Delta has announced that it will be adding a daily nonstop flight between Kauai and Seattle on December 21.
The flight connecting Lihue and Seattle will use Boeing 757 aircraft and will add 63,510 air seats per year to Kauai, according to a Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) news release.
“Delta’s expansion of service to Kauai from its Pacific Northwest hub speaks to the confidence the airline has in the Garden Isle to drive demand from travelers in the greater Seattle area and nationally,” said George D. Szigeti, president and CEO of the HTA, in a written statement. “Reliable air access extending throughout the Hawaiian Islands is instrumental to our tourism industry’s continued viability to support businesses and residents statewide. Delta’s new Seattle-Lihue service strengthens Hawaii’s ties to one of our major gateway cities, and will make it easier for travelers anywhere in the mainland U.S. to make daily flight connections to Kauai.”
The route will generated an estimated $77.9 million in direct visitor spending for Kauai and some $9.1 million in tax revenue for the state, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
“It’s gratifying that Delta has factored Kauai into its nationwide expansion plans considering the options available to the airline,” said Szigeti. “HTA meets with Delta’s route planners on a regular basis, which included the Airline Summit we hosted last September at the Hawaii Tourism Conference. As HTA does with all carriers, we provided information on the advantages of increasing flights to Hawaii, especially to the neighbor islands.”
The HTA is responsible for strategically managing the State of Hawaii’s marketing initiatives to support tourism.