Southwest’s Rolls Out Second Wave of Hawai‘i Service This Week

PC: Southwest Airlines. File: 2.5.19

Southwest Airlines rolled out its second wave of Hawaiʻi service this week with new service to, from, and within the Hawaiian Islands.

This includes new daily service between Sacramento International Airport and Honolulu that started on Sunday. There’s also new nonstop service from San Jose and Oakland to both Līhuʻe and Kona.

Southwest also launched three new neighbor island flights including a Kahului, Maui to Kona route that will operate once daily.  Other neighbor island routes include four-times daily service between Honolulu and Lihue; and Honolulu and Hilo.

With these additions, Southwest operates a total 34 departures a day on interisland routes and 18 flights transiting the Pacific each day between California and Hawaiʻi.

“We’re energized by the warm aloha Southwest has enjoyed in response to our initial Hawaiʻi offering and this second wave of service is an investment that broadens our everyday value through low fares, no fees to change tickets (though fare difference may apply), and two checked bags free* for everyone,” said Tom Nealon, Southwest Airlines President in an initial announcement back in August. “We’re focused on bringing Hawaii an authentically Southwest experience with comfort across all seating—for every Customer—along with in-cabin snack enhancements for our flights between Hawaiʻi and the mainland.”

In October 2017, Southwest shared an intention to begin the technical work to bring capabilities for Hawaiʻi service, applied with the Federal Aviation Administration in January 2018, and publicly announced the carrier’s initial gateway airports and initial Hawaiʻi airports in spring 2018. Southwest Airlines first operated Hawaiʻi service on March 17, 2019, from Oakland to Honolulu.