If you love the current $39 airfares being driven by Hawaii’s relative newcomer Southwest Airlines, and largely matched by bellwether Hawaiian Airlines, here’s our best suggestion:
Get them quick and enjoy them while you can.
Your editors are taking our own advice and flying all over the state until the end of the year.
In many comments noted below, you’ve said you are grateful for the hugely reduced cost of flying interisland with both airlines. Frankly, who can complain about that?
But where is this heading? We looked around, and here’s what we can tell you. We compared the ten shortest nonstop routes that Southwest offers, both in Hawaii and on the mainland. The results are eye-opening.
$39 isn’t sustainable for any airline.
We have no insider information on the cost structures of the airlines. But it is our sense, having been in Hawaii travel for nearly two decades, that the actual cost to provide an interisland flight is somewhere closer to $75 per passenger. That is for island jaunts of from 100 to 250 miles.
The information below tells the story of just where these airfares are heading. The cheapest average airfare on Southwest’s shortest routes other than Hawaii is about 250% higher than the promotional $39 fare offered around the islands. In three of those markets, there are also short-term promotional $79-$81 airfares. Otherwise, the cheapest average fares in their shortest and comparable markets are $111.20 each way. That’s 284% higher than the current interisland sale prices. That in fact, tells you just where Hawaii interisland airfares are heading.
Dive into comparable prices on Southwest’s shortest routes.
Following are Southwest’s shortest distance routes and the cheapest price offered in each market. Those marked with an asterisk have promotional fares available in the short term.
In a nutshell, Southwest is looking for interisland airfares to be $109-$120 each way to match other routes they fly of similar distance on the mainland.
- Colorado Springs to Denver – 73 miles; $120
- Maui to Kona – 84 miles; $39*
- Maui to Honolulu – 101 miles; $39*
- Kauai to Honolulu – 102 miles; $39*
- Grand Rapids to Chicago – 137 miles; $109
- Houston to Austin – 148 miles; $81/$109*
- Greenville to Atlanta – 153 miles; $109
- Baltimore to Norfolk – $159 miles; $81/$109*
- Kona, Hawaii (KOA) – Honolulu (HNL): 163 miles; $39*
- Orlando to Fort Lauderdale: 177 miles; $79*
* Promotions are currently in effect.
When will the prices increase?
That is the million dollar question. As we said, this is an incredible battle between Hawaiian and Southwest. Southwest has the deepest pockets to sustain this pricing, and arguably significantly lower costs, while Hawaiian has the most at stake given that Hawaii is their be-all.
We’ll all have to wait and see. Interisland airfares had started rising again prior to the latest drop to $39. Undoubtedly the airlines will try to raise prices again soon. But whether they will stick next time, is anyone’s guess.
The current $39 promotion is set to expire on 12/31. That provides some indication of when things could change. Flights starting in January are currently listed as starting from $59, but that doesn’t mean much about what they will actually be when we get closer.
Comments get things started; add yours.
Many comments have expressed support for the hometown Hawaiian Airlines and the competitive Southwest effect that has driven down ticket costs.
Puna said, “I’m happy that we have competing airlines for our Hawaiian interisland flights. It keeps the flights affordable and helps locals fly interisland much more frequently.”
Donna said, “This local girl is going with HA.”
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I don’t agree the prices shouldn’t be increased at all
They should leave them the same ways on specific holidays that are expensive
Please keep the fares lower…Not all of us that need to go interisland can take yet another hit from this disaster of the last couple of years.
Hawaiian Airline hands down are the best competitive rates to fly inter Island. However to travel to the mainland automatically the go to is Southwest Airlines.They are the true “budget airline” when traveling on a budget we give up quailty service & comfort for affordability. Surprisingly tho S.W. Air has become a common choice among the people since the effects of covid destroyed our economy.
A lot of SWA supporters and employees getting on here trying to make a case that HA is somehow inferior….we have a name for people who move to Hawaii and start casting aspersions on the State or just try to take over “their way” …I won’t repeat. HA obviously is the better more experienced Hawaii carrier and has survived many many inter island fare wars. The market really needs two airlines and after SWA finishes breaking into the market the fares will rise. SWA is no replacement for Aloha and because they are staffed by mainland crews here for the day do have less operational expertise, but both airlines will be fine and as mentioned, competition improves everyone.
C’mon John you can do away with the “Aloha” reference, in this day and age, as they say, $$$$ talks and BS walks. Yes people do want good service but not too many are paying more just for an occasion friendly hello and a smile. If Aloha is do prevalent at Hawaiian Airlines why don’t the adapt SW Airlines cancellation/change policy and bags fly free policy, after all would that not be the Aloha spirit??
The reference to Aloha was Aloha Airlines. Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines were longtime competitors. The point being inter island competition is nothing new. At one point there was a Mid Pacific Airlines that went as low as $9.95! As far as your reference to Aloha that’s a very mainland perspective that Aloha spirit doesn’t mean anything. Many many people in Hawaii do think that is one of the things that makes Hawaii special.
aloha, Congratulations on getting through an article about southwest without mention the MAX problems (unrelated to SWA’s incredible safety record) and the very rare safety incidents incidents they have experienced.
Southwest knows what they are doing, and they will keep holding Hawaiians feet to the fire with their world famous customer service and low fares well into next year!
And the bags fly free, which BOH fails to mention in most of your post!
Grateful for SWA and the Aloha they bring to Hawaii!
Aside from the basic predatory nature of Southwest Airlines, I see a possible motive if you look closer. Southwest would no doubt benefit from the demise of HA as loads of scarce gate space and entire terminals would suddenly become available. Good article. I don’t believe $39 is sustainable for any interisland flight.
Guy, you simply don’t know the history and culture of Southwest making statements like that. Southwest has driven other airlines out of markets without raising fares when the inferior carrier exited. Its not who they are! They treat their customers AND employees well while adhering strictly to the SWA mission “To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline”. They embody everything that is great with capitalism and our great country.
Enjoy the SW hospitality and when you fly Hawaiian, they will be a better Airline than they were prior to SW entering the market. If they cant improve and lower their fares in the process, they will go under from free market forces, as well they should!
My cousins on Oahu are planning to visit us on Kaua’i next February. I told them to buy their tickets now!
Aloha
Like most situations, there are other considerations. A number of Southwest (SWA) flights either come from or are going to mainland cities, which is very different then HA’s point-to-point local service. SWA can, does and will likely have lower inter-island fares just to fill seat on those short segments. An example is LAX > OGG > HNL. SWA is able to have higher frequency of LAX to HNL flights, some with a stop in OGG. Some people will take the one-stop and SWA can fill the flight from OGG to HNL with local inter-island and make a profit with the mix of traffic prices. Same with all the other flights between mainland to HI. SWA had this figured this out long ago, and HA mgmt knows it. When does SWA buy HA…?
My wife and I were talking about how it used to be like flying to Hawaii many years ago. There were not many direct flights to places other than Honolulu. You would get off the plane and go stand in a line that took you to the next island. Maybe 45 minutes in the line. Flying was actually carefree and fun and there was no TSA like it is now. Now flying is like putting your fingers into a wall socket and you need to do a great deal of planning. It is a more arduous process now.
Aloha BOH,
I’m surprised you didn’t use SWA’s intra-California market in your comparisons. It’s their most competitive market in one state & promo fares are often as low as $39 one-way. Ex. Right now I can buy a one way ticket Sacramento-San Diego for $49. Yes, restrictions apply but if you shop the market you can almost always get a deal & the flexibility to change or cancel my ticket w no penalties is a bonus. Mahalo, Suzanna
P.S. In Kauai right now for the marathon-so wonderful!
Hi Suzanna.
The routes we compared are of the same distance as those within Hawaii. Those in California are not. Glad you’re enjoying your time on Kauai!
Aloha.
I remember reading in the paper back whe aloha airlines was going under about a baggage truck driver who was shocked that his 115k a year job with aloha was only $18 an hour in the real world. Maybe that’s why aloha went belly up. His wife also worked there and between them they were making about 250k were in their 50s and and could survive a month. How’s that possible? I love Hawaiian as an airline but some of their policies and tactics are quaestionable at best. Should be plenty of room for both. I’d fly hawaiian over southwest most of the time but their is a tipping point where price factors in. I’ll be flying hawaiian to Oahu soon then take southwest to Maui and Maui back to Phoenix.
Donna – as a “local girl” are you still going to ride the reduced fares into the sunset with HA?
Easy to make those statements while reaping the benefits that another airline has created!
Do you honestly believe that the fares would be reduced without some external “pressure” from another source?
Are the mainland fights similar concerning competition? I think that’s is more important than just distance.
The $39 or $59 are tempting but when we went to cancel our Maui-Kauai flight this winter and re-book with the lower fares – well, let’s just say you need to read all the fine print before you start pressing any buttons! It appears that if you’ve made your reservations in 2022, you simply can’t do that as you can’t reuse the $$$ from the cancellation, you can’t re-book on line, you can’t do this that or anything else!!! We ended up just giving up – saving a total of $64 was just not worth it!
I’m guessing you were dealing with Hawaiian Airlines because SW is more than accommodating when it comes to changes, cancellations etc.
With Southwest Airlines, you can easily rebook online and use all of your flight credit from the cancellation towards a new flight. They recently announced that flight credits never expire. What airline are you referring to that was not worth it?
I had no problem rebooking a HA flight recently….