland with no ties to Hawaii but the dollar. don’t pretend to be doing us a favor with your cheap fares. Everything in Hawaii is expensive, This isn’t Cancun Mexico.
(Edited – warning on not adhering to https://beatofhawaii.com/comment-policy/
Trying to make sense of what you said. If I fly from Iowa to Montana, should I worry about whether Montana gets my airfare? Should be the same for any other state.
I just wanna come Home to Hawaii and be able to afford to stay and live like a normal person with fair rent and a safe place to sleep without noise crime mold disease or crackheadss or disrespectful visitors invading everywhere.
I’m afraid you’re SOL. I can’t go home to my hometown either. Gentrification has taken over, making everything unaffordable, and the crime-ridden parts of town have gotten even worse.
It’s a disappointing situation all over the US, maybe even the world.
8-7-21
Aloha,
Have the normal car security precautions changed? (Interior & trunk empty),
Dare anything be left behind when swimming or snorkeling?
This is asked because of previous posts regarding negative attitudes towards visitors.
Thanks,
Hi Don.
We don’t think that anything has changed in that regard. It is the same protocol we would follow anywhere.
Aloha.
Will Southwest or Hawaiian be opening service from Hilo to the mainland in the near future? Thanks Tom.
Hi Tom.
We have not heard of any airline interest in additional nonstop flights to Hilo.
Aloha.
It is good South West Airline is in Hawaii, Watch out Hawaiian Airline!
Agreed. I love to fly Hawaiian, but their prices are way too high.
If I had used them the first time I would still probably be there..but I could not afford to drag luggage and pay for hotels and find a place to live…you see some people are poor.but if I had my luggage I wouldn’t have had to do anything but put It in storage and be professionally homeless like the decade before.
Any idea if SWA will offer any specials when they begin direct flights from PHX to LIH? Prices are crazy right now, but still best on SWA, but with stops. Debating whether to book now or wait!? Thanks…
Hi Laurie.
There is no indication of that right now at least. Demand is outpacing the competition in that market. There may be no need to discount, but that won’t be clear for a while.
Aloha.
Mahalo nui for that. Crazy times! Laurie N
What days does Southwest Airlines fly to and from Honolulu/Indianapolis
Your answer depends on the date you want to travel. I suggest you check some potential dates at:
southwest.com/
… and you will easily find (as I did) there are no non-stops from Indianapolis to Honolulu (HNL) in the random weeks I picked in July and August. There are just one or two departures per day, routed through connections in Las Vegas (LAS) or Phoenix (PHX). I did not look at return flights, I left that fun for you to discover.
I see all these flights from the West coast. What they really are saying is from California. Just to let you know Portland is on the west coast and you hardly see any new flights out of there. Flight from Portland not that much farther than California airports.
KC got no Sunshine Band
Looking for those Fall Deals to drop soon. When do you guys think it will happen, and what will the timeframe be fore those. Looking to travel between mid to late August through early to mid September, if I can…
Hi Jim.
We were looking at them today, and please refresh us on your routing. Nothing outstanding yet, but mid-week fall is getting more reasonable and it seems that some real sales should arise in the next few weeks.
Aloha.
Oh how I wish there were more affordable flights from Missouri (part of the issue is MCI needing to upgrade the airport). Last time I went to Oahu in April of 2019, I booked two one way tickets on Alaskan Airlines that totaled $718.44 per person for my husband and I. Now, I’ve been trying to book a ticket to the Big Island in late March/early April of next year and it’s ridiculous – the same price or more for a ONE WAY ticket. I don’t know what is going on but it’s really bumming me out.
Mahalo for all of the info, though!
My original comment is kind of confusing. I bought a on way ticket there and a one way ticket back that totaled 718.44 together. If that makes more sense haha 🙂
Hi Jessica.
A couple of thoughts on your plans. The first is that it too early to see any good fares for after the first of the year. Second, your trip sounds like it is going to be during spring break. That is always one of the most expensive times. Keep an eye out as, at one point, a couple of weeks will stay very high priced and the ones around that will drop.
Aloha.
Mahalo for your reply. To clarify further – last time it was during this same week.
Oh well, we will wait and see what happens.
I fly SWA to California or Portland, and then fly to Maui on Alaska the next day.
Thanks!
Aloha – I recently took SWA on the MAX from LIH to HNL and HNL to SJC. It was a nice ride and SWA had predictably good service. It was great to be back on Kauai (& the Big Island).
Mahalo for keeping us posted on all the latest Hawaii travel updates.
Mahalo.
Hi Peter.
Thanks for your comments and for the report on your recent Max flights.
Aloha.
Please Denver!!! Finally give United some competition!!
I know I’ll catch grief for saying it but I hate the cheap flights to our islands. Completely different demographics and way over crowded. Glad Maui is putting a halt on any new resort developments. Don’t need another Oahu.
By “demographics”, I assume you mean those grimy working-class types of tourists. Yeah, you don’t want those types on your precious island!
Hi Curtis.
Please come back. We want you. Thanks for your nearly one hundred comments too.
Aloha.
CURTIS C… AS one of those “grimy working-class” folks, I also took umbrage. I just wish that the folks flooding to Hawaii would bring with them the attempt to understand and value the culture! Each trip, fewer and fewer locals even say “mahalo” as they get used to the tourists not using that phrase.
Aloha Did Burbank-Hawaii but I heard sometimes it was weight limited.
For the other potentials, I would say the key is to connections to other flights to either that region or more out east. I have been able to find a SWA flight to as far as St. Louis which is now putting more of an impression on me to use them than the other carriers who fly to Hawaii.
Thank you for the update. Of particular interest to me is possibility of flights out of Burbank. The last flight my wife and I took from Burbank to Maui direct was when Aloha Air began that route. If I recall correctly we paid 75.00 each way per person. Introductory fair. Looking forward to SWA direct to Maui from Burbank.
Mahalo
I hope that both Southwest and Hawaiian expand their non-stop service from Ontario Airport (ONT) to Maui (OGG).
I would love this, so much more convenient then flying out of LAX
Looks like I’ll be flying max from LAX to HNL July 28th.
Thank you for your outstanding work!
Southwest Airlines will only become a true player in Hawaii air travel when it can provide overnight to the East coast. Until then, I’ll take Hawaiian Airlines non stop from MCO to HNL.
Merci Beaucoup
Hi Richard.
Thanks. Yes, there’s a place for both of them, and it will be interesting to see this unfold.
Aloha.
Southwest Airlines cannot provide nonstop service from Orlando, Florida (MCO), to Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL), with the current fleet of all Boeing 737 series aircraft. The MCO-HNL distance is 4,757 air miles, while the range of the 737 MAX 8 is only 3,559 nautical miles. Hawaiian Airlines flies Airbus 330 aircraft between MCO and HNL; both the Airbus 330-300 version (range 6,350 nmi) and smaller Airbus 330-200 (range 7,250 nmi) can handle the distance.
You can always check on seatguru.com with the date and flight number to see exactly what type of plane you’ll be flying. Plus to see where the good and bad seats are.
Rick H, thanks for this great tip. I’ve been to Hawaii 15 times, but never knew of the seatguru website.
Hi Bruce and Rick.
Just wanted to say that Seatguru is sometimes right, and sometimes not. From our own experience.
Aloha.
what about portland to hawaii been having to travel to honolulu and outer islands by hawaiian
mr kelly please tell me why portland isn’t in the mix
Hi BOH,
Hmmm, so from what I read, still no options for SWA to HI from east coast (ie BWI).. anything in the works you may have heard?
Mahalo,
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl.
Previously they told us that they would work the Hawaii route Network towards the east coast. Today it went a little bit further, as you saw in the quote from them.
Aloha.
Many thanks – mahalo nui – for sharing this information!
I welcome this competition. Our family has flown on Hawaiian several times, and it is a great airline. However, tickets, luggage, and change fees all add costs. These fees still apply on all Hawaiian Airlines “main cabin basic” fares, which is their most competitive pricing tier.
Southwest doesn’t nickel and dime its passenger, and doesn’t charge luggage or change fees. Our family is flying SWA next month to Maui. We’ll miss the meal and fun atmosphere we experienced on Hawaiian Air, but we’re saving $$$$.
Hi Matt.
Thanks. We appreciate the feedback. Have a great time on Maui.
Aloha.
Thank you for the great reporting.
I live in the Hilo area, and there is no mention of any route to our airport.
What is the reason for Hilo not being serviced by any of these additional routes?
Hi Ken.
Hilo is served by SWA only for interisland/connecting flights. We can’t speak for the airlines but this industry trend has been long standing.
Aloha.
Thank you for the update
Too bad their not flying from Seattle to Honolulu especially since their one of Boeing’s biggest customers.
Thank you! Would love if you added Chicago to your list! 🥰
Just FYI – do value Southwest’s expansion to Hawaii but thought you’d like to know that the announcement sent via email this morning contains 28 lines of very fine print!!!
And looking at the flights – from Phoenix to Honolulu – approx $400 per person RT – BUT schedules are for 8-11 hour flights both to and from! That’s a hard one but if that’s what you need to do – even we will be looking into it and we only fly Hawaiian. Can’t say we’d easily give up our 5-6 hour flight to Phoenix-Honolulu with seat selection and food (such as it is!). We just booked Phoenix-Lihue in January for $0 going on a combination of Hawaiian Rewards points mostly from converting Amex points to Hawaiian.
Barbara – here we go again! You are sitting in a reclineing seat going 550 mph watching tv for upwards of 3000 miles! Who really cares if you board in group A, B. or C? At these prices don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!
MIKE S… If we can go via Hawaiian for less than $400 per person because we are intelligent enough to put our life on our AmEx and utilize Hawaiian rewards points AND have a decent schedule, don’t blame me. I said it’s a great deal but I also said the schedules aren’t very good. To each his own!
The flight time on SWA direct from PHX to HNL is 6:20 – 6:40 not 8-10 hrs. I prefer Hawaiian as well, but sometimes the cost is too high. This is a compelling option especially with the direct service.
Southwest’s flights are cheap, yes, but, in our case, their schedule is the pits! AND you still have the same old Group A, B, C seat selection (last I looked) which can be difficult on a six hour flight!
While Southwest may be expanding service to some cities, it seems to be reducing service in others. We were booked on a non-stop Oakland to Kona in September. As of this morning they have eliminated that flight and rebooked us on a flight that has a 2 hour layover in Phoenix. Not awesome!
There’s still an oak koa nonstop in September.
Got an email this today, my non stop SW flight Maui to Sacramento had been changed to a 12 hr flight w/1 stop at LAX. Was able to reschedule. Guess with all the new flights, they’re moving people around? My flight had been booked many months ago.
I have 2 separate inter-island flights scheduled on Southwest in June. I was notified via email this morning that both had schedule changes and in addition, they are now on the 737 MAX 8 planes. Little worried about that…but not going to make any changes to my flights.
I wish SWA would pick up the Sacramento to Kona route that Alaska dropped a couple of years ago. Initially, I assumed talk of SWA picking up this route was part of Alaska’s decision to drop it, but I haven’t seen any discussion of SWA picking up this route since. It was so nice to have a 5 hour flight instead of 8-10 hour flights with a layover on Maui or Oahu, or to have to drive to the Bay Area to take a direct flight.
As a resident located 90 minutes north of Sacramento who travels to Kona 3 times a year, I’ll second this! The prior Alaska flight, direct from Sacramento to Kona, was fantastic. So bummed when that route went away. Plane was always full, so not sure why nobody else has picked it up?
you should keep this updated more than you do and you if possible should include Portland OR and Seattle WA in your special fly-out deals. Just to be fair. I always fly Hawaiian AIrlines because it’s awesome!
thank you
Cheri B
Cheri B… Who exactly do you think is responsible for this site? These are just two very well connected guys on Kauai. They aren’t the Kauai Government. They aren’t Hawaiian Airlines. They aren’t Southwest. They post any and everything when they find out news/updates. Be grateful not critical! But perhaps you didn’t know better?
Hi Barbara.
Thanks!!
Aloha.
Excellent comment, Barbara! I’ve been on this email list since I first heard of it more than 20 years ago, even though, after 15 or so visits, we can no longer afford Hawaii except once every 5 years or so. Their newsletters keep me connected to one of my favorite places on Earth. These guys are the best!
Hi Bruce.
Thank you! We sure hope you can return to Hawaii in person. Please stay in touch and let us know.
Aloha.
my friend and i have planned a trip to maui in june. she will not get the vaccine! so will she still be able to go with a covid test? thank you linda
Hi Linda.
Yes, the testing option will still be available as an alternative to vaccinations.
Aloha
What are if any required Travel dates. Purchase today… how long to use tickets??
Are arrival and return dates flexible for extended stay days.
Hi Trisha.
You are referencing prices that are no longer available. That was from one month ago. If you want to get the latest information on airfares, we suggest you subscribe to our updates.
Aloha.