21 thoughts on “Updated: Southwest Testing Red-Eye Flights to Hawaii Amid Growing Trend”
Drew808
There’s also another, far more practical reason for red-eye flights… onward connections.
A large portion of Hawaii visitors are not originating at the airline’s gateway, and are connecting from another city. Heading back to the continent, time zones work against you. A morning departure from Hawaii will arrive on the West Coast late afternoon / early evening. There are only so many onward connections you can possibly make. For direct flights to mountain and midwest cities, you have even fewer onward connecting options.
An overnight flight from Hawaii will reach the West Coast in the morning, and from there, you can make virtually every onward connection.
Red eye flights are great if non responsible patents can control their crying / screaming children ! I used to love them but parents are so out of control . Red eye fights should be for adults only . Only if that was possible . Hard when you can’t sleep !
Have never left Hawaii on a flight that was not a red-eye. But it’s true about the extra time. Just booked our trip for June and at first we were having to fly from KOA to HNL and literally sit in the airport all day to leave on a flight at 4pm. But now, we were able to book a 9:50pm departure to Seattle and then connect to Atlanta. Mind you, with a 36 minute connection time in Seattle and the previous experience of our flight always leaving late from KOA, we expect some airport time in SEA with a missed connection.
We loved red-eyes from OGG to mainland so we can stay all day. Resorts are always happy to accommodate by holding luggage, parking, etc. Then have dinner and sunset at a favorite restaurant. Then hit OGG and head home. Downsides: To be polite we shower at the pool (not exactly kosher), the car is filled with luggage when we dine out (theft target), and sleeping on a plane is not easy for us – We are always gassed our first day home. Consequently we just pay the extra night a head home without being sleep deprived.
So the the headline states “Southwest Testing Red-Eye Flights to Hawaii Amid Growing Trend” when the article is talking about red eyes From Hawaii…
That’s a huge difference.
Not a fan of red-eyes. I know some people can sleep well on an overnight flight but I’m not one of them.
Our local airport is MSN but our Hawaii trips have originated from ORD. Not only much better fares but better flight choices. Flying out of there does entail an overnight park/sleep/fly, but we both prefer to sleep in a motel vs. trying to sleep on a flight or in an airport terminal.
I have done red-eye flights in the past, west to east coast and even Europe, but not being one of those people who can sleep very well sitting up, I tend to spend the day I arrive sort of in a sleep walking phase. Though being able to spend a little bit more time in Hawaii would be nice.
We’ve always taken United’s red-eye from Kauai back to Denver, landing around 5:30AM, which is nice because we can spend a full last day on the island. The flight has been packed every trip. It can be brutal in economy however, especially since United changed their economy seating with shorter pitch to fit in extra rows and seats with much less cushioning. We did do a day flight to San Francisco one trip however, stayed overnight in a wonderful B&B on Monterey Bay, then flew to Denver. Time and cost-wise however, it was to no benefit.
Not a fan of red-eyes but I did have one flight out of HNL on AA where I upgraded to a lie flat seat. Slept comfortably almost all the way to DFW. I can do that but you still have to deal with the 5 hours of jet lag when you get to Texas.
There’s also another, far more practical reason for red-eye flights… onward connections.
A large portion of Hawaii visitors are not originating at the airline’s gateway, and are connecting from another city. Heading back to the continent, time zones work against you. A morning departure from Hawaii will arrive on the West Coast late afternoon / early evening. There are only so many onward connections you can possibly make. For direct flights to mountain and midwest cities, you have even fewer onward connecting options.
An overnight flight from Hawaii will reach the West Coast in the morning, and from there, you can make virtually every onward connection.
Hopefully you can get halfway decent sleep.
Continuing the voyage when you’re Rob Zombie can’t be very enjoyable!
Red eye flights are great if non responsible patents can control their crying / screaming children ! I used to love them but parents are so out of control . Red eye fights should be for adults only . Only if that was possible . Hard when you can’t sleep !
Have never left Hawaii on a flight that was not a red-eye. But it’s true about the extra time. Just booked our trip for June and at first we were having to fly from KOA to HNL and literally sit in the airport all day to leave on a flight at 4pm. But now, we were able to book a 9:50pm departure to Seattle and then connect to Atlanta. Mind you, with a 36 minute connection time in Seattle and the previous experience of our flight always leaving late from KOA, we expect some airport time in SEA with a missed connection.
Only when flying to Atlanta. I take Delta non-stop arriving ATL 6:30 am no problems
We loved red-eyes from OGG to mainland so we can stay all day. Resorts are always happy to accommodate by holding luggage, parking, etc. Then have dinner and sunset at a favorite restaurant. Then hit OGG and head home. Downsides: To be polite we shower at the pool (not exactly kosher), the car is filled with luggage when we dine out (theft target), and sleeping on a plane is not easy for us – We are always gassed our first day home. Consequently we just pay the extra night a head home without being sleep deprived.
So the the headline states “Southwest Testing Red-Eye Flights to Hawaii Amid Growing Trend” when the article is talking about red eyes From Hawaii…
That’s a huge difference.
Not a fan of red-eyes. I know some people can sleep well on an overnight flight but I’m not one of them.
Our local airport is MSN but our Hawaii trips have originated from ORD. Not only much better fares but better flight choices. Flying out of there does entail an overnight park/sleep/fly, but we both prefer to sleep in a motel vs. trying to sleep on a flight or in an airport terminal.
I have done red-eye flights in the past, west to east coast and even Europe, but not being one of those people who can sleep very well sitting up, I tend to spend the day I arrive sort of in a sleep walking phase. Though being able to spend a little bit more time in Hawaii would be nice.
Yes we need these flights
So when is the proposed start date??
We’ve always taken United’s red-eye from Kauai back to Denver, landing around 5:30AM, which is nice because we can spend a full last day on the island. The flight has been packed every trip. It can be brutal in economy however, especially since United changed their economy seating with shorter pitch to fit in extra rows and seats with much less cushioning. We did do a day flight to San Francisco one trip however, stayed overnight in a wonderful B&B on Monterey Bay, then flew to Denver. Time and cost-wise however, it was to no benefit.
Not a fan of red-eyes but I did have one flight out of HNL on AA where I upgraded to a lie flat seat. Slept comfortably almost all the way to DFW. I can do that but you still have to deal with the 5 hours of jet lag when you get to Texas.