Hawaii Airfare Deal Q and A

We are moving into the fall Hawaii travel deal season. No matter when you plan to visit, strategy is key to finding the best airfare for your Hawaii vacation. The airlines are considered the consummate marketers. Out-gaming them at their specialty is almost always going to require both perseverance and technique.

Here are the top seven questions you ask and my best answers:

Q: How long do the best Hawaii airfare deals last?

A: They typically last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Airfares are constantly moving. They change 3-5 times daily, and with each revision, deals come and go. It is safest to assume that when we post a deal, you have minutes, not hours to make a decision and book. By way of personal example, I saw a great deal from Honolulu to Miami a few days ago. But before I could publish it on Beat of Hawaii, or buy it myself, it was gone.

Q: Should I buy directly from airline websites or use fare-shopping sites?

A: We have many choices for both shopping for and buying airfares. I almost always buy from the airline’s website. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I prefer to buy from the company that is providing the service. But when it comes to shopping for deals and finding availability, I frequent sites including Kayak, Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. Google has acquired ITA airfare search, and so now has its own new flight search feature.

If you’ve had different experiences buying from OTA’s, search-sites and the airline websites directly, please let me know.

Q: Does the day of the week matter?

A: Not really. Deals come and go on all different days of the week, including weekends, mid-week, even holidays. While common theory is that the best deals occur between Tuesday and Thursday, that just hasn’t held true over the years for Hawaii airfare deals.

Q: How far in advance should I buy my Hawaii airline reservations?

A: It usually works best to buy either when there’s an airfare sale or at the very last minute (within a week or so of travel). Otherwise, when your dates are inflexible or you’re traveling during summer or at the holidays, a different strategy works best. For travel during the peak times of June, July and at Christmas, it’s usually is best to buy as early as possible. For inflexible dates at other times of year, I suggest waiting until about thirty days prior to travel to see if a deal arises. If it does not, buy in the 15-30 days prior to travel.

Q: Are certain days cheaper to fly to Hawaii than others?

A: Yes, and no. Frequently, Hawaii airfare sales will be for mid-week travel only. Airlines know that you want to come and go between Friday and Sunday in order to best coordinate with week-long vacations. Having said that, sales sometimes do include weekend travel as well. When you’re not getting an airfare sale, generally mid-week travel is cheapest.

Q: Do I have to buy a round-trip?

A: In most cases, yes. Almost all airlines serving Hawaii are using a round-trip model for pricing. The one current exception that I’m aware of is Alaska Airlines, where you can still typically buy one-way tickets without paying a premium. It’s especially helpful if you plan to visit two islands. That way, you can fly in to one island, fly home from another, and then only need to buy a one-way inter-island fare. That’s also more convenient, leaving you extra time to enjoy Hawaii.

Q: Do you have any other tips?

A: I’ll watch the deals for you if you sign up for VIP Alerts. For less than $3 a month, I will get a hold of you personally just as soon as the specific deals you’re waiting for turn up.