Nonstop flights to Hawaii are scheduled to return to Orange County for the first time in two years in March.

Continental Airlines will launch service from John Wayne Airport to Honolulu beginning March 7, the airline announced this week.

It will be the first direct flights from Orange County to Hawaii since March 2008, when Aloha Airlines, which had been operating under bankruptcy protection, abruptly shut down.

Initial fares on continental.com are $587.50 round trip for economy class and $2,095.20 round trip for first class.

Continental said it will initially fly four times a week, leaving JWA at 5:20 p.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 8:05 p.m. Return flights will depart Honolulu at 11:10 p.m. and arrive in Orange County at 7:45 a.m. On Saturdays, the return flight will be a half-hour later. The airline said it would increase flights in the summer.

"We're very excited," said Jenny Wedge, a JWA spokeswoman. "It's great for Orange County passengers to have that option."