Hawaiian Airlines to begin nonstop Maui-Las Vegas flights

By Richard N. Velotta

Thursday, June 10, 2010 | 11:26 a.m.

Honolulu-based Hawaiian Airlines will begin twice-weekly nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Maui beginning in October, the company announced Wednesday.

Hawaiian, which currently has 18 flights a week between Honolulu and McCarran International Airport, will begin flying routes to and from Kahului Airport on Oct. 3. Flights will leave Las Vegas on Sundays and Wednesdays and return from Maui on Mondays and Thursdays.

The airline will use 264-passenger twin-engine Boeing 767-300 jumbo jets on the route. The airline is taking delivery of three new Airbus A330-200 jets later this year, giving it more flexibility in serving the Las Vegas market, executives said. A spokesman for the airline said one of the new Airbus planes would be committed to a Las Vegas route when it arrives.

“We’ve known for a long time how popular Las Vegas is with Maui residents, so we’re pleased to offer this new flight to address that demand,” Peter Ingram, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Hawaiian, said in a release announcing the new service. “At the same time, we believe the convenience of this new nonstop service will boost visitor traffic to Maui, as Las Vegas is home to so many people with strong ties to the islands as well as a busy hub for flight connections on other carriers.”

Boyd Gaming, which operates several downtown and locals properties in Las Vegas, has successfully marketed its brand to Hawaii residents for years.

Maui currently is unserved as a nonstop destination from McCarran and it would become the 134th nonstop market at the airport. Aloha Airlines, which discontinued operations in 2008, once flew the Las Vegas-Maui route.

The new Maui flight will leave Las Vegas Sundays and Wednesdays at 6:25 p.m., arriving at Kahului Airport at 9:25 p.m. Return flights leave Maui Mondays and Thursdays at 8 a.m., arriving at McCarran at 4:35 p.m. Las Vegas arrivals and departures will be about an hour earlier when Pacific Standard Time takes effect.