Alaska Airlines plans to buy Hawaiian Airlines. Could it mean Honolulu flights for Boise?

The lead airline at the Boise Airport plans to acquire Honolulu-based Hawaiian Airlines, possibly paving the way for nonstop flights between the Treasure Valley and Hawaii’s capital.

Alaska Airlines on Sunday stated its intent to buy Hawaiian in a deal worth $1.9 billion. The two airlines said they would continue to operate under their respective names but out of Alaska’s Seattle headquarters, pending signoff from federal regulators, which they expect could take up to a year and a half.

“Today is a historic day for Alaska Airlines,” company CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement. “Hawaiian Airlines is a remarkable airline for whom we have deep admiration and respect, with a unique spirit and legacy, and values that are deeply aligned with ours. By joining together as one airline, we can … do more for travelers and for our employees, and create a stronger platform on which to compete and sustain for the future.”

Minicucci highlighted the expanded network of routes produced by the merger. Alaska flies internationally to cities in Mexico and Canada, and the acquisition would add Hawaiian’s nonstop flights to and from Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and Southeast Asia to its portfolio.

Alaska already flies to Hawaii, from cities in Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington. Hawaiian Airlines is the leader in routes that connect the chain of islands, as well as flights between them and the continental U.S.

“Alaska Airlines has been proud to serve Hawaii for over 16 years,” Minicucci said. “At the same time, we know we have more to learn and feel a deep responsibility to serve the people of Hawaii for generations to come.”

Hopes of a Honolulu flight

The Boise Airport provides nonstop flights to 26 destinations across its nine commercial air carriers. Alaska is by far the leader among them, offering direct flights to 15 of the destination cities.

The regional air hub has made no secret of its desire to add a nonstop flight to Honolulu, naming the city on its short list of targeted routes. The airport’s other priority destinations include: Orlando; Boston; Anchorage, Alaska; New York City; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Washington, D.C.

To entice air carriers into launching the high-demand nonstop flights in and out of Boise, the airport offers financial incentives. It provides up to $125,000 for at least twice-weekly, year-round flights to one of the locations, with airlines that do so receiving credits toward the fees they typically pay the airport for use of the terminal and runway.

Though still in its early stages, the combined airline makes for an “interesting prospect” for air travelers through the Treasure Valley, Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp told the Statesman.

“Because Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t currently serve the Boise market, this merger could open opportunities for additional nonstop destinations,” Hupp said by email. “A nonstop route would make access to the islands easier and more convenient.”

Four airports in Hawaii are among the top-50 final destinations for passengers at the Boise Airport, with Honolulu leading the group at No. 26, according to 2022 airport data. The ranking indicates “significant interest from our passengers,” Hupp said. Kahului, Lihue and Kona were also listed.

Ray Lane, an Alaska spokesperson, couldn’t say whether the proposed acquisition could land a Honolulu flight in Boise.

The deal is early in the approval process, Ray Lane told the Statesman by email. “It’ll take time before we can map out what this means for individual markets,” he said.

Another of the local airport’s air carriers is in the middle of an acquisition, with Spirit Airlines, which launched service in Boise in August 2022 with nonstop flights to Las Vegas, set to be bought by JetBlue Airways. The deal is valued at $3.8 billion, but faces continued pushback from the Justice Department, which is suing to block the merger.

JetBlue previously operated in Boise in summer 2021 with nonstop seasonal flights to New York City. The airline ended its service and exited the market the next year.

The Boise Airport recorded its second-busiest month for passengers this year in October, with nearly 432,000 travelers passing through the airport. The total also marked the busiest October on record. November counts are not yet available.

The airport sits at nearly 7% passenger growth compared to this same time last year, when it set its annual all-time high of nearly 4.5 million passengers. At the current pace, the airport is expected to surpass 4.8 million passengers this year, shattering the prior annual record.