I'm taking you on HA452, Hawaiian Airlines' flight from Sydney to Honolulu, before we come home on HA451. Hawaii's hometown carrier is now in its 95th year of service. Flying five times a week, Hawaiian Airlines offers a nonstop option for Australian tourists who want to drift off to sleep at night and wake up in The Aloha State, with flights departing at 9.40pm and arriving at 11.40am on the same date.
CHECKING IN: The trip starts like a breeze. You can print your boarding pass at a kiosk before you arrive at the check-in desk and drop off your bag, so you're at the front of the queue before you know it. In economy, the free checked bag allowance is 23 kilograms; in business, it goes up to 64 kilograms per passenger (two 32-kilogram bags). Expect your carry-on to be weighed to ensure it's within the 11-kilogram limit.
THE FLIGHT: Our departure from Sydney is delayed by about half an hour, with the flight expected to take nine hours and 55 minutes, but we make up the difference and the Airbus A330 lands on time. The journey is as comfortable as you could ask for in the economy cabin, while the flight home is unlike anything this writer has experienced - but more on that in a moment.
THE CLASS: We fly from Sydney to Honolulu in the two-aisle main cabin with a two-four-two layout. The aircraft has 278 seats, including 192 main cabin, 68 "extra comfort" and 18 lie-flat business-class seats. Economy seats have USB ports and are 18 inches wide (46cm) and you can recline if you wish. Despite being in the middle seat, I get some sleep. The flight home is in business class - a first for this traveller - and the amount of room with two seats per aisle is a revelation. There is a pillow, blanket and sheet waiting on your seat, and the temperature is cool, providing plenty of comfort when you recline your seat to lay down.
FOOD & DRINKS: A snack and drinks service comes down the aisle soon after take-off from Sydney. One meal is served and beverages are complimentary, with cabin crew generous with offering top-ups. It's the menu on the way home in business I won't forget in a hurry - starting with a Mai Tai cocktail as soon as I'm seated and a beverage service paired with nuts soon after take off. The first course is edamame hummus, with a choice of red-wine-braised short rib or grilled salmon for main; chicken menchi katsu is served prior to landing.
ENTERTAINMENT: Economy class has seat-back entertainment with music, games and movies, among them new releases and plenty of bingeable shows. You can squeeze in a season of Friends, or watch a documentary on Hawaiian icon Duke Kahanamoku. In business class the screen is a large iPad, and there are more new movies on offer.
THE SERVICE: Flight attendants are friendly and you never struggle to find one. This goes up a notch in business class, where the staff are always available to make you feel at ease and offer you a cocktail to keep in touch with Hawaii for just a little longer.
IN A NUTSHELL: Whether you're forking out for business or not, this flight brings paradise within reach for Australian travellers - and as a bonus you can sleep most of the way there and wake up in Hawaii.
SNAPSHOT
Airline and route: Hawaiian Airlines, flight HA452 Sydney to Honolulu, flight HA451 Honolulu to Sydney
Frequency and duration: Five times a week, nine hours and 55 minutes
Class and price: Economy from $1212; Business from $7909
Explore more: hawaiianairlines.com.au
The writer was a guest of Hawaiian Airlines.
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Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
