The Island Hopper is the nickname for United Airlines flights UA154 and UA155. The special thing is already in the name: the flight connects Hawaii and Guam, but makes several stops on small Pacific islands along the way. In total, it takes around 14 hours and covers seven islands.

Route

Honolulu, Majuro, Kwajalein, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Guam: to many people these sound like made up names, but they are in fact the islands the Island Hopper serves.

However, there are different routings, and not every flight stops on every island. The classic routing includes stops on all five islands between Honolulu and Guam. Some flights make only four stops and skip either Chuuk, Kosrae, or Kwajalein.

Aircraft

At the moment, several Boeing 737-800 aircraft are used on the Island Hopper. From February 2026, these are supposed to be gradually replaced by Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

The 737-800 planes have 16 First Class seats in the first four rows. Behind that, Economy Class begins with 150 seats.

Seat 7C cannot be booked, as it is reserved for a mechanic who accompanies the flight. In addition, depending on operational needs, several rows may be blocked for equipment and spare parts.

What are the best seats?

For an unobstructed view without the wing in your line of sight, rows 1 to 8 in front of the wing or rows 17 to 25 behind the wing are best.

The side of the aircraft matters as well.

Honolulu -> Guam

1. Honolulu to Majuro: right side, seat F
2. Majuro to Guam: left side, seat A

Guam -> Honolulu

1. Guam to Majuro: right side, seat F
2. Majuro to Honolulu: left side, seat A

We flew from Majuro to Guam, so we chose the left side.

Flight 1: HNL - MAJ

1. Honolulu to Majuro
2. Distance: 3,669 kilometers
3. Flight time: 5:10 hours

The flight from Honolulu to Majuro is the longest segment of the Island Hopper at over five hours, and at the same time the calmest. Shortly after takeoff, Hawaii disappears from view, and until the approach into Majuro you mostly see nothing but ocean.

On this segment, the International Date Line is crossed.

The approach into Majuro is a real highlight. Majuro Atoll is often just a narrow strip of land, sometimes only a few meters wide. The island is barely wider than the runway, and on both sides of the aircraft the ocean stretches out.

If you want to learn more about Majuro, check this out: What to see in Marjuro

Flight 2: MAJ - KWA

1. Majuro to Kwajalein
2. Distance: 431 kilometers
3. Flight time: 0:55 hours

The flight from Majuro to Kwajalein starts in a spectacular way. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft turned into a left hand curve, giving a great view of the atoll and the airport.

Landing in Kwajalein is another absolute highlight. The airport is called Bucholz Army Airfield, and the name is no coincidence. The atoll belongs to the Marshall Islands, but the United States leases a large part of the islands and operates a military base here.

For this reason, photos during takeoff and landing are strictly forbidden. It is also the only stop where transit passengers are not allowed to disembark.

The only way for tourists to get off in Kwajalein is by visiting the island of Ebeye.

On the way to Kwajalein, you fly past the island of Lib.

You also get to see several atolls like this one along the way.

Flight 3: KWA - KSA

1. Kwajalein to Kosrae
2. Distance: 645 kilometers
3. Flight time: 1:15 hours

On the segment from Kwajalein to Kosrae, we leave the Marshall Islands and head to the first stop in the FSM. The scenery changes completely. While the Marshall Islands consist of flat coral atolls, Kosrae is a mountainous volcanic island, densely covered in vegetation and, at 108 km², the second largest island in the FSM.

Flight 4: KSA - PNI

1. Kosrae to Pohnpei
2. Distance: 556 kilometers
3. Flight time: 1:10 hours

The next segment takes you to the largest and most important island in the FSM. Pohnpei rises more than 700 meters out of the ocean. On approach, you can clearly see the island’s typical features, a ring shaped reef surrounds the entire coastline.

If you want to learn more about Pohnpei, check this out: Pohnpei Guide

Flight 5: PNI - TKK

1. Pohnpei to Chuuk
2. Distance: 705 kilometers
3. Flight time: 1:20 hours

From Pohnpei, the flight continues to Chuuk, also called Truk. Chuuk is especially popular with divers, but on our flight only a few passengers got on or off.

Right after takeoff, the aircraft makes a left hand turn around Lenger Island.

On approach, you can see the Faichuk Islands.

Flight 6: TKK - GUM

1. Chuuk to Guam
2. Distance: 1,019 kilometers
3. Flight time: 1:35 hours

The final segment takes you from Chuuk to Guam. Since Guam is part of the United States, there was an additional security check on board before departure. All passengers had to stand up, and seats and luggage were checked once again for prohibited items.

Shortly before sunset, we began the approach into Guam. This marks the end of the Island Hopper, one of the most unique flights you can take.

How much does a ticket cost?

A ticket for the Island Hopper is anything but cheap. Prices vary depending on the month, but a one way ticket usually costs more than 900 USD per person.

Good to know

Food and drinks

Except for the first and last segment, there is no catering on board. You can briefly get off during the stops, but the airports are very small and usually do not sell more than snacks like chips or chocolate. If you fly the whole route in one go, you should bring your own food and drinks.

Entertainment

The Boeing 737 800 does have seatback screens, but only a handful of movies. Also, after every takeoff the movies start from the beginning again, and there is no option to fast forward. That’s why we watched the first hour of Kung Fu Panda five times.

Getting off during stops

Except Kwajalein, it is possible to get off during the stop and briefly go into the terminal. The time inside usually does not exceed ten minutes.

International Date Line

The International Date Line is crossed between Honolulu and Majuro. Keep this in mind for hotel bookings or connecting flights, otherwise it is very easy to book the wrong date.

Takeoff and landing

At several airports, the runways are very short, so the aircraft has to brake hard on every landing. This puts a lot of stress on the brakes. As a precaution, a fire truck is positioned for each landing.

Conclusion

The Island Hopper is one of the most interesting flight routes in the world. It feels special to approach and land on these tiny atolls. We also do not know any other scheduled flight where you land on an active military base.

The Island Hopper is also one of the few ways to reach the Marshall Islands and the FSM by air at all. That’s why I would not book it only to fly from Honolulu to Guam once, but use the route to explore a few of the islands along the way.