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1,796 thoughts on “Southwest Hawaii Stiffens Competition: 11 New Daily Flights Exposed”
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Thank You BOH for your service. Will there be any fare wars for Seattle, WA going to any of the islands this year or only California?
Hi Peach.
We’ve had great fares from Seattle on and off for a long time and there’s undoubtedly more to come.
Aloha.
Would love direct flights from Lihue to Sacramento!!! Any airline!
Hopefully SWA will fly out of Portland, Seattle or Spokane to HI. Don’t forget us in the NW. We love Hawaii too!
Hello,
When this happens, do you think Southwest’s nonstop flights from California to Hawaii will affect Delta’s nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to Hawaii? I’m hoping to snag a good deal from SLC to Maui in the first quarter of 2019.
Thank you!
Jessica
Hi Jessica.
No we would not expect any impact on SLC. There still could be other flights added to SLC, but not from SWA. Time will tell – fingers crossed.
Aloha.
Let them know their event title is clumsy, at best. “A Southwest Talk Story”.Sounds like when the white men met the American Indians for the first time !
Hi Marsha.
We always like hearing from you! And your sense of humor!!
Aloha.
So looking forward to SWA flying to Hawaii. It is the only airline I fly. Been wanting to go back to Hawaii, but waiting for SWA.
I am really looking forward for SWA to fly into the Hawaiian Islands. I haven’t heard anything lately when will this happen. Soon I hope. I’m sick and tired with Hawaiian Airlines with their ever price changing. One minute I go online it is one price. By the time I get my credit card information, its a lot higher price.
When in 2018 will SWA start flying to Kauai, Hawaii?
In June the DOT has said it is reviewing the FAA”s oversight of SWA dure to numerous incidences
and is concerned about SWA’s oversight of mitigating risk. For example, the fan blade failure in Philadelphia
was not the first time they had this, yet they were allegedly lacking in learning from it and preventing a future problem.
This is serious as it comes with reports of lapses in pilot training. Their ETOPS approval could be an issue.
Wow! You must have been reading my mind! I think ill pay a bit more and stick with HA… At least until SWA can prove themselves for the next few years. Remember folks, this is a long flight with NO EMERGENCY LANDING AIRPORTS nearby. It’s either the air or the ocean. SWA has a nice game plan when it comes to being a passenger onboard. But my biggest concern is reaching my destination with zero hiccups. So far, IMHO, SWA hasn’t proven themselves to me for transatlantic flights.
Peace, Love and Prosperity to All
We’re looking for a cost-effective way to visit our military son on Oahu leaving from Detroit, and we’d be happy to fly west to California to connect to the Oahu. If you’re looking for test subjects to try out the route, please contact us – we’re packed and ready to go! (Especially with two free bags! I love Southwest!)
I can’t wait for SWA to start their Hawaii routes. Unfortunately Hawaiian Airlines has been taking advantage of being basically the only inter island carrier. Therefore because of this they gauge the inter island passengers. When Aloha Airlines stoped their comercial flights Hawaiian’s prices Doubled sometimes even three times what it used to cost when Hawaiian didn’t have the inter island monopoly. Now for to & from the mainland/Hawaii that to is Awesome news! Having said that the amount of Hawaii people that fly to Las Vegas as well as the amount of Hawaii people living in Vegas that fly home is A Lot. Can you please consider doing a Las Vegas Direct Hawaii and back? I bet if you do a servey you’ll see the mount of passengers there are for the Vegas routes. Hawaiian Airlines Vegas routes are always Sold Out it’s so hard to get on the flights from Vegas to Hawaii and back or Vice versa. So Please set up the Las Vegas Hawaii route sooner than later. Mahalo!!
Please add Seattle ASAP to Kona! Alaska should not have the monopoly on direct flights.
Alaska doesn’t have a monopoly on SEA-KOA – Delta also flies the route.
Personally I believe it’s time for SWA to expand on its fleet of multiple B737 variants and add the B787 for the oceanic route; by doing that I believe that the ETOPS certification would be easier to attain and sustain. Base those widebodies at the strategic airports (OAK, SAN, LGB) and move a group of the B737-7/8 Max’s out to the islands for inter-island travel to minimize the wear and tear on the workhorse that the B737 has been over so many decades.
As far as the OC market is concerned, unless the county/city can make provisions to expand SNA (which it can’t) OR get residents to vote in the late MCAS El Toro to make that the new OC airport, LGB will be the closest option to getting out to the islands.
The operation that SWA has been over the years is quite impressive, however, as previously stated I think it’s time to had some heavies in the mix to make the long haul flights easier on the passengers and crew alike.
@Ian
Not sure why you believe swa cannot fly out of Sna without an “expansion”. The new MAX planes qualify for sna and do not require any longer runway.
CORRECTION: the 737Max7 may take off from sna…and swa has about 30 on order expected to arrive in 2019….so sna to hnl will likely be a reality in a year.
ItTs a weight issue. Yes, the 737-MAX can operate quite nicely out of SNA for most operations across the continent, but for overwater ops to Hawaii the 737 (any variant) has a problem. In order to make money in an extremely aggressive market, Southwest will need to pack them full. However, that adds a lot of weight and weight is at a premium flying to Hawaii, where there are no diversionary airfields along the way. And, this extra weight means that operating from SNA’s short runway becomes problematic – extra weight means a higher takeoff speed, and that short runway may not be long enough to allow the planes to reach those speeds.
Continental and Aloha tried Hawaii runs using the 737-800 and -700 models, respectively. They both had to block out some seats and offload bags and cargo to get the planes within acceptable weight limits to carry enough fuel to operate safely from SNA’s short runway. They essentially traded passengers and bags for fuel. What was surprising was that Aloha had to do so on their 737-700s, a smaller higher thrust to weight ratio model that should (in theory) have been able to operate the route much more easily.
Okay, so where does this leave Southwest and the 737-MAX? Essentially, in the same place. As stated, its a function of weight and the length of SNA’s runway. Can the MAX operate to Hawaii from SNA? Certainly. No problem. But, can it do so economically with a full load of passengers and cargo, thus maximizing revenue? That’s the issue. It would doubtless fare better than the -700 and -800 Next Gen models, but would it be enough to offset blocking out seats? I don’t know. I suspect that Southwest already knows the answer and the fact that SNA flights haven’t even been whispered about should be a strong indicator that they won’t happen. Even if flights to the island form SNA were profitable, Southwest could probably generate more revenue flying the 737-MAX fully loaded elsewhere on multiple shorter hops. Now, flights out of Ontario would be most welcome. It isn’t that long of a drive from Orange County, has a nice long runway where weight wouldn’t really be an issue, and is far preferable for many than the disaster that is LAX. Here’s hoping!
You conclusion is logically flawed.
You yourself admit that the enormously more efficient MAX7 might very well be able to fly with a “full load” from SNA to Hawaii. The available specifications online reinforce this theory beyond any reasonable doubt.
The only reason you cite as supportive of swa NOT flying out of sna to HI is the lack of any “whispers” of flights from sna to hi. That is extremely flawed logic.
For one, swa has yet to even start selling tickets to HI from ANYWHERE.
Secondly, the median income in and around the sna area is vastly higher than near any of the other SoCal airports and given the monumental pent-up demand in that area, sna could easily support a premium for the convenience.
Third, the MAX 7 & 8 have yet to even be made available for TESTING by swa much less allocated for specific routes. As was the case before the the current planes were made available for testing earlier this year, there were no “whispers” of Long Beach being a potential option for HI service, yet here we are today with it being a very likely option.
Given the above, your conclusion is flawed.
I see no good reason why sna would not be a PERFECT FIT for SWA to provide direct service to HI via the new MAX7’s in 2019.
Please fly from Salt lake to honolulu and iner island from Slc
Please fly interisland Hilo/Honolulu, people here in Hilo is very unhappy with Hawaiian airline service, also please fly ( Hilo to mainland routes R/T San Jose Oakland, San Francisco, Las Vegas etc.) people here in Hilo want South West airline to fly Hilo Hawaii. Thank you
This Oakland area passenger is ready to say Aloha !! I Love SWA!
Im Bummed that LAX and John Wayne SNA are not on the initial list of cities going to Hawaii. I think people in OC deserve it ahead of Sacramento???? TIred of having to deal with the crowds at LAX
SNA’s runway is too short to support Hawaii flights, at least for the plane type Southwest plans to fly to Hawaii (737-800 and 737MAX8).
What is your source for this info?
I thought the new 737Max8 and 800 could utilize the runway as-is.
CORRECTION: it was the 737-700 that would have been able to fly out of sna….not sure if swa has any on order.
Update: SWA has about 30 738Max7’s on order, which could easily takeoff from sna and have more than enough range to fly to hnl.
Unfortunately these 737Max7’s will not arrive until 2019…so the OV will need more patience….but there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Mark, I agree. We’ve haven’t seen low-cost direct flight options from Orange County (SNA) to the Islands since Aloha Airlines shutdown years ago. Southwest, there is a lot of pent up demand here in the OC. Please add SNA to your list.
Sacramento would be great for those flying in from the Pacific Northwest like Portland and Seattle
Wait….we only have 1 flight in and out of Sacramento daily. Hawaiian Airlines has the monopoly on the direct flight to Honolulu and charge $$$$. For once, Sacramento has the chance to do something first!
Mahalo to SWA!
I’m hearing their ETOPS approval is not a sure thing…they have had numerous emergency landings due to a structural failure of
some sort. Engine and fuselage components all with excessive wear and tear. SWA gets greater utilization out of their fleet then any other airline, high productivity beats up airframes. Their plane are riden hard and put away wet if you will. It’s one of the reasons they have been successful.
They just had another emergency landing due to a loss of cabin pressure. Not too serious if you are near land, very serious if you are over the middle of the Pacific, and if you are in a 737 which already just barely meets the fuel requirements for a flight to
Hawaii it could be very serious indeed.
Well if Allegiant can get ETOPS with their record and aging 757’s not sure why SWA couldn’t. The FAA can be a joke sometimes.
I just wanted to say I am very excited to see SWA flying to hawaii and compete with Hawaiian Airlines prices! I am originally from Hawaii now leaving in the mainland but I still have lots of family there, it’s very hard to fly back home when HA prices are too high. 1 incident that happened recently with SWA will not deter me from flying home if the price is right. Thank you for making it possible for affordability to fly back home.
Southwest has more flights in the US mainland than does United yet Southwest has had one fatality since 1972 and United has had over 200 fatalities since then. This does not count United 911 crashes and commuter crashes. Which one has the better record? Please do not bash Southwest for one unfortunate accident. You can verify this on line.
My family is going to Hawaii for Christmas. I am hoping that the flight prices will go down with Southwest entering the field, but is there the possibility that everything will be sold out? There is a cruise already booked!
Good morning,
I am planning a trip to Honolulu Hawaii, leaving from Detroit Michigan on Sept. 22 and returning on Oct. 1st. I want to fly Southwest. I’m hoping they will be flying there by Sept.?
If not, when might be a good time to purchase tickets?
Thanks so much for your friendly advise.
Have a great day…..
Hi Abigail.
No they will not be flying. Prices are from $875 to $1,000. Not sure it will improve much because of expensive Saturday departure. Thus when you buy might not matter.
Aloha.
I am wondering, since SW will be flying from California airports to Hawaii with lower prices, could that potentially lower the price of a flight originating from Milwaukee (MKE) or Chicago (ORD) with layover in Oakland (OAK), San Diego (SAN), San Jose (SJC), Sacramento (SMF)then on to Maui(OGG)? We are looking at a Feb 2019 Maui vacation…
Thank you!
Hi Krystie.
We do expect the “Southwest Effect” to lower prices in each of their connecting markets to Hawaii. It’s too early to know just how that will work out, but we’re optimistic.
Aloha.
How about Portland oregon flights?
not LA?????
LAX is just too much (and likely $$$) to bite at this time, same as SFO. Unsure why not the other LA airports.
When will they fly out of Reno?
Thanks for your updates. We need a return (LIH-SMF) in March. Looks like we have a new option. We’re happy to see Sacramento on the list.
Anxiously awaiting booking info!
Hi! We are looking to fly to Maui from Oakland on 9/20-9/27, when would it be the optimal time to buy our flights? Right now they are around $485 per person.
Thanks!
Jean
Hi Jean.
Just hang out for the next fall sale. Should be within the next month or so. Don’t rush – your mid-week dates are good for value pricing. Under $400 RT.
Aloha.
agree with mike I will not fly southwest to Hawaii I will use an airline that features first class comfortable seating and offers meals. they need to rethink this completely I flown enough times to Hawaii to know customers will pay more to be comfortable
Comfort seating definitely would be appreciated, but I fly a lot and could careless about the questionable airline food. Prefer to get something and bring it on the plane.
I totally agree w/you. My sister lives on the Big Island & I fly there from JFK non stop to Oahu. The last time I flew there I paid for extra comfort & it was worth it. I will never fly coach directly again.
I live in Dallas and have heard locally that one of the concerns about LAX/HNL is that the TX travelers may take a majority of the seats on points. The average Hawaii flight out of DFW is roughly $800. Your average TX traveler has tens of thousands of SWA points and they can be difficult to use outside of the local markets. Looks like can connect through San Jose & Oakland but long and very limited. This Hawaii thing on SWA is a big deal with the Texas locals.
I think Southwest will probably need to rethink their “no meals” policy on 6+ hour Hawaiian flights from the west coast. If you have a short layover coming from a non-West Coast airport, you might end up pretty famished by the time you arrive.
And red-eye flights will almost be a necessity to get people from Hawaii to the central and eastern timezones. On our first trip to Hawaii, we left Kona at 6 am with a brief layover in LA, and didn’t get to the midwest until late in the evening. We’ve gone with redeyes ever since.
I’d be very concerned about SW safety record lately. Especially flying that long over the ocean.
Flying to the Islands using their newer planes should alleviate this concern?
SWA is the largest U.S. domestic airline. They also have the most frequency of flights, that is, the most takeoffs and landings than any other U.S. domestic airline. Their statistics for safety are unparalleled (look it up). I think your concerns for them being unsafe are completely unfounded. Just because there has been these two recent incidents (understandably one that was very unfortunate – and btw, their flight crew’s level of training was impeccable), it’s a glaring reminder it just happened; but overall, they’re safety record is more haloed than any of their competitors on a 1:1 basis. My long haul view, is they’re very safe and efficient.
I just got home from a trip to the east coast and flew Southwest R/T. On our flight out, we flew on a brand new plane. We were the first people on it. I’m sure that the recent engine issues are a top priority and they are making corrections and repairs/replacements. I wouldn’t be afraid to fly on their airline right now.
Great news for Sacramento, but I am wondering if they chose this particular SMF market because they traditionally have significantly higher prices than most West Coast cities and can create higher revenue from there? What is your take on this BoH? Will people that could fly from SMF still be better off flying from the Bay Area more often than not???
Looking forward to flying SWA to Hawaii for a cruise!
Question in your story you had a star next to Sacramento (SMF) was that for a notation or disclaimer? Thank you for clarifying.
Hi Mark.
We’ll take that out. It was a reference you can see on their website to free checked bags.
Aloha.
My wife and I were fortunate enough to be on some of the first flights out of Burbank when aloha air began flights to OGG. Discounted fare was initially 150.00 each way! A great experience with aloha. It will be interesting to see where the fares go once they start LAX to Hawaii. Not the most comfortable planes. We’ll see if it’s worth it. We still enjoy Alaska and Hawaiian airlines the most.
Best of luck to swa!
Hi Laurie.
No they will not. Not sure where you’re flying from so can’t provide target pricing. Having said that, your return date is great price-wise but your Saturday departure will be more expensive.
Aloha.
Please fly to Hilo! We need another carrier serving our beautiful Hilo airport (ITO). Inter isle travel would be ideal to compete with Hawaiian Airlines. Thank you!
United added more service this year, making their LAX-ITO flights go daily, but it looks like they’re already cutting back on that in the fall. If United can’t make it work daily year-round, doubt anyone else truly can.
I’m excited to see this happen! Even though sales are listed here frequently, the majority of sales require Monday through Thursday departures, which many are unable to utilize. For instance, those with timeshares can’t, as most check-in dates are Friday-Sunday. I’m going twice this year, departing from LAX, and haven’t seen anything much under $700. I’m going in the shoulder seasons – late May and early November – but prices are still high. Hopefully the competition will be helpful!
Too bad SW isn’t going to start operations until December at the earliest. It would’ve been nice to try them for our November trip.
I am happy to hear this news! Will southwest leave from Islip, N.Y. to Kona, Hawaii?
We really need Southwest to fly direct into Hilo. They used to sell tickets for ATA when there was the OAK/ITO non-stop flight.