On our Hawaii trip, we split our time between Kauai and Oahu. We’d never visited Kauai before, so that’s where we spent the most time. For the last part of the trip, we scheduled a few days on Oahu, mainly so we could visit our favorite sushi restaurant. Getting from one island to another required us to take a short inter-island flight. I found a great price with Southwest for 2,240 Rapid Rewards points + $5.60.
On the morning of our flight, we drove from our Airbnb in Princeville to the airport. We returned our rental car and took the 2-minute shuttle ride to the departures area. Lihue Airport is not very large.
There was no line to check our bags, and we were quickly on our way to the agricultural inspection of our carry-on items. While inter-island flights aren’t subject to screening, Southwest’s flights are an exception to the rule.
Lihue Airport isn’t somewhere you want to spend a bunch of time. There was one restaurant/bar open and a few stores selling generic Hawaii stuff. We grabbed a bench in the central area and waited for our flight to start boarding, as the gate area was packed.
We didn’t pay for Early Bird seating on such a short flight. We ended up with window seats in the same row. The plane was nearly full.
The seats were the standard for a Southwest 737. Adequate leg room and space for a reasonable carry-on under the seat in front of you.
We pulled away from the gate for an on-time departure.
The views on takeoff were fantastic. If you don’t want to spend the money on a helicopter tour, this is as good a view as you’ll get.
We got some great pictures as we left the island.
The flight was only 40 minutes, and I spent most of the time staring out the window. As we approached Oahu, I saw something that I hadn’t seen since we arrived in Hawaii; a freeway.
The descent into Honolulu Airport isn’t as scenic as Lihue.
Flying Southwest in Hawaii is just like it is on the mainland. The boarding process is the same, even with the organized chaos at the gate. The main difference is that you get a sightseeing trip included with your ticket price.
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