Southwest Airlines Co. will offer nonstop service to Hawaii, pending required regulatory approvals, from Oakland Metropolitan Airport, San Diego International Airport, Mineta San Jose International Airport and Sacramento International Airport.
The airports should allow for connecting service to the islands from Baltimore-Washington, a focus city-hub for Southwest.
The closest nonstop destination to Hawaii is New York’s JFK Airport. That route is served by Hawaiian Airlines. United Airlines offers nonstop service from Washington, D.C Dulles.
Earlier, Southwest announced its initial plan to serve four airports in the Hawaiian Islands: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Kahului Airport on Maui, ihue Airport on Kauai and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole on the Island of Hawaii.
Southwest is taking deliveries on long-range Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with a range of about 3,800 miles.
The Beat of Hawaii website, which has been tracking Southwest’s plans, says the longer-range aircraft could eventually open the door to service to the islands from Phoenix and perhaps Denver.
The Hawaii site noted that a sign that the service is moving forward will come with test flights to the islands that are part of the federal approval process.
Southwest passengers, including business fliers who pile up points that are often used for vacation destinations, have long requested flights to Hawaii.
Southwest also entered into an agreement with Alaska Airlines to lease 12 slots at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and eight slots at Washington Reagan National Airport.
“These opportunities complement our network and fit within our existing 2018 growth plans, with available seat miles expected to increase in the low five percent range, year-over-year,” Kelly stated.
Southwest has limited service from Philadelphia but has more than 200 daily flghts from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
Meanwhile, Southwest has added international flights from Baltimore-Washington to the Caribbean and Latin America. Europe is out of the picture.
