Aloha, y’all!

Austin airport says aloha to first nonstop flight to Hawaii

Let's get our vaccine and then get lei'd in Hawaii.

Photo courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

The U.S Food & Drug Administration has approved the first COVID-19 vaccine for use in the United States, which means there is finally a light at the end of this long, dark pandemic tunnel. So where are we going to celebrate? That would be Hawaii.

On Tuesday, December 8, Hawaiian Airlines announced it is beginning nonstop service from Austin to Honolulu on April 21, 2021 — the first nonstop flight from the Capital City to the Aloha State.

Austin is just the 16th U.S. city to land Hawaiian Airlines, which will use an Airbus A330 on its flights from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, notes a release. Though it doesn't yet specify what days, the airline said it will conduct service two times a week.

“Even though this year has had unprecedented impacts to the airline and airport industries, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport remains committed to providing the best service we can to our passengers,” said ABIA CEO Jacqueline Yaft. “We know that many Central Texans will be eager to travel next year and we are excited to offer an easy and convenient way for them to explore Hawai'i.”

The release also notes that Hawaii is an increasingly popular destination for Texans — and likely to become even more popular once post-pandemic airline traffic ramps up.

Along with Austin, Hawaiian announced nonstop service to two more cities next spring: Orlando, Florida, and Ontario, California. The airline also announced it will be expanding service from Long Beach, California, to Kahului, Maui, beginning March 9.

vacation transportation

CONVENTION BET

JW Marriott unveils redesign as convention landscape changes in Austin

Photo courtesy of KTGY

The newly renovated lobby at the JW Marriott Austin features refreshed interiors inspired by the Texas Hill Country, with warm wood tones, limestone textures, and contemporary gathering spaces.

One of Austin's centerpiece hotels is showing off a new look inspired by the Colorado River, the waterway that has long shaped the city's identity. The renovation at the JW Marriott Austin spans the lobby, guestrooms, and more.

The 1,012-room hotel, which opened in 2015 as Austin's second major convention headquarters hotel after the Hilton Austin, has completed a property-wide refresh that replaces its former palette of Texas-inspired golds and browns with cool blues, flowing forms, and updated finishes inspired by the river.

White Lodging, which developed the JW Marriott on Second Street and several other downtown Austin hotels, once again turned to KTGY for the redesign. The firm also designed the hotel's original interiors.

A renovated corner king room at the JW Marriott Austin features updated furnishings, contemporary finishes, and floor-to-ceiling windows.Photo Courtesy of KTGY

The redesign extends through all 1,012 guest rooms, introducing new carpeting, lighting, decorative accents, and artwork that celebrate both the river and Austin's creative spirit.

The refreshed design was intended to create a calming counterpoint to the city's energy, drawing inspiration from the natural flow of the river while maintaining a connection to the culture and character that have helped make Austin a destination for visitors from around the world, according to KTGY.

The renovation comes as downtown Austin's hospitality industry adjusts to the temporary closure and replacement of the Austin Convention Center. Just two blocks east of the hotel, construction is underway on the replacement facility, which closed in 2025 and is expected to reopen in 2029.

Convention Center Site Construction crews work on the future Austin Convention Center after the project team removed roughly 850,000 tons of rock and dirt from the downtown site to prepare for the expanded facility. Photo posted June 12.Facebook/Austin Convention Center

Austin's convention hotel market has expanded dramatically over the past two decades. The Hilton Austin opened in 2003, followed by the JW Marriott and Westin Austin Downtown in 2015, and the Fairmont Austin in 2018. As downtown's hotel inventory grew, city leaders began planning for a larger convention center capable of hosting more and larger events.

When completed, the replacement facility will nearly double the convention center's rentable event space, opening up Austin to some of the nation's largest training sessions and conferences. The Austin Convention Center continues to post time-lapse videos and a newsletter for construction updates. Excavation and foundation work is underway across the six-block site as crews work toward completion at the end of 2028 and a planned reopening ahead of the 2029 spring festival season.

New Austin Convention Center The redesigned Austin Convention Center will feature new exhibit halls, meeting space, and outdoor gathering areas along Waller Creek. The JW Marriott Austin is visible in the downtown skyline at left.Facebook/Austin Convention Center

Visit Austin has already secured 27 events for after the convention center reopens, representing more than 238,000 hotel room nights and an estimated $205 million in economic impact. Additional group events booked during the redevelopment period are expected to generate about 161,000 hotel room nights and nearly $38 million in hotel revenue.

hotels renovation business conventions convention center