Route guide
West Coast to Hawaii: picking the island and the airport
The five-to-six hour Pacific crossing is the easy part. The decisions that actually shape the trip are which island you are going to and whether your itinerary makes you change planes in Honolulu.
On this page
Pick the island first, then the airport
- Oahu (Honolulu, HNL) — the main gateway, most mainland nonstops, and the usual connecting point for everywhere else.
- Maui (Kahului, OGG) — substantial direct mainland service, so often no connection needed.
- Hawaii Island (Kona, KOA, or Hilo, ITO) — Kona for the resort coast, Hilo for the wetter east side. They are a long way apart; choose deliberately.
- Kauai (Lihue, LIH) — fewer mainland nonstops, so more likely to involve a connection.
The most common and most costly planning error is booking into Honolulu for a holiday on another island without realising a second flight is required, and without leaving time for it.
Nonstop or connect
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego and Portland all have substantial nonstop service to Hawaii, and to more than one island in several cases. A nonstop to your actual island is worth paying for: it removes an inter-island connection at the end of an already long day.
If you do need an inter-island hop, book it on the same ticket. On separate tickets, a delay crossing the Pacific means the hop is your problem, not the airline's, and your bag will not be checked through. See Hawaiian Airlines.
Timing, and the westbound day
Hawaii is two to three hours behind the west coast depending on daylight saving, which the islands do not observe. Westbound you gain hours, so a morning departure gets you there for a usable afternoon. Eastbound the overnight red-eye is the norm, and it is a genuinely long night.
Because of the time difference, arriving early enough to collect a car and reach your accommodation in daylight is worth planning for, particularly on the less developed islands.
Baggage and what you are carrying
Hawaii trips tend to involve more baggage than a city break — beach gear, sometimes golf clubs or dive equipment. Baggage charges on a five-hour flight are per direction and add up quickly for a family, so price the whole trip including bags rather than comparing fares. See baggage fees compared.
At a glance
| Typical flight time | About 5 to 6 hours from the west coast |
|---|---|
| Time zones | Two to three hours behind the west coast; Hawaii has no daylight saving |
| Main airports | Honolulu HNL, Kahului OGG, Kona KOA, Lihue LIH, Hilo ITO |
| Red-eye | Eastbound, returning to the mainland |
| Key rule | Put any inter-island hop on the same ticket |
Getting a price for this route
We do not publish fares, on this route or any other. Airfares move constantly and depend on your exact dates and availability, and as a ticket agent we are required to advertise the full price including all taxes and mandatory charges wherever we show one. A number posted here would be wrong by the time you read it.
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are and we will come back with the realistic options and one total price per passenger. If the best answer is a fare you can book yourself in three minutes, we will tell you that too.
Common questions about this route
Which Hawaiian island should I fly into?
The one you are staying on, wherever a nonstop exists. Routing through Honolulu to reach another island adds several hours to an already long travel day.
How long is the flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii?
Around five to six hours depending on the island and the winds.
Should I book the inter-island flight separately?
No. Put it on the same ticket so that a delay crossing the Pacific is the airline's responsibility and your bag is checked through.
Is there a red-eye to Hawaii?
The overnight runs eastbound, returning to the mainland. Westbound you gain hours, so a daytime flight arrives in time to be useful.