Honolulu (HNL) to Lihue (LIH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on HNL–LIH. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 75% — a gap of 19 points. Across the full period the route averages 88% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 88%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 7 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 21
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 43m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 102 mi
Best airline from HNL to LIH
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 93% | 4 min | 0.3% | 3,882 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 89% | 6 min | 1.1% | 9,968 |
| Alaska Airlines | 76% | 12 min | 2.7% | 2,448 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HNL to LIH
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (79%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 89% | 6 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 91% | 5 min |
| Wednesday | 91% | 5 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 7 min |
| Friday | 83% | 10 min |
| Saturday | 87% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 88% | 6 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations49%
- National airspace system3%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HNL to LIH delayed?
- 12% of HNL–LIH flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 7 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from HNL to LIH?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 93%, based on 3,882 flights. 3 airlines flew HNL–LIH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HNL to LIH?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (79%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HNL to LIH?
- The scheduled HNL–LIH flight time averages 43m over 102 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 12% of the time.
- How often are HNL to LIH flights cancelled?
- 1.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from HNL to LIH?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 75% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 19-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 16,298 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.