Hawaiian Airlines has announced a new nonstop service that will run this summer between Phoenix and Maui. Starting just before Memorial Day and running through mid-August, the airline will use an Airbus A321neo to connect Arizona to Maui, making it a new route for the carrier but not a new route for either airport.
Hawaiian Airlines adds new route from Maui
Hawaiian Airlines will start flights from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Kahului Airport (OGG) in Maui. The flights will run four times per week as a daytime service. Hawaiian plans to inaugurate the route on May 21st and run it through August 15th.
The airline will run the flights on the following schedule (all times local):
- Flight HA57 will depart PHX at 07:00 and arrive in OGG at 10:25 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays
- Flight HA58 will depart OGG at 10:40 and arrive in PHX at 19:25 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
These flights will run onboard an Airbus A321neo. These aircraft have room for 16 passengers in recliner-style first class, 44 extra-legroom economy seats, and 129 standard economy seats. This comes out to a total capacity of 189 passengers.
How this route fits into Hawaiian’s portfolio
Hawaiian already serves Phoenix with daily nonstop service to Honolulu International Airport (HNL). Hawaiian Airlines serves the HNL to PHX route with an Airbus A330.
Maui already sees a plethora of services from Hawaiian to the mainland United States. The carrier will fly to Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Diego nonstop from Maui this summer.
Most of Hawaiian’s routes from Maui to the mainland US will operate using an Airbus A321neo, which Hawaiian likens to a “Swiss Army Knife.” The Airbus A321neo is a good choice for flights to the mainland US, with the right capacity and product offerings for these routes.
Hawaiian will face competition
Phoenix to Maui will see twice-daily service from American Airlines this summer. However, there is a difference between American’s twice-daily service and Hawaiian’s daily flights. First, this summer, both of American’s two daily flights are red-eyes leaving late at night from Hawaii and arriving in Phoenix in the morning, making it perfectly timed for connections.
As for the flights from Phoenix to Maui, Hawaiian’s flight will leave the earliest, departing right away in the morning and arriving in Maui in the mid-morning. In contrast, American’s earliest departure from PHX is at 10:37 local time, getting into Maui in the mid-afternoon. The second departure leaves PHX at 14:00, getting into Maui in the early evening hours.
Hawaiian is timing this almost entirely for leisure travelers. The airline hopes to get leisure travelers willing to leave Phoenix right away in the morning and get back in time to spend the night at home before going back to work or school the next day.
American, while it will be able to get a share of passengers solely flying between Phoenix and Maui, is largely able to target a large volume of connecting traffic out of its large Phoenix hub. Hawaiian is coming in a few times a week, so it is not putting up a huge fight against American Airlines, but it is hoping to get its share of passengers on this route.
Hawaiian’s forays into new markets, including new long-haul services, have so far been going well for the airline. In fact, the airline recently inaugurated a new Honolulu to Orlando flight and expanded those flights for the summer of 2021. With that in mind, it would not be surprising to see Hawaiian grow these flights if demand is high enough or else extend the schedule of these flights into the fall.
Will you fly Hawaiian between Phoenix and Maui? Let us know in the comments!
