“When I landed at the airport it was like, ‘What did I really buy?’” McConnell said. “But the first time I walked in the house I was stoked.” McConnell isn’t alone. The newfound freedoms of remote working have prompted a wave of people to flee the US mainland for the Hawaiian islands. While the total number of relocatees is unknown, signs point towards a major influx. Real estate agents say demand has reached a fever pitch. A scheme backed by local business owners to sponsor remote-workers’ flights to Honolulu, in exchange for community service, received more than 50,000 applications for just 50 slots.