Traveling between islands is something a lot of visitors to Hawaii like to do on longer trips. Many people who are coming to the islands for just a week will pick one and explore all around, but if you’re planning to be in Hawaii for a week or more, visiting at least two islands is a great idea and you’ll really get to see different versions of what Hawaii has to offer. Interisland flights are the easiest way to do this, and usually they’re not even that expensive.
We’ve got all the info on island hopping and hot to build your Aloha trip to get to see and experience more than one island. If you have any questions about travel in Hawaii or need additional recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you put together a wonderful visit.
Understanding Interisland Flights in Hawaii
Three carriers run the show for interisland flights Hawaii travelers depend on: Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Mokulele Airlines. Most hops between islands take just 20 to 50 minutes gate-to-gate, which still amazes first-time visitors who expect a “real” flight. Your best move is to check Hawaiian and Southwest side-by-side for the main routes, then bring in Mokulele Air when your destination is a smaller strip like Hāna or Molokaʻi.
Need to know about booking Interisland Hawaii flights:
- Carriers: Hawaiian, Southwest, and Mokulele cover nearly every route between the main islands.
- Flight time: Most hops run 20 to 50 minutes in the air.
- Booking window: Aim for 3 to 6 weeks out, and always factor bag fees into your price comparison.
Tip: Book your interisland leg before you finalize your rental car pickup time. Flight schedules shift more than car reservations, and you’ll save yourself a scramble.
Key Takeaways for Interisland Travel
Booking interisland flights in Hawaii successfully, meaning both staying within your travel budget and getting where you need to go on time, comes down to comparing Hawaiian, Southwest, and Mokulele on total cost, not just base fare, within a 3 to 6 week booking window.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Three carriers cover the islands | Hawaiian, Southwest, and Mokulele together serve every major and minor Hawaiian airport. |
| Flights are short | Most gate-to-gate hops run 20 to 50 minutes, so pad your buffer time rather than your flight time. |
| Book 3 to 6 weeks out | This window tends to balance fare and seat availability better than last-minute or far-ahead booking. |
| Bag fees change the math | Compare total cost including checked bags, since Southwest’s policy shifts have narrowed the old fare gap. |
| No ferry connects most islands | Only the Maui to Lānaʻi Expeditions ferry exists; Mokulele covers Molokaʻi. |
Which Airlines Fly Interisland in Hawaii?
Hawaiian Airlines is the backbone of the network. It flies roughly 170 daily interisland flights on Airbus and Boeing jets, connecting Honolulu (HNL) with Maui, the Big Island, and Kauaʻi multiple times an hour during peak travel windows. If you want frequency, flexibility to rebook same-day, and the comfort of a full-size jet, Hawaiian usually wins. Its checked-bag fees run in line with mainland domestic carriers, and its ATMOS program lets you earn and redeem miles on interisland legs, which matters if you’re already flying Hawaiian from the mainland. It’s a part of Alaska Airlines so, you can also use ATMOS miles for booking.
Southwest Airlines entered the interisland market a few years back and disrupted pricing across the board. It flies 737s nonstop between HNL, OGG (Maui), KOA (Kona), ITO (Hilo), and LIH (Kauaʻi). For years, Southwest’s calling card was “bags fly free,” but that policy shifted in 2025 and 2026, and the airline also trimmed seat counts on some aircraft. That changes the math: Southwest can still be the better value, but you need to check current bag pricing rather than assume the old free-bag perk still applies. Rapid Rewards points transfer over from mainland Southwest flights, so frequent flyers already in that ecosystem get real value here. We’ve never used Southwest for our own interisland flights…
Mokulele Airlines fills the gap neither jet carrier can. It flies nine-passenger Cessna Grand Caravans into small airstrips that Hawaiian and Southwest simply don’t serve, including Hāna, Kapalua, Molokaʻi, Kalaupapa, and Lānaʻi. Boarding happens on the tarmac, not through a jet bridge, and you’ll often walk across open pavement to a waiting propeller plane with room for a handful of passengers. It’s a different kind of flying, closer to a scenic charter than a commercial hop, and it’s genuinely the only practical air option for reaching Molokaʻi, or Hāna without driving the Road to Hāna’s 600-plus curves.
Here’s the quick decision guide:
- Choose Hawaiian when you want frequency, jet comfort, and mile-earning potential.
- Choose Southwest when the fare is meaningfully lower and you’re comparing bag costs carefully.
- Choose Mokulele when your destination is a small strip like Molokaʻi, Hāna, or Kapalua that bigger carriers skip entirely.
If you’re flying to Moloka’i specifically, our first-hand account of flying Mokulele covers what the boarding process and cabin actually feel like. WORD TO THE WISE: fearful fliers will not enjoy the experience with the wind off the northside of Moloka’i. My kids love it though.
What Do Interisland Flights Cost, and When Should You Book?
Fares swing more than most travelers expect. Typical 2026 one-way prices run $60 to $200 depending on how far ahead you book, which route you’re flying, and the season. Book last-minute and you’re often looking at fares near $150 one-way. Book smart and that same route can drop into the $50 to $120 range.
The booking window that consistently works best:
- Buy 3 to 6 weeks before departure. This window tends to balance price and seat availability better than booking day-of or six months out.
- Watch for early morning and midday departures. These slots often price lower than the popular late-afternoon flights that fill up with connecting mainland traffic, and if there are delays or cancellations, there are more flights in the same day.
- Recheck fares weekly if your dates are flexible. Interisland pricing moves week to week more than mainland routes, since seat inventory on smaller aircraft fills fast.
Baggage fees can quietly wreck a “cheap” fare comparison. Say Southwest quotes $75 one-way and Hawaiian quotes $95. If Southwest now charges $35 for a first checked bag and Hawaiian’s base fare already includes it, that $20 gap disappears fast for a family checking two bags each. And if you have airline status with Alaska, Hawaiian or you’ve booked through American (with status) you’ll have free bags. Always run the total, not just the ticket price, before you decide.
Which Airports Serve Each Hawaiian Island?
Booking the wrong airport is an easy mistake, especially on islands with more than one option. Here’s the island-by-island breakdown:
- Oʻahu: Honolulu (HNL) – the interisland hub almost every route touches.
- Maui: Kahului (OGG) for most visitors; Kapalua (JHM) and Hāna (HNM) for Mokulele service closer to those towns.
- Big Island: Kona (KOA) on the west side; Hilo (ITO) on the east side.
- Kauaʻi: Līhuʻe (LIH).
- Molokaʻi: Molokaʻi (MKK), served almost exclusively by Mokulele.
- Lānaʻi: Lānaʻi (LNY), also primarily Mokulele.
| Island | Airport(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oʻahu | HNL | Main hub; expect busier terminals and extra security time |
| Maui | OGG, JHM, HNM | OGG for jets; JHM and HNM for Mokulele’s small-strip service |
| Big Island | KOA, ITO | Choose based on which coast you’re staying near |
| Kauaʻi | LIH | Single airport, straightforward |
| Molokaʻi | MKK | Mokulele only; no jet service |
| Lānaʻi | LNY | Mokulele only; no jet service |
Common flight times run short: HNL to LIH takes about 40 minutes, KOA to OGG runs closer to 35 minutes, and HNL to ITO clocks in around 45 minutes. One quirk worth planning around: flights between two “outer” islands, say Kona to Līhuʻe, often route through HNL rather than flying direct, which adds time even though the islands themselves aren’t far apart.
Interisland Travel Tips
Since you’re ready to book your interisland travel, here are our best tips from flying countless times between Honolulu and Kona and Lihue and Kahului and… We’ve nearly perfected the art of island hopping without stressful problems. Keep in mind that traveling with small children, elderly parents, or people with disabilities may require more time for getting through the airport, but not all. Be sure to understand the needs and processes of the people you’re traveling with.
How Much Buffer Time Do You Need Between Flights?
Short hops lull travelers into cutting connections too close. I know it sounds dumb to plan for a two hour layover between Kona and Lihue, but sometimes you need it. Here’s how to actually structure a smooth travel day:
- Build in 60 to 90 minutes at HNL. It’s the busiest interisland terminal in the state, and security lines back up fast during peak arrival banks. If you’re coming from Molokai you’ll have to take a shuttle bus to the main terminal, which takes a few extra minutes.
- Request a window seat on Mokulele. The small cabin means every seat has a view, but window seats near the wing give you the clearest shot of reefs and coastline below.
- Wear shoes you can walk in on pavement. Mokulele boarding happens on the tarmac, not through a climate-controlled jet bridge.
- Consolidate into one checked bag per person when possible. Multiple bags across multiple interisland legs add up fast, especially now that Southwest’s bag policy has changed. Minimize that luggage!
- Build a two-hour cushion if you’re connecting from a continental US or Canada flight to an interisland leg the same day. Delays from the continent are common, and missing your interisland connection means rebooking at a higher last-minute fare.
Pro Tip: If your flight from the continent lands at HNL and you have an interisland connection, don’t book anything tighter than two hours. Customs (if it’s international), baggage claim, and re-check eat time faster than you’d think.
Is There a Ferry from Oʻahu to Maui, or Just Flights?
No. There’s no car ferry connecting Oʻahu to Maui or any of the other islands. Air travel handles nearly all interisland movement in Hawaii, with one notable exception. This means that you will NOT keep your rental car for the whole trip if you’re visiting multiple islands.
Expeditions operates a passenger ferry between Māʻalaea Harbor on Maui and Mānele Bay on Lānaʻi. The crossing takes about 70 minutes and costs roughly $66 for adults and $34 for kids each way, which is a little cheaper than flying and refreshingly simple: no gate, no boarding pass scan, just a boat. The total for a single adult round trip ferry ticket (2026) is $146 USD. This becomes the better deal if you’re traveling with children, as flights cost the same for adults and kids, but the ferry is half the cost for kids.
- The ferry works well for a day trip to Lānaʻi if you’re already based on Maui and don’t need to bring much luggage.
- Flying beats the ferry when you’re staying overnight on Lānaʻi or need to check bags, since the ferry has limited cargo space.
- For Molokaʻi, there’s no equivalent ferry option. Mokulele is essentially your only realistic way in outside of a private boat charter, so plan your Molokaʻi day around its flight schedule rather than assuming water transport exists.
Something to note about getting between islands via boat, there is the option of doing a small ship expedition sailing with UnCruise Adventures. This is a week-long trip between Molokai and Kailua-Kona that makes stops at each of the islands for nature, hiking and snorkeling. It’s not really a method of transport, but you can easily add a few days at the start and end of the trip on the prospective island.
How Many Islands Should You Visit in One Trip?
The number of islands you try to pack in to a Hawaii matters more than most itineraries admit. I wish it was easy to visit the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Lanai, Kauai AND Molokai in one trip, but that’s a tall feat that’s just not doable for most travelers. Here’s an easy guide to what is realistic to plan for interisland travel in Hawaii.
- One week: stick to two islands. Oʻahu plus Maui or Kauai is the classic pairing, and it lets you actually settle into each place instead of living out of a suitcase.
- Ten to fourteen days: three islands works. Add the Big Island or Kauaʻi to your Oʻahu and Maui base, giving each island three or four nights minimum.
- Adding Lānaʻi or Molokaʻi: budget extra logistics time. These islands run on Mokulele’s smaller schedule, and you’ll want at least one full day, not a rushed half-day squeezed between flights. You could add Lanai to a Maui trip, but it will eat a whole day of your itinerary.
Run the math before you add a fourth island: one more flight leg at $100, a rental car pickup fee, and two checked bags at $35 each adds close to $200 in costs you wouldn’t have if you’d simply stayed longer on the islands you’d already chosen. Our 11-day Big Island and Maui travel journal shows how a two-island trip can still feel full without the extra hops.
Island-Hopping Responsibly
Fewer flights and longer stays per island aren’t just easier on your wallet. They ease pressure on these small communities that weren’t built for constant turnover, especially places like Hāna and Molokaʻi where every extra rental car and late-night arrival has an impact. When you stay someplace for a little longer, you tend to dig in a bit more and will likely find more small, locally owned businesses to support. Linger longer and have a positive impact.
- A few habits make a real difference if you care about island-hopping responsibly:
- pack reef-safe sunscreen before you land, since reef damage from oxybenzone is well documented.
- Avoid scheduling arrivals into small towns after dark, when locals are winding down and services are limited.
- When you’re deciding between three quick island stops or two longer ones, choose longer.
With each of these considerations, your trip gets better, and so does the experience for the people who live there year-round. Check out more island-specific guidance across our Hawaii articles by island before you lock in your route.
Plan Your Island-Hopping Trip with My Aloha Trip
Booking the flight is only half the puzzle. The harder part is knowing what to do once you land, where to stay, and how to fill your days without falling into tourist traps that do little for the islands you’re visiting. That’s where My Aloha Trip’s ground-level guides pick up where flight booking leaves off. We are careful to choose local operators and small businesses that are conscious of tourism’s impact on Hawaii AND that keep the money in the islands, not with foreign investors.
If your interisland hop lands you on the Big Island, our Hilo travel guide walks through airport logistics, where to eat, and how to structure your first day after landing at ITO. Planning a longer Maui and Big Island combination? The 11-day Big Island and Maui travel journal lays out a real day-by-day pace that matches how the flights and drive times actually work. And if Kona is on your list, our Kona Coast tours guide helps you fill your days with activities that support local operators instead of big chain excursions. Start with whichever guide matches your landing airport, and build your itinerary from there.
That answers just about every question I can think of when it comes to inter-island travel and island hopping in Hawaii. If you have any other questions or need more recommendations for how to put together your visit, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great trip to Hawaii.
