Virgin America to Launch Hawaii Flights This Fall
Local tourism officials say the additional carrier will benefit the state’s economy.
Virgin America will start flying to Hawaii when it launches inaugural service from the West Coast this fall.
Beginning Nov. 2, the carrier owned by Richard Branson will fly Airbus 320 aircraft with 149 seats on daily, nonstop service between San Francisco and Honolulu.
A flight from SFO to Kahului, Maui, could happen by Dec. 3.
Flying Virgin America.
Flickr: Justin Ried
Local tourism officials are hailing the news.
“These new flights will increase access to the Hawaiian Islands from both our core U.S. West and U.S. East markets through Virgin America’s extensive nationwide flight network,” said David Uchiyama, an executive with the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “We estimate that flights will generate $138.6 million in visitor spending and $14.8 million in tax revenue for the state on an annual basis.”
Uchiyama said the HTA had been working with Virgin for more than five years to secure the routes.
