Definitely cheaper alternatives for sure, but there seemed to be a market for it, at least for almost two decades that the route would have been in service. Apart from the reasons I mentioned, I'd wager that the crackdown on illegal short term rentals has also impacted things, further reducing the affordability (relatively speaking) of a Hawaii vacation. While more expensive than other locations, I think people were willing to pay a little more (but still something within reason) to enjoy Hawaii. But the way things have been going as of late, fewer and fewer people seem to be coming to such a conclusion. Unfortunately for those in state government who are making traveling here pricier, Hawaii needs all the travelers it can get to fund state government as folks want it to be funded. Wealthier travelers, alone, won't get the state where it wants to be. For a state so reliant on tourism, I am at a loss to explain some of the decision-making that the government here arrives at.

As folks who like to travel, I hope that this trend doesn't continue. Thankfully, we're still able to find flights to Japan at decent rates (we usually fly to Japan and use that as a jump off spot to travel elsewhere, to include Taiwan, Thailand, and elsewhere in the region), but I wonder how long that will last in this climate?

That's true. And something to consider. I'm open to other reasons behind the trends that led to the decision here. Still wouldn't be shocked if increased costs are impacting things.