Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 in Honolulu – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

As winter fast approaches, now is the time of year that we all think of sun, sand, and warm temperatures.  Sitting by the beach, drinking a fruity cocktail at the bar, or just getting that tan you can’t normally get.  When you think of these things, often one place will pop into someones head – Hawaii.  Long a destination for many an American to get away from life, to escape to a different climate, a different culture, or a different way of life, Hawaii will forever be that imagination destination.

A brief six-hour flight from most west coast cities, the main destination for most is the island of Oahu, and its major hub for inbound traffic, Honolulu.  A number of airlines fly from a good portion of the west coast cities but there is only one that holds the name of Hawaiian Airlines.   With a long-range fleet that solely consists of widebody aircraft (there are currently orders for some single-aisle Airbus A321s) it can be the most comfortable way of flying to Hawaii (who wants to be trapped in a 737 for 6 hours?), while still embracing that vacation you’re about to experience.

Started in 1929, Hawaiian Airlines has long had service to the mainland from its Honolulu (HNL) base and continues to serve the major cities on the west coast, along with a few smaller cities and, of course, New York.  Seattle has long had a connection with the Hawaiian Islands and it is no surprise that it has two services per day to Hawaii (one to Oahu, the other Maui).  Both flights are currently operated by the workhorse of the Hawaiian fleet, the 767-300 (no ERs here!) though they will soon (as of December) be swapping over to the more fuel-efficient Airbus A330-200.