Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., founded as Inter-Island Airways on January 30, 1929, commenced operations on October 6, 1929, initially offering sightseeing flights over Oʻahu with a Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker. The airline was rebranded as Hawaiian Airlines on October 1, 1941, as it expanded beyond its original inter-island services. It has since grown from a regional island-hopping carrier into the tenth largest commercial airline in the United States by passengers carried, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group between 1929 and 2025.
The airline operates from its primary hub at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, with a secondary hub at Kahului Airport on Maui. Hawaiian Airlines' fleet currently comprises Airbus A321neos, Airbus A330-200s for transpacific and long-haul international routes, and Boeing 717-200s primarily for inter-island flights. The airline is undergoing fleet modernization, with the first of its 12 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners expected to be introduced in Spring 2024. For cargo operations, it utilizes Airbus A330-300(P2F) aircraft.
Hawaiian Airlines' route network spans inter-island flights within Hawaiʻi, domestic routes to the U.S. mainland (including cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York), and international destinations across the Pacific, such as Auckland, Seoul, Sydney, and Tokyo. The airline is set to join the Oneworld alliance starting in 2026. Notable services include lie-flat seats in first class and personal LCD touchscreen monitors at each seat on its A330 aircraft, enhancing the long-haul travel experience.
Recent traveler reviews for Hawaiian Airlines present a mixed picture, highlighting both commendable aspects and areas needing improvement.
What Travelers Love:
Common Complaints:
Overall sentiment suggests that while Hawaiian Airlines excels in its in-flight atmosphere and the helpfulness of its cabin crew, significant improvements are needed in its ground operations and customer support. The airline's recent integration with Alaska Airlines has been mentioned by some reviewers as a potential factor in observed changes in service quality.
Hawaiian Airlines maintains a strong safety record, notably being one of the oldest carriers in the United States with zero fatalities. It is consistently ranked among the top 10 safest U.S. airlines.
The airline operates under strict FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) oversight, a standard for all U.S. carriers. While specific mention of IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certification is not detailed, U.S. airlines typically adhere to or exceed these international safety benchmarks, and IOSA is the industry standard for operational safety audits. Hawaiian Airlines is not listed on the EU air safety list, which bans carriers that do not fulfill international safety standards.
In terms of fleet age and maintenance, Hawaiian Airlines' Airbus A330s have an average age of about ten and a half years, while its Boeing 717-200s, used for inter-island flights, are older with an average age of nearly 22 years. The airline is actively modernizing its fleet with the introduction of new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, indicating a commitment to newer, more advanced aircraft. Its maintenance reputation is supported by its low incident rate and specialized oceanic training.
Based on available data, Hawaiian Airlines demonstrates an overall strong safety assessment, characterized by a low incident rate and robust regulatory compliance. The airline has received recognition for its long history without a fatal accident and its consistent inclusion in lists of safe airlines. However, recent notable incidents, such as a near mid-air collision in October 2023, turbulence causing injuries in December 2022, and a passenger phone thermal runaway in April 2025, indicate that while rare, incidents can occur, as with any airline.
| Route | Destination | Flights | Distance | Aircraft | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOA → HNL |
Daniel K Inouye Intl
Honolulu
|
423 | 173 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| OGG → HNL |
Daniel K Inouye Intl
Honolulu
|
244 | 100 mi | B712 | Nov 2, 2025 |
| HNL → OGG |
Kahului
Kahului
|
200 | 117 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| HNL → LIH |
Lihue
Lihue
|
150 | 112 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| HNL → KOA |
Ellison Onizuka Kona Intl At Keahole
Kailua-Kona
|
144 | 174 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| LIH → HNL |
Daniel K Inouye Intl
Honolulu
|
144 | 106 mi | B712 | Oct 11, 2025 |
| KOA → OGG |
Kahului
Kahului
|
121 | 100 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| HNL → ITO |
Hilo Intl
Hilo
|
115 | 233 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| ITO → HNL |
Daniel K Inouye Intl
Honolulu
|
75 | 231 mi | B712 | Dec 5, 2025 |
| KOA → LIH |
Lihue
Lihue
|
67 | 270 mi | B712 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| LIH → OGG |
Kahului
Kahului
|
43 | 222 mi | B712 | Oct 11, 2025 |
| HNL → SEA |
Seattle-Tacoma Intl
Seattle
|
42 | 2771 mi | B789 | Nov 21, 2025 |
| HNL → LAX |
Los Angeles Intl
Los Angeles
|
42 | 2685 mi | A332 | Dec 7, 2025 |
| HNL → PDX |
Portland Intl
Portland
|
41 | 2663 mi | A330 | Nov 21, 2025 |
| HNL → LAS |
Harry Reid Intl
Las Vegas
|
41 | 2847 mi | A332 | Nov 17, 2025 |
| LAS → HNL |
Daniel K Inouye Intl
Honolulu
|
40 | 2874 mi | A330 | Nov 21, 2025 |
| HNL → SAN |
San Diego Intl
San Diego
|
39 | 2690 mi | A21N | Nov 16, 2025 |
| SEA → HNL |
Daniel K Inouye Intl
Honolulu
|
34 | 2729 mi | A330 | Nov 21, 2025 |
| IAH → CVG |
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Hebron
|
33 | 895 mi | A333 | Oct 27, 2025 |
| OGG → KOA |
Ellison Onizuka Kona Intl At Keahole
Kailua/Kona
|
33 | 107 mi | B712 | Nov 2, 2025 |
| HNL → HND |
Tokyo Int'l (Haneda)
Ota
|
33 | 4043 mi | A332 | Nov 15, 2025 |
| CVG → PDX |
Portland Intl
Portland
|
30 | 2011 mi | A333 | Oct 27, 2025 |
| CVG → JFK |
John F Kennedy Intl
New York
|
29 | 709 mi | A333 | Oct 27, 2025 |
| HNL → SFO |
San Francisco Int'l
San Francisco
|
24 | 2441 mi | A332 | Dec 7, 2025 |
| OGG → LIH |
Lihue
Lihue
|
21 | 219 mi | B712 | Nov 2, 2025 |
Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.