It’s no surprise that Hawaii is always a favourite destination of not just Americans but also Australians—world-famous beaches, epic hikes, and the beautiful spirit of aloha keep us coming back (speaking about myself here, it’s one of my favourite places in the world to visit!), but it’s also easily accessible from Sydney via the Hawaiian Airlines Sydney to Honolulu route.
If you’re thinking about Honolulu flights from Sydney, Hawaiian Airlines is the state’s longest-serving airline and they consistently deliver great service. While on this occasion I was a guest of Hawaiian Airlines, I’ve also flown with them several times as a full-paying passenger, so this review is a blend of several trips.
In short, I’m always happy to travel with Hawaiian Airlines as they’re affordable, reliable, and, best of all, it feels like you’re already in the Hawaiian islands from the moment you board.
Here’s my Hawaiian Airlines Sydney to Honolulu economy class review to help you plan your next adventure.
Hawaiian Airlines Sydney to Honolulu: Check-in and boarding
Flights from Sydney to Hawaii generally depart in the evening, with Hawaiian Airlines SYD to HNL (HA 462) being no exception. Personally, I like overnight flights, even in the main cabin (which is the class I was flying), as sleeping is a great way to pass the time on a long flight, which means basically any flight departing Australia. HA 462 departs around 9:30 pm, arriving in Honolulu late morning the following day, so if you manage to get a few hours of sleep, it’ll be easy to hit the ground running during your first day in Oahu.
I arrive at Sydney Airport a few hours before my flight (no shame in being early to airports — I get this from my dad, who would arrive the day before a flight if he could), and was happy to find only a short queue at check-in. Service is very friendly and soon I’m through immigration and grabbing some pre-flight sushi.
When it’s time to board, no issues — the process is smooth and, while full, my welcoming aisle seat of 40G is easy to settle into. Hawaiian operates between Australia and Hawaii using the Airbus A330 and this Hawaii route departs Sydney five times per week.
Whether I was super tired or just got lucky (sleeping on flights can be hit or miss), I managed to sleep for the majority of the flight and felt great on arrival, excited to start exploring right away.
Hawaiian Airlines meals (Main Cabin/Economy)
Airline food — hate it or love it, on a ten-hour flight, you’re going to get hungry. Despite my pre-flight sushi snack, I always love seeing what airlines have to offer when it comes to meals. On this flight, Hawaiian offers a dinner service shortly after take-off and breakfast about two hours before landing, with snacks available throughout the flight. Note that in economy, additional snacks are not included but are available for purchase onboard. Not a big issue for an overnight flight, but for your return daytime journey, you may want to bring a few goodies along if you’d rather save money.
For the main meal, I went with teriyaki chicken and steamed veggies, with most of the meals including Hawaiian-inspired flavours.
Breakfast is the standard traditional American scrambled eggs and sausage, but the airline can cater to any dietary with advance notice, as you’d expect.
In-flight entertainment on Honolulu flights from Sydney
Despite sleeping most of this flight, it’s important to note that your return Honolulu to Sydney flight is a daytime departure — so you’ll definitely want to check out the in-flight entertainment.
You’ll find a broad mix of American and Hawaiian movies and shows. Although I’ve seen it before, I settled on season one of White Lotus — set in Hawaii, of course. (As an aside, it was filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea!)
Hana Hou! TV is available within your entertainment system and is a curated selection of Hawaiian content, focused on the culture and traditions of the islands. I’d also recommend checking out something from this section, as it’s educational but also really fun to learn something interesting about the destination you’re about to visit.
You’ll also find games, children’s shows, and the flight tracker, in case you’re as obsessed as me when it comes to knowing exactly where you are and how far you have left to travel!
Sydney to Hawaii flight time
Sydney to Honolulu flight time is approximately 9 hours, 45 minutes. You’ll be crossing the International Date Line, so you’ll arrive in Honolulu on the same day you depart Sydney, but you’ll lose a day coming back.
Arrival into Honolulu
Our flight arrived on time, but the delays started when waiting for my luggage at The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Long wait times, confusion over baggage terminals, and massively long lines for car rental meant it took a few hours to get out of the airport and on my way up to the North Shore of Oahu, where I was spending my first few days. While my checked luggage was delayed for a few days when I returned to Sydney, this can happen with any airline and it was delivered to my door a few days later in perfect condition.
Many American airports and businesses are dealing with understaffing, so this isn’t a critique of the airline. More just be aware that it might take longer than you’re used to to get out of the airport, especially if you’re hiring a car.
Otherwise, taxis and Ubers are very easy to come by if you haven’t booked a shuttle service.
Or, it’s easy to grab your short connecting flight to Kauai, Maui, or another island.
Unrelated, but I always love the open-air modern Hawaiian architecture style of Inouye, designed by Vladimir Ossipoff to bring the lanai-style veranda design into contemporary usage. It feels both beautifully vintage and utilitarian and I love the idea of fresh air pouring into an airport. Look for the outdoor Chinese, Hawaiian and Japanese Gardens when you depart, ideal for catching those last few rays of sun before boarding a long flight.
Hawaiian Airlines flights to Hawaii from Sydney are the perfect stopover en route to the US
For any Americans and Australians travelling between the two continents, a quick glance at the Pacific Ocean makes it clear that stopover options are few and far between. With the Sydney to Los Angeles flight time checking in around 15 hours, adding a stopover is a great way to break up the journey, if you have time.
While Fiji is a popular stopover, Hawaii is also the ideal place to split your journey. From Honolulu airport, you can be in Waikiki in under half an hour, making it a really easy option to relax, stretch your legs, and enjoy Oahu before continuing on to your next destination.
HawaiianMiles Program
While Hawaiian Airlines isn’t part of any of the main US loyalty programs, they have their own program, HawaiianMiles, and also partner with individual airlines, including Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic, and JetBlue.
FAQs: Hawaiian Airlines Sydney to Honolulu
Is checked luggage included?
Yes, Hawaiian Airlines includes up to 32kg/70lb per person, economy, on Australia/New Zealand to the US flights.
What days does Hawaiian Airlines fly from Sydney to Honolulu?
As of September 2023, the Sydney to Honolulu flight operates five days per week, excluding Mondays and Wednesdays.
What are the Business/Premium Economy options?
In addition to the Main Cabin (economy), Hawaiian Airlines also offers Business Class and Extra Comfort, which includes additional legroom, priority boarding, an electrical outlet for charging on the go, and an amenity kit to make the flight more comfortable.
I didn’t try Extra Comfort on this trip, but you can think of it as the airline’s premium economy alternative and would be worth the upgrade for tall travellers.
I flew to Honolulu as a guest of Hawaiian Airlines, but all opinions are my own.