Alaska Airlines soon will become the only airline connecting Sacramento, Calif., and Kona.

The Seattle-based carrier, which averages 29 daily departures to the Hawaiian Islands from 10 West Coast cities, plans to begin new daily nonstop service between the two destinations starting Dec. 20.

Alaska will fly the route three times a week with its 159-seat Boeing 737 aircraft. Alaska also flies between Sacramento and Maui, while Hawaiian Airlines flies between Sacramento and Honolulu.

“This new route shows Alaska’s ongoing commitment to continued growth and investment throughout the West Coast,” said John Kirby, vice president of capacity planning and alliances at Alaska Airlines.

The new Sacramento-Kona route during the period of Dec. 20 through Jan. 5 will depart Sacramento at 12:15 p.m. and arrive in Kona at 4:20 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It will leave Kona at 2:05 p.m. and arrive in Sacramento at 9:32 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Beginning Jan. 6, the airline will fly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in both directions. It will leave Sacramento at 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Kona at 3:35 p.m. and depart Kona at 12:30 p.m. and arrive in Sacramento at 7:57 p.m.

“This new service to Kona marks our airport’s first scheduled service to the Big Island, and enhances the portfolio of nonstop service between Sacramento and the islands,” said Mark Haneke, manager of air service development and marketing for Sacramento International Airport.