Hawaiian Airlines continues to operate its fleet of Boeing 717 aircraft for interisland flights, despite their advancing age and the recent merger with Alaska Airlines. As of January 2025, Hawaiian Airlines maintains 19 Boeing 717-200s in service. The airline values the aircraft's reliability for high-frequency flights and its ability to quickly turn around between flights. These planes can accommodate up to 128 passengers.
The longevity of the Boeing 717 in Hawaiian Airlines' operations is attributed to its original design focus on reliability and low maintenance costs. A press release from Boeing highlighted that operators surpassed a target of 99.1% on-time departures shortly after the jet's introduction into commercial service. Timothy Hoeksema, Chair and CEO of Midwest Express Airlines, remarked that the "717 uses advanced technology, resulting in improved dispatch reliability and significantly lower operating costs than our current fleet in terms of fuel efficiency and maintenance."
Despite advancements in aviation technology since its launch, the Boeing 717 remains advantageous for high-frequency carriers like Hawaiian Airlines due to its durability and efficiency. Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines Group, commented on a podcast that the Boeing 717 "still has legs on it... [The Boeing] 717 might stay longer than we think," indicating that while retirement may be inevitable, it is not immediate.