Hawaiian’s First Boeing 737 Interisland Flights Begin October 3

Updated: September 18, 2026, 1:14pm CDT

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Boeing 737 Flights Between Honolulu and Maui Starting Soon
Final Thoughts

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Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland flying is about to look a little different.

Starting October 3, 2026, an Alaska Airlines-branded Boeing 737-800 will operate select flights between Honolulu (HNL) and Kahului, Maui (OGG). We already knew the larger aircraft was coming, but now we have an official launch date.

Here’s what interisland travelers need to know.

Boeing 737 Flights Between Honolulu and Maui Starting Soon

Alaska and Hawaiian are beginning a gradual transition from Hawaiian’s aging Boeing 717s to larger and more modern Boeing 737-800s.

The first 737 will operate 3 daily round-trip flights between Honolulu and Kahului beginning October 3. These flights will supplement Hawaiian’s existing schedule, adding more passenger seats and cargo capacity between its 2 largest Hawai‘i hubs.

Hawaiian new 737 — Alaska’s 737-800 brings modern cabins and free Starlink Wi-Fi to interisland flights. Image credit: Joe Nicholson/Alaska Airlines

Travelers can expect several improvements over Hawaiian’s aging Boeing 717s, including:

Reclining leather Recaro seats
In-seat power and USB charging
More premium seating
Additional upgrade opportunities
Complimentary snacks and drinks in first class
Complimentary drinks in the main cabin
Free Starlink Wi-Fi on equipped aircraft

The 737s offer twice as many first class seats as Hawaiian’s 717s, along with more than 30 additional Premium Class seats. That should create more upgrade opportunities for Atmos Rewards members.

For now, these planes will still carry Alaska Airlines branding. Hawaiian’s 717 fleet will continue operating roughly 140 daily flights across the rest of its Neighbor Island network. Passengers can check whether a flight is operated by a 737 or 717 when booking through the Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines website or app.

This is only the beginning of a much larger fleet change. Hawaiian plans to retire its Boeing 717s in 2028 and replace them with Hawaiian-branded 737s featuring upgraded interiors and fast, free Starlink Wi-Fi.

Hot Tip:

Also starting October 3, passengers on all Hawaiian Neighbor Island flights must check in and drop off checked bags at least 50 minutes before departure, up from the current 30-minute cutoff.

Final Thoughts

Hawaiian’s first interisland Boeing 737 flights now have a set start date. The initial rollout will feature 3 daily round-trip flights between Honolulu and Maui, but travelers on those flights will get more premium seats, in-seat power, and potentially free Starlink Wi-Fi.

The familiar Boeing 717 isn’t disappearing just yet, though. Hawaiian will continue to fly the aircraft across the islands until the larger fleet transition begins in 2028.