Great news for those that do a lot of intra-Hawaii travel, Island Air is making a return to the Big Island! Beginning June 14, 2016, Island Air will resume service between Honolulu and Kona with 5 daily roundtrips. If you book now thru April 20th, you can take advantage of their special introductory rate of $69 per segment/$138 roundtrip. Remember, Island Air has its own loyalty program, called Island Miles, and partners with United MileagePlus. MileagePlus members are able to earn and redeem miles on Island Air flights, but the redemption rate isn’t a good value.
So why is this such great news? Despite the lack of partner airlines, a successful and competitive Island Air is crucial to the inter-island travel market. Since Island Air withdrew service from the Big Island a while ago, Hawaiian Airlines held a monopoly on direct flights from Oahu to the Big Island and any flights from Kauai to the Big Island. Flights between the Hawaiian Islands are already among the highest airfares in the nation based on distance traveled. And while the return of Island Air as a serious competitor may not create enough pressure to cause a downward trend in airfares, any competition is better than no competition. Even if you never fly Island Air, this is great for everyone!
For more information regarding this special offer, and/or to book your flight, visit: Island Air