There's a new flight option coming to MSP Airport for those hoping to get to a warm, sandy beach on the Pacific.
Delta Airlines said nearly three years ago the plan was to launch nonstop flight options from MSP to Maui, ultimately canceling those plans following the deadly wildfires that devastated Lahaina and the entire northwestern coast.
Now, it's back. They'll begin offering those nonstop flights beginning in December.
MSP spokesperson Jeff Lea says this will impact an entire region of travelers.
"So we're talking the Dakotas, and Iowa, and Western Wisconsin," says Lea. "That's kind of the draw that's going to bring people in that are looking for a destination in Hawaii that's an alternative to Honolulu."
That new seasonal route begins Dec. 19 with five flights a week and is expected to wrap up before the seasonal service ends April 11.
"There's extreme demand and has been for several years for a Maui direct connection or a nonstop flight," Lea explains. "In fact, about 170 people a day start their journey at MSP and then have to connect. Maybe it's inter-island or another another airport to get to Maui. That's how popular it is."
Delta already flies nonstop to Honolulu from MSP, with the latest non-stop option a way for travelers to skip that particular connection.
Lea says there's been growing demand for a non-stop flight to Maui for several years now and the timing makes sense.
"It's really a new route that's going to accommodate demand, especially in the winter season and early spring," says Lea. "So December through April, it's gonna be a seasonal flight, approximately five days a week. So it really hits the sweet spot for Minnesotans that they're looking for another option for something warm and sunny."
