Hawaiian Airlines, responding to rising demand, said yesterday it is adding a third flight between Honolulu and Las Vegas that will run four days a week starting Feb. 23.

"Las Vegas is our most popular route, and we are providing more seats where our customers want it most," said Glenn Taniguchi, Hawaiian's senior vice president of marketing and sales.

Hawai'i consumers who favor the Nevada vacation destination are likely to be happy about the times of the added direct flight, industry experts said.

Flight 6 will depart Honolulu on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. and arrive in Las Vegas at 3:35 p.m. Return Flight 5 will depart Las Vegas the same days at 5:05 p.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 9:15 p.m.

Travel Ways Manager Rachel Shimamoto said the times are convenient for Hawai'i folks heading for a Vegas vacation because they arrive at a time when hotels are ready to check them in. And, she said, the return time also is convenient compared to an existing red-eye that arrives at 6:30 a.m. or another Hawaiian flight that arrives at 11:35 p.m.

"That's really good news," said Bobbi Song, who works with her husband, Reuben Song, at travel company Hawaii Casino. The two travel to Las Vegas every other week as representatives to Harrah's seven casinos.

"We are like the liaison between player and casino," she said, helping with reservations, making sure their customers get the promised amenities and coordinating their travel.

Song said the added flight will be good for consumers, who already are pleased to see round-trip airfares dropping. After the spring demise of Aloha and ATA airlines, she said, airfares climbed as high as $800. A check by Shimamoto for flights in mid-February produced the following fares: $627 on American, $648 on United and $754 on Hawaiian. The Vacations Hawaii charter package, which includes hotel, transportation to hotels and meals, was listed at $707.

Las Vegas has seen big drops in visitor numbers, and Song said hotels have been discounting rates to help bring people back.

Shimamoto said many people prefer to fly on Hawaiian Airlines so they can earn and use mileage.

"I think it's going to be very popular," Song said of the additional Hawaiian flight. "Ninety percent of our customers fly Hawaiian because it's the only direct flight."

The new Honolulu-Las Vegas service is in addition to the two daily flights that Hawaiian currently operates on the route. Hawaiian spokesman Keoni Wagner said those two flights aboard Boeing 767-300s often have all 260 seats filled.

He said fares have improved but vary according to demand. That means sometimes advance purchase fares are favorable, but airlines will discount last-minute fares if they have empty seats.

"There are still really great deals to be had out there," Wagner said.

Flight 8 departs Honolulu daily at 10:55 p.m. and arrives in Las Vegas the next morning at 6:30, with return Flight 7 departing Las Vegas daily at 10:30 a.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 2:40 p.m.

In addition, Flight 18 departs Honolulu daily at 4 p.m. and arrives in Las Vegas at 11:35 p.m., with Hawaiian's Flight 17 departing Las Vegas daily at 2:30 a.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 6:40 a.m.

Separately, the state's three main interisland carriers, Hawaiian, go! and Mokulele airlines, are offering discounted $39 one-way fares from Honolulu to Kona and Lihu'e for travel through Dec. 31.

Tickets must be purchased by tomorrow. Tickets must be purchased on the Internet, and some restrictions may apply.

Previously, the lowest one-way fare between Honolulu and Kona or Lihu'e was $49.

Mokulele, which launched interisland jet service on Nov. 19, was the first of the three carriers to offer the discounted fare as part of a holiday promotion. Hawaiian and go! matched the fare. As part of Mokulele's promotion, it opened its Ali'i Lounge to all passengers for a two-day period starting yesterday and ending today.

Mokulele flies 14 flights a day using 70-seat Embraer E-170 jets operated by Indianapolis-based Republic Airways. Mokulele helped fill a void created when Aloha Airlines closed its operations on March 31.