Don’t go thinking that Hawaiian Airlines 717 Extra Comfort is going to be a huge improvement over basic economy. It’s not.
The extra legroom is nice. Getting to board before all of the other economy class passengers is pretty sweet too. Other than that? It’s exactly the same.
Do it because you want to. Not because you need to.
HA216
Honolulu, HI (HNL) – Kahului, HI (OGG)
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Aircraft: 717-22A
Registration: N476HA
Duration: 23 minutes
Seat: 5A (Extra Comfort)
Checking In
My flight from Honolulu to Kahului was scheduled to depart at 9:31 AM. I checked in online the night before (and had already obtained my boarding pass), so there was no need to fight the crowds in the baggage drop area when I arrived. It was smooth sailing all the way through security.
The boarding process
The aircraft that would be taking me to OGG arrived just 25 minutes before the scheduled boarding time of 9:06 AM. Cutting it a bit too close? Nah. That’s how they do it out here in the Islands. Hawaiian Airlines 717s are busy little critters!
Hawaiian airline 717 Extra Comfort seat overview
If you recall from my review of Hawaiian Airlines 717 economy, you’ll know that the interiors of these aircraft are some of the most colorful in all of the US. Some of the most uncomfortable as well.
Extra Comfort seats are standard economy class seats with about 6 inches of extra legroom. It’s a somewhat narrow 2-3 seating layout, which makes it unique compared to other mainline aircraft. This ain’t nothin’ like Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 Extra Comfort.
Long story short: compared to what you’d get in, say, Hawaiian Airlines A321neo Extra Comfort, this looks and feels very cheap.
There are no video screens, charging ports, or audio inputs. Padding is minimal, and you may or may not appreciate the bright turquoise color. Come prepared. Or at least with an open mind.
The departure from HNL
We pushed off the gate one minute late at 9:32 AM. Exactly how that happened I’ll never know. The boarding process was chaotic, and every seat ended up being occupied. Kudos to everyone involved getting us out nearly on time.
The taxi over to runway 08R took just six minutes, and we were in the air and on our way at 9:46 AM.
Snacks and drinks
Ok. I was slightly too ambitious with the title of this section. They only serve drinks in Extra Comfort class on these inter-island flights. No snacks.
Small prepackaged cups of either juice or water were offered. That’s it.
In-flight entertainment
Video screens? Psh. Wi-Fi? Ha! Neither exists on the Hawaiian Airlines 717. At least the scenery is nice. Sucks to be you if you’re not sitting in a window seat I guess.
Seat comfort
Do these Extra Comfort seats live up to their name? Yeah. I guess so. The extra legroom technically makes it extra comfortable, so I got what I paid for. There’s not much I can say about seat recline though. It’s so shallow that you may not even feel it.
The descent and arrival into OGG
I was hoping for an approach into Kahului from the north side of Maui (just like I experienced on a Mokulele Cessna 208 once), but it wasn’t meant to be. We came in from the south today, which is a smidge less scenic. But still stunning.
We touched down on runway 2 three minutes late at 10:09 AM. The skies were clear, the temperature was tropical, but the winds were a bit of a mofo. It was a bumpy ride all the way in.
Pros and cons
I am of the opinion that there’s not a bad seat anywhere on the Hawaiian Airlines 717. Even way back in standard economy, the act of island hopping is entertaining enough to make any seat feel pretty awesome. You probably won’t even notice the extra leg room in Extra Comfort as you gawk at the scenery.
Pros
- The extra legroom does indeed make it extra comfortable.
- You’ll get to be one of the first economy class passengers to board.
- You’ll also be one of the first to deplane once you arrive.
Cons
- It’ll be one of the simplest economy class seats you’ll ever sit in. There’s not much to ‘em!
- There are no USB charging ports, electrical outlets, or audio inputs.
- There are no special snacks or drinks that come as part of the Extra Comfort package either. You’ll be treated like a
lowlystandard economy class passenger.
I’ve never done an island hopping flight, but it’s on my bucket list. Flying at low altitudes over somewhere tropical on a small, noisy, plane actually sounds really fun!
I’m not sure whether premium economy is worth it on a flight like this though, given that HA’s 717 flights are at most 40 minutes long. I’m guessing you booked it because of your onward itinerary?
You have to do it at least once! I’d recommend doing it on Mokulele Airlines though – not Hawaiian. It’s a lot more fun (and bouncy) on a small Cessna 208.
But yes, this was a positioning flight to get me to the A321neo to San Diego.