Hawaiian Airlines Makes it Easy for Kiwis to Seize Unique Opportunity

As news of Big Island’s most recent volcanic activity spreads, Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii’s largest and longest serving carrier, is giving Kiwis the option to take two vacations in one with a free stopover in Honolulu.   

Mt Kīlauea on the Island of Hawai’i (also known as the Big Island), is the youngest and most active of the Hawaiian shield volcanoes and has recently begun extending the island’s coastline as its lava flow reaches the Pacific Ocean.



NZ country director for Hawaiian Airlines Rusty Williss says that thanks to the airline’s free stopover option, New Zealand travellers interested in witnessing this unique geological event can enjoy all that Oʻahu offers before conveniently connecting to the Big Island on one of its 35 daily inter-island flights from Honolulu to Hilo or Kona International Airports. This way, Kiwis can explore two islands on one trip.   
Hawaiian flies three-times weekly from Auckland International Airport to Honolulu, departing on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The airline is currently offering roundtrip airfare to Hilo from Auckland with a stopover in Honolulu for as low as $1279.96. For more information visit www.hawaiianairlines.co.nz.

“Our flights to Kona and Hilo were popular this July, when the lava viewing areas were re-opened,” said Williss. “Travelers frequent the island for a variety of reasons including Hawaiian historical and cultural sights, diverse terrain -- from tropical rainforests, green and black sand beaches and the snowy peak of Maunakea -- and a multitude of water activities.  However, one of the most popular attractions last month has likely been the captivating, active volcano at the Kīlauea Volcano World Heritage Site.”

Darragh Walshe, New Zealand manager for Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania, says Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is visited by millions of tourists each year and this number is already increasing due to the recent activity and the reopening of hikes which make the lava flow accessible.

“Kiwis are active travellers who love to experience and enjoy Hawai‘i’s natural environment. Opportunities such as this, which allow us to witness nature in its most formative stages, will be on the bucket list for many.

“The timing is also perfect, as Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was established exactly 100 years ago and is part of this year’s US National Park Service Centenary celebrations,” he says.

An Auckland University vulcanologist has spent the past six months working alongside Hawaiian officials to monitor the lava flow agrees that Kiwis will be eager to take a peek.

Ben Simons, whose specialities include geohazards and active volcano monitoring, devotes much of his life to studying the world’s active volcanoes, but even he is impressed by what is happening on Kīlauea.
“The lava flow itself is a major attraction but now that it has reached the water you get a whole other spectacle of vulcanism - fire fountaining, exploding bubbles and steam. The night glow is particularly special,” he says. “It’s a real treat to be able to see it all in action.”

Last month, the national park as well as the County of Hawaii revived the previously dormant hikes to view the lava flow. Tourists should be prepared for a long, strenuous 10 to 12 mile roundtrip hike  through solidified lava fields to watch the latest flow travel into the water.

“The vulcanism is constant but this lava flow is new,” says Simons, a doctoral candidate who was in Hawai’i as part of an academic exchange. “There are two permanent lava lakes on Kīlauea - one is Halemaʻumaʻu and the other is Puʻu ʻŌʻō, which is where the lava flow has begun this time.”



Hawaiian, the premier global carrier for leisure travel to Hawai‘i, operates its wide-body twin-aisle A330 aircraft from Auckland to Honolulu. Guests enjoy free first and second checked baggage (up to 32kg each), and other amenities such as personal on-demand entertainment system, comfortable legroom, and a roomy interior. Adding to the enjoyment of the travel experience is the carrier’s award-winning onboard hospitality program, Mea Ho‘okipa (translation: I am host). Travelers are treated to island-inspired complimentary meals and made-in-Hawai‘i snacks to go along with the airline’s engaging presentation of the islands’ culture, people and Aloha Spirit throughout the flight.