Is there a better greeting in the whole entire world than the word aloha?

It means hello. It means goodbye. It exudes warmth, peace and affection. And when you arrive in Hawaii, residents use it—and often.

It offers a feeling of sincerity and gratitude as if to say, “Yes, this is my home and I know it’s absolutely gorgeous and I know how lucky I am to live here.”

Everyone seems to use it freely as a greeting on the Hawaiian Islands. It never gets old. Even the gate agent uses it as you board the plane back to home. And if you are lucky to have a Hawaiian-based flight crew, you will hear it for just a little bit longer on your flight back home.

Aloha.