Alaska Plans Hawaii Flights from San Jose, Sacramento from March

Alaska Airlines is launching three-times-weekly service between San Jose, California and Kahului, Maui, beginning March 11, 2010, and four-times-weekly service between San Jose and Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii starting March 12, 2010.

The airline also will offer daily flights between Sacramento, California and Kahului, Maui starting on March 26, 2010.

Alaska Airlines’ new-service announcements follow the airline’s launch of services this week between Oakland and Maui, and between Oakland and Kona.

“In just two years, Hawaii has become a major part of our route network,” says Steve Jarvis, Alaska’s vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience. “With the new service we’re announcing today, Alaska Airlines will have 73 roundtrip flights a week serving the Hawaiian Islands, including 21 flights between Hawaii and the Bay Area and Sacramento. The low fares and Alaska Airlines Vacations packages we offer make Hawaii travel even more affordable.”

Alaska Airlines painted this Boeing 737-800 in a special retro 'Starliner' livery similar to the airline's colors in the 1940s to celebrate Alaska Airlines' 75th anniversary, and named the aircraft 'Starliner 75'

Alaska began service to Hawaii in October 2007. With these new markets, about 11 per cent of Alaska Air Group’s capacity is now dedicated to Hawaii flying.

The airline is offering introductory one-way fares of $169 between San Jose-Maui, San Jose-Kona and Sacramento-Maui, for tickets purchased by November 24. Travel under this fare must be completed by June 4, 2010. Additionally, Vacation Packages start at $599 to Maui and $523 to Kona. (Vacation prices are per person, based on adult double-occupancy at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel in Maui and the Royal Kona Resort, and include roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for three nights.)

From March 11, Alaska Airlines’ San Jose-Maui service is timed to depart San Jose’s Norman W. Mineta International Airport (SJC) at 7:30 a.m. and arrive at Kahului Airport (OGG)  at 11:05 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The return flight is scheduled to leave OGG at 12:05 p.m. and reach SJC at 7:15 p.m. All times are local.

On March 12, Alaska’s San Jose-Kona service is scheduled to push back at SJC at 7:30 a.m. to reach Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) at 11:20 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The return flight is timed to depart KOA at 12:20 p.m. and arrive back at SJC at 7:35 p.m.

From March 26, Alsaka Airlines’ daily Sacramento-Maui flight is planned to depart Sacramento International Airport (SMF) at 8:15 a.m. to reach OGG at 10:50 a.m. The return flight is timed to leave OGG at 11:50 a.m. to get back to SMF at 8:00 p.m.

Alaska will operate the new flights with Boeing 737-800s accommodating 16 passengers in first class and 141 in the main cabin.