Hawaiian Airlines will soon say “Aloha!” to the Cook Islands as the Honolulu-based airline aims to launch flights to Rarotonga by May 2023.
The service will begin on May 20, 2023 and is expected to connect travelers from mainland USA to the Cook Islands.
✈️ Aloha, Rarotonga! ✈️We are so excited to announce that starting in May 2023, we will be offering a weekly nonstop flight between Honolulu (HNL) and Rarotonga (RAR), connecting the Hawaiian Islands with the Cook Islands. Read more: https://t.co/r08rBFbAM4.
— Hawaiian Airlines (@HawaiianAir) November 30, 2022
📷 @CookIslands pic.twitter.com/8eVnUuJgmc
“We are delighted to grow our South Pacific network by offering our guests access to the Cook Islands, an archipelago that shares Hawaii's Polynesian roots and natural beauty,” Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO said in a statement.
“This service greatly expands travel opportunities between the Cook Islands and the United States, thanks to our well-timed connections and robust network, including service between Hawai‘i and eight California cities,” Ingram added.
The Cook Islands is made up of 15 islands scattered across 850 square miles. The Cook Islands are located in the same time zone as Hawaii, with the same distance south of the equator as Hawaii is north of the equator.
The main island is Rarotonga, which is 32 kilometers in circumference, so it takes less than 20 minutes to reach anywhere on the island.
The once-a-week flights will be on the Airbus A321neo, and will operate on the following schedule:
HA495 will depart Honolulu at 16:00 local time. on Saturdays and arrive in Rarotonga at 22:25 the same day.
HA496, will depart Rarotonga at 23:35 local time on Sundays and will arrive at 5:50 local time Monday in Honolulu.
Hawaiian Airlines last flew to the Cook Islands between 1987 and 1993.