Marshall Islands/Micronesia: United Airlines Flight 154 – Eastward Route

UA 154 This flight is legendary – the “island hopper” connecting Hawaii and Guam on two ends with the Micronesian and Marshallese islands. Flying east, you start on Guam, and hop to Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohmpei, Kwajalein, Majuro, and eventually Hawaii, taking 16 hours to complete. United operates a monopoly on this route that dates back to 1968 when the flight was launched and known as “Air Mike” and acting as a supply lifeline between these remote islands that at that time were administered as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, managed by the US after WWII. The planes had to be specially equipped and fitted with reinforced bellies to fly and land on rough coral runways and also carry spare parts. To this day, the United monopoly is just a result of no other carrier interested in entering this route – United has to fly a certified mechanic on every flight, the planes have to carry emergency loads of spare tires and sensors., and the crews are required to have 4 pilots for the entire route. Given this monopoly, the flights are very expensive, unless you use United miles. The flight is absolutely stunning with the views of atoll an islands along the way, as well as landings and takeoff on all the islands.