Alaska Airlines expanding Hawaii routes again. Intro fares at $169

Fresh from inaugurating brand new routes from Oakland to Maui and Kona this week, Alaska Airlines will further expand its California–Hawaii service in March 2010.

Three-times-weekly San Jose-Kahului, Maui service begins March 11, and four-times-weekly San Jose-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii service on March 12. Alaska Air will also add daily flights between Sacramento and Kahului, Maui beginning March 26.

An introductory $169 one-way fare is being offered on all three routes, but tickets must be purchased by Nov. 24.

Flight days and times for the new routes are:

• San Jose, Calif.-Kahului, Maui

Departure: 7:30 a.m. (West coast time)
Arrival: 11:05 a.m. (Hawaii time)
Flight days: Tues., Thurs., Sun.

• Kahului, Maui-San Jose, Calif.

Departure: 12:05 p.m. (Hawaii time)
Arrival: 7:15 p.m. (West coast time)
Flight days: Tues., Thurs., Sun.

• San Jose, Calif.-Kona, Big Island

Departure: 7:30 p.m. (West coast time)
Arrival: 11:20 a.m. (Hawaii time)
Flight days: Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat.

• Kona, Big Island-San Jose, Calif.

Departure: 12:20 p.m. (Hawaii time)
Arrival: 7:35 p.m. (West coast time)
Flight days: Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat.

• Sacramento, Calif.-Kahului, Maui

Departure: 8:15 a.m. (West coast time)
Arrival: 10:50 a.m. (Hawaii time)
Flight days: Daily

• Kahului, Maui-Sacramento, Calif.

Departure: 11:50 a.m. (Hawaii time)
Arrival: 8 p.m. (West coast time)
Flight days: Daily

Tickets may be purchased at alaskaair.com, or by calling (800) 252-7522.

Alaska Airlines is relatively new to the Hawaii market, having launched service here in October 2007 with routes to Oahu and Kauai. But it has quickly become a major player.

The Seattle-based carrier immediately ramped up its Hawaii flight schedule a week after the March and April 2008 closures of Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines. After adding more Mainland U.S.-Hawaii routes through 2008 and this year, Alaska Air now claims 73 round-trip flights to Hawaii a week.