How long is the flight to Hawaii from Seattle? The short answer is: The average duration of flight time to Hawaii from Seattle is 6 hours and 15 minutes with Hawaiian Airlines.
As Hawaii is one of the most treasured travel destinations in the USA, the number of flights leaving for the island is quite high during the weekends, summer, and holidays. This beautiful island feels like an escape, given its warm weather, turquoise waters, and sandy beaches.
The duration of the flight is heavily dependent on the weather condition, traffic, taxiing times, airlines, and demand. It could take longer if the time at the gate and airport is added.
The period is also impacted by the time of the day, the day of the week, and the month you choose to fly. If you do not prefer some random surprises, the best way to fly to Hawaii is to do it strategically.
Hawaii’s summers last between May to October and winters last between November to April. The summers are busier than the winters (except for December) to fly from Seattle to Hawaii.
Here are the ways travel time would fluctuate while traveling to Hawaii from Seattle.
How long is the flight to Hawaii from Seattle?
The flight to Hawaii from Seattle is approximately 5 hours and 34 minutes on the air. The remaining time is for taxiing out and taxiing in.
The air distance between Seattle and Hawaii is about 2,677 miles or 4,308 kilometers. Some flights might take longer in the air, so the air time could also be about 6 hours and 3 minutes.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the most popular, and SEA also flies to Hilo International Airport, Kahului Airport (OGG), Lanai Airport, Lihue Airport (LIH), and Kona International Airport (KOA).
The nonstop flight duration between SEA to KOA is 6 hours 4 minutes, SEA to OGG is 5 hours 55 minutes, and LIH is 5 hours and 58 minutes.
Delta takes about a total of 5 hours 55 minutes, Hawaiian Airlines takes about 5 hours 56 minutes, and Alaska Airlines takes about 6 hours 4 minutes on average.
Suppose a flight from Seattle to Hawaii leaves on time. The flight takes 18 minutes to taxi out, which is the duration from leaving the gate to taking off. It spends 334 minutes or 5 hours 34 minutes on the air and takes 5 minutes taxiing, which is when the flight touches down at the end of the journey to its gate.
The flight took 5 hours 57 minutes, and arrived 11 minutes early.
As there are sporadic instances that flights depart on time, you could be at the gate for quite a while. Gate departures might also be slowed because of late checking-in or if the luggage has not made it over to the plane.
Some factors that might delay your flight include adverse weather conditions, wind speed, mechanical delays, air traffic control restrictions, aircraft cleaning and preparations, maintenance issues, time for fueling, etc.
If the airports are congested due to various reasons, the plane might need to wait a while before finally being able to take off. Turbulences that occur once you are in the air might also affect the flight’s timing. If there is an increase in air traffic, the plane might need to circle above the airport for a while before finally landing at the destination.
What Airlines Fly to Hawaii From Seattle?
Hawaiian Airlines, Alaskan Airlines, and Delta operate direct flights to Hawaii from Seattle. These are the three major airlines that have been rated the most reliable.
On average, Alaksa has 23 flights per week, Delta has 11, and Hawaiian has 7. Alaska is reliable at 84%, Hawaiian is at 86%, and Delta is at 87%, as per Flight Sphere. As Delta has 87% reliability, it means that their flights are on time 87% of the time. The remaining time means it is either delayed or canceled.
Hawaiian Airlines does offer flights throughout the archipelago if you need to fly out to one of the smaller islands once arriving in Hawaii.
If you want to fly a different airline, Frontier and Southwest do provide connecting flights from Seattle to Hawaii. The travel time, however, will increase, and it could also increase the chances of flights being missed.
For instance, if you take a flight between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL) via Portland International Airport (PDX) with Alaska Airlines, the total flight duration will be 14 hours and 15 minutes.
SEA to PDX is 44 minutes, and the waiting time at PDX is 7 hours and 6 minutes. The flight time between PDX to HNL will be 6 hours and 25 minutes.
What Is The Best Month To Fly Between Seattle And Hawaii?
The flight demands to Hawaii from Seattle are uneven as some flights are seasonal. February and March have the least amount of flights between the two cities because of less demand and congestion.
Whereas June, July, August, October, and December have some of the highest numbers of flights. July and December are some of the busiest times of the year.
There are up to 12 direct flights per day from Seattle to Hawaii. It varies on ticket demand, holiday schedules, and other factors, such as flight cancellations.
If traveling between February and March, one might need to take a mid-day flight as there are lesser early-morning flights. There could be lesser options when the demand isn’t that high.
If traveling during the busy months of July and December, one needs to be prepared for full flights and some extra time at the airports.
When Is The Busiest Time To Fly From Seattle To Hawaii?
As Hawaii is a popular tourist destination, there are a number of flights leaving from Seattle every single day of the week.
There are more flights leaving for Hawaii on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The weekends are definitely the busiest time of the week. Mondays through Thursdays also have flights, but it is slightly lower than during the weekends.
Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines all fly between Honolulu and Seattle all days of the week.
The flights mostly leave around midday, which is 11 am to 12 pm, and early morning which is 7 am to 9 am.
What Is The Airfare To Hawaii From Seattle?
Airfare to Hawaii from Seattle can vary depending on which airline you booked and when you booked the flights.
If booked at least two months in advance of the planned departure, you could save the cost of the flight. If you book not less than 61 days ahead, you could save about 17% on the flight cost compared to booking it at the last minute.
If you book it two weeks ahead of departure, the flight prices can cost about $551, and if you wish to board within the next 72 hours, the cheapest tickets can cost $561, as per Cheap Flights.
Due to the holidays and break, December can be the most expensive month for flight tickets to Hawaii. January, however, is less costly than December, and the cheapest months to fly to Hawaii are February and March.
June and July are the peak travel months to fly to Hawaii. However, they are surprisingly not as expensive as December.
The flight price remains almost the same or similar regardless of the time of day one decides to fly.
Things To Consider While Booking A Flight From Seattle To Hawaii
One major thing to consider is if you want to fly direct or have a connecting flight. The more connecting flights you pick, the lengthier it might take for you to reach Hawaii.
When booking, make sure you research plenty about the various airlines and then choose the one that is most suited for you. Make sure to book directly with the airline as it eliminates any annoyances when there are troubles with the ticket.
If you are flexible with your dates, you might find some of the best deals. Sales and discounts are offered to fill up seats during the off-season.
You could find some amazing deals with connecting flights. If you are not in a rush, these flights could save you money; research ahead of time. However, there are many risks with these connecting flights because of canceled or delayed flights.
If you are getting to Hawaii from Seattle by air, it means that you are up in the air for more than five hours. You might get impatient, and it could even be a stressful journey.
Some airlines provide complimentary Wi-Fi and various sources of entertainment to keep you occupied for the duration of the flight. You could bring your favorite books and download all your favorite things to watch during the flight.