John Wayne Airport Finally Lands a Direct Route to Hawaii

Feb. 12—After a nine-year hiatus, a direct flight to Hawaii from Orange County is returning to John Wayne Airport.

Beginning Saturday, travelers can start booking summer flights from John Wayne Airport to Honolulu aboard a daily United Airlines flight.

The daily route, according to an announcement by the airline, begins May 6 and is scheduled to depart SNA daily at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in HNL at 11:30 a.m. The return flight leaves Honolulu at 12:50 p.m. Hawaii time and lands at 9:10 p.m. in Orange County.

Direct flights from Santa Ana to Hawaii's islands have had a stop-and-start history. United was the last airline at JWA to offer a quick trip to the Aloha State but canceled its flights in 2012. Those routes were originally operated by Continental Airlines, which United acquired in 2010. Other direct routes were available on Aloha Airlines but ceased in 2008 after the airline went bankrupt.

Island-bound travelers have had to either connect to Hawaii-bound flights or fly out of Long Beach (most recently), or Ontario or Los Angeles international airports.

United said travelers on the daily route who have proof of a negative COVID-19 test can skip a document screening line upon arrival in Honolulu. Hawaii currently has a mandatory 10-day quarantine in place for travelers without proof of a negative test.

COVID-19 rapid testing is available at the airport, provided by Hoag Hospital. The testing site is in Terminal B on the departure level before the TSA security checkpoint. Testing is open to travelers as well as the surrounding community, with results available within 15 — 30 minutes.

Officials with JWA also announced on Friday a host of new routes and a new airline for the airport.

Allegiant Air has begun flying nonstop routes to Boise, Idaho, Grand Junction, Colorado, Medford, Oregon, Missoula, Montana, Provo, Utah, Las Vegas, Reno, and Spokane, Washington.

Sun Country Airlines is another airline coming to JWA, providing service to Dallas, and Minneapolis.

Southwest Airlines will restart its routes to Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula in March. The airline also will depart for Puerto Vallarta as of March 11.

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