Alaska, Hawaiian scrap 120 Hawaii flights as Lala nears

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have canceled around 120 flights to, from and within Hawaii as Tropical Storm Lala skirts the islands, disrupting peak summer travel plans and prompting broad schedule cuts across the state’s main airports.

Widespread disruptions across Hawaii airports

Publicly available airline updates and airport notices indicate that the bulk of the cancellations are concentrated on August 15 and August 16, 2026, as Lala passes south of the island chain. The combined Alaska and Hawaiian networks, now operating under a single parent company but with separate branding, have suspended or sharply reduced operations at several key airports.

Service to Hilo on Hawaii Island has been suspended for much of the day, with no departures or arrivals once wind and rain intensified. Kona, also on Hawaii Island, has seen all flights after midafternoon canceled, leaving many visitors and residents needing to rebook once conditions improve.

On Maui, a reduced schedule is operating to and from Kahului, with only a limited number of transpacific and interisland flights still running. Honolulu on Oahu remains the most resilient hub in the state, where most scheduled flights are still operating, though with some delays and select cancellations as conditions deteriorate.

Interisland routes have been hit particularly hard, with dozens of short hops between Honolulu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island cut as airlines prioritize safety and aircraft positioning over maintaining full connectivity.

About 120 flights pulled as Lala brings heavy rain and wind

Based on airline status pages and published operational summaries, roughly 120 flights in total have been canceled across the network over the two main impact days. That figure includes close to 60 neighbor island flights, nearly 20 transpacific Hawaii services on August 15 alone, and additional proactive cancellations already scheduled for August 16.

The cancellations span both Alaska branded and Hawaiian branded services, reflecting how closely integrated the carriers’ Hawaii operations have become following their merger under Alaska Air Group. While Hawaiian continues to appear as a distinct brand on many island routes, the flights are increasingly coordinated with Alaska’s mainland network, meaning schedule cuts in one part of the system can ripple more widely than in past storm seasons.

Lala is tracking south of the islands but has brought bursts of heavy rain, low cloud and strong, gusty winds, particularly around windward coasts and higher terrain. These conditions have reduced visibility and complicated approaches into exposed airports, especially on the eastern side of the state.

Although disruptions are significant, the scale of cancellations remains below the most severe hurricane events in recent Hawaiian history, when large U.S. carriers have collectively scrubbed hundreds of flights over several days. Even so, the timing during the busy mid August travel window has magnified the impact on vacationers and residents alike.

Flexible waivers and rebooking options for affected travelers

According to publicly posted travel advisories, both Alaska and Hawaiian have activated flexible change policies for itineraries touching Hawaii during the storm period. Travelers whose flights are canceled can typically move to another date in the same cabin without change fees, subject to fare and seat availability.

Some customers are being offered the choice to reroute through alternative West Coast gateways or to shift their trips into later August, when conditions are expected to normalize and aircraft and crews are back in regular rotation. For those with nonrefundable tickets who decide to abandon their trips altogether, airlines are generally providing future travel credits rather than cash refunds, unless the original flight was formally canceled.

Travelers using loyalty points or miles are seeing award seats redeposited when flights are removed from the schedule, though the availability of replacement award space may be limited until storm related disruptions ease. Online channels and mobile apps are carrying much of the rebooking load, while customer service centers experience extended wait times.

Travel insurance policies, especially those with specific severe weather provisions, may help some passengers recover additional costs such as unused hotel nights or prepaid activities. However, coverage varies, and many policies exclude events that were already forecast at the time of booking.

Impact on tourism, local travel and airline operations

The cancellations arrive during one of Hawaii’s busiest tourism periods, when flights from the U.S. West Coast to Honolulu, Maui and the island of Hawaii typically run near capacity. Even a relatively short disruption can create a backlog of passengers seeking seats once operations resume, leading to crowded departure halls and limited flexibility on later dates.

For residents who rely on air travel for essential interisland trips, the upended schedule complicates medical appointments, business travel and family visits. Reduced neighbor island flying also affects the movement of cargo and perishables that normally flow in the bellies of passenger aircraft.

Operationally, the episode underscores how exposed the merged Alaska Hawaiian system is to severe weather in the central Pacific. Concentrated fleets of single aisle and widebody jets must be carefully positioned ahead of major storms, and crews may reach duty time limits as they work around delays and diversions.

Airline planners will continue to adjust flying over the coming days, adding extra sections or upgauging aircraft on key routes whenever conditions allow. That process typically takes several days after a tropical system passes, as maintenance checks are completed and aircraft are redistributed to meet pent up demand.

What travelers with upcoming Hawaii trips should do

For those scheduled to travel to or from Hawaii over the next week, monitoring flight status closely remains essential. Weather related disruptions can persist even after skies clear, as aircraft and crew imbalances take time to resolve and airports work through accumulated congestion.

Passengers are generally advised by consumer advocates to confirm that their contact details are current in airline profiles so that automated notifications can be received promptly if further changes occur. Checking in online as early as allowed and arriving at the airport with extra time can also help mitigate the effects of last minute schedule shifts.

Those who have flexibility may choose to postpone nonessential trips until airlines publish more stable schedules and the full operational impact of Lala is clearer. For travelers who must fly, selecting flights earlier in the day and favoring nonstop options where possible may reduce the risk of missed connections if there are rolling delays.

As the storm moves away from the islands, attention will shift to how quickly Hawaii’s air links normalize and whether the integrated Alaska and Hawaiian network can absorb displaced passengers without extended knock on effects into late August. The coming days will reveal how robust the new combined operation is under the pressure of a mid season tropical system.