As someone who has traveled extensively between HNL and the Mainland East Coast for decades, I can tell you United once operated DTW-HNL, BAL (now BWI)-HNL, and JFK-HNL. The first two routes did not last long, no more than a year or two. The latter route lasted years longer, but was discontinued sometime in 1970s. I located this schedule on the www:

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...69/ua69-02.jpg

According to United Air Lines's April 27, 1969 System Timetable, United Airlines inagurated NON-STOP DC-8 jet service between JFK and HNL on May 11, 1969, Flight 989, departed Kennedy Airport, New York, @ 1000 and arrived Honolulu International @ 1455. United's return flight, UA 988HNL-JFK, first flew on May 11, 1969 and departed at 1530 and arrived @ 0700.

Somewhere in my airline memorablia bin in my condo's storage locker is a United Air Lines brochure touting its non-stop Baltimore Friendship Airport to Honolulu non-stop service. This was issued in 1971.

For a few years, American Airlines also had non-stop 707 service from Kennedy to Honolulu, where it continued to the South Pacific and Australia.