Nearly three years after first announcing it would fly from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Maui (OGG) only to backtrack months later after wildfires ravaged the island, Delta is ready to give it another go: It's adding nonstop flights from Minnesota to Maui next winter.
Delta confirmed and announced that route Friday, one of a slew of additions to Hawaii. Delta is also resuming nonstops from Boston (BOS) to Honolulu (HNL) – a seasonal route Delta previously served but shelved last year – while beefing up existing service to the Hawaiian islands with additional frequencies from New York City (JFK), Atlanta (ATL), and Detroit (DTW).
But Minneapolis-to-Maui is the real headline item here. For years, it's been on the wishlist of countless Midwestern travelers and even the airport itself. Aviation data has consistently shown it's one of the most popular routes in the country that isn't already served by nonstop flights.
That new seasonal route is scheduled to begin Dec. 19, starting with five flights a week, temporarily ramping up to daily service during the thick of the holidays before the seasonal service ends April 11. Flights are expected to go on sale over the weekend.
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Delta already flies nonstop to Honolulu (HNL) from its Minnesota hub, but a straight shot to Maui will allow beachgoers to skip a connection. From world-class resorts and pristine beaches to the Road to Hana and catching sunrise atop Haleakala, Maui is regularly a fan favorite among the Hawaiian islands.
Those flights to Maui will be on an Airbus A330-300, which features a woefully outdated Delta One business class seat but a roomy 2-4-2 configuration for passengers in economy. There are Delta Comfort seats with extra legroom onboard, as well as a dedicated Delta Premium Select cabin.
This has been a long time coming.
Delta first announced its plan to fly from Minnesota to Maui way back in June 2023, aiming to start up a winter route that December. But then devastating wildfires broke out two months later, killing over 100 on the island and destroying much of the historic town of Lahaina and the entire northwestern coast.
By early September of that year, Delta confirmed it was scrapping the route from Minneapolis and from Atlanta (ATL). Delta eventually added Atlanta-to-Maui in late 2024, but now it's Minnesota's turn.
Delta’s dominance in Minneapolis and its monopoly on nonstop routes to Hawaii often lead to higher prices, so travelers shouldn’t expect a cheap fare on this brand-new route to Maui once it officially goes on sale. But we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members for a great Delta SkyMiles flash sale – or a workaround to book this route via Air France/KLM Flying Blue for around 50,000 points roundtrip.
Much like Minneapolis, Delta's returning nonstop from Boston to Honolulu will begin Dec. 19. This time around, Delta will have a monopoly: Hawaiian Airlines previously served that route but dropped it late last year.
The Boston route will be operated four times per week on an Airbus A330-300 as well – though, like Minneapolis-to-Maui, Delta plans to offer daily service over the holidays and spring break season. That seasonal route also begins Dec. 19 but will run through April 24, 2027.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, the second time is the charm for Minneapolis-to-Maui.
Delta announced it will give that route another go next winter as part of a broader slate of new and resuming routes to Hawaii, including Boston-to-Honolulu, as well as additional weekly frequencies from major hubs like New York, Atlanta, and Detroit.
