Pending government approval, Hawaiian Airlines plans to offer non-stop service between Fukuoka, Japan (FUK), and Honolulu (HNL) starting in November.

Fukuoka is Hawai’i’s sister state and the two share cultural and economic ties. Hawaiian Airlines previously served the route 2012–2014.

An Airbus A330 aircraft is slated for the route, with 18 lie-flat Premium Cabin leather seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, 68 Extra Comfort seats and 192 economy-class seats.

“We are eager to bring travelers in Fukuoka and throughout Kyushu our warm Hawai’ian hospitality along with the convenience of non-stop flights to Hawai‘i,” said Theo Panagiotoulias, senior vice president for global sales and alliances, Hawaiian Airlines. “Japan is a special place to Hawai’ian[s] and Hawai‘i, and we are excited to make both island chains more accessible for our guests.”

“Fukuoka Prefecture and the state of Hawai’i have been sister states since 1981, and have been establishing exchanges in various areas, including tourism, culture, and the economy. We are excited that the discontinuation of service to Hawai’i this month will be short lived. Hawaiian’s new service will ensure that our Hawai’i exchange relationship and opportunities to travel abroad will be unaffected. We are glad that Hawaiian Airlines is planning to start the route in response to local demand,” added Masanori Hashimoto, director general of airport planning bureau, Fukuoka Prefectural Government.