As the end of July is nearly here, it is worth examining Southwest Airlines’ new routes starting in August. The self-described hybrid operator has scheduled four additions, which will be covered separately another time. They include Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL). The first departure will take place on August 8, rather than the originally planned August 4.
This airport pair is intriguing. While no nonstop flights existed between 2006 and 2025, two airlines will operate this year. Southwest will join Alaska Airlines, whose entry occurred on May 13, 2026. The carriers are increasingly competing head-to-head. While it is not unusual for another operator to launch a route shortly after a competitor, one usually buckles.
Flights on this airport pair have had a very on-again, off-again existence. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) shows that Aloha Airlines operated between 2002 and 2005, when the Boeing 737-700 was deployed. Alaska Airlines arrived more than a fifth of a century later.
Now it is nearly Southwest’s turn. The route, which will cover 2,225 nautical miles (4,121 km) each way and be blocked up to five hours and 40 minutes, will be the airline’s longest-ever nonstop operation from BUR. Flights will initially run on Saturdays, which will continue through October. However, from November through the winter, OAG shows that the frequency will often be higher, with two to six weekly services. Unsurprisingly, the 175-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 is exclusively scheduled.
Alaska’s offering is different. The oneworld member operates daily through August 18, not long after Southwest’s debut, with the 161-seat 737 MAX 8. The airline will then return next May, with the same frequency but on the 173-seat 737-900ER. As such, only Southwest will fly during the winter.
In the 12 months to April 2026, the DOT indicates that fewer than 5,000 round-trip passengers flew between BUR and HNL. Obviously, this number is tiny and misleading. No nonstop services existed and everyone had to fly via another airport en route. As such, nearly everyone heading to/from BUR’s catchment area flew from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for the huge amount of choice and many daily flights.
BUR has been part of Southwest’s network for decades. Between May 2025 and April 2026, the DOT shows that the airline transported 3.4 million round-trip passengers and accounted for 56% of BUR’s scheduled activity. However, compared to the 12 months to April 2025, Southwest’s traffic fell by 7%, seven times more than for the airline’s network-wide change (-1%).
BUR’s traffic reduction was primarily because of the end of routes to Eugene (ended in January 2025), Kansas City (ended in September 2025), New Orleans (ended in October 2025), Portland International Airport (PDX; ended in January 2026), and San Antonio (ended in March 2025).
The link to Eugene was previously also served by Avelo Airlines, whose first base was at BUR (the carrier has since pulled out). Alaska debuted last October. Aside from HNL, Southwest’s only other new route from BUR recently was Santa Rosa, which started in April 2026. It was previously served by Avelo. Alaska also operates, with more flights than ever due to competition with Southwest.
Until now, the carrier had no more than 93 daily services past the US border. Now it does. Find out more here!
Southwest has flown from the US mainland to the Aloha State since May 2019. In the 12 months to April 2026, the airline carried 2.2 million passengers, which was 8% lower than the previous 12 months. The increasingly evolving operator was the fifth-largest carrier in the market and carried just under one in ten passengers. It accounted for just 1% of Southwest’s overall traffic.
With 288,000 round-trip passengers, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), serving Las Vegas, to HNL was the airline’s most-trafficked airport pair. Flown since 2021, this market accounted for about 14% of Southwest’s traffic between the Lower 48 and Hawaii in the examined 12 months. Sin City is called Hawaii’s ninth island due to its popularity among Hawaiians, partly as Hawaii does not have casinos.
While this helps to ensure a significant local market, everyone knows that Southwest also has a massive operation in LAS. Indeed, the DOT shows that 80% of HNL-LAS passengers connected to another flight, especially to/from St. Louis, Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas Love, and Houston Hobby Airport (HOU). The DOT indicates that 9,034 round-trip passengers flew between HOU and HNL via LAS, with Southwest generating about $2.6 million in revenue.
In early 2027, the carrier will introduce a 2:45 AM departure from LAS to HNL, arriving at 6 AM or so local time. This will be especially good for Hawaiians heading home, who can play until nearly midnight, go to the airport, and then fly. Some connecting passengers may also choose it, but most tourists won’t.
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