At least five mainland cities have been left reeling from a pullback in Hawaii flights from coast to coast. Sacramento, for one, is a popular west coast gateway to Hawaii and, until recently, had many nonstop flight options from Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. But no more. Oakland also lost a big Hawaii player last year, while recently expanded Long Beach to Hawaii routes have just contracted. And there’s more.
The situation in the Hawaii airline business has nearly as many twists and turns as does the Road to Hana (600 turns), pictured above. Please give us and the airlines who all read your comments, your feedback below.
Hawaiian Airlines eliminated these routes.
In March, Hawaiian said they would start Oakland to Kona flights this summer. At the time, these were set to operate from June 15 through September 6. On checking today, however, we no longer find any nonstop flights on that route from Hawaiian. The company last tried that route back in 2016.
Once Southwest Airlines leaves the route, Hawaiian will be the only service between Long Beach and Maui.
The route from Orlando to Honolulu will terminate on September 4. The route announced in December 2020 started in March 2021. We suggested that without a strategic alliance, routes such as that are challenging for any airline.
We do believe more changes are afoot in Hawaiian’s route map.
Southwest Hawaii routes terminated: a long list.
We reported last week that the following Southwest Hawaii nonstop routes were all terminated, and there’s even an addition we noted since then, listed below. This is a significant about-face for the airline, which became laser-focused on its Hawaii expansion in the past couple of years.
- Long Beach to Maui
- Los Angeles to Kauai
- Los Angeles to Kona
- Phoenix to Kauai
- Phoenix to Kona
- Sacramento to Kauai
- Sacramento to Kona
- Sacramento to Maui
- San Diego to Kauai
- San Diego to Kona
- San Diego to Maui
At the same time, Southwest decided to jump more squarely into interisland competition with Hawaiian Air.
Alaska Airlines first started pulling back on Hawaii flights during Covid.
Anchorage to Honolulu. Alaska announced in April 2022 that the popular route was suspended from June until November. We do see it returning to their schedule starting November 17. But at that time, it is set to be a seasonal-only route operating until April 1.
Alaska’s contraction started concurrently with Southwest’s arrival in Hawaii, which anyone would have predicted. It began with the elimination of Sacramento to Kona. That once popular flight which commenced in 2018, was terminated in 2020. At about the same time, Alaska pulled Sacramento to Maui.
Oakland to Hawaii flights. Last year Alaska also stopped Hawaii flights from convenient Oakland. That was a route that Beat of Hawaii editors both miss personally. At the time, Alaska moved its focus to San Francisco and San Jose. Southwest Airlines is the driving force at Oakland Airport, including its Hawaii flights. Hawaiian Airlines also serves Oakland.
And your insightful comments about Hawaii routes being canceled.
Lori: I always flew Alaska from San Diego to Hawaii until Southwest came into the market. However after booking a nonstop flight on Southwest to Kauai, only to be rerouted to a connecting flight at the height of the summer when fares were high, having to go backwards to Las Vegas, my usual 5 hour trip became a 12 hour trip. I travel to Maui as well, and now they just pulled those trips too. They have completely lost my business, and I will go back to Alaska. It is not worth losing 2 full days of my trip to travel–I might as well go to Europe! Foolish on their part to not keep at least Maui. Hope the inter island business is enough for them. Can’t imagine any California residents wanting to take a connecting flight.
Don: Southwest is making a mistake and the Kauai, The Big Island, and to a degree Maui will pay the price as no one wants to fly 5 to 6 hours and have to spend another 2 to 3 hours taking another plane to the other islands. Pathetic decision.
Richard: For us who fly out of Sacramento, Southwest entering service to Hawaii has actually cost us several direct flights from other carriers and now they’re dropping their direct flights. Feels like Sacramento has stepped back 20 years in time when it comes to traveling to Hawaii. Hopefully, a carrier like Alaska can reinstate their direct flight to Maui from Sacramento which they dropped after Southwest entered the market.
Amanda: We flew Alaska from Sacramento to Maui many times…flights always seemed full! We were so disappointed when they discontinued that flight. And now SWA!
Charlotte: From this Sacramento customer to Southwest “boo hiss.” No fair Sacramento area customers have to connect in Honolulu or (shudder) drive to a bay area airport. No offense meant to either, but at my age last thing I want is a stressful drive to the airport and/or a tight connection. Or a long layover to avoid a tight connection.
Kelly: I have been on many non-stop flights from SMF to OGG most were full, so why are they doing this?
I will be flying Hawaiian now.
What’s your take on the fast-changing situation?
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Chris R says
I wonder if this is in anticipation of Hawaii putting regulations on numbers of tourists it is going to allow.
Ernie S. says
Chris Hawaii cannot Officially put limits and restrictions on the amount of people entering the State or any individual Island. I’m Certain that the cutbacks have some Hawaiian fingerprints here and there. Most of these Government Types in Hawaii are very manipulative, did they ever work at a casino?
Susan M says
I’ve had a direct flight to Maui from DFW onAA booked for a couple of months. Received an email last week that my flight had changed. Return flight changed from a direct flight to a flight to LAX, with a 45 minute layover connection to DFW! LiKe that’s going to happen!! I had booked Prem Economy seats at a really good price, feel I got bumped for someone with more points, or more money!
Robert M says
Like many who have commented before me, I find myself bouncing around from airline to Airline trying to get to Hawaii from Sacramento. I agree with the comment that we feel like we’ve taken a 20-year step backwards. I was so excited when I saw non-stop flights on Alaska to Kona. Then they got dropped. Then, Along Comes Southwest, and they too the non-stop to Kona. The point of this comment is that I hope the airlines are listening when we say it is poor marketing to throw us around like this. Airline loyalty only goes so far.
Ernie S. says
In a non competitive environment and low return margins the airlines really don’t care about your discomfort in finding your perfect flight conditions. Loyalty Points can typically only be redeemed on their airlines, is there any other choice for you and others? No.
Katie H says
So disappointed that Southwest pulled its direct flights from Sacramento to Maui. What are they thinking? No one wants to fly backwards to Vegas before starting their transpacific flight adding hours to the trip.
Maui is a huge market and there was never an open seat on that nonstop flight so you can’t say they were under utilized! I have been a loyal Southwest customer for years but will surely start looking for other options. Please reconsider and bring back direct flights from Sacramento to Maui!
Robert says
It seems natural that airlines will pull back if they can’t reliably manage their flight operations. It does appear suspicious when multiple airlines abandon a city like Sacramento at the same time. I am supposed to believe they came to the same strategic decision and ther is no collusion?
Joan C says
I always flew Alaska to Sacramento as we have an RV and family there. There are only 6 am returning flights to maui and no more non stop. Why????
So many tourists come to Maui.
Make it easier for locals to go visits the mainland please!
Ernie S. says
Hi Bob L, when it comes to connecting flights to get to Hawaii the problem that we encounter is always the same, the ability to make the connection. We look for connections that give enough time to make it work, I’m Disabled. Most give me an hour and forty minutes, problem is that they change it and then need to find transportation to get to the gate that’s getting us to the gate when they’re almost closing the airplane door! If walking you will not make it as it’s about the furthest gate that they could find. A few times, as we got off, we asked where the gate was and were told that they’re boarding already and we had better run and we may still miss the flight! No Connections are Best.
Dolores J says
What is the reasoning for all these cancellations? I see no explanations. Flights are full, so what is really going on? Is someone paying the airlines not to fly these routes, or is it to be able to raise prices for demand?
Kelsi D says
Time is money people! Most CA locations involve a drive of some time to an airport as well as getting through security, airtime, and then getting off and collecting your checked bags. Wasting my time, energy and resources (such as extra vacation time off for travel) both before and after my vacation? It’s sounds more like a chore than something I want to do.
Rod W says
Kelsi,
So do you only go to drive-to locations for vacation?
Our closest airport with a nonstop to HNL is about 90 minutes away. When I saw all those gate surrenders, I was surprised my SoCal airport wasn’t on the list. One single aisle flight a day. Round II maybe.
Lynn says
If direct flights are going away from from Sacramento and Oakland, then my family will just travel to another destination and take Hawaii off the plate. Time is precious and wasting more time in the air due to removed straight flights becomes a headache and a waste of valuable time.
Nita C says
Southwest what the heck is going on??? We’ve flown from Long Beach to Maui and now that we live in Maui have gone Maui to LB with ease! Some flights full some this past late January not so much. LB is a dream for a traveler to get into & out of ! I know Many of my Huge extended family Loves this route – LAX is a 100% nightmare & is avoided at all costs by everyone I know!!! Please reconsider Southwest!!!
Pat says
You got to be kidding me! Just looked at flights today from Sacramento to Maui!! Main Cabin is $2500.00 ! Yes main cabin not first class! This is the only direct flight to Maui on Hawaiian Airlines!!!
What a shock! Guess they need to make more money! Where has the Costumer Service gone ? This will sure not bring people to Maui.
Karen B says
Looks like mostly Calf. Routes, Did Calf. Sneak in some surprise taxes? Maui still struggling from pandemic lots of travelers and airport is a mess, just arrived back. Is this also part of Maui asking visitors to scale back?
T L says
I think Hawaii has to take the blame for much of this pull back. If a place will go into complete lock down for an extended period of time, it’s not a good business decision to run routes to these locations.
Karen S. says
I used to be very loyal to Hawaiian Air, but changing a flight (often needed due to business travel) is horribly difficult. I am so grateful Southwest has entered the interisland market. There app allows you to quickly change flights and apply the credit to the new flight immediately.
Alex says
Could this have something to do with much higher oil- and jet fuel prices? Hawaiian and Southwest must have been loosing boat loads of money with their $29 interisland fare war and the buck has to stop somewhere, I guess.
Bob L says
OK. I have to say that this whole discussion reminds me of the Louis CK bit “Everything’s amazing and nobody’s happy!”. For goodness sakes! You are able to take a flight that costs peanuts (well, depending on when you go) to a tropical destination and get to your destination between 5 and 8 hours and we are all up in arms about the fact that we have to take a connection to get to our favorite island? Let’s all remember that unless you live in a hub city you typically have to take a connection to almost anywhere you go in the US when flying this far. Why should the Hawaii route be any different than just about any other city pairing in the US of equal distance??
Rod W says
Bob,
“…we are all up in arms about the fact that we have to take a connection to get to our favorite island?”
Of course! A connection adds time 2 the flight. By the time you arrive, you lost a good part of a day. That’s if both flights are on time. One serious delay and you are going the next day – maybe.
Luckily, I have many nonstop options with different SoCal airports.
I’ve been to 5 islands – in the 1970’s. Since then, it’s Oahu, and one forgettable vacation in Maui. The problem with the low-population islands is they are all “slow” moving. Now, if you want that, Oahu has slow – it’s not all Waikiki and Honolulu. Half an hour from HNL to North Shore or Kailua and an hour to Turtle Bay. Give them a try. It’s Waikiki for me!
Rod W says
If these are good routes, some will be taken up by others.
What about United, American, and Delta? Surely, they will be looking at some of those routes.
We are closer to LAX, but to avoid that zoo we were flying from San Diego to HNL. But for the last trip and the one in Sep we are taking the Ontario > HNL nonstop. The aircraft sucks, but Ontario is the closest airport to us. And, I won’t take a connecting flight, so it’s nearly perfect.
Seems like there are some good nonstop routes now up for grabs.
JOHN K says
As tourist unfriendly as Hawaii became during the C-19 attack, it is no wonder airlines are pulling out. Tourists would rather stay in The United States and enjoy freedom in States such as Florida or Texas.
Lewis G says
I wonder if others appreciate the two levels of sarcasm. One, of corse, is comparing Texas or Florida to Hawaii. The second, naturally, using Texas and Florida in the same sentence as freedom.
Ernie S. says
It appears that nature and natural beauty can only occur in one State out of Fifty for some odd reason, most realistic people know better than that. Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder as evidenced by the amount of Tourism across the mainland, people vacationing within a few hours of Home and enjoying where they are, and not paying exorbitant prices and a half day in the air. Many people know beautiful places that compare and beat Hawaii hands down, just a shame that politics need to be interjected in a manner typical of radical craze.
Kate H says
John, Hawaii is the United States, and during Covid we were protecting the residents of these beautiful Islands like all the other 49 states were doing at the same time.
Ernie S. says
It’s a “Possibility” that the airlines considered the unfriendly attitude and “Punishment” that Tourists are experiencing from the “Aloha” State, however, the “Probability” is at Best in the “Medium/Low Range. Airlines do perform Assessments of Risk on all of their routes, Hawaii must be seen as one that will be declining for at least several quarters to cut back this much. Hawaii is Ultimately to Blame along with the Hawaiian Residents that don’t know what “Aloha” Truly Means! Flights from “Other” Countries will be Flooding the Islands Soon to make up the Losses from fellow Citizens! The “Aloha” isn’t showing anymore, it’s Hiding in the lava tubes with the Ancient Chief’s of Hawaii, Their Hidden Burial Chamber’s.
Linda S says
Longtime Alaska Oakland to Lihue flyer here. So sad they pulled the plug on Oakland. And now cant find a nonstop out of the Bay Area to Lihue. Flying out of Seattle is unacceptable. I dont get it. Flights were full and brought in a lot of revenue. What gives?