Southwest flying to Hawaii

[klpca]

They are doing a facebook live video and just announced it! Light on the details though.

Here's an article. http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/...-makes-it-official-hawaii-service-on-the-way/

Talking about interisland routes too. Wow.

 

[DaveNV]

Oh boy, I cannot wait! I like flying Southwest a lot. Thanks for posting this!

Dave

 

[Luanne]

Saw a posting on Facebook by SW. Said they will start taking reservations in 2018 pending government approval.

 

[mdurette]

SWEET!!!!

 

[pedro47]

Maybe, now we will get a chance to fly to the fifty state.

 

[Luanne]

Maybe, now we will get a chance to fly to the fifty state.

You do know there are other airlines that fly to Hawaii already?

 

[pedro47]

Yes! I know that there are other airlines that fly to Hawaii; but I am hoping that they will fly (depart) from Washington, DC, Baltimore or Richmond,VA to the West Coast then to Hawaii.

 

[Luanne]

Yes! I know that there are other airlines that fly to Hawaii; but I am hoping that they will fly (depart) from Washington, DC, Baltimore or Richmond,VA to the West Coast then to Hawaii.

Southwest does go from BWI to the west coast, but I don't know currently if there are any direct flights. Right now we take SW from Albuquerque to Oakland, spend a few nights in San Francisco, then fly Alaska Airlines to Hawaii. Even if Southwest offers a more "direct" flight from Albuquerque to Hawaii we would probably still spend the nights in San Francisco. Gives us time to visit the city, and our daughter who lives in that area.

 

[pedro47]

Luanne, thanks for the information. I liked the idea staying in San Francisco before flying out to Hawaii. Thanks

 

[CalGalTraveler]

This is refreshing news. We have been flying SWA (and Alaska) increasingly in and out of California and have taken several cross-country non-stops to ATL and EWR. I am sick of United and their cattle car economy seats, change and baggage fees. We always delay booking our annual Hawaii flights because we don't want to get hit with change fees. I was a 100k elite and now they treat me like dirt. Even if it is the same price, I will select SWA because we will have flexibility and more legroom than the big 3.

Hope this will be a wake-up call to the big three.

 

[itchyfeet]

Plus Southwest has "two bags fly free"!

 

[rickandcindy23]

Hope this will be a wake-up call to the big three.

So the big three are Delta, United and American Airlines? Truly dislike all of them. Rick and I are flying United from Maui in March, and it will be the first time we've flown United for years and years.

We do love Southwest, but we fly 1st class to Hawaii, and it's not likely they will add 1st to their planes. We are spoiled on 1st and fly free with points.

 

[klpca]

We pretty much fly Southwest/Alaska everywhere except Europe. Most flights are 6 hours or less so I don't care much about flying first class. I'd rather use the $$/points for more trips.

I would love to see more competition on the interisland flights. Southwest ought to give Hawaiian a run for their money.

 

[linsj]

Eight to nine hours from Chicago in an economy seat? No thanks! Yeah, I'm spoiled; I like first-class upgrades. Besides, SW isn't at ORD, which is 15 minutes from my house. MDW might as well be in another country for how difficult it is to get there from here.

 

[Luanne]

Plus Southwest has "two bags fly free"!

If you take two bags to Hawaii you are definitely over packing.

 

[Luanne]

Eight to nine hours from Chicago in an economy seat? No thanks! Yeah, I'm spoiled; I like first-class upgrades. Besides, SW isn't at ORD, which is 15 minutes from my house. MDW might as well be in another country for how difficult it is to get there from here.

Southwest won't be the best option for all, no airline is. I love them, but I'll have to see their schedules and prices before deciding if they are the best option for us.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We pretty much fly Southwest/Alaska everywhere except Europe. Most flights are 6 hours or less so I don't care much about flying first class. I'd rather use the $$/points for more trips.

I would love to see more competition on the interisland flights. Southwest ought to give Hawaiian a run for their money.

+1 We only use the big 3 (primarily United) for long haul international where we save and use our points to upgrade to lie-flats. From California to Hawaii or Orlando in SWA economy is fine. Economy on United is torture because it has less legroom.

 

[klpca]

If you take two bags to Hawaii you are definitely over packing.

Trekking poles have to be checked. We always have two sets of poles plus two pairs of hiking boots. We have to check a bag every time. But we have both the Alaska and Hawaiian credit cards so we don't have to pay. If not for those we could do carry on.

I went to Kauai with a friend a few years ago - no hiking. So I had one carry on. She had a huge bag, a carry on size, and a large tote. I have no idea what she brought, lol.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

If you take two bags to Hawaii you are definitely over packing.

We bring food staples such as drinks, energy bars, coffee & spices, and dive gear such as snorkels, fins.

 

[Luanne]

We bring food staples such as drinks, energy bars, coffee & spices, and dive gear such as snorkels, fins.

We just buy what we need foodwise when we're there. We might bring tea bags, but that's it. We used to bring snorkels and masks, but managed to get it all in one suitcase. The advantage to having a timeshare condo is the washer/dryer so you can bring less clothing.

When our daughters were little we'd travel with two car seats, an umbrella stroller and I think one year we might have brought the fold up play pen (don't quote me on that one though). After hauling all of that around for several years we have been very happy to cut way back. The best trip we took was with one carry on bag each, no checked luggage.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Since we have the companion pass for all of 2018, we may try SW for Hawaii once. I have a trip planned to Oahu for next October. Rick probably won't want to fly SW, but you never know. With one of us flying free, and the other with points, it's tough to resist.

 

[Luanne]

Since we have the companion pass for all of 2018, we may try SW for Hawaii once. I have a trip planned to Oahu for next October. Rick probably won't want to fly SW, but you never know. With one of us flying free, and the other with points, it's tough to resist.

I'm curious how that works. With the Alaska Airline companion pass I have to purchase one ticket, and the second is a minimal cost. I can't get the companion fare if I use points for the first seat. Is Southwest different? I haven't gotten a Southwest companion pass in years so I don't remember how it works.

Never mind, I just checked the SW site and saw that you can redeem points for your flight and get the companion pass. Nice.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yes, SW is different and even points can book the first seat, then the companion pass is just the fees. But I see you already looked it up.

 

[geist1223]

Plus you need a bag for your snorkel gear - vision corrected masks, personal snorkel, skins, etc. Yes Treking poles also. So we usually check 1 large suit case with all the outdoor, beach, and water gear. Then carryons for clothes.

 

[dioxide45]

Eight to nine hours from Chicago in an economy seat? No thanks! Yeah, I'm spoiled; I like first-class upgrades. Besides, SW isn't at ORD, which is 15 minutes from my house. MDW might as well be in another country for how difficult it is to get there from here.

SWA certainly won't be flying direct from Chicago to Hawaii. Their new planes are what got them within range from the west coast.