Will This Be Hawaiian Airlines’ Most Strategic New Route Yet?

Hawaiian Airlines may be preparing nonstop service between Denver and Honolulu, based on a growing wave of speculation across emails, comments, communities, and industry discussions that continue to reach our news desk. At the center of the talk is the newly constructed widebody-capable infrastructure including gates at Denver International Airport, which some believe are being positioned for Hawaiian’s A330 aircraft.

This wouldn’t just mark a Hawaiian Airlines flight expansion—it could also be a pivotal move for Alaska Airlines, offering one of the first clear signals that Hawaii isn’t in any way being sidelined in its post-merger vision. With moves to date involving asset shifts away from Hawaii—including Dreamliners moving to international routes from Seattle—this could suggest precisely what the Hawaii routes upside could be going forward. A launch from Denver could be the statement.

While Hawaiian has never served Denver, such a move would represent a bold push into an underserved but high-demand market. With the new infrastructure coming online and Hawaiian’s A330 fleet in strategic flux amid the Alaska Airlines purchase, conditions may align for a fresh, longer-haul launch into the Rocky Mountain region.

Why Denver’s expansion is drawing attention.

Denver International Airport’s recent terminal expansion includes new gates designed for widebody aircraft, signaling its growing focus on long-haul and high-capacity operations. While Alaska Airlines is set to use two narrowbody gates, the widebody-ready positions remain unassigned. This has fueled speculation that Hawaiian Airlines might seize the opportunity to test its A330 fleet on a new Denver-Honolulu route.

Industry buzz and direct traveler input.

We’ve recently heard from many readers—by email and in comments—raising questions about whether Hawaiian Airlines could be eyeing Denver for new nonstop service to Honolulu. In fact, we’ve had more than 400 comments mentioning Denver in relation to Hawaii flight potential, underscoring just how much interest this route continues to generate.

One regular visitor commented, “Any chance Denver finally gets nonstop service to Hawaii on Hawaiian? United’s flights are packed, and there’s room for more competition.” Another added, “Any chance Denver finally gets nonstop service to Hawaii on Hawaiian? And a third said, “Wishing that Hawaiian/Alaska will have a nonstop from Denver to anywhere in Hawaii. United needs the competition!!!!” Countless others had mirrored this or mentioned changes taking place at DEN. Clearly United’s flights are expensive, packed, and there’s room for more competition.”

Another added, “Wishing that Hawaiian/Alaska will have a nonstop from Denver to anywhere in Hawaii. United needs the competition!!!!”

That kind of question has become more common as speculation grows alongside broader industry chatter tied to Denver International Airport’s expanded widebody infrastructure and Hawaiian’s still-significant fleet of A330 aircraft.

While no route filings or gate assignments have been made public, the timing of DEN’s terminal upgrades and the ongoing Alaska-Hawaiian merger have many travelers and airline watchers, including us, connecting the dots.

With Denver’s limited nonstop Hawaii options via United Airlines and strong outbound demand, it stands out as a logical candidate for expanded service, particularly with Hawaiian’s long-haul aircraft ready to be redeployed.

There’s been no official confirmation yet, but based on what we’re hearing, this has become one of the most talked-about possibilities for what might come next in Hawaii travel under Hawaiian’s new owner, Alaska.

Does Denver make strategic sense now?

United Airlines currently operates two daily nonstop flights between Denver and Honolulu. During peak periods, both flights typically use Boeing 777 aircraft, indicating significant demand. One of the two may shift to a 757 in off-peak seasons, but the 777 remains the dominant aircraft on the route.

We recently flew this aircraft on United’s Honolulu–San Francisco segment—it’s the same domestic configuration used on the Denver route. Up front, United’s cabin has lie-flat seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. In economy, the layout is 3-4-3, resulting in a denser, more cramped cabin with more middle seats.

Hawaiian’s A330, by contrast, features a 2-2-2 layout in lie-flat first class and a 2-4-2 arrangement in economy, offering fewer middle seats and a roomier overall experience.

Most U.S. carriers—including American, Delta, and United—operate widebodies strategically. Despite its distance, Hawaii is increasingly served by narrowbody aircraft from carriers including Alaska, Southwest, and the legacy airlines. That makes Hawaiian’s widebody option another exception, not the norm. If launched, an A330 flight from Denver would be a rare comfort upgrade.

Hawaiian’s A330 fleet needs new direction.

Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 fleet remains the backbone of its long-haul Hawaii service, connecting the islands with high-traffic and distant U.S. mainland cities and international destinations, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia. And that’s not expected to change.

As Hawaiian transitions under Alaska Airlines ownership, the A330 continues to be its most capable long-range domestic aircraft. Despite the addition of Boeing 787s to the broader merged fleet, those aircraft are expected to be operated primarily by Alaska out of Seattle on long-haul international routes, not on Hawaii flights.

That leaves the A330 as Hawaiian’s best option for expanding new service from further afield mainland hubs like Denver. The aircraft is ideally suited for the DEN-HNL route, offering capacity and passenger comfort while allowing the airline to make inroads into a new high-growth market.

A soft rollout of post-acquisition strategy?

If a DEN–HNL route launches, it could mark one of the first visible signs of how the Alaska–Hawaiian deal is beginning to shape real-world Hawaii flight strategy.

So far, most of the merger’s effects have been behind the scenes—loyalty alignment, operational integration, and leadership restructuring. Travelers haven’t seen significant route changes yet that reflect the new ownership.

That’s what makes Denver particularly noteworthy. A new route like this would show not just a recommitment to Hawaii service, but also a willingness by the combined airline to test long-haul opportunities outside the usual California and Pacific Northwest corridors—even before the integration is fully finalized.

No formal announcement yet.

No formal announcement yet exists, but Denver has emerged as a high-interest possibility in the evolving Alaska–Hawaiian network. With widebody-capable gates coming online, Hawaiian’s A330s offering new deployment opportunities, and a strong market for Hawaii service in the Mountain West, the pieces seem to be falling into place.

At the same time, Alaska Airlines may look for a big win to reinforce its Hawaii strategy under the new combined brand. With Dreamliners now shifting to international routes from Seattle and little in the way of new major Hawaii wins so far, Denver–Honolulu would be a high-profile move in the other direction—an expansion, not a contraction. For both airlines, this could be the route that signals what’s next.