Starting in November, Virgin America will be flying to Oahu and Maui. They’re taking reservations now.  The news may give Hawaiian Airlines some competition. We like Hawaiian for their on-time reliability and friendliness: Your vacation starts when you board the plane.

Other airlines that get you there: Delta, United, Continental, China Airlines, All Nippon Airway, American Airlines,  Allegiant Air, Air Pacific, Air New Zealand, Air Canada, and our least favorite, Alaska. Most airlines fly into Honolulu (Oahu), where you then take a connector flight to a neighbor island. Finding a direct flight to your island will save a few hours vacation time. If you’re shopping for flights, Kayak.com does a good job comparing airlines and prices.

A few vintage shots for how it used to be.