Hawaiian Airlines inaugurated its latest long-haul domestic flight on Friday. The first flights between Orlando and Honolulu aboard a Hawaiian Airlines plane were launched on Saturday, March 13th. While this inauguration was accompanied by great fanfare and celebrations, the airline announced that it was not all to be seen. The huge demand from customers is leading to the airline increasing Orlando to Honolulu’s service three times a week this summer.
Hawaiian Airlines launches first flights from Orlando to Honolulu
On Saturday, March 13, Hawaiian Airlines inaugurated a brand new domestic route from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL). The airport was amazed and Hawaiian celebrated in Orlando to commemorate the first flights.
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram said the following about the launch of the new route:
‘We are excited to introduce our Florida guests to our award-winning Hawaiian hospitality so they can begin their island vacation as soon as they board. We are just as pleased to offer Hawaiian travelers the unparalleled convenience of our uninterrupted service from Honolulu to Orlando, a popular destination for our Kama’āina (residents). ”
The new flights from Orlando to Honolulu depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8:15 a.m. and arrive at 2:05 p.m. in Hawaii; all times are local. From there, passengers can join an intra-island service from Hawaiian Airlines or end their Honolulu journey otherwise. This flight is numbered HA85.
Aloha, @HawaiianAir! Today’s first flight from Honolulu was greeted with a water salute in celebration of this amazing addition to ‘ohana airport. pic.twitter.com/vr42bnVY9i
– Orlando International Airport (@MCO) 12 March 2021
HA86, which operates from Honolulu to Orlando, departs on Thursdays and Sundays at 5:15 p.m. local time and arrives in Orlando at 7:00 a.m. the next day, local time.
Hawaiian uses an Airbus A330-200 on this route. This aircraft is composed of 18 first-class seats in a 2-2-2 setup. Behind this cabin there are 68 extra seats with extra legs, followed by 192 standard seats. This is a total of 260 seats in a 2-4-2 setup, ideal for families and holidaymakers.
Hawaiian grows services on this route
The current twice a week will grow later this year. From June 1 to August 10, the airline will run between Orlando and Honolulu three times a week. The airline replied that they were doing so after seeing a large demand from the customers for the flights.
This summer, the additional flights depart on Thursdays to Orlando to Honolulu and on Tuesdays to Honolulu to Orlando.
Florida and Hawaii are two very popular tourist destinations. Especially during the pandemic, with most passengers preferring to stay domestic, Hawaii is a fantastic outdoor destination with beaches, resorts and outdoor excursions, depending on which island passengers choose. For Hawaiians, the new flight allows them to visit theme parks and resorts in Orlando.
Hawaiians Orlando flights to Honolulu also allow the carrier to indirectly serve the Tampa area, which is within driving distance of Orlando, without directing two uninterrupted flights to Hawaii. The metropolitan area around Orlando and Tampa collectively has a population of more than five million people, meaning a fairly large native market from Florida to Hawaiian.
Over the next few months, airline services to Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti were temporarily suspended. With most of the flights flying on Airbus A330s, the airline now has many extra aircraft. Instead of letting them sit on the ground, the airline uses them to connect to new destinations, including Austin in Texas and of course Orlando, Florida. If these flights perform well, the airline will probably keep it going in the long run, and it looks like Orlando is doing pretty well right now.
Hawaii’s Long Distance Routes
It is the only uninterrupted service between Orlando and Hawaii and is one of the long inland routes of Hawaii. However, it is not the longest in the Hawaiian system.
The airline also operates long-haul routes to New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS), with flights to Boston being the longest scheduled domestic route. This makes Orlando the third gate from the east coast of the USA.
Did you fly on the inbound flights to or from Orlando? Will your Hawaiian Airlines fly between Orlando and Honolulu? Let us know in the comments!