Southwest Airlines Co. announced plans to launch its highly-anticipated, first-ever service to the Hawaiian Islands from Oakland International Airport (OAK) with an inaugural flight to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu (HNL) on March 17, followed by inaugural service to Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui, on April 7. Today’s flight schedule announcement reveals soon-to-operate initial routes in Southwest’s Hawaii service designed to optimize connections for residents in several popular existing OAK nonstop markets. The new service is now available on Southwest.com.
Southwest’s initial service to Hawaii from Oakland will increase to twice daily frequency beginning the Sunday following each of the inaugural flights. The carrier’s introductory pricing offers travel between Oakland and both Honolulu and Kahului on select days of the week for as low as $49 one-way (visit Southwest.com/Hawaii for fare rules, terms and conditions and to learn more about the carrier’s plans for the Islands.)
“Oakland will play a pivotal and historic role in our initial investment in serving the Hawaiian Islands,” said Tom Nealon, Southwest Airlines’ President. “We’re focused on bringing our East Bay Customers an authentically Southwest experience to Hawaii with comfort across all seating—for every Customer—along with in-cabin snack enhancements for our flights between the State of Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.”
In 2018, Southwest focused on growth at OAK with nearly a dozen new mid-haul and long-haul routes, including New York/Newark, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Orlando, and San Antonio. The airline revealed in May 2018 that Oakland would be one of the first mainland gateway airports to launch its new service to Hawaii.
In its 30-year tenure at OAK, Southwest has become the carrier of choice for flights within the State of California and across the western U.S. Nonstop service to dozens of markets north, south, and east has existed for years and, for the first time, OAK passengers will be able to fly west aboard Southwest.
“Today’s announcement underscores the importance of Southwest’s Oakland Focus City, it’s largest operation in the San Francisco Bay Area. The decision to launch its Hawaii service here also marks a heartened look back at Oakland’s trailblazing past,” said Bryant L. Francis, Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland. “Oakland was the site of the very first successful trans-Pacific flight from the Mainland to the Hawaiian Islands 91 years ago and is again at the forefront by serving as the inaugural Mainland U.S. airport for these long-awaited flights. We couldn’t be more proud to partner with our friends at Southwest, nor more excited about the launch of this historic new service and the opportunities it creates for our customers.”
In 1927, Lieutenants Maitland and Hegenberger completed the flight from Oakland to Honolulu, the first ever between Hawaii and the US Mainland. Southwest’s Hawaii flights from Oakland will take about 5 hours, and will offer award winning service, onboard entertainment and free snacks and beverages. Also, as always, “bags fly free” on Southwest Airlines.
