Southwest Airlines carries more total passengers through their system than any other US airline. They have a massive fleet of nearly 700 Boeing 737s. Yet somehow up until now they haven’t flown to Hawaii, which has surprised a lot of people, including me. That’s finally changing.
Continue reading: Southwest Airlines Will Start Flying To Hawaii
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I doubt a Chicago-Hawaii operation will work with a B737 so you are out of luck Steve.
My guesses: LAX, OAK would seem shoo-ins given existing connectivity and large Southwest operations at both.
+??SAN? SJC? LAS? SFO? PDX? SEA? SMF?
I think the value of early boarding (A list, A list preferred, Business Select) just skyrocketed. Early bird on this flight will be a no-brainer! But, I can see Early Bird extending into the late "C" group now!
I'd not want to board this one last, and I'd not want to arrive at the boarding area late!
You've already posted the same comment on a few blogs, so maybe you should just become a meme. Anytime someone announces an airline route anywhere in the world, you pipe up and complain that it's worthless if it doesn't go to Chicago.
@ Steve
Why "stupid"?
I'd love to know the thinking and logic behind that comment?
Steve,
More competition is always welcome in any market.
I generally don't fly Southwest as their pricing is basically uncompetitive in my major markets (Delta, American, United tend to be significantly cheaper out of NYC, at least when I look for flights), but they seem to offer good prices when they ahve to compete.
@Steve is spot on, actually. I fly SWA weekly out of BUR to OAK, and for that, it's absolutely perfect. It's cheap, fast, efficient, friendly, etc. But that's a 50 minute flight. Even when I wasn't A List, security was always 5-8 mins max, I still got the seat I wanted. Keep in mind, I travel alone on these on-day business trips. But a trans-pac to Hawaii? Never. Hawaii pax are usually families, most are travelling with small children, and everyone will have checked luggage. This presents a dramatic shift in a majority of their typical California passenger, which are mostly solo business travelers on a one-day trip. I agree that assigned seating may be the only way to manage that type of crowd.
Kyle over at Live and Let's Fly speculated that Denver would get served - https://liveandletsfly.com/2017/10/08/unsubstantiated-gossip-southwest-wants-denver-kona/
There is already a LOT of capacity from California to Hawaii so Southwest would enter into quite some competition.
I expect lots of LAX, some OAK; and some PHX as the MAX is delivered.
Big question is how the MAX will be configured. If its like AA, then its a big loser. gotta keep decent pitch.
What i wouldn't do for some B6 service to Maui from LAX.
A 737-800 has a range of about 2900 mi, which means it can fly between Hawaii and anywhere on the west coast such as SEA, SFO, LAX and maybe PHX, but SLC, DEN, and CHI are too far. This is unrelated to ETOPS, this is how much fuel it carries.
Lucky, you seriously need a new, updated picture for all of your Southwest posts!!!
You fly domestic all the time - don't tell me you've never seen a nice, shiny Southwest aircraft in the new livery. I've seen like 13 posts with this picture so far lolll
As for the ‘kettle talk’ by Steve...regarding service from CHI meaning MDW...until SWA begins flying 787’s from ORD, it’s a ‘kettle coach’ experience...fine for Families with children , but not worth the effort for those without....
The following sentence does not make any sense:
"I find it fitting that’s about as far Southwest as you can go in the U.S!"
If I want to go to Honolulu an I live in Denver, do I have to buy a round trip ticket
To a CA airport, then buy a round trip ticket to HI. That’s no bargain