Alaska Airlines Upgrades Seattle–Maui Flights to Widebody Dreamliner for Holiday Season
Alaska Airlines will operate the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its Seattle-to-Maui route during two peak holiday windows in late November and mid-December through early January 2026. The larger aircraft increases seat capacity on one of Maui’s key mainland corridors during the highest-demand travel period of the year. Alaska Airlines will deploy the widebody Boeing 787-9 […]
Inaugural Wailuku Film Festival Drew 5,300+ Attendees Over Five Days
Multiple sources report that the first-ever Wailuku Film Festival, held June 17–21, 2026, successfully established Maui as a destination for independent and Indigenous cinema. The event, an initiative of the Maui Film Office supported by the County of Maui, drew thousands of visitors and generated significant local economic activity. The festival attracted more than 4,000 […]
Alaska Airlines Adds Widebody 787-9 Capacity on Seattle–Maui Route for Holiday Season
Alaska Airlines will deploy Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the Seattle to Kahului route during the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year holiday windows for the 2026-2027 season. The switch from narrowbody jets increases passenger capacity per flight without adding additional airport slots. Alaska Airlines is temporarily upgrading the SEA-OGG route to widebody Boeing 787-9 aircraft during […]
Maui May See Import Bans on Plants and Mulch to Block Invasive Beetle
A state advisory committee has approved a proposed interim rule that would restrict imports of plants, mulch, soil, and coconuts to Maui and Lānaʻi to prevent the spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle. The full Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity will now review the amended rule. Recent CRB detections near Kahului Airport and in Central […]
Maui Relief Program Narrows Eligibility to Families with Minor Children
Starting August 1, 2026, the state’s Maui Relief Program will restrict new applications to households with minor dependent children as state disaster relief funds run out. Households without children are directed to alternative resources through Aloha United Way 2-1-1. The Maui Relief Program shifts to TANF-only funding in August 2026, limiting eligibility to households with […]
Wailuku Film Festival Draws 5,300+ Attendees in Debut Year
The inaugural Wailuku Film Festival ran June 17–21, 2026, drawing over 5,300 attendees to Historic Wailuku over five days. The event featured 100+ films from 15 countries and generated 12.5 million media impressions, with local businesses reporting increased sales throughout the week. More than 5,300 total attendees visited Historic Wailuku and the Maui Arts and […]
Front Street in Lahaina to Reopen to Vehicles August 1
Multiple outlets reported that Maui County announced Front Street in Lahaina will reopen to vehicular traffic on August 1, nearly three years after the 2023 wildfire destroyed much of the historic town. The reopening follows the completion of several infrastructure improvement projects and coincides with the approach of the fire’s third anniversary on August 8. […]
Selenium Found in Makawao Water Supply, Levels Far Below Safety Limits
Maui County detected trace amounts of selenium in the Makawao water system during routine testing, with confirmed levels of 3.7–4.9 micrograms per liter. The EPA’s maximum contaminant level is 50 micrograms per liter, meaning current levels pose no regulatory concern. Selenium was detected for the first time in the Makawao water system, confirmed by follow-up […]
Iao Valley Remains Closed Indefinitely; Kepaniwai Gardens Open as Alternative
Iao Valley State Monument is closed until further notice due to ongoing repairs, with no confirmed reopening date. Nearby Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens has reopened and offers visitors a partial alternative in the same valley. Iao Valley State Monument is closed indefinitely — the previously posted July 24 reopening date has been replaced with ‘until further […]
Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Serve Seattle–Maui Route This Holiday Season
A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, now in Alaska Airlines livery but retaining its original Hawaiian Airlines interior, is scheduled to operate daily Seattle–Kahului roundtrips during Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday windows. The aircraft assignments cover November 20–30 and December 17–January 4, subject to change. One daily Seattle-Kahului flight will be operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner during […]