Hawaii Airfare Deals Soar Amid Post-Merger Turbulence

As we enter the first full week since Alaska Airlines completed its purchase of Hawaiian Airlines, the landscape of Hawaii air travel has already begun to shift. The beginnings of what future deals and strategies will look like are becoming clearer, and this week is set to be incredibly revealing. Read on for the current airfare savings we found today.

This new reality is a pivotal time in Hawaii travel, akin to when Southwest arrived and began its rapid expansion. Now, we see airlines jockeying for position as they adapt to the merger of Alaska and Hawaiian, alongside the anticipation of Southwest’s next moves.

Alaska/Hawaiian: rapidly establishing dominance.

The Alaska-Hawaiian merger finalized last week has triggered a ripple effect across Hawaii travel. While working towards a single operating certificate will take time (perhaps a year or so), the impact is already being felt.

Alaska Airlines today announced a $1.5 billion financing deal through its MileagePlan frequent flyer program. The funds will, among other things, help pay off debt related to the Hawaiian Airlines acquisition.

In the meantime, Hawaiian Airlines has announced hiring, with noticeable activity here on Kauai, amid signals of the new entity preparing to assert its market presence.

Over the coming months, Alaska/Hawaiian will establish their route and pricing strategies and stake their claim in Hawaii air travel. This could bring many changes as they aim to lead the market.

Southwest Airlines is preparing for major adjustments.

Later this week, all eyes will be on Southwest Airlines as it holds its earnings call, followed by Investor Day on Thursday. It’s widely expected that we will learn which Southwest Hawaii flights will stay and which might be cut, along with other changes that could reveal their evolving strategy.

This will be a significant indicator of their long-term commitment and approach to Hawaii, given their substantial impact since launching service to the islands five years ago.

Legacy airlines: waiting, watching, positioning.

American, Delta, and United Airlines are in somewhat of a holding pattern, waiting to see how Alaska/Hawaiian and Southwest position themselves. The legacy carriers are reassessing their strategies, and we anticipate they will make broader and more decisive moves as this competitive landscape shifts. This comes on the heels of last week’s American Airlines first-class sale, which may have been a way to test the waters and gauge demand in this shifting environment.

Today’s airfare deals: early signals of competition.

We’re starting to see some of the first glimpses of how airlines are positioning themselves in this new phase of Hawaii air travel. Here are some of the most competitive airfares we found available today:

These fares represent a market in flux, with airlines starting to adjust their pricing to stay competitive in the wake of the Alaska-Hawaiian merger. If you don’t see these airfares, they may be gone, as they change rapidly throughout the day.

Conclusion: A new chapter on Hawaii travel starts here.

This is an unprecedented time in Hawaii air travel, and we’re only beginning to see glimpses of how airlines will navigate this landscape. As the Alaska/Hawaiian merger takes shape and Southwest makes crucial announcements later this week, travelers can expect more shifts in fares, routes, and deals. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to track how these changes will unfold.

We found the fares below using Google Flights on September 23 at 11:00 a.m. HST. The fares are one-way and require online booking. They could end at any time.

• San Diego to Maui: $118 on American, Delta, United Airlines.
• San Diego to Kona: $103 on Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest, United Airlines.
• San Diego to Honolulu: $118 on American, United Airlines.
• San Diego to Kauai: $119-$123 on Delta, Hawaiian, United Airlines.
• San Jose to Honolulu: $109 on Alaska, Hawaiian, and Southwest Airlines.
• San Jose to Hilo: $109 on Hawaiian and Southwest Airlines.
• San Jose to Kona: $101-$105 on American, Hawaiian, and Southwest Airlines.
• San Jose to Maui: $114 on Alaska, American Airlines.
• San Jose to Lihue: $129-$133 on Alaska, American, Hawaiian Airlines.
• Los Angeles to Honolulu: $141 on American, Hawaiian, United Airlines.
• Los Angeles to Kona: $129 on Hawaiian, United Airlines.
• Los Angeles to Maui: $134 on American, Delta, Hawaiian, United Airlines.
• Los Angeles to Lihue: $141 on American, Delta, Hawaiian, United Airlines.

We welcome your input!

Photo of Waikiki skyline.