Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines will begin daily Boeing 737-800 service on selected Honolulu–Kahului interisland flights from 3 October, introducing three round trips a day between Honolulu and Kahului, Maui. The initial operation will use Alaska-branded 737-800s, while Hawaiian’s Boeing 717 fleet continues across the rest of the neighbour island network.
The move forms part of a longer fleet transition, with Hawaiian-branded 737s expected to replace the 717s in 2028. For now, about 140 daily neighbour island flights will still operate on 717s, preserving the bulk of the short-haul network during the changeover.
Operational changes also take effect on the same date. Passengers on neighbour island services will need to check in online or through the Alaska Hawaiian app, and checked bags must be dropped at least 50 minutes before departure, up from 30 minutes. On the HNL–OGG 737 flights, baggage handling will remain at Honolulu Terminal 1, Lobby 3, while travellers in Kahului will use Alaska counters beside Hawaiian’s for check-in and bag drop.
The 737s bring extra passenger capacity and cargo lift on one of Hawaii’s busiest interisland corridors without reducing frequency. The first flights will still carry Alaska branding, making the launch an operational shift rather than a full Hawaiian rebrand.