 As they explored destinations beyond the United States, America West filed with U.S. Department of Transportation for a Phoenix to Sydney route to connect with Ansett Airlines in Australia.The proposal was rejected, and the Reagan Administration awarded the route to another airline.In 1989 America West leased four Boeing 747-200s (formerly operated by KLM) and began non-stop 747 flights between Phoenix and Honolulu, Hawaii and non-stop between Honolulu and Nagoya, Japan.