We are an independent publisher. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. To support our work, we are paid for providing advertising services. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Next” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (“advertiser listing”); and general information about credit card products (“editorial content”). Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Apply Now” button or “Learn More” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. When you click on that hyperlink or button, you may be directed to the credit card issuer’s website where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. We have partnerships with advertisers such as Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. We also include editorial content to educate consumers about financial products and services. Some of that content may also contain ads, including links to advertisers’ sites, and we may be paid on those ads or links.

For more information, please see How we make money.

Government Shutdown Delaying Approval of New Southwest Flights to Hawaii

  • Million Mile Secrets

    • Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

    Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

    One of the main reasons my wife recently applied for a limited-time Southwest Companion Pass credit card offer is because we’re looking forward to getting 2-for-1 flights to Hawaii.  Unfortunately, the new Southwest flights to Hawaii are on hold due to the partial federal government shutdown.

    From previous company statements, it seemed like Southwest was hoping to start selling tickets to Hawaii in late 2018.  But the airline has been waiting to complete the Federal Aviation Administration’s certification process for extended overwater flights.  And due to the shutdown, certifications are on hold because Federal Aviation Administration employees who oversee the certifications are not currently on the job.

    The Government Shutdown Is Delaying Southwest Flights to Hawaii Because the Airline Is Still Waiting on FAA Certification

    Southwest first announced plans for flights to Hawaii in October 2017.  Since then, lots of Southwest loyalists (including me) have been anxiously awaiting tickets to go on sale for the new routes.

    The bright side is Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has said the airline will start selling tickets “within days” of receiving certification, with the first Southwest flights to Hawaii launched within weeks of that.

    I’m hopeful folks in government realize delays like this have a real impact on the economy.  I’ve read comments across the web of people who can’t wait to spend money on travel to Hawaii once the new Southwest flights launch.

    In the meantime, I think it’s still worthwhile to consider applying for one of the limited-time Southwest credit card offers.  Until February 11, 2019, you can earn the Southwest Companion Pass AND 30,000 Southwest points by applying for just ONE of the below Chase Southwest personal credit cards and spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening:

    For all 3 card offers, the Companion Pass is promotional and will be valid through December 31, 2019.  Even if Hawaii flights are delayed, you can still take advantage of the Companion Pass to travel to excellent destinations in the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

    Any thoughts and feelings on the government shutdown impacting Southwest’s flight certifications?  Let me know in the comments below!

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)