A year ago, Boston travelers had nonstop flights to Hawaii on two different airlines. This winter? None. This is because both Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines abandoned his service between New England and the Aloha State.
But there is good news to report.
Delta just announced that it will bring back its Boston-Honolulu flights.
The Atlanta-based airline said Friday it will restore service between Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) just before the 2026 holiday season.
The route will reclaim the title of longest domestic flight in the United States and mark the return of a seasonal route. Previously operated Delta for just one winter between 2024 and early 2025.
But that wasn’t the only Hawaii news the airline shared.
Delta also announced its Minneapolis-St. The Paul International Airport (MSP) hub will have new nonstop service next winter to a second Hawaiian destination: Maui.
Both flights will launch on December 19, which, for those checking their calendars, is the Saturday before Christmas. (The holiday comes on a Friday this year.)
Those routes, one new and one returning, are among a host of other measures Delta unveiled to bolster its service between the continental U.S. and Hawaii for next winter, a comforting idea after a brutally cold few weeks across much of the country.
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Here’s what you should know about the new service.
Boston to Honolulu
Delta will operate its Boston to Honolulu route four times a week through most of next winter, but plans to operate its planes between New England and Oahu daily during the peak holiday travel season.
The airline will operate its BOS-HNL flights with an Airbus A330-300, which carries:
- 34 Delta One lie-flat seats
- 21 Delta Premium Select recliners (premium economy)
- 24 Comfort seats with extra legroom
- 203 seats in the main cabin
While Delta previously went toe-to-toe with Hawaiian on what was (and soon will again be) America’s longest domestic route, it looks like the airline will (at least for now) have the race to itself… unless Hawaiian follows Delta and makes an about-face on a route that cut last year, citing poor performance.
Salon review: Inside the posh Delta One Lounge in Boston
Minneapolis-St. Paul to Maui
Passengers will also see the A330-300 on Delta’s new nonstop route from MSP to Kahului Airport (OGG) on the island of Maui.
Delta will operate five weekly round trips on this route through most of the winter, but will expand to daily service during both the peak holiday season and the spring break period.
This will be the airline’s second nonstop flight to Hawaii from Minneapolis. It already flies between MSP and HNL.
Other Hawaii Additions
In addition to those additions, Delta is planning a larger expansion in Hawaii next winter.
The airline will operate additional weekly flights to Honolulu from three hubs: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
Separately, the airline is planning an earlier start this fall of its winter seasonal service from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Its flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to KOA will also receive a larger aircraft for the winter season: one of Delta’s twin-aisle Boeing 767-300s.
Read more: Some of our favorite ways to use Delta SkyMiles
Recovering the mantle
The return of flights from Boston to Honolulu means that current service to Hawaii from the New York City area will lose the distinction of being the longest domestic flights in the United States.
Still, there are plenty of nonstop options to the Aloha State from JFK and nearby Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), like TPG’s Clint Henderson. recently experienced by yourself.
Related: The best hotels on Oahu, from luxury resorts to iconic hotels
In a nutshell
If you have a stash of Delta SkyMiles to use And, just like the sound of Hawaii during the holidays, I’ll be keeping an eye on Delta’s reservation channels in the coming days to try to see what the newly launched awards slot looks like. Remember, as long as you don’t book one of the airline’s “basic” award flights, you can get your miles, taxes, and fees back and fully refunded if you later have to cancel.
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