Delta Air Lines is now betting big on Hawaii travel

The airline just announced a new flight to Kona on Big Island.

Mar 26, 2025 - 19:31

Delta Air Lines is now betting big on Hawaii travel

While any expansion to Hawaii would compete with carriers ranging from Hawaiian Airlines to United Airlines (UAL) and Southwest (LUV) , Delta Air Lines (DAL) is doubling down on its plans for new flights to the state for the coming year.

On Dec. 19, it will start running a new nonstop flight between Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and Kona International Airport (KOA) on the Big Island while also upping frequencies to between Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) and the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu.

Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily news

Delta's will strengthen its network to Hawaii this winter

In addition to the new Salt Lake City-Kona route, Delta will also increase the frequency of its route from the Utah capital to Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG) to twice a day for the busy holiday period between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5. The first flight to Kahlui will leave in the morning and return on Oct. 6, while the second one departing at 3:35 p.m. will be added in December.

Both will run on a Boeing 767-300ER (BA) alongside the Atlanta-Honolulu seasonal flight. All are seasonal routes for the winter sun-seeking period and will once again be retired for the year come March 2026.

"We're excited to strengthen Delta's network to Hawaii this winter with the addition of new and expanded service, including our new route between Salt Lake City and Kona," Delta said in a statement. "With a 10% increase in seats compared to last year, we’re giving customers more ways to enjoy the Hawaiian Islands during the holiday season — whether they're returning to a favorite island or discovering a new one for the first time."

Honolulu is a popular holiday destination both for its sunny beaches and blend of Polynesian, American and Asian cultures.
Shutterstock

Delta, Southwest and American are all eying Hawaii for 2026

Kona International Airport also put out a post saying that "the Big Island will be more accessible than ever, just in time for the holidays" on its Instagram (META) account.

But even as it was planning this recent push to expand its Hawaii presence, Delta recently scrapped the Boston-Honolulu flight it launched in November 2024; the 5,095-mile route earned Delta the title of running the longest domestic flight in the U.S.

With a similar 11-hour direct flight already offered from New York's JFK Airport, the Boston flight turned out to not be as profitable as Delta had hoped.

More Travel:

In February 2025, Southwest Airlines also started running its first red-eye flights to Honolulu from Las Vegas and Phoenix, Kona to Las Vegas and Kahului to Las Vegas and Phoenix. And American Airlines (AAL) just announced it is bringing back a discontinued flight to Honolulu from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) — a route that competitor United already runs 11 times daily

All three airlines are trying to tap into the demand for the Aloha State from holidayers but risk running into the typical problem of oversaturation; smaller cities, in particular, often do not prove to be nearly as profitable as initially anticipated when talking to vocal locals with Hawaii fever.

"The five new flights will increase connectivity from the Hawaiian Islands to dozens of Southwest destinations," the airline says of the new routes.