Southwest Airlines has announced a major expansion of its Hawaii operations, adding new interisland routes connecting all four major Hawaiian airports with one-way fares starting at $99. The carrier will operate 14 daily interisland flights beginning June 1, using its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet.
The expansion directly challenges Hawaiian Airlines' long-held dominance of interisland travel. Southwest is also introducing new mainland routes to Kona from Las Vegas and Phoenix, with fares starting at $199 one-way. All Hawaii flights include two free checked bags, a significant value proposition for travelers carrying beach and dive equipment.
