Hawaiian Adds New Gates at Kahului Airport

The boarding gates are now at the top of the escalators. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Sonia Isotov

Hawaiian Airlines has added boarding gates at a more centralized location close to the terminal entrance, after travelers clear security and are also clustered near the airport’s restaurant and gift shops at Kahului Airport.

Working in conjunction with the state Department of Transportation and Maui Airports division, Hawaiian has added three new boarding gates to its Kahului Airport operations. All of its transpacific and neighbor island flights are now operating from gates 11-21 in the center of the terminal.

The centralized location of Hawaiian’s boarding gates allows travelers to move about more efficiently to catch local flights, mainland US flights, or use other airport services.

Hawaiian sought the added gates and centralized location as they created their Maui hub and adding three additional Boeing 717-200 aircraft to its neighbor island fleet earlier this year.

Kahului Airport Check-In Lobby. Photo courtesy of Dept of Transportation.

“With our Maui hub, we’ve added flights and are providing more travel options statewide so it was imperative we expand our operations at Kahului Airport to meet the increased demands of our growth,” said Charles Nardello, senior vice president of operations at Hawaiian Airlines, in a written statement.

Hawaiian has increased round-trip neighbor islands flights to Maui by 25%, including additional nonstop service connecting Maui with Kauai and Hawaii Island. Hawaiian is also increasing its transpacific service to Maui from California this summer.