Ask five people which airline is best for flying to Honolulu and you’ll get five different answers, because the honest answer changed in 2026. Alaska finished absorbing Hawaiian Airlines this spring, Southwest quietly ended its famous free-bags policy, and two new West Coast cities got their first-ever nonstop routes to Oahu. If you’re weighing Southwest vs. Hawaiian Airlines for a Honolulu flight, the old advice β book whoever shows up cheapest on Google Flights β doesn’t hold up the way it used to. Here’s what actually matters for picking the best airline to Hawaii in 2026, based on real routes, real fares, and the fine print most comparison sites skip.
The Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Changes the Math
Alaska Air Group completed its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines back in 2024, but the operational merger β the part that actually affects your booking β didn’t finish until April 22, 2026. As of that date, every Hawaiian flight now operates under Alaska’s “AS” flight code, and the two carriers’ booking systems are fully integrated, so you can search and book across both networks from either website. The loyalty programs merged too, combining HawaiianMiles and Alaska’s Mileage Plan into a single program called Atmos Rewards. The Department of Transportation required the combined airline to preserve rewards value and maintain service on critical routes as a condition of the deal.
Practically, this means “Alaska vs. Hawaiian” isn’t really two competitors anymore. It’s one airline group running two brands and two route networks that are steadily merging into one. Hawaiian’s widebody long-haul aircraft and international routes are sticking around under the Hawaiian name for now, but the fare you see on hawaiianairlines.com and the fare you see on alaskaair.com increasingly come from the same combined inventory.
Southwest Airlines to Honolulu: Cheap, But Bags Now Cost Extra
Southwest built its Hawaii reputation on rock-bottom walk-up fares from the West Coast, and in 2026 it has the widest low-cost footprint of any airline flying to Oahu. It flies nonstop to Honolulu from Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, Long Beach, LAX, San Diego, and Phoenix, and just added two new cities: Ontario, California (daily service starting June 4) and Burbank (peak-day service starting August 4). Sale fares in the $300s to $400s round trip from California aren’t unusual.
The catch is that Southwest ended its two-free-checked-bags policy in 2025. Bags now cost extra on every route, Hawaii included, so factor that into any fare comparison before assuming Southwest is automatically the cheaper option. Southwest also still doesn’t show up on Google Flights or Kayak β you’ll need to check southwest.com directly or sign up for fare alerts. One upside worth knowing about if you carry a Southwest credit card: now that the airline actually flies to Hawaii, a Companion Pass earned through card spending works on these routes too, which can meaningfully change the math if you’re already trying to save money on a Waikiki trip.
Alaska Airlines to Honolulu: The Expanding West Coast Workhorse
Alaska now offers daily nonstop service to all four major Hawaiian islands β Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island β from five West Coast hubs. The headline addition for 2026 is Burbank to Honolulu, which launched May 13 as the first nonstop between the two cities in more than 20 years. Alaska has also increased frequency on its strongest routes: Los Angeles to Kahului now runs twice daily plus an added seasonal flight, and San Francisco’s routes to Kona and Lihue upgraded to daily service.
A few routes run seasonally rather than year-round. San Jose’s flights to Kona and Lihue, along with Oakland to Lihue, pause for part of the year and pick back up in October and November 2026, so double-check dates if you’re planning a shoulder-season neighbor-island trip. With the merger underway, Alaska is increasingly where the stronger elite-status perks and mileage value live, since Atmos Rewards status now carries across both airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu: Best If You’re Not Flying from the West Coast
Hawaiian still holds the network reach that Alaska didn’t have before the merger. It’s the only realistic nonstop option for travelers from New York (JFK), Las Vegas, and several other cities outside the West Coast footprint that Southwest and Alaska share. Its widebody aircraft on longer routes also offer more cabin and legroom options than Southwest’s single-cabin planes.
The trade-off is cost, and increasingly, baggage fees. As of April 10, 2026, Hawaiian raised checked bag fees to $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second on North America routes, so “flying Hawaiian” no longer means free checked bags on domestic flights the way it once did β unless you hold elite status or the co-branded Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard, which still covers the first two bags free. It’s a similar bait-and-switch to what shows up in hotel resort fees β the sticker price and the real price aren’t the same number anymore.
Baggage, Credit Cards, and the Real Cost Comparison
Once you add bag fees back into every fare, the gap between these three airlines narrows quite a bit. Southwest and Hawaiian both now charge for checked bags on Hawaii routes, and Alaska’s fees sit in a similar range, though elite status or a co-branded credit card can wipe the cost out entirely for frequent flyers. This is where credit card strategy starts to matter more than the base fare: a Southwest cardholder chasing a Companion Pass, or a Hawaiian Mastercard holder who flies with checked luggage every trip, can end up paying less than someone booking the “cheaper” fare and getting hit with bag fees at the counter.
What About Southern Airways Express?
You’ll sometimes see Southern Airways Express mentioned in the same breath as Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaiian, but it plays a completely different role. Southern doesn’t fly mainland-to-Honolulu routes at all β it’s a small-aircraft inter-island carrier connecting Honolulu to smaller Hawaiian airports like Molokai’s Hoolehua and West Maui’s Kapalua, with one-way fares that have run as low as $29β99 during sale periods. It’s worth knowing about once you’ve already landed at HNL and want to hop to a neighbor island without a full jet connection, but it isn’t a mainland competitor to the big three. If you’re still nailing down the rest of your trip, it’s worth working this into your first-time Waikiki planning guide rather than your flight comparison.
So Which Airline Should You Actually Book?
The right choice mostly comes down to where you’re flying from and how you travel:
- Departing California or Phoenix and packing light: Southwest usually wins on base fare.
- Departing the West Coast and chasing elite status or more seasonal island options: Alaska, especially post-merger.
- Departing the East Coast, Midwest, or South, or wanting a widebody cabin: Hawaiian is often your only nonstop option.
- Already landed at HNL and heading to a neighbor island: Southern Airways Express, not one of the big three.
Whichever you pick, run the full cost β fare plus bags plus any credit card perks β before deciding, the same way you’d want to know the real, all-in cost of a Waikiki vacation before booking.
FAQ: Booking Flights to Honolulu in 2026
Is Hawaiian Airlines still a separate airline from Alaska in 2026?
Not operationally. Alaska completed the merger of the two carriers’ operating certificates on April 22, 2026, so all flights now fly under Alaska’s AS code. The Hawaiian brand, some aircraft, and international routes remain for now, and the loyalty programs have combined into Atmos Rewards, but you’re booking from one merged network split across two websites.
Does Southwest still offer free checked bags to Hawaii?
No. Southwest ended its longstanding two-free-checked-bags policy in 2025, and that change applies to Hawaii routes just like the rest of its network. Add bag fees into any fare comparison rather than assuming Southwest is free of them.
Which airline has the cheapest flights to Honolulu?
Southwest is usually the cheapest option from its West Coast and Phoenix cities before bag fees, with sale fares commonly in the $300s to $400s round trip. Alaska competes closely on the same routes. Hawaiian tends to price higher from the West Coast but is often the only nonstop option from the East Coast, where fares commonly run over $1,000.
Can I fly Southwest to Hawaii from the East Coast?
Not nonstop. Southwest’s entire Hawaii network departs from West Coast and Phoenix cities β Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, Long Beach, LAX, San Diego, Ontario, Burbank, and Phoenix. East Coast travelers would need at least one connection before reaching Hawaii on Southwest.
Is Southern Airways Express an option for flying to Honolulu from the mainland?
No. Southern Airways Express only operates inter-island within Hawaii, connecting Honolulu to smaller airports like Molokai and West Maui’s Kapalua. It’s useful once you’ve already landed at HNL, not as a mainland carrier.
What’s the best time to book flights to Honolulu for the lowest fare?
Most fare data points to booking roughly 40 to 50 days before departure, with three weeks to three months out as the broader window worth watching. Midweek departures, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, also tend to price lower than weekend flights.
Whichever airline lands you at HNL, the ticket price is only the first number to budget for β bag fees now apply almost everywhere you look. Once you touch down, getting from the airport into Waikiki is its own decision, and packing light enough to dodge those new bag fees is worth planning around before you ever open a booking site β our 2026 packing checklist is a good place to start.