Quantcast

Southwest Airlines adjusts routes between California and Hawaii

Airlines begin canceling flights, offering rebooking ahead of Hurricane Helene
Southwest Airlines to cut service and staffing in Atlanta to slash costs
Explore Japan for free? Japan Airlines offers free domestic flights to foreign travelers
Delta named Official Airline Partner of Birmingham City Football Club
American Airlines to Cut These Routes to Las Vegas, Orlando, and More — Here's Why
Alaska Airlines completes acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, expanding benefits and choice for travelers
Southwest wouldn't really start charging for bags — right?
JD Power ranked this Midwest airport as the best among largest airports in North America
Alaska Airlines Chief Plans More Routes After a Deal With Hawaiian
Air Canada could begin suspending flights soon as strike deadline nears
JetBlue's new ticket policy entitles every passenger to a carry-on bag
Why United Airlines’ CEO makes as few decisions as possible
American invests in the future of aviation maintenance with new jobs, additional work
DOT probe seeks to determine if frequent flyer programs are fair to travelers
American Airlines flight diverted after passenger starts vaping
Russian Airline Wants $100 Million From Canada for Seizing Its Giant Cargo Plane
Here's where American Airlines is adding flights to Europe in summer 2025
Major airline grounds Airbus A350 fleet, citing faulty engine component
Airline CEO wants airports to cap passengers at 2 alcoholic drinks to limit on-board disruptions
Regulator cuts Malaysia Airlines' air operator certificate duration after probe
United Airlines flight attendants are prepared to strike. Here's why it's still unlikely.
2 workers killed, 1 injured in tire explosion at a Delta Air Lines shop in Atlanta
Emirates Will Buy 5 Airbus A380s From Lessor For $200 Million
Delta Air Lines named official airline of the WNBA
Pair Of C-Suite Officials Depart Wheels Up
LAX Receives Final Cars for People Mover Train
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merger clears Justice Department hurdle, now faces DOT
Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject new contract, union says there's 'more work to do'
Elliott Investment To Push For 10 New Boardroom Directors At Southwest Airlines
Alaska Air Backs JetZero Blended-Wing Design
Southwest Airlines adjusts routes between California and Hawaii
Research
Webp lk1q2v4amkahy6gduonct8i4vs1m
Erica Silverstein Managing editor | The Points Guy

Southwest Airlines is set to modify its service offerings on Hawaii's Big Island. The airline, based in Dallas, has announced plans to discontinue its route from Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK). This change will take effect on March 5, 2025, as initially reported by Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a spokesperson for the airline.

The Kona-to-Oakland route was introduced in January 2020 as part of Southwest's initial expansion into Hawaii. Despite this cutback, the airline will introduce a new service from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to KOA starting March 6, 2025. The last time Southwest operated flights from Sacramento to Kona was during the summer of 2022 with a once-weekly service.

In response to these changes, Southwest stated that "we're meeting Customer demand and maturing our Hawaii service as we surpass five years of proudly serving the Hawaiian Islands with interisland and Mainland connectivity."

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Oakland serves as one of Southwest's major operating bases with flights to over 30 destinations. Although Sacramento is not as large an operating base as Oakland, it still offers flights to 28 destinations according to Cirium data. The decision suggests that there wasn't sufficient nonstop demand for the Oakland-Kona route.

Despite this adjustment, Southwest will continue daily services between Oakland and other Hawaiian destinations such as Honolulu, Maui, and Lihue on Kauai. Department of Transportation data indicates that in 2023, there were about 60 daily nonstop passengers on average between Oakland and Kona.

In addition to these changes, Southwest plans to launch red-eye flights from Hawaii in early next year. Earlier this year, the airline also canceled its Los Angeles-Maui route. Further adjustments are being considered for their Hawaii network due to underperformance in interisland travel.

Andrew Watterson, Chief Operating Officer at Southwest Airlines, commented on interisland flight load factors saying "I think they're low." During a recent earnings call he noted ongoing efforts by cross-functional teams focused on optimizing their Hawaii network.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Long Beach Airport has announced a new daily nonstop service to Baltimore Washington International (BWI) through Southwest Airlines.

Jun 7, 2025

Lidl workers in Belgium initiated a strike and blockades on June 5, following similar actions in France and Italy.

Jun 6, 2025

Delta Air Lines is expanding its flight offerings for the 2025 pro football season, introducing new routes and increasing capacity to accommodate fans traveling to major games.

Jun 6, 2025

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen addressed the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee, emphasizing the urgent need to reform the nation's air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure.

Jun 6, 2025

Last month, over 130 volunteers from Delta Air Lines and several partner organizations collaborated to construct a new playground in College Park, Georgia.

Jun 6, 2025

Walking together on Omaha Beach, 19-year-old college student Caleb Walker and 101-year-old WWII veteran Jack Myers reflected on the sacrifices made during the D-Day invasion.

Jun 6, 2025