Originally Posted by
Bonehead
I believe the reason for the relatively late flight time (certainly on the OGG-SNA leg) is the morning curfew at SNA...no landings before 7 or 8 AM, I think.
This flight is all about using a plane that would likely otherwise just remain overnight at SNA to generate revenue by flying somewhere. Nothing to a CO hub is going to leave SNA at 6:00PM. Any flight to IAH would get in around midnight and couldn't carry connecting traffic, and any flight to CLE or EWR would land in the middle of the morning.
I suspect for every person who'd rather land in Hawaii while the sun is still up there's another person who'd prefer to get in close to a full day at work before taking a quick trip. Not to mention Hawaiians traveling the other way. YMMV.