Alaska Airlines adds 2 flights from San Francisco Bay Area

Alaska Airlines is adding two new routes to Honolulu from the San Francisco Bay Area in April which will make the Seattle-based carrier the second-largest provider of air seats to Hawaii from the U.S. West.

The new daily nonstop service from San Jose and Oakland starts April 10 and will complement existing daily nonstop flights from those California cities to Kona, Lihue and Kahului.

Alaska’s new routes that were announced Tuesday will move the airline ahead of United Airlines into second place for most monthly air seats from Hawaii’s top tourism market. Hawaiian Airlines has the most air seats from the U.S. West, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

With the new flights, Alaska will rank fourth for all air seats — both domestic and international — into Hawaii with 104,562 per month. The top three are Hawaiian, with 153,486; United, 123,804; and Delta Air Lines, 116,791. When the United and Continental brands are combined under one operating certificate, the merged entity would have the most monthly air seats at 170,868.

Alaska also will have the most monthly flights to Hawaii of any carrier with 666, HTA said. United (617) and Hawaiian (598) have the next two highest frequencies.

"Hawaii represents nearly 20 percent of our schedule with the new Bay Area flights," Alaska spokesman Paul McElroy said.

Alaska has helped fill the void left by Aloha Airlines when it shut down in March 2008.

Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO Mike McCartney estimates the new Alaska Air routes will contribute up to $118 million in visitor spending in the state and $12.8 million in tax revenue annually.

"The U.S. West is an important market to our tourism economy, and we are extremely pleased that there continues to be demand from this region," McCartney said. "Air access is essential for Hawaii’s visitor industry, and these increases in airlift will contribute to a strong economy for all of the Hawaiian Islands."

Alaska serves Hawaii from Anchorage and seven West Coast cities: Oakland, San Jose, San Diego and Sacramento, Calif.; Seattle and Bellingham, Wash.; and Portland, Ore.