How Far Is Hawaii From Alabama? A Detailed Answer

If you’ve ever wondered just how far those Pacific paradise islands of Hawaii are from the Gulf shores of Alabama, you’re not alone. With over 2,500 miles separating these two iconic destinations, the distance can seem vast.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The driving distance between Hawaii and Alabama is over 4,500 miles. Even flying, Hawaii and Alabama are separated by over 2,800 miles.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the distance between Hawaii and Alabama. You’ll learn the exact mileages for driving, flying, and even boating between the two states. We’ll also break down what major routes and landmarks you’d pass along the way.

And we’ll compare the time it would take to traverse the Pacific Ocean and mainland using different methods of transportation.

Driving Distance from Hawaii to Alabama

Route Information

The driving distance from Hawaii to Alabama is approximately 4,739 miles if you take the most direct route. To drive across the Pacific Ocean, you would need to load your car onto a vehicle shipping vessel.

The total driving route passes through 5 states and takes about 3 days of non-stop driving at an average of 60 mph.

The most logical driving route from Hawaii to Alabama runs like this:

• Ship car from Honolulu, HI to Long Beach, CA port
• Drive through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
• End in your destination city in Alabama

Major highways used along this cross country drive include I-10 and I-20. Parts of the drive through the Southwest expose you to wide open spaces and desert landscapes before transitioning to the lush greenery of the South.

Major Cities and Landmarks Along the Route

Driving from Hawaii to Alabama takes you past major U.S. cities like:

• Los Angeles, CA
• Phoenix, AZ
• El Paso, TX
• San Antonio, TX
• New Orleans, LA
• Birmingham, AL

In addition to urban cityscapes, you’ll take in diverse scenery from the red rocks of Arizona to bayou country in Louisiana. Landmarks along the way range from the Alamo in San Antonio to antebellum plantation homes as you near Alabama.

The total 4,739 mile journey from Hawaii to Alabama by car gives you an appreciation for just how vast, diverse, and beautiful the United States truly is. Just be sure your car is well-serviced for the long haul ahead! Safe travels and enjoy the sights along your epic American road trip.

Flying Distance Between Hawaii and Alabama

Nonstop Flights

The flying distance from Hawaii to Alabama is approximately 4,739 miles (7,630 km). Given that modern commercial airliners cruise at around 500 mph, nonstop flights from Hawaii to Alabama would take roughly 9-10 hours.

As of 2023, there are unfortunately no direct commercial flights available between Hawaii and Alabama. Travelers would likely need to connect through a major airline hub on the West Coast such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle or Phoenix.

Connecting Flights Through Major Hubs

Common routes from Hawaii to Alabama involving one connection could include:

• Honolulu to Los Angeles to Birmingham – duration approx. 15 hours
• Kona to Phoenix to Montgomery – duration approx. 17 hours
• Maui to Seattle to Mobile – duration approx. 16 hours

Of course, travel time can vary substantially based on layover duration, aircraft type, weather conditions, and other factors. Most trips would fall in the 14-18 hour range with a single connection.

To make this lengthy journey more bearable, travelers should prepare adequately – pack light, stay hydrated, bring neck pillows/blankets, have phones/laptops charged, and download movies, music, books and games beforehand!

Hawaii to Alabama by Boat

Common Sailing Routes

The most common route for sailing from Hawaii to Alabama is to first head northeast towards the West Coast of the continental United States. Popular stops along the way include ports in California, through the Panama Canal, around Florida, and finally to Alabama.

The total direct sailing distance from Honolulu, Hawaii to Mobile, Alabama is approximately 6,700 nautical miles. With favorable winds and currents, the fastest recorded sailboat times along this route are around 3-4 weeks.

Most sailors break up the long journey by stopping at ports for supplies and rest. Some common major ports of call when sailing between Hawaii and Alabama include:

• Los Angeles/Long Beach, California
• San Diego, California
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Panama Canal Zone
• Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Key West, Florida
• New Orleans, Louisiana

In addition to following the West Coast and traversing the Panama Canal, some long distance cruisers choose alternate routes that take them further offshore through the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This adds many miles to the trip but allows them to visit beautiful and remote islands along the way.

Port Options in Hawaii and Alabama

The most common ports used by recreational sailors leaving Hawaii for Alabama are Honolulu on Oahu and Lahaina Harbor on Maui. These provide easy access to provisioning and facilities before the long voyage.

On the Alabama side, sailors generally complete their journey in either Mobile or Orange Beach. Both offer protected harbors, full marine facilities, and easy access to coastal towns. The Mobile River system leads over 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, making the Port of Mobile accessible to both offshore and inland traffic.

Yachts stopping in Hawaii after completing the long Pacific crossing from Asia often clear customs at Honolulu Harbor before continuing onwards. This huge natural harbor is well equipped to handle international boat traffic.

At journey’s end, Alabama’s coastal marinas like Orange Beach provide all the amenities visiting sailors need after weeks at sea. Offering boat slips, fuel, marine supplies and repairs, restaurants, lodging, and transportation access, it’s an ideal final destination.

How Travel Times Compare Between Transportation Methods

Driving Times

Driving from Alabama to Hawaii would be quite an epic road trip adventure! However, since Hawaii is an archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean, there is no way to drive there directly. To estimate driving times, you’d have to drive to the west coast of the continental US and then sail from there.

According to Google Maps, driving from Montgomery, AL to San Diego, CA would take roughly 44 hours of non-stop driving and cover over 2,736 miles. That’s nearly 2 whole days behind the wheel! Of course, no sane person would attempt that trip without stopping to rest.

Breaking it into 8 hour driving days, the road trip would take around 6 days.

Flight Duration

If you prefer to fly instead of embarking on a cross-country road trip marathon, flights from Alabama to Hawaii take much less time. There are no direct flights, so you’d have to connect through a hub airport like Dallas, Phoenix, Atlanta, or Los Angeles.

Typical flight times from Birmingham or Montgomery to Honolulu range from 10 hours for shorter routes with fast connections up to 18 hours for more roundabout routings involving multiple stops. On average most itineraries fall in the 14-16 hour range.

That makes flying about 75% faster than the hypothetical 44 hour drive to the West Coast!

Sailing the Pacific

Very few choose to sail from the mainland US to Hawaii despite the islands’ watery location. Only serious long-distance sailors and super adventurers ever attempt the roughly 2,400 nautical mile Pacific crossing by boat.

Expert crews have completed the passage in competitive sailboats in just over 5 days.

However, more moderate cruisers should budget 3-5 weeks to island-hop their way southwest from the Californian shores. That provides plenty of time to stop and explore some little visited Pacific gems like the Channel Islands, Mexican Revillagigedos, and remote wildlife sanctuaries along the way.

Conclusion

We’ve covered a lot of ground exploring the 2,500+ mile gap between Hawaii and Alabama. Whether you’re road tripping, catching a flight, or even captaining your own vessel, traversing the Pacific Ocean and American mainland takes serious commitment.

But now you’ve got all the key details on routes, mileages, landmarks and travel times to plan your epic cross-country and transoceanic adventure between these two iconic destinations.

The long distances involved mean getting between Hawaii and Alabama will never be a quick jaunt. But we hope this guide gave you a deeper appreciation for just how far apart they lie. Let the journey itself be part of the reward as you discover all the natural beauty and cultural riches along the way across the American continents and world’s largest ocean!

Sharing is caring!