Hawaiian Airlines brings back Honolulu-Auckland flights after strong demand from US tourists

Hawaiian Airlines says burgeoning interest from some mainland US tourists is one reason it will bring back the regular direct service. Photo / Supplied

Hawaiian Airlines says it will fly three times a week direct between Honolulu and Auckland from November.

The two cities are the biggest in Polynesia and direct flights take about eight or eight-and-a-half hours.

Hawaiian Airlines said the 2025-2026 non-stop flights would cater to strong demand from New Zealand and United States travellers.

The current season will pause on April 30 before the more frequent service resumes in mid-November.

Hawaiian Airlines country director Russell (Rusty) Williss said many Kiwi travellers wanted Christmas and school holiday getaways in Hawaii and the US mainland.

Williss said there had also been more interest in flights to New Zealand from Americans living in states such as Oregon and Washington.

“We have also welcomed significant growth in travellers originating from the US mainland, especially the Pacific Northwest, following our combination with Alaska Airlines.”

Of the 370,200 overseas visitor arrivals in January this year, 14% were from the US, compared to 10% before Covid in January 2019.

Williss said the Hawaiian-Alaska merger meant New Zealanders could now access more than 100 US destinations through the expanded joint network.

The direct flight, HA8445, is scheduled to resume on November 16 from Honolulu.

Hawaiian said it would use a 278-seat Airbus A330 for the service, with complimentary high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi.

Alaska Air Group, headquartered in Seattle, owns Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and regional airline, Horizon Air.

US transport regulators scrutinised the merger and last September gave clearance to Alaska’s acquisition of Hawaiian.

The US Department of Transportation said the airlines must ensure competitive access at Honolulu’s Daniel K Inouye International Airport and guarantee fee-free family seating and lower costs for military families.

Alaska and Hawaiian are also required to protect the value of rewards and maintain existing services on key Hawaiian routes to the continental US and inside Hawaii.

Air New Zealand said it offered year-round non-stop flights from Auckland to Honolulu, currently on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

From late October, those flights shifted to Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.