The 5 Best Airlines That Fly To Hawaii, According To Reviews

Hawaii has a little bit of everything for travelers whether they be thrill seekers or those in need of a respite. To put it simply, its eight islands provide a world of adventure and endless exploration opportunities. Unfortunately, Hawaii is thousands of miles away from the continental United States, meaning flying there can be costly. Travelers who want to save money are advised to book tickets for Hawaii's shoulder seasons in the spring and fall. Although there are remarkable attractions that make a trip to Hawaii in the winter unique, this, and summer, are the island's high seasons. 

However, there's also the airline to consider when planning your tropical getaway. Various major airlines offer flights to Hawaii from cities across the country. As flights to and from the islands are typically six hours or more, you want to make sure you pick the right one suited to your needs and departure point. After all, you will be on board for quite some time. 

So, which airline should you choose to take you to paradise? We can help with that decision! Islands has narrowed down the five best airlines flying to Hawaii using blogs, travel articles, and more. Some of these airlines have more advantages than others, but ultimately, their goal is to ensure travelers have an enjoyable flight to one of Hawaii's major airports. 

In 2024, Delta Air Lines was named the fourth best airline in the country by WalletHub. The company also ranked Delta as the most reliable airline and the most comfortable, tying with JetBlue Airways. Delta operates several flights to Hawaii including to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu and Lihue Airport (LIH) in Kauai. Moreover, there are direct flights available for travelers flying out of destinations like Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. Suites & Lobbies Owner Brandon Hughes detailed their experience flying overnight from Seattle to Honolulu in economy class in a 2024 review for the site.

Hughes noted the comfortability of the seats and the tastiness of the snacks provided, offered to all cabin classes. In addition, Hughes lauded the crew service and said they would opt for this flight again. But don't just take Hughes' word for it. One Tripadvisor reviewer who flew to Hawaii wrote, "Although I prefer first class I was pleasantly surprised to know that Delta's level of service does not change with your seat! Aloha service on Delta!"

In February 2024, Delta announced that they would temporarily be adding a direct flight from Boston to Honolulu, totaling 22 nonstop flights to Hawaii by winter of that year. Keep in mind that Delta, which WalletHub states has infrequent flight cancellations, does not have change fees for many of its flights, adding flexibility for travelers. There are also tricks that will get you priority boarding on Delta. 

It might not come as a surprise that Hawaiian Airlines, based in Honolulu, is regarded as the best airline that flies to Hawaii by Next Vacay, a service that finds affordable flights. The company cites its extensive flight and food offerings. Hawaiian Airlines, in fact, has service to Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. In addition, the carrier provides Hawaiian-inspired fare and snacks on flights to the islands. First class passengers will get to experience meals curated by renowned chefs like Hawaii natives Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka, founders of MW Restaurant in Honolulu. Note that in-flight menus are changed periodically.

In a 2023 article for Business Insider, the website's aviation reporter, Taylor Rains, wrote about flying economy from New York City to Oahu and back on Hawaiian Airlines. She complimented the meals she received on both flights which included pasta, an egg salad sandwich, and a rice dish with meatballs and vegetables. In addition, Rains wrote that she was impressed with the seats' comfortability and the entertainment options made available to passengers.

Similarly, Forbes ranked Hawaiian Airlines as providing one of the most comfortable flights to Hawaii in 2018. The publication makes mention of the in-flight meals as well as the bells and whistles offered by the Airbus A330, the same plane Rains was aboard on her flight to Hawaii.

According to Aviation Week, Alaska Airlines has 24 routes to and from the islands. The carrier provides countless flights to Maui, Honolulu, Kona, and Lihue from destinations like Seattle, San Francisco, Anchorage, Los Angeles, Dallas, and many more. In 2024, WalletHub ranked Alaska Airlines as the best airline in the country and the second-safest behind Spirit Airlines. Per the company's research, cancellations, delays, and other mishaps are few and far between. In short, you can't go wrong if you choose to fly with Alaska Airlines to Hawaii or any other destination. 

There are also the perks to consider. Passengers flying in first class and premium class can expect plenty of legroom to stretch on their long-haul flight to the islands. Furthermore, Alaska offers passengers access to their substantial entertainment library to beat in-flight boredom. But it's not just WalletHub that's singing the praises of Alaska Airlines. Tripadvisor reviewers also commend the airline. "Round trip flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL). Both ways the fights were full, on time, landed early, and luggage arrived undamaged in under 20 minutes," one reviewer wrote.

Another individual, who lauded the service provided at the ticket counter wrote, "If you want some ALOHA on YOUR flight to Hawai'i, try ALASKA AIRLINES!"  That said, the carrier is one of Hawaiian Airlines biggest competitors, and in late 2023, it was announced that the two would merge. However, this has yet to materialize at the time of this writing.

United Airlines is one of the best carriers you should be booking with if you want to save on first-class seats and if you want to fly to Hawaii, per Next Vacay. This is due to their flight offerings to the islands from cities outside of the West Coast. For example, there are non-stop flights to Honolulu from Chicago, Washington D.C., Houston, and Denver. Like Delta and Alaska Airlines, United was also named one of the best airlines in the country by WalletHub in 2024, coming in fifth place.

In 2023, Beat of Hawaii published a review on a roundtrip flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles on economy and economy plus. The travel site rated United's check in and boarding process a 10 out of 10 and noted that their flights were on time. They also commended the service provided by the flight attendants and the in-flight entertainment. Comfort-wise, the seats in economy plus were also given a 10 out of10. 

However, the site did say there are some disadvantages to flying to and from Hawaii via United. The economy seating was rated a 6 out of 10, with Beat of Hawaii writing that it was inadequate for tall passengers. For reference, economy plus seating provides six more inches of legroom than economy. Likewise, Beat of Hawaii criticized the minimal snack and drink offerings. Nevertheless, if travelers can overlook these pitfalls, United is known to have affordable flights to Hawaii.

Those who prefer a carrier with maximum flexibility should travel to Hawaii on Southwest Airlines. Southwest offers four fare types. In order of affordability, they include Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select. Regardless of choice, passengers can check two bags that are a maximum of 50 pounds each at no extra cost. This is in addition to a complimentary carry on and personal item. For this reason, Next Vacay named it one of the best airlines to fly to Hawaii. Furthermore, Southwest does not have any change or cancellation fees.

If you cancel your flight, you are eligible for a refund if you're flying Anytime or Business Select, or for a flight credit for Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus. Unsurprisingly, Southwest came in at No. 10 on WalletHub's best airlines of 2024 list. However, there is a catch. As noted by Next Vacay, Southwest flights to Hawaii depart only from major cities in California – Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Jose, and Sacramento — and Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona.

In an article written for The Points Guy, the website's Director of Content Summer Hull, had positive things to say about her Southwest flights from Houston to Las Vegas to Kauai. Hull praised Southwest's affordability and noted that certain seats on the flight to Hawaii offer expansive legroom. Hull also noted that snacks and inflight entertainment are provided for free. Ultimately, Southwest is a solid choice to fly to Hawaii.

To compile the airlines mentioned in this article, we examined travel publications like Forbes and NerdWallet. In addition, we assessed research and rankings from WalletHub. Tripadvisor and other reviews from various websites and blogs including Business Insider, Suites & Lobbies, Beat of Hawaii, and The Points Guy were also utilized to analyze our selections. Factors that were considered included the airline's amenities, comfortability, affordability, and regions of operations. More specifically, we wanted to ensure the airlines we chose had flights to Hawaii not only from the West Coast (which is closest to Hawaii) but the East Coast and other destinations as well.