If you’ve decided to visit the popular island of Maui from the U.S. mainland, there are a few different airports you can fly into, although you may have to deal with a quick layover or two.
Most likely, you will be flying into Kahului Airport, but you will also have the option of flying into the smaller Kapalua Airport.
Read on for more details on which airlines fly into Kapalua, how often flights run, when to expect a layover, and how to make the best choice for you.
What Airlines Fly Into Kapalua, Maui?
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So what airlines fly into Kapalua, Maui?
As a private regional airport, Kapalua Airport is serviced by small local airlines such as Southern Airways Express and Mokulele Airlines, which offer direct flights from Honolulu to Kapalua.
Hawaiian Airlines also ran flights to Kapalua Airport for many years but recently announced a permanent end to this flight path.
Southwest Airways Express and Mokulele Airlines
At the moment, the only airlines flying directly in and out of Kapalua are small regional airlines such as Southern Airways Express and Mokulele Airlines.
This means that if you are flying to Kapalua from the U.S. mainland, you will have a stop in Honolulu to change planes and airlines:
- Southern Airways Express allows travelers from the U.S. mainland a way to connect to Kapalua through Honolulu.
- Mokulele Airlines offers island hoppers a chance to hop over to Kapalua from Honolulu on a small regional plane.
Travelers from the U.S. mainland who choose a connecting flight through Southern Airways Express can do so through their originating flight’s airline: whether it be Delta, United, American Airlines, or Alaska Airlines.
Also, know that Hawaiian Airlines has had a complicated history of on-and-off service to Kapalua Airport.
Most recently, service was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, in early 2021 Hawaiian Airlines announced they would be permanently eliminating service to Kapalua.
Flight Frequency
How often do flights run from the mainland? What about from other Hawaiian islands?
Luckily, since travel to Hawaii is in high demand flights arrive in Maui quite often. You will usually find several flight options per day if you are departing from a major U.S. city.
While non-stop flights to Maui are possible from certain west coast cities like Los Angeles, the majority of travelers will likely not be able to book a direct flight.
If you are arriving from other parts of the United States, you should expect a layover—or even two layovers—on your trip to Maui.
This applies if you’re flying into Kapalua Airport instead of Kahului Airport.
There are no direct flights from the U.S. mainland to Kapalua Airport. If you are traveling to Kapalua from the mainland you will first have to stop in Honolulu to change planes.
But don’t worry! Short regional flights from Honolulu to Kapalua typically depart several times per day.
Mainland vs. Inter-Island Flights
It is very common for Hawaii travel itineraries to include trips to multiple islands for a few days at a time. This is done by using inter-island, or “island hopper,” flights.
The answer to what airlines fly into Kapalua, Maui from one of the other Hawaiian islands is the same: Southern Airways Express and Mokulele Airlines.
Flights are relatively inexpensive and can usually be found for less than $100, making island hopping a breeze.
If you will be visiting Maui from another island, you will have the option of flying into either Kapalua Airport or Kahului Airport. The majority of flights into Kapalua Airport originate from Honolulu due to its close proximity.
If you are visiting from Kona or another part of Hawaii, you will likely need to plan to fly into Kahului Airport.
A third airport is located in Hana, Maui and receives local flights from other regional airports such as Molokai Airport on the island of Molokai.