Virgin expanding Hawaii flights from LAX

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Virgin America is adding nonstop service from Los Angeles to Hawaii, with daily flights to Honolulu and Maui starting this spring, the airline announced Tuesday.

The morning flight to Honolulu will launch on May 5, and the service to Kahului, Maui, will start on June 14.

The Aloha state is one of the most popular tourist destinations for West Coast travelers, with more than 3.3 million visitors in 2014, according to the airline.

"The guest response to our new routes has been extremely positive, which is why we are so pleased to announce that we are expanding our nonstop service to the Los Angeles market," Virgin America President and CEO David Cush said in a statement.

The flights will operate on new Airbus A320 aircraft that the airline acquired last year that feature new "sharklet" wingtip devices, which help the planes operate more efficiently over longer routes.

Tickets are on sale now at (877)FLY-VIRGIN, with special rates Tuesday only starting at $169 for one-way fares.