United Airlines has altered its December schedule to Hawai'i, increasing frequencies on some routes, and reducing them on others, leading to 65 fewer flights than previously scheduled. Simple Flying asked United if the changes are due to aircraft availability and/or delayed deliveries but has not received a reply at the time of publication.

Reducing frequencies

According to Cirium schedule data, United is reducing seven routes and increasing flights on four routes. All three of the routes with increases are to Honolulu. Suffering the most significant cut is United's route from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Kahului Airport (OGG) on the island of Maui.

As of last week, the carrier had 124 (one-way) flights scheduled in December, which has now been reduced to 80. Flights to OGG from United's second California hub at Los Angeles International Airport are also being reduced by 18 frequencies in December, resulting in a loss of 2,988 seats.

Two routes to Kona (KOA), on the 'Big Island' of Hawai'i, are being cut. United flies to Kona from both of its California hubs and Denver, but the only routes being reduced are from California, with 13 fewer flights. The last route to suffer reductions is from LAX to Lihue (LIH), on the island of Kauai. United has cut five frequencies from this route.

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Below is detailed information about all Hawai'i route cuts in December:

In the table above, the SFO-KOA has an increase in seats despite a flight reduction because of equipment swaps on the route. In December, the carrier will deploy three aircraft types on the route: the Boeing 777-200, 737-900, and 757-300.

Not all bad news

Though a few routes are being reduced, four are increasing, three to Honolulu and one to Kahului. Cirium data shows that LAX-HNL flights decreased by 13 and SFO-HNL flights increased by 46. This shift is likely due to demand on the route from San Francisco and/or transiting passengers through SFO to HNL. United is also increasing its flights from its hub in Denver to Honolulu, adding 20 to the schedule.

From one of its easternmost hubs at Washington Dulles International Airport, United will fly to Honolulu 20 times in December, an increase of 15 over the previous schedule. Flights to Denver from Kahului were increased to 36 from 31.

Overall, United's Hawai'i schedule was only reduced by 65 flights, but its seat offering increased by 6,807. Year-over-year, the flight reduction is only by 63, but the seat reduction is much more significant, at 41,451.

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