Southwest starts Vegas service from this Hawaiian city in August

Southwest Airlines will expand its nonstop Hawaii service from Las Vegas in the summer with three weekly flights to and from Hilo on the big island of Hawaii.

The Dallas-based airline, the busiest commercial air carrier at Harry Reid International Airport, will begin the flights Aug. 6 and they will run Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, the company announced.

The new flights will be in addition to five-times-weekly flights between Las Vegas and Honolulu.

Southwest also offers interisland flights to connect passengers to Kahului on Maui, Lihui on Kauai and Kona on the big island of Hawaii.

Tickets are on sale on Southwest’s website.

When flights begin, Las Vegas departures will leave at 9:30 a.m., arriving at 12:35 p.m. Return flights will leave at 8:45 p.m., arriving at 5:10 a.m., the next day.

“We heard you, Hilo,” Adam Decaire, Southwest Airlines senior vice president of network planning and network operations control, said in a release. “Las Vegas is important to you, and you’re important to us. This service gets you faster to family and fun in Nevada where you also can access easy connections on Southwest to many of the 75 places that we serve nonstop from Las Vegas with as many 272 departures a day.”

Southwest also announced it would add special flights to and from Hilo in support of the Merrie Monarch Festival 2026, a weeklong celebration of Hawaiian culture and internationally acclaimed hula competition. The airline is adding interisland flight and a special route April 9, leaving at 9:25 a.m., and arriving at 12:30 p.m. with a return on April 12 leaving Hilo at 9:50 a.m., and arriving at Reid International at 6:25 p.m.

“We timed this special celebration flight eastbound to allow people attending the end of the festival same-day connections broadly across western North America, as far east as St. Louis, and to be able to reach other airports along the East Coast through overnight service from Las Vegas,” said Decaire.

“We’re thrilled to see Southwest Airlines expand its service with new nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Hilo,” Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a release. “Las Vegas has long been known as the ‘Ninth Island,’ and this new route strengthens the deep connection we share with the people of Hawaii. Each new nonstop flight makes it even easier to visit Las Vegas and experience everything our destination has to offer.”

“When I took office, I pledged to strengthen ties with the ‘Ninth Island’ — Las Vegas, where many Hawaii-born residents live,” Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said in a release. “Southwest’s renewed service shows its dedication. Quicker flights across the Pacific means more convenience for our local families and another chance to support our hometown airline.”

“You have supported Southwest from well before our first flight to Hawaii,” Southwest Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson said in a release. “We’re grateful, and we’re bringing you more, including more choice to experience our award-winning hospitality with assigned seating on all flights beginning Jan. 27,” said in a release.“All of our aircraft in Hawaii offer enhancements that show where Southwest is going — in-seat power, improved space for carryon bags, rows of seats that offer extra legroom, with even more enhancements to come. Mahalo for valuing our relationship and the journey, as Hawaii people do.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.