Hawaiian Airlines extends seasonal services to New Zealand

Competition on the Auckland-Honolulu route is being extended, with Hawaiian Airlines lengthening its summer season by a month.

The airline will fly from November 15 to April 30 next year to capture Easter and school holiday traffic. When it scaled back its year-round operation it had said it would only fly until March 29.

The airline says additional flights offer Kiwis more opportunities to get to the islands. It flies three times a week and says it would help meet demand during the historically busy travel period.

“This extension is a reflection of our decade-long commitment to serving New Zealand and reuniting our island communities with authentic aloha and hospitality,” said Russell Williss, country director for New Zealand at Hawaiian Airlines.

He thanked Auckland Airport for its “continued partnership” around our seasonal flying.

The airline competes with Air New Zealand on the Auckland-Honolulu route.

Hawaiian Airlines HA445 will resume on November 15, departing Honolulu on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 1.05pm and arriving at AKL at 9.20pm the next day.

From November 16, HA446 will depart AKL on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11.30pm with a 9.15am same-day arrival in Hawaii.

Those flights connect to four neighbour island destinations using its Boeing 717 planes.

The month-long extension also allows more connection to the carrier’s extensive US domestic network of 16 gateways, with the option to enjoy a stopover on the Hawaiian Islands in either direction.

The airline operates a 278-seat, spacious wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft with 18 Premium cabin lie-flat leather seats, 68 Extra Comfort seats and 192 Main Cabin seats.

The airline is also introducing complimentary high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi, which will be installed and activated on all its 24 A330s by the end of this year.

Hawaiian Airlines has been flying between Auckland and its home base in Honolulu for more than a decade.

Grant Bradley has worked at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.