Alaska Airlines launches 737-800 Honolulu-Kahului flights
Alaska Airlines will begin operating Boeing 737-800s on inter-island routes in Hawaii from October 3, 2026.
Alaska Airlines will begin using one of its own Boeing 737-800s on regular inter-island flights between Honolulu and Kahului on Maui from 3 October 2026. The aircraft will operate three daily return flights, providing extra passenger and cargo capacity on one of Hawaii’s busiest routes as a stop-gap measure during the transition from Hawaiian Airlines' Boeing 717 fleet.
Operational details and passenger experience
The Alaska-liveried 737-800s will accommodate 161 passengers. The configuration includes 16 First Class seats and more than 30 Premium Class seats. The aircraft also provides more room underneath for baggage and cargo, including surfboards.
All Hawaiian and Alaska Neighbor Island check-ins and bag drops in Honolulu will remain in Terminal 1. Passengers bound for Kahului on an Alaska 737 should check in online or through the airline’s app. They can drop bags at the self-service bag-tag stations in Terminal 1, Lobby 3, at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Maui passengers flying to Honolulu on an Alaska 737 should visit Alaska’s counters at Kahului Airport, which are next to Hawaiian’s, for check-in and bag drop.
Also starting Saturday, check-in and bag drop for all Hawaiian Airlines international departures will move to Terminal 2, Lobby 4. The department said the change is meant to improve lobby flow for passengers in both terminals on Alaska and Hawaiian flights.
Context of the Boeing 717 replacement
Hawaiian Airlines has a fleet of 19 Boeing 717-200s. The fleet performs intensive short sectors between Honolulu and destinations including Kahului, Kona, Hilo and Lihue. The Boeing 717 is particularly well suited to high-cycle flying with multiple take-offs and landings per day. Along with Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines is now one of only two airlines still operating the Boeing 717 anywhere in the world.
The transition to replace Hawaiian’s 717s with Boeing 737-800s is expected to begin during 2028. The future inter-island fleet of 737-800s will wear Hawaiian Airlines colours and be based in Honolulu, flown by Honolulu-based pilots and cabin crew.
| Aircraft Type | Passenger Capacity (First Class) | Key Features | Replacement Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 717-200 | Up to 128 (8 seats) | High-cycle operations | To be retired from 2028 |
| Future Hawaiian 737-800 | 161 (16 seats) | Reclining Recaro seats, power/USB, free Starlink Wi-Fi | Service begins 2028 |
The decision to retain Hawaiian branding for the permanent fleet demonstrates Alaska’s dual-brand strategy. The Alaska-liveried 737-800 operating from October 2026 will remain unmistakably an Alaska Airlines aircraft. From 2028, Hawaiian Airlines-branded 737-800s will begin operating on inter-island routes. The merged company has announced plans to retire Hawaiian’s 717 fleet and replace it with Hawaiian-branded 737s based in Honolulu around 2028. Hawaiian will keep using its 717s for Neighbor Island flights until then.
Hawaiian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Diana Birkett Rakow said that the changes to lobby flow, timing and capacity allow the airline to keep connecting island communities while it prepares for the fleet transition.
Baggage policy change and operational testing
A new checked bag drop-off deadline of 50 minutes prior to departure takes effect on Saturday, increased from the previous 30-minute cutoff. Hawaiian Airlines reported that about 98% of passengers already check in via the app well ahead of the deadline. The change is due to increased traveler capacity between the islands.
Shelly Parker stated that the 50-minute rule helps accommodate the Transportation Security Administration’s bag check process. Hawaiian said the earlier Neighbor Island check-in deadline should improve baggage handling and help flights leave on time.
The 737 flights between Honolulu and Kahului will also serve as a test case. Airport operators, state transportation officials and the airline will use them to determine jet bridge settings, gate requirements and spacing, and changes to passenger flow, baggage handling and aircraft servicing before a larger 737 rollout. HDOT is working closely with both airlines to ensure airport operations are prepared.
Alaska has released renderings showing Hawaiian’s Pualani tail design applied to the Boeing 737-800 narrowbody. From 2028, Hawaiian Airlines-branded 737-800s will begin operating on inter-island routes as the permanent replacement for the Boeing 717 fleet.
