How to get to Hawaii: Fly nonstop from 27 mainland U.S. cities
Travel restrictions and requirements may change at the last minute if you're planning an international trip. As such, many travelers are turning to Hawaii when planning trips right now. Plus, from beaches to observatories, there's a lot to love about Hawaii.
Some airlines are increasing service to Hawaii as travel demand increases. So, today I'll discuss all the nonstop routes airlines fly, or will soon fly, between Hawaii and the mainland U.S.
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Airlines that fly to Hawaii
Often, you'll need to connect when flying to Hawaii. But, here are the airlines that operate nonstop flights from at least one mainland U.S. city to at least one Hawaiian airport:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Sun Country
- United Airlines
TPG's Summer Hull has previously argued why you should fly Hawaiian Airlines to Hawaii. But, I'll discuss the routes flown by each of these airlines in the following sections.
Related: Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Hawaii right now
Hawaiian airports
Only the following five Hawaiian airports currently have flights arriving from and departing to the mainland U.S.:
- Honolulu (HNL) on Oahu
- Kahului (OGG) on Maui
- Lihue (LIH) on Kauai
- Kona (KOA) on Hawaii's Big Island
- Hilo (ITO) on Hawaii's Big Island
But, you can connect onward to other Hawaiian islands using inter-island air transportation. Southwest even operates some inter-Hawaii flights. And, you can rent a car to explore more remote parts of the four Hawaiian islands serviced by nonstop flights from the mainland. You may even be able to snag a reasonably priced rental car using AutoSlash or by redeeming your points and miles for a car rental.
Related: 6 versions of paradise: How to choose the right Hawaiian island for you
How to fly to Honolulu, Oahu
If you want to fly nonstop into Honolulu (HNL), you may be able to fly nonstop from the following U.S. mainland cities.
- Atlanta (ATL): Delta
- Austin (AUS): Hawaiian (starting April 21)
- Boston (BOS): Hawaiian
- Charlotte (CLT): American
- Chicago (ORD): American and United
- Dallas (DFW): American
- Denver (DEN): United
- Houston (IAH): United
- Las Vegas (LAS): Hawaiian
- Long Beach (LGB): Hawaiian and Southwest (launched March 11)
- Los Angeles (LAX): American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian, Sun Country and United
- Minneapolis (MSP): Delta
- New York (EWR): United
- New York (JFK): Hawaiian
- Oakland (OAK): Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest
- Ontario (ONT): Hawaiian (starting March 16)
- Orlando (MCO): Hawaiian (launched March 11)
- Phoenix (PHX): American and Hawaiian
- Portland (PDX): Alaska and Hawaiian
- Sacramento (SMF): Hawaiian and Southwest
- Salt Lake City (SLC): Delta
- San Diego (SAN): Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest
- San Jose (SJC): Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest
- San Francisco (SFO): Alaska, Hawaiian, Sun Country and United
- Santa Ana (SNA): United (starting May 6)
- Seattle (SEA): Alaska, Delta and Hawaiian
- Washington (IAD): United
However, note that some airlines operate these routes seasonally, while others only operate flights on select days of the week.
Related: Flying to Hawaii? Here’s what to expect with inflight food and beverages
How to fly to Kahului, Maui
And if you want to fly nonstop into Kahului (OGG) on the island of Maui, you may be able to fly nonstop from the following U.S. mainland cities:
- Chicago (ORD): United
- Dallas (DFW): American
- Denver (DEN): United
- Las Vegas (LAS): Hawaiian
- Long Beach (LGB): Hawaiian (launched March 9) and Southwest (launched March 11)
- Los Angeles (LAX): American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian and United
- New York (EWR): United (starting on June 3)
- Oakland (OAK): Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest
- Phoenix (PHX): American
- Portland (PDX): Alaska and Hawaiian
- Sacramento (SMF): Hawaiian and Southwest
- Salt Lake City (SLC): Delta
- San Diego (SAN): Alaska and Hawaiian
- San Francisco (SFO): Alaska, Hawaiian and United
- San Jose (SJC): Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest
- Seattle (SEA): Alaska, Delta and Hawaiian
However, some airlines operate these routes seasonally and some only operate flights on select days of the week.
Related: 26 Maui hotels you can book with points
How to fly to Lihue, Kauai
If you want to fly nonstop into Lihue (LIH) on the island of Kauai, you may be able to fly nonstop from the following U.S. mainland cities:
- Denver (DEN): United
- Los Angeles (LAX): American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian and United
- Oakland (OAK): Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest
- Phoenix (PHX): American
- Portland (PDX): Alaska
- San Diego (SAN): Alaska
- San Francisco (SFO): United
- San Jose (SJC): Alaska and Southwest
- Seattle (SEA): Alaska and Delta
However, some airlines operate these routes seasonally and some only operate flights on select days of the week.
Related: Kauai expanding resort bubbles; 10 reasons to visit Timbers Resort in Hawaii
How to fly to Kona, Big Island
If you want to fly nonstop into Kona (KOA) on Hawaii's Big Island, you may be able to fly nonstop from the following U.S. mainland cities:
- Chicago (ORD): United (starting June 3)
- Dallas (DFW): American
- Denver (DEN): United
- Los Angeles (LAX): American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian and United
- Oakland (OAK): Alaska and Southwest
- Phoenix (PHX): American
- Portland (PDX): Alaska
- San Diego (SAN): Alaska
- San Jose (SJC): Alaska and Southwest
- San Francisco (SFO): United
- Seattle (SEA): Alaska and Delta
However, some airlines operate these routes seasonally and some only operate flights on select days of the week.
Related: The 15 most beautiful Hawaiian beaches that we can’t stop dreaming about
How to fly to Hilo, Big Island
Finally, if you want to fly nonstop to Hilo (ITO) on Hawaii's Big Island, you may be able to fly United from Los Angeles (LAX). However, if Los Angeles and United don't work for you, you could consider flying into Kona, which is also on Hawaii's Big Island. Then, you could rent a car and drive over to Hilo. Alternatively, you could fly on an inter-Hawaii flight to Hilo.
Related: Hawaii’s Big Island: 7 things first-timers exploring Hilo need to try
Flying to Hawaii with points and miles
Flights to Hawaii can be expensive. Luckily, you can get to Hawaii using points and miles. For example, TPG's Summer Hull took her family on a three-week Hawaiian vacation using points and miles. And TPG contributor Ian Snyder leveraged a single card bonus for free flights to Hawaii for a whole family.
In short, there are a lot of ways you can fly to Hawaii with points and miles. For example, you could redeem points and miles to fly on Hawaiian Airlines. You could also redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points to fly Southwest. But, when flying with Alaska, Delta, United and American, you may be better off booking with partners such as Turkish Miles & Smiles, British Airways Avios, Korean Air SkyPass or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
You could even redeem miles to fly in a lie-flat seat to Hawaii. For example, we've seen American Airlines Web Special awards that would allow you to fly to Hawaii in lie-flat first class for just 45,000 miles. And you can book lie-flat first-class seats on new Hawaiian Airlines routes from 40,000 miles.
Related: TPG readers reveal their favorite points hotels in Hawaii
Bottom line
Depending on what you plan to do on your Hawaiian vacation, the best time to visit Hawaii will vary. As this guide shows, there are many nonstop flights between the mainland U.S. and Hawaii. But, if you don't live in a city with an airport that offers nonstop flights to Hawaii, you may need to book a connecting flight. Some of the loyalty programs mentioned above only allow nonstop itineraries, but it may be worth booking a separate positioning flight in order to redeem through select programs.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
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Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees