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Delta Plans the Most Hawaii Flying in Its History With New and Returning Routes, Increased Capacity

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Nick Ellis
Edited by: Ryan Smith
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Delta Air Lines is growing in the Aloha State. The Atlanta-based carrier shared that it will soon fly its largest-ever schedule to the Hawaiian Islands, thanks to an entirely new route, the return of another, and several capacity increases on existing routes from various hubs.

Let’s take a look at what the carrier has planned for the 50th state.

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Delta’s Major Hawaiian Expansion: Adding Minneapolis-Maui and Resuming Boston-Honolulu

Delta will soon offer more options than ever before for getting to and from Hawaii, whether you’re paying cash or using SkyMiles.

First, on December 19, 2026, it will start nonstop service between Minneapolis (MSP) and Maui-Kahului (OGG) with its Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The route will be offered daily “during peak holiday and spring break periods,” and will operate 5 times weekly throughout the winter.

Maui Beach
Delta is adding nonstop flights between Minneapolis and Maui in December. Image Credit: Nick Ellis

This new route will provide easy, 1-stop connections for many flyers across the upper Midwest and Northeast who prefer to arrive in Maui directly for their vacation, rather than passing through Honolulu (HNL), as is often the case for those coming from east of the Mississippi River.

Next, Delta will resume service between Boston (BOS) and Honolulu, also on December 19, 2026. The flight will be offered daily “during peak late-December travel,” and then will decrease to 4 times weekly throughout the winter. This route will be operated by the Airbus A330-300.

In addition to this all-new route and the resumption of another important one, Delta is expanding capacity on existing Hawaii flights, whether through larger aircraft, additional frequencies, or both. Here’s what that looks like:

  • Atlanta (ATL)-Honolulu: Gains a second frequency operated 3 times per week from January 4, 2027, through March 2027 with the Airbus A330-300.
  • Detroit (DTW)-Honolulu: Starting November 9, 2026, frequency will increase from 3 times weekly to once daily with the Airbus A330-300.
  • Los Angeles (LAX)-Kona (KOA): Starting November 9, 2026, flights will be operated by the Boeing 767-300 for the winter season.
  • New York (JFK)-Honolulu: Starting April 1, 2026, frequency will increase from up to 5 times weekly to once daily with the Boeing 767-300.
  • Salt Lake City (SLC)-Kona: Daily seasonal service will resume on November 9, 2026, which is an earlier launch than last year.
Hot Tip:

Have a trip to the South Pacific on the mind? Learn about all the best ways to fly to Hawaii with points and miles so you can get there for less.

Final Thoughts

Delta is adding a brand-new nonstop route between Minneapolis and Maui, and it’s resuming flights between Boston and Honolulu in December. On top of that, it’s boosting frequencies and capacity on existing routes. All of it results in the most flying the carrier has ever done to Hawaii.

This is exciting news for flyers, who will soon have more ways than ever before of reaching the Hawaiian Islands.

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About Nick Ellis

Nick’s passion for points began as a hobby and became a career. He worked for over 5 years at The Points Guy and has contributed to Business Insider and CNN. He has 14 credit cards and continues to leverage the perks of each.

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