A new gateway to Hawaii is quietly rising. If you dream of a Hawaii vacation, your journey might soon take an unexpected turn through a city most of us didn’t see coming.
More and more travelers could be finding out that their Hawaii flights are being routed through a different West Coast airport. It’s not a glitch. It’s the start of a new strategy, as airlines shift routes, reassign aircraft, and rethink what it means to serve the islands efficiently.
This particular change is especially tied to Alaska Airlines, which is undergoing massive realignment after its deal to acquire Hawaiian Airlines. Now, one airport is stepping into the spotlight in a way that could shape Hawaii’s travel plans for years to come.
Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said Portland is a “huge opportunity,” adding that they plan to make more investments to build a stronger network in the city.
Alaska Airlines’ Seattle home has a severe overcrowding problem.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) has been stretched beyond its limits. In 2024, it broke records with 52.6 million passengers—more than it handled even before Covid. And while new terminals and check-in innovations are underway, the demand has already well outpaced the fixes.
Gates are full, and runways are congested. As Alaska Airlines begins flying widebody aircraft internationally—from Seattle to Tokyo, soon Seoul, and next year Europe—pressure is building to reserve all-important space for global long-haul routes.
That means less room for Hawaii flights, especially those that don’t require larger planes. Alaska needs to free up SEA for international growth, and many now believe that their domestic leisure traffic, including to Hawaii, could be rerouted elsewhere.
Why Portland is the perfect alternative.
Enter Portland International Airport (PDX), a long-established but lower-profile player in Hawaii travel. While Portland has offered nonstop flights to Honolulu, Maui, and other islands for years, its role now looks to shift from one of more optional to essential.
Alaska is said to be using Portland as a strategic relief valve to take pressure off Seattle. That includes rerouting some connecting traffic, adding more Hawaii-related lift from PDX, and potentially expanding connectivity to the islands with more flights or departure times.
There are already three daily nonstop flights from Portland to Honolulu, using Hawaiian’s A321neo aircraft. These aren’t widebodies—but they’re newer, fuel-efficient narrow-bodies, and are very well-suited for this type of midrange, mid-capacity route. For travelers, it means better scheduling options, potentially cheaper fares as an incentive to avoid Seattle, and a far calmer airport experience.
For now, PDX is being seen as a domestic hub rather than a long-haul gateway, but we think that could change in the future as things progress.
What this means for Hawaii travelers.
This shift won’t affect everyone. Nothing changes if you’re flying nonstop from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Hawaii. But if you’re connecting to Hawaii from cities like Boise, Spokane, Salt Lake City, or Reno, or many of Alaska’s cities further afield across the U.S., your Hawaii connection might be going through Portland instead of Seattle. Alaska will continue adding flights like the one added already this year from Portland to Houston, providing an alternative to United for example, to and from Hawaii.
And for many, that’s a good thing.
Portland consistently ranks among the best U.S. airports for passenger experience. In the 2024 J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study, Portland International Airport (PDX) ranked 8th among large airports. Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) came in near the bottom of the mega-airport category at 16th out of 20.
PDX is smaller, easier to navigate, and less plagued by delays. Alaska has invested heavily in its Portland facilities, including touchless check-in and bag drop systems that streamline the travel experience.
If your Hawaii flights have started showing Portland as a connection, this is why. It’s part of a broader plan, not a fluke.
Why widebody jets are no longer the Hawaiian/Alaska focus.
You may have noticed that Hawaiian’s widebody Airbus A330s also fly three daily round-trip flights between Seattle and Honolulu. But this isn’t about meeting demand on that specific route. It’s more about logistics.
The A330s are based in Honolulu, not Seattle. They’re being sent to SEA partly to support Alaska’s new long-haul international routes to Asia, then Europe. By operating Seattle–Honolulu turnarounds, Hawaiian’s crews can keep their base in HNL while staging the aircraft and crew needed for Asia flights out of SEA.
So even though you’re seeing more widebody flights in Seattle, that doesn’t mean Hawaii is the real priority there or in terms of Alaska’s widebody strategy as it relates to Hawaii. It’s simply that more important international expansion drives the decisions. This leaves more of the Hawaii network open to being supported through Portland and other flexible hubs.
The future of Hawaii flight routes.
If you’ve been flying to Hawaii for years, you know how routing patterns shift. When LAX got overloaded, airlines added more flights out of San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, and elsewhere. The same thing may happen with Portland, especially for connections and secondary island destinations.
Portland could also gain new nonstop service to less commonly served Hawaii airports like Hilo. This would reduce dependence on SEA, match aircraft to demand, and create more scheduling options for travelers from across the western U.S.
The broader story? As Alaska and Hawaiian continue to integrate their networks, Hawaii flights are no longer just about where the most passengers live. They’re about gate space, aircraft availability, crew positioning, and international strategy. And that’s pushing connections through cities that once played a much smaller role.
What to watch going forward.
If you’re traveling to Hawaii later in 2025 or in 2026, pay close attention to your routing. Portland might appear more often on your itinerary, especially if you’re not flying from a major West Coast gateway. And it’s not a mistake. It’s part of a quiet shift that could change the travel map for years to come.
Have you flown to Hawaii through Portland recently? Are you seeing new airport options in your flight searches? Let us know in the comments.
Alaska Airlines is betting on Portland in a big way. And for Hawaii travelers, that could mean faster trips, less airport chaos, and new routes that weren’t on your radar.
As airlines reshape their networks, staying informed is key. Keep an eye on Portland—it might become your new favorite gateway to paradise.
What’s your take on Portland? We welcome your comments.
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Aloha~. Nothing new here, Alaska has been using Portland as an alternate for 20 years. Makes sense when one airport gets saturated. You need to find another one. Cheers.
Have a credit (we had to cancel) and have till next feb to use it. With this merger, do I need to use it before the merger is completed?
The merger is already complete, although there will be additional steps leading up to both carriers being on the same operating certificate. Given that Alaska has stated that Hawaiian Miles members won’t lose miles or status, it seems unlikely that your HA credit will be affected. However, you should probably call Alaska for clarification if you have any lingering questions. Messing with a credit comes with certain legal restrictions on the airline, though, so I really see no reason to worry.
What effect, if any, will Alaska Lines’ acquisition of Hawaiian Lines have on non-stop flights on Hawaiian Lines from Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii to Oakland, California?
And
What effect, if any, will Alaska Lines’ acquisition of Hawaiian Lines have on non-stop flights on Hawaiian Lines from Oakland, California to Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii?
dennis hanna
I don’t think anyone can truthfully answer your specific questions about routes. The US airline industry has been deregulated for decades so any airline can respond to shifts in demand as they see fit. If the routes you mention make money, they will continue. If not…you get the idea.
One of the best perks at PDX are the concessions. The Port of Portland has for years implemented A rule that says vendors are not allowed to overcharge for their products by inflating prices at the airport. Vendors must charge the same prices they do at malls, downtown and other locations.
We are coming back from Kona to Phx and have a layover in San Diego. That is a first for us. This is through Hawaiian Air but really Alaskan Air. Why can’t there ever be nonstops home?
I live only about 10 miles from Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) so likely will be happy as long as I can continue to get good nonstop service to most of the places I want to go. As a kid, I lived probably in the same place as @Robert L, about halfway between Seattle and Portland, so I flew to/from PDX a number of times but haven’t set foot in PDX in a very long time. I understand that recent renovations at PDX have made it quite nice. Portland and environs have been underserved for air connections for years so this news is probably good for all concerned. (BTW, AS intends to use PDX for more connections to a lot of places, not just Hawaii.)
My last trip out of SEA was May 2nd, a Friday, and the airport was crazy busy. It took about 45 minutes to get through security–and I used both Pre-Check and Clear! I don’t recall ever having seen the airport that busy. And it wasn’t really Alaska cruise season yet. A safety valve is a good idea!
We have experienced this already. We are on a trip to Kauai and return through PDX. While PDX might be a wonderful airport, I have already been in contact with representatives for the airport and find out that they do not have any facilities for “adult changing room”. They have family, restrooms, but those do not work for a disabled young adult who needs to be laid on a bed and given a refresh. We discovered this after ticket purchase. Seattle has incorporated this into their system, and it worked great on our way through to Kauai. When airports do not have an adult changing bed, we need to lay our son on the floor in order to refresh his clothing/hygiene. this is difficult for us as we have to lift him manually out of and back into the chair. Yes, we know that the answer is just don’t travel with him. But if you saw the smile on his face when he gets to Hawaii… You would take him along also! Hoping PDX incorporates this small item into their airport structure.
We live in a town halfway between Portland and Seattle and have always preferred PDX. Flights HA25/26 using A330’s had well thought out departure and arrival times and the park and fly options are much better and cheaper than those in Seattle. Those flights no longer exist, and the change from using A330’s to smaller airplanes is a disaster for passengers whether flying first class or coach. Who wants to fly in a cramped cigar for six hours? Not me, thanks.
Hi, Robert,
I am not sure I agree that widebodies are necessarily more comfortable than narrowbodies. That’s because the aisles are still narrow and it’s not easy to cross from one aisle to another. Airlines tend to cram as many seats as possible into all aircraft. It’s not like the (very) old days when 747s and DC-10s had bar areas, even in coach. If I still lived where you do, I would continue to use PDX to fly to Hawaii. even on narrowbodies. As you pointed out, it’s an easier drive, parking is cheaper, and I am guessing security checks are faster–plus, it’s a slightly shorter flight.
Alaska Air’s Portland, Oregon, load-balancing strategy may have started back in February. They sold me an October itinerary that took me from southern Oregon through Seattle to Honolulu, and my return flight through Portland. I am happy; it means less flying time for me.
My wife and I typically fly out of PDX. Not just for LIH, but anywhere in the world. We just got back from a trip to Europe. PDX both ways. We live in Olympia, but our daughter (and her family) live in Vancouver and it is more convenient to fly out of PDX. Cheaper, in many cases, as well. The only downside is arriving domestically on UA. It’s quite a long walk from the gates to baggage claim #9. Oh well…
We live in Oregon, so we always fly out of Portland (PDX) when traveling to Hawaii. PDX is a wonderful airport!! The efficiency is exceptional, staff is incredible and friendly, it’s clean, well laid out, the shops and dining choices are expansive and it is beautifully appointed with amazing use of indigenous, recycled wood products sourced from our recent wildfires. If you ever have the opportunity to experience PDX, I highly recommend it.
Why rarely a mention of Phoenix, although some Direct Service was cut back before Covid, Honolulu and the A330 were the way to go? Connecting through LA or SD, was the need in the 1989’s and early 1990’s is not an alternative.