Trans World Airways and Delta Air Lines quickly matched United and other major airlines were expected to do the same.
Hawaii should get an added tourism boost because bookings already were strong, despite increased capacity, said Joe Hopkins, a United spokesman in Chicago. By adding more summer economy class seats to some Boeing 747s and by increasing the flights, United will be able to bring 15,000 more people a month to Hawaii this summer than it did last summer, Hopkins said.
"We've increased our seating capacity and advance bookings are keeping up (with the increase)," he said.
Because of existing low fares to the West Coast, put in place by Hawaiian Airlines and largely matched by other carriers, Hawaii residents traveling to California aren't likely to gain from today's fare sale.
"From the Hawaii perspective, the best deals are to the interior points and the East Coast," Hopkins said.
The new fare from Honolulu to San Francisco, for example, is $416 on off-peak days, but there already is a $308 round-trip fare in effect.
However, the gains do show when going farther inland. Honolulu-Chicago round trips are available on off-peak days for $648 and it is even cheaper to get to New York: $559 for a round trip from Honolulu to either New York or Boston. The previous low round-trip fares were $739 Honolulu-Chicago and $756 Honolulu-New York.
The sale lasts through May 28 and is for travel May 29 through Oct. 6. Tickets must be purchased 14 days before travel and there are other restrictions.