KAILUA-KONA — Starting in December, Kona residents and the tourists who want to get here will have new options when it comes to flying in and out of Hawaii’s leeward side.
Increased flights to and from three mainland cities to the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole are to thank for that.
“We are listening to our customers and our customers have told us they want more ways to get to the Hawaiian Islands,” said Jonathan Guerin, spokesman for United Airlines, “so we are growing our footprint in response.”
While the airline’s recent announcement doesn’t add new destinations, it is increasing the frequency of flights between Kona and three existing destinations: Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver.
Currently, United Airlines has one daily flight from Los Angeles to Kona and two flights daily from San Francisco to Kona. United currently only offers seasonal service between Kona and Denver.
Starting Dec. 20, United will double its flights from Los Angeles to Kona to two flights daily, the airline said, and increase flights from San Francisco to three a day.
Furthermore, the airline said its seasonal Denver-Kona routes will become year-round daily flights.
The announcement came as part of the airline’s plan to increase to 40 daily flights to the Hawaiian Islands.
“Hawaii is a premier destination and its popularity continues to rise – we are excited to provide more convenient options for customers to get to Kona and to other islands year-round,” said Guerin. “Based on the demand for service to Kona, we made the business decision to increase service.”
The airline declined to say how many people have been flying on the current routes.
Guerin said the increased flights don’t just connect Kona to customers in Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles, noting their potential for connections from other airports.
“Hawaii fits perfectly into United’s domestic route network – all of our hubs not only are in cities with significant Hawaii traffic but also are ideally geographically situated to connect customers from other points,” he said.
Guerin added that the airline’s hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles are the largest connecting points to Hawaii in the industry and that Denver International Airport is “an optimal connecting point” for customers in the mid-west and Rocky Mountain region in small and mid-sized cities that don’t have direct access to West Coast airports.
Wendy Laros, executive director of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, and Ross Birch, executive director of the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau both welcomed the airline’s announcement.
“Wow, the momentum continues,” Laros said. “Our visitor industry members and partners are telling us that the addition of more direct flights from United Airlines is a game changer.”
Laros also referenced other airlines’ efforts to increase service to Kona, including Hawaiian Airlines’ three-times-a-week flights from Haneda Airport in Tokyo and Japan Airlines’ anticipated daily direct service between Narita Airport and Kona.
According to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism statistics, 137,459 people visited Hawaii Island in April of this year, up from 117,430 in April 2016.
Birch similarly noted the announcement’s significance.
“We are thrilled by United Airlines’ announcement to expand flight routes between the island of Hawaii and Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco,” Birch said in a statement. “Increased flight options into both Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole and Hilo International Airport not only support the growing demand from visitors seeking to experience our inspiring destination, but also benefit our local tourism industry partners.”
Increased service isn’t the only change the airline announced.
Starting this summer, premium cabin customers on overnight flights from all Hawaii airports–including Kona–to Chicago, Denver, Houston, New York/Newark and Washington, D.C. will have 180-degree flat-bed seats.
Guerin said the flights are now available for purchase.