CNN host Richard Quest recently flew United’s “Island Hopper” route, a rite of passage for every AvGeek. Let’s review what the Island Hopper is and why it is one of United’s most consequential flights.

Rite Of Passage: Richard Quest Experiences The United Airlines Island Hopper

Three times per week, a United 737-800 takes off from Honolulu just as the sun begins to rise, making five stops enroute to Guam:

• Majuro
• Kwajalein
• Kosrae
• Pohnpei
• Chuuk

The journey is retraced in the opposite direction from Guam, flying mostly in darkness.

These flights are a lifeline to the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, delivering food, supplies, and mail. They are also a lot of fun to fly.

Ground stops are one hour or less and United carries a second pair of pilots and a mechanic with spare parts to fix any minor maintenance issues that may arise. If a flight does have a more serious mechanical issue, a back-up must be flown in from Guam…leaving passengers often to go home with United staff. Tourist infrastructure is very limited on these islands.

Back in February, Quest, the affable host of CNN’s Quest Means Business program, flew from Guam (GUM) to Honolulu (HNL) on UA155, making several stops en route.

That trip report has now aired on CNN and it’s worth four minutes of your time:

It has been a decade since I’ve flown the United Island Hopper (in the opposite direction from Honolulu to Guam on UA154) and I have very fond memories of the journey. In fact, I hope to do it again before I get too old and take my kids alongs…

You can see some pictures from my own journey here.

> Read More: Fond Memories Of United Airlines’ Island Hopper

Have you flown the United Island Hopper? Did you enjoy it? Honestly, I loved it…even if 14 hours is a long time to be on a 737-800! Quest’s trip has reignited my desire to fly the Island Hopper again.