Alaska Air Group will use Boeing 737-800s to replace the retiring 717s currently operating Hawaiian Airlines’ short-haul inter-island flights.
The company – which owns Hawaiian, Alaska Airlines, and Horizon Air – said the -800s will significantly improve the customer experience and boost reliability. It did not say exactly how many of the aircraft will be committed to inter-island flying.
Hawaiian – and, by extension, Alaska – operates one of the largest 717 fleets in the world. The narrowbody jet ceased production in 2006, and many large airlines have retired the model in the years since.
Hawaiian appeared set on keeping the 717 in service, but late last year officials acknowledged that they were weighing options for a replacement.
The fleet transition is expected to begin in 2028.
Alaska Air Group said the 737s will have Hawaiian branding and be based in Honolulu. The aircraft will be flown and crewed by Hawaii-based pilots and flight attendants.
“Neighbor Island service is part of the fabric of life in Hawaii, and we know how deeply our guests, employees, and communities care about its future,” Hawaiian CEO Diana Birkett Rakow said in a news release. “This decision reflects our commitment to invest in Hawaii for the long term, to strengthen Hawaiian Airlines, and to honor the local expertise, culture, and care that have made Hawaiian the airline of Hawaii for nearly a century.”
Alaska officials said the 737 has the durability required for inter-island service, which involves frequent daily cycles in a salt-air environment. They also highlighted new amenities on board, including twice as many first-class seats, free Starlink wireless internet service, and reclining leather seats in all cabins.
While the fleet transition is more than a year away, Alaska Air Group said it will assign an Alaska-branded 737 to supplement the inter-island fleet this fall. Starting in October, the aircraft will fly three round trips per day between Honolulu and Kahului. The 737 will operate out of Terminal 1 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
