Island Hopper

The Island Hopper is an airline route between Guam, a United States territory, and Honolulu, Hawaii, a U.S. state, via several small islands in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, both of which are in free association with the United States under Compacts of Free Association. The route has operated since 1968 and is currently operated by United Airlines, having originally been served by Air Micronesia and Continental Micronesia. It provides the only scheduled air service for many of the islands visited en route. The flight also serves as a cargo link for the islands, transporting food supplies in insulated containers as well as mail. The route also presents unique operational challenges. The route is flown using a subfleet of ten Boeing 737-800 aircraft (scheduled to be replaced with the 737 MAX 8 by the end of 2026) based in Guam, where they receive specialized maintenance. Flights carry extra crew members as well as a mechanic and spare parts, and the aircraft are configured to accommodate medical stretcher transport.