OAKLAND, CA — Aloha, Southwest Airlines! The low-cost carrier announced last year that it would begin flights between the Bay Area and Hawaii. Local residents have been waiting in anticipation ever since. It's finally happening, with introductory $49 air fares from Oakland to Honolulu.
The tickets are now on sale with with flights beginning March 17. Service to Maui will begin on April 7. The fares are good for travel until mid-June. For peak summer travel, expect to pay $214.
“Oakland will play a pivotal and historic role in our initial investment in serving the Hawaiian Islands,” said Tom Nealon, Southwest Airlines’ President. “We’re focused on bringing our East Bay Customers an authentically Southwest experience to Hawaii with comfort across all seating—for every Customer—along with in-cabin snack enhancements for our flights between the State of Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.”
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“Today’s announcement underscores the importance of Southwest’s Oakland Focus City, it’s largest operation in the San Francisco Bay Area. The decision to launch its Hawaii service here also marks a heartened look back at Oakland’s trailblazing past,” said Bryant L. Francis, Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland. “Oakland was the site of the very first successful trans-Pacific flight from the Mainland to the Hawaiian Islands 91 years ago, and is again at the forefront by serving as the inaugural Mainland U.S. airport for these long-awaited flights. We couldn’t be more proud to partner with our friends at Southwest, nor more excited about the launch of this historic new service and the opportunities it creates for our customers.”
San Jose will join the luau in April.
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