Southwest Airlines Expands Its Hawaiian Network: Growth and Trends

Southwest Airlines has seen significant growth in its Hawaiian network since beginning operations there in 2019. The carrier has become a major player in the market, offering extensive service to and from the islands, despite having entered the market less than seven years ago.

Early Developments in Hawaiian Service

The journey for Southwest Airlines in Hawaii commenced with a test flight on February 8, 2019. According to The Points Guy, a Boeing 737-800 was flown to Honolulu (HNL) from Oakland (OAK) with only FAA inspectors and an ETOPS crew onboard. Just over a month later, on March 17, 2019, the airline launched its inaugural passenger flight on this same route, carrying 152 guests and seven crew members, as reported by Simple Flying. By the end of 2019, Southwest scheduled a total of 7,511 flights to and from Hawaii, marking a successful entry into the market. Port of Oakland’s Director of Aviation, Bryant Francis, expressed pride in the airline’s choice of Oakland as the launch point.

Growth Amid Challenges

Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, Southwest Airlines continued to expand its Hawaiian operations. The airline recorded 14,413 flights in 2020, which jumped to 31,340 in 2021, and further increased to 38,895 in 2022. By 2023, the airline reached a peak with 41,167 flights. This upward trend included the introduction of a special Hawaii-themed livery named Imua One, showcasing the airline’s commitment to its Hawaiian service.

For 2024, Southwest Airlines projected a slight decrease with 37,621 flights scheduled, including 2,843 flights in November. Notably, all these flights were set to be operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8, which accommodates 175 economy seats. In November 2024, the most frequented route was between Honolulu and Maui (OGG), with up to 11 flights per day.

Current Status and Future Outlook

Looking ahead to 2025, Southwest Airlines is expected to offer 32,834 flights to and from Hawaii, down from the previous year. In November specifically, there will be a total of 2,512 flights, providing approximately 439,600 seats and 520,794,050 available seat miles. More than half of these flights, specifically 1,448 sectors, will be inter-island services, highlighting the airline’s role in facilitating travel within Hawaii.

The popular route from Honolulu to Maui remains a key segment of Southwest’s operations, although frequency has decreased to seven or eight flights daily in each direction. In contrast, the route from Las Vegas (LAS) to Honolulu has surged in importance, now operating up to three times daily. Meanwhile, routes from San Diego to Honolulu maintain two daily flights, while the Oakland route has reduced to one flight per day.

Southwest Airlines is poised to continue adapting its Hawaiian network in response to shifting demand and travel trends. The airline’s evolution in this region reflects its commitment to providing affordable and accessible travel options for both mainland and inter-island passengers.