Virgin America Launches Daily Flights From Los Angeles To Hawai'i

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the airline known for reinventing domestic travel, today announces it will expand its service to Hawai'i with daily nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Honolulu, Oahu on May 5, 2016, and Kahului, Maui on June 14, 2016.  This new service adds to the airline's recently-launched daily service from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL) and Kahului Airport (OGG), allowing for roundtrip connecting service between HNL and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).  Virgin America's expanded Hawai'i service also offers roundtrip connections between OGG and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), San Diego International Airport (SAN), Dallas Love Field (DAL), Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), JFK, SEA, and LAS. The Aloha state is the 'most wanted' destination by members of Virgin America's Elevate® loyalty program and Hawai'i continues to be the number one tourism destination from the West Coast, with over 3.3 million visitors in 2014[1].  Virgin America's service is uniquely tailored to the modern traveler and to the longer-haul Hawai'i flight experience with new aircraft that offer three custom-designed classes of service, touch-screen personal entertainment and an award-winning on-demand food and cocktail menu on every flight – so travelers can kick-off their Hawai'i vacation as soon as they step onboard.  Virgin America has been named the "Best Domestic Airline" in both Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for the past eight consecutive years. 

To celebrate its expanded service to the Aloha state, Virgin America is celebrating with a nationwide "Hot Ticket to Hawai'i" fare sale now through 11:59pm CT tonight, with sale fares from $169 one way* (taxes and fees included, restrictions applying).  The new LAX-Hawai'i flights are on sale now and can be purchased at virginamerica.com or 1-877-FLY-VIRGIN**.  As of tomorrow, Elevate members can redeem reward flights to Hawai'i – with no black-out dates, for as few as 8,278 points. Members can earn more points by signing up for the Virgin America Visa Signature Credit Card. 

"Since we launched our Hawai'i service last year, we've seen firsthand why it is one of the most popular leisure destinations among West Coast travelers. The guest response to our new routes has been extremely positive, which is why we are so pleased to announce that we are expanding our nonstop service to the Los Angeles market," said Virgin America President and Chief Executive Officer, David Cush. "This new service from LAX not only brings this world class destination to our guests and Elevate members in the Los Angeles area, it opens up a number of roundtrip connecting flights to markets across the country."  

"Virgin America is providing more airline choice and competition to our great state, and we could not be more pleased that they are already adding more routes to the Hawaiian Islands from Los Angeles - our largest originating travel market," said Governor David Ige. "We look forward to Virgin America's continued growth and success in serving travelers visiting the Islands." 

"The addition of more seats flying direct between Los Angeles and Honolulu and Los Angeles and Kahului will not only expand the availability to more islands, but provide our visitors with another excellent airline option. We are thrilled to have this easy access for both visitors and residents flying between the West Coast and Hawai'i," said George D. Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority.

Beginning May 5, 2016, Virgin America's Honolulu service is as follows:

Beginning June 14, 2016, Virgin America's Kahului-Maui service is as follows:

Virgin America first launched daily service to Maui in December 2015, which also provides convenient connections to New York (JFK).

The daily, nonstop flights will be operated with new Airbus A320 aircraft that Virgin America began taking delivery of last year, which are equipped with fuel-saving, 'sharklet' wingtip devices, allowing the airline to operate flights more efficiently, especially over longer haul routes.  

Last November, Virgin America launched its first flight from San Francisco to Hawai'i with a series of festive events - including the opportunity for busy Bay Area workaholics to score the ultimate "Hawaiiscape" with Virgin Group Founder Richard Branson. Upon touchdown of the first flight in Hawai'i, Virgin America's guests were feted with a red carpet lū'au reception on the Honolulu tarmac – with a traditional Hawai'ian welcome and blessing hosted by Governor of Hawai'i, David Ige, George Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, and HNL airport officials.  Photos from the day's events can be found here.

In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, Virgin America's First Class cabin offers plush white leather 'cradle sleeper' seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers.  The carrier's Main Cabin Select service offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding.  The Red® in-flight entertainment platform offers guests their own seatback touch-screen TV, with more than 20 films, TV***, interactive Google Maps, videogames, a 3,000 song library and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order a cocktail or snack from their seatback any time during a flight.  With a full service First Class menu and a unique on-demand menu in the Main Cabin, Virgin America was named Travel + Leisure's "Best Domestic Airline for Food" in 2014.  

Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has created more than 2,800 new jobs and expanded its network to include Austin, Boston, Cancun, Chicago, Dallas Love Field, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Los Cabos, Newark, New York (JFK and LGA), Orlando, Palm Springs (seasonal), Portland, Puerto Vallarta, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Honolulu, Kahului, Maui and Denver (as of March 15, 2015).  

ABOUT VIRGIN AMERICA
Known for its mood-lit cabins, three beautifully designed classes of service and innovative fleetwide amenities — like touch-screen personal entertainment, and power outlets at every seat, Virgin America has built a loyal following of flyers and earned a host of awards since launching in 2007 — including being named both the "Best U.S. Airline" in Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards for the past eight consecutive years.  For more: www.virginamerica.com

*Fare sale Terms and Conditions:  Tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. CT on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. All fares listed are one-way. Travel for HNL-LAX must occur between May 5, 2016 and October 5, 2016. Travel for LAX-OGG must occur between August 15, 2016 and October 5, 2016. Lowest sale fares are valid in Main Cabin only in which travel must occur on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Lowest sale fares are available only on certain itineraries. 2016 Blackout dates for HNL-LAX are as follows: 5/28/16, 5/30/16, 6/15/16 – 8/15/16, 9/2/16, and 9/5/16.  Blackout dates for LAX-OGG are as follows: 6/30/16 – 7/5/16, 9/2/16, and 9/5/16. Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights. Flights may not operate daily. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. For travel solely between points in the Continental Western Region (LAS/LAX/PDX/PSP/PVR/SAN/SEA/SFO/SJD only), DEN-SFO and DAL-LAS, changes or cancellations can be made for a $100 fee per guest through all channels, plus any increase in fare, if applicable. For all other itineraries, changes or cancellations can be made for a $150 fee per guest through all channels, plus any increase in fare, if applicable. Any remaining balance will be placed in a guest's travel bank, good for travel on Virgin America for one year from date of issue. Changes or cancellations of a booking made with Elevate Points will be subject to a $100 redeposit fee per guest. Guests who no-show without a change or cancellation prior to the scheduled departure time will forfeit the amount of this fare. In addition, any future flights booked in the same reservation will also be canceled and the fare will be forfeited. Tickets purchased from Virgin America through our reservation call center will cost an additional $20 per guest per itinerary. Any added cost associated with purchasing tickets from Virgin America through our reservation call center will be non-refundable. Fares will not be honored retroactively or in exchange for any wholly or partially used ticket. Fares, routes, fees and schedules are subject to change without notice. For Main Cabin Select, Virgin America will accept one (1) piece of checked baggage up to 50 pounds free of charge for each ticketed guest. Virgin America will accept up to ten pieces of checked baggage, up to 50 pounds each, per ticketed guest traveling within the U.S. The fee for each piece of checked baggage up to 50 pounds is $25. Additional fees apply to baggage exceeding these weight limitations, and other baggage restrictions may apply.

**Any guest calling within the United States has access to a complimentary telecommunication relay service by dialing 711. For more information, go to: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/telecomm.asp

*** Virgin America's cached television will be available on Hawai'i flights, however the airline's live satellite television line-up and WiFi will not be available over the Pacific during Hawai'i flights.

[1] 2014 Visitor Arrivals by Air, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, State of Hawai'i 

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SOURCE Virgin America

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