Alaska Airlines will add non-stop service between Sacramento and Kona on the ��Big Island�� of Hawaii.
A schedule of three weekly flights will begin on Dec. 20, with Alaska Airlines using Boeing 737 aircraft on the route.
The Kona service will give Alaska a second route between the California capital and the state of Hawaii; the carrier already flies between Sacramento and the Kahului Airport on the island of Maui.
Alaska��s new Sacramento-Kona route comes ahead of possible service on rival Southwest, which competes fiercely with Alaska Airlines in the California market.
Southwest has revealed its intention to fly to Hawaii, though the start of that service will come only after Southwest secures certification to use its two-engine Boeing 737s for the long overwater flights from the U.S. mainland.
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TODAY IN THE SKY:�J.D. Power: Alaska Air, Southwest are (again) the USA's best airlines for 2018�(story continues below)
FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInJ.D. Power rates 10 best North American airlines for 2018 Fullscreen
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Which airlines have the highest customer-satisfaction ratings for 2018? J.D. Power ranked 10 North American Airlines. Five were 'traditional' carriers and five were 'low-cost' airlines. Scroll through to see how they rated, from lowest to best. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 10: Frontier Airlines (score of 693 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 5 among five low-cost carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 9: United Airlines (score of 708 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 5 among five 'traditional' carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 8: Allegiant (score of 725 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 4 among five low-cost carriers. Allegiant AirFullscreen
No. 7: American Airlines (score of 729 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 4 among five 'traditional' carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 6: Air Canada (score of 734 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 3 among five 'traditional' carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 5: WestJet (score of 747 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 3 among five low-cost carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 4: Delta Air Lines (score of 767 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 2 among five 'traditional' carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 3: Alaska Airlines (score of 775 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 1 among five 'traditional' carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 2: JetBlue (score of 812 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 2 among five low-cost carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreen
No. 1: Southwest Airlines (score of 818 on a 1,000-point scale). Ranked No. 1 among five low-cost carriers. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special to USA TODAYFullscreenLike this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:Replay
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11 of 11AutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext SlideHowever, that�wait�hasn't stopped Southwest from trickling out plans for Hawaii once the certification comes through.
Southwest has not revealed any precise routes, but it has said its first Hawaii routes will come from California. Specifically, Southwest says Sacramento, Oakland, San Diego and San Jose will be its first four destinations to land flights to Hawaii. Further, Southwest also has said that its Hawaii plans eventually call for service to four airports in the state (Honolulu/Oahu, Kahului/Maui, Lihue/Kauai and Kona/Hawaii).
As for Alaska, the carrier has aggressively been trying to cement its position in California since its acquisition of San Francisco-based Virgin America. Acquiring Virgin America, which operated hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles, also made Seattle-based Alaska Airlines one of the biggest airlines along the U.S. West Coast. (Related:�After final flight, Virgin America brand disappears)
"We know our customers love Hawaii, even in sunny California. That's a big reason we're excited to add this new connection between Northern California and the Big Island," John Kirby, Alaska��s VP of capacity planning and alliances, says in a statement. "This new route shows Alaska's ongoing commitment to continued growth and investment throughout the West coast."
Hawaii also has proven to be a lucrative market for Alaska Airlines. The carrier says it averages 29 daily departures to the Hawaiian Islands from 10 West Coast cities, including six in California (Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland).
ARCHIVES:�Alaska Air begins merger with Virgin America, promises 'more to love'
FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInAlaska Airlines, Virgin America kick off merger with celebration FullscreenPost to FacebookPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Employees pose near a special-livery 737 that Alaska Air rolled out Dec. 14, 2016, to commemorate the closing of its acquisition of Virgin America. The plane incorporates brand elements of each carrier. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines has begun a marketing campaign to tout its merger with Virgin America.. Both airlines are well-liked, but share very different corporate identities. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines rolled out this special merger-themed paint scheme on one of its Boeing 737s on Dec. 14, 2016. The livery marked the closing of Alaska Air's acquisition of Virgin America. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden greets passengers -- mostly employees -- arriving to San Francisco on a special charter flight as the airline closed on its acquisition of Virgin America. Alaska AirlinesFullscreen
From left, Alaska Airlines employees Ruthy Trykur (fueling operations specialist), Lucy Lafayette (accounts payable) and Brinda Baldwin (accounts payable supervisor) onboard Alaska Airlines' special charter flight to San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2016. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
A red-carpet greeting awaited passengers -- mostly employees -- arriving to San Francisco on a special charter flight as the airline closed on its acquisition of Virgin America. Alaska AirlinesFullscreen
Alaska Airlines has begun a marketing campaign to tout its merger with Virgin America.. Both airlines are well-liked, but share very different corporate identities. Alaska AirlinesFullscreen
Alaska Airlines has begun a marketing campaign to tout its merger with Virgin America.. Both airlines are well-liked, but share very different corporate identities. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines rolled out this special livery on Dec. 14, 2016, to commemorate the closing of its acquisition of Virgin America. The plane incorporates brand elements of each carrier. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines' messaging as seen on its special new merger-themed livery. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines rolled out this special livery on Dec. 14, 2016, to commemorate the closing of its acquisition of Virgin America. The plane incorporates brand elements of each carrier. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden greets passengers -- mostly employees -- arriving to San Francisco on a special charter flight on Dec. 14, 2016, as the airline closed on its acquisition of Virgin America. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Ground crews in San Francisco welcome the arrival of a special Alaska Airlines flight on Dec. 14, 2016. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden greets workers in San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2016, as the carrier officially began its merger with Virgin America. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden speaks to workers at San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2016, as the carrier officially began its merger with Virgin America. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Air kicked off its merger with Virgin America on Dec. 14, 2016, with an employee event in San Francisco. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines has begun a marketing campaign to tout its merger with Virgin America.. Both airlines are well-liked, but share very different corporate identities. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines has begun a marketing campaign to tout its merger with Virgin America.. Both airlines are well-liked, but share very different corporate identities. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
"More to love" is emblazoned on the side of a specially painted, merger-themed Boeing 737 for Alaska Airlines. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Airlines rolled out this special livery on Dec. 14, 2016, to commemorate the closing of its acquisition of Virgin America. The plane incorporates brand elements of each carrier. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Alaska Air CEO Brad Tilden greets employees in San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2016, as the airline closed on its acquisition of Virgin America. Harriet Baskas, special for USA TODAYFullscreenLike this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:Replay
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21 of 21AutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext SlidePHOTOS: Merger partners Alaska Airlines and Virgin America
FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInAlaska Airlines, Virgin America begin merger process FullscreenPost to FacebookPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Sporting the airline's recently updated livery, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 lands at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in May 2016. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Special for USA TODAYFullscreen
Virgin America operated its busiest hub in San Francisco, where it has become one of the city's most notable carriers. APFullscreen
An image showing the tails of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America aircraft. Alaska AirlinesFullscreen
Virgin America was known for its trendy and irreverent image. Every year near Christmas, the carrier performed 'Operation Chihuahua Airlift' to send rescued chihuahuas to homes on the East Coast. PR NEWSWIREFullscreen
Alaska Airlines planes with the company's newest livery and tail logo, left, and the old livery are shown April 4, 2016, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Ted S. Warren, APFullscreen
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