Hawaii flights could go electric as early as next year
SFGATE • • business
Key Points:
- Surf Air Mobility, parent company of Mokulele Airlines, plans to launch electric aircraft in Hawaii, starting with cargo flights before moving to passenger service, aiming to be the first in the U.S. to offer commercial electric passenger flights.
- Mokulele Airlines operates short interisland routes averaging 51 miles, making it well-suited for electric aircraft, with 36,000 flights and 224,000 passengers served in 2025 across nine airports.
- The company has partnered with BETA Technologies to order 25 all-electric fixed-wing aircraft, with plans to add vertical takeoff and landing electric aircraft in the future for more flexible operations.
- Hawaii supports the initiative as part of its sustainability strategy to eliminate emissions by 2045, with plans to build airport charging infrastructure to reduce aviation emissions and improve air quality.
- Surf Air Mobility highlights benefits of electric planes including lower costs, reduced noise, environmental impact, and increased reliability and safety, positioning electric aircraft as ideal for Hawaii’s short interisland flights.
