Back in October of last year, I  commented on the United/Continental Airlines merger and how it might affect the number and cost of seats to Hawaii.  Well, I’m happy to observe that there has at least been one positive addition to come from this merger.

United/Continental has just announced that Continental will begin direct service in and out of Hilo (ITO) to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO).  This brings direct service in and out of Hilo for the first time in 21 years.

Flights to and from LAX will be offered on a daily basis while flights to and from SFO will be offered once a week.  These new flights are scheduled to begin in June of this year.

This should be a welcome service to Hilo residents who will no longer have to drive to Kona (KOA) for direct service to the mainland or connect through Honolulu (HNL).  It could also be good for Hilo by making Hilo a more easily accessible destination for those interested in visiting the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is only 30 miles away.

No special introductory rates have been announced, but tickets may be purchased now.  An initial check comes up with a rd-trip, mid-week ticket cost of $676 LAX-ITO.