Does Frontier Airlines Fly to Hawaii?
Although Hawaii is a favorite vacation destination for many Americans, it is almost 3,000 miles (4,828 km) from the North American continent. For most people, that means that they need to take a flight to get to the tropical paradise of the Hawaiian isles. However, not all airlines fly to Hawaii, which can lead you to ask the question: does Frontier Airlines fly to Hawaii?
Frontier Airlines does not fly to Hawaii. Frontier Airlines flights currently only go to destinations within the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. However, they have recently made efforts to expand to Hawaii.
Let’s talk more about Frontier Airlines and how you can find an affordable flight to Hawaii. I’ll tell you more about Frontier’s plans to connect with Hawaiian airports and give you some alternative airlines to get a budget flight to the islands. I’ll also tell you a bit more about how you can use Frontier flights to get to an airport that flies directly to Hawaii.
Why Doesn’t Frontier Airlines Fly to Hawaii?
Frontier Airlines doesn’t fly to Hawaii because they do not have aircraft that can make it to the islands without refueling. Since there are no fueling locations between the continental USA and Hawaii, airlines need larger planes with efficient fuel tanks to get to any Hawaiian airport.
So, Frontier Airlines will need to upgrade its fleet before offering flights to Hawaii.
Will Frontier Airlines Ever Fly to Hawaii?
Although Frontier Airlines currently includes destinations within the continental US, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, they haven’t yet expanded to include Hawaii in their repertoire. However, they have made some strides towards connections in Hawaii.
Frontier Airlines will likely fly to Hawaii in the future. In 2019, Frontier announced that they had ordered new, fuel-efficient airbuses in hopes of expanding their horizons and offering flights to Hawaii. These planes should be completed and delivered between 2023 and 2024.
Based out of Denver, CO, Frontier has long been a favorable budget-friendly airline to fly with. Because of Frontier’s affordable ticket options and frequent flights, they have become a favorite among people who love to travel within the USA.
However, Frontier only has 100 aircraft and serves a limited number of destinations. Their sitemap can be pretty limiting, especially if you want to travel beyond North or Central America.
That’s about to change, though. Frontier has grown rapidly as a preferred airline, which has enabled them to commission new airplanes that can fly farther from the North American continent than before.
To expand its reach, Frontier Airlines’ owner, Indigo Partners, has ordered 430 new planes to add to the fleet. Some of these aircraft will be A321XLR airbuses, which can fly up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,704.4 km) on one gas tank — enough to get to Hawaii.
These newer, larger planes are also 30% more fuel efficient than other airbuses, supporting Frontier’s position as America’s Greenest Airline.
Since these airbuses can fly the distance from west-coast locations such as Denver and Los Angeles to Hawaii without refueling, Frontier will likely begin offering Hawaiian flights once they receive their new planes.
That said, these aircraft take a while to produce, and Frontier expects to receive the first part of their order in 2023. Once they receive these planes, it probably won’t be long before they start offering flights to Hawaii.
Airlines Like Frontier That Fly to Hawaii
As a no-frills, sustainable, and affordable option, Frontier Airlines is usually my recommended choice for people who want to save money on their flight and use it for other expenses such as hotels and transportation once they get to their destination.
However, since Frontier cannot currently take you to Hawaii, you might want to explore some other options. To help you find the best flight for you, I’ve compiled a list of some of the airlines most similar to Frontier that offer routes to the Hawaiian islands.
Here are the best options if you want an affordable flight:
- Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines offers destinations in Hilo, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, and Lihue, giving you plenty of options. Their roundtrip tickets are incredibly affordable, and depending on availability and your departure location, you can book your entire trip for under $700 per person.
- Sun Country Airlines. Sun Country Airlines is another budget airline that offers nonstop flights to Honolulu. However, you can only get to Hawaii when departing from Portland, OR, Los Angeles, CA, or Minneapolis, MN. They don’t offer frequent departures to Hawaii, so you’ll need to ensure that they have a route available for your travel dates. That said, roundtrip routes can be as cheap as $400 to $600 on the right days.
- Hawaiian Airlines. Hawaiian Airlines, a subsidiary of JetBlue, offers flights to Lihue, Honolulu, Kahului, Hilo, and Kona airports. They depart from many cities, and roundtrip fares are incredibly affordable, especially in the off-season. You might be able to get tickets for prices as low as $500 per person.
How Close to Hawaii Can You Get With Frontier Airlines?
Since most airlines that fly to Hawaii only depart from specific airports, primarily on the west coast of the US, one option still available to you is to fly to another airport with Frontier, then purchase a ticket to Hawaii from that airport.
You can get as close to Hawaii as the Ontario/LA airport with Frontier Airlines. Flights to Hawaii from the Ontario, CA airport are around 6 hours. The best and most affordable airline to take from this airport to Hawaii is usually Hawaiian Airlines.
Although you can’t get directly to Hawaii with Frontier Alone, you can take a Frontier flight to California, then use another airline to get to Hawaii.
However, it’s worth noting that, unless you have enough points to lower the cost of your Frontier flight, It’s usually more cost-effective to take a nonstop flight from where you already are to Hawaii.
Still, for some people outside the range of airports that connect with the Hawaiian destinations, flying with another airline like Frontier before switching flights might be the best option.
To learn more about other ways to get to Hawaii, you might want to read my article on How To Get to Hawaii Without Flying. You might be surprised by how many other options there are.
Conclusion
Although Frontier Airlines does not fly to Hawaii, they plan to expand their range of destinations to the Hawaiian islands in the coming years.
Still, plenty of other budget airlines fly to Hawaii, including Southwest, Sun Country, and Hawaiian Airlines, which all offer excellent value. In addition, if you reside near an airport that does not connect with Hawaiian airports, you can always use Frontier to get to a better spot and fly to Hawaii from there.
