Here’s an interesting new, optional fee for flights to Hawaii from Hawaiian Airlines. If you think you’ve found a great deal for your Hawaii vacation but aren’t quite ready to commit, you can hold your reservation with no further obligation and the price guaranteed for as little as $4.99 per person. This is actually something we find useful, especially on flights to and from the mainland. There are those times when you just need a few days to get all of your other details in order.
While DOT rules generally require that airlines offer either a 24 hours hold or cancellation, this is a far more flexible option when needed.
How To Fare Hold on Hawaiian Airlines
1. Find your flight and select your seats.
2. Purchase the new Fare-Hold option.
3. Hawaiian Airlines will hold both your reservations and seat assignments until 11:59pm HST on the date specified (either 3 or 7 days). This also locks in the airfare.
Cost Per Person
Interisland: $4.99 for 3 days; $6.99 for 7 days.
North America or International: $6.99 for 3 days; $8.99 for 7 days.
What do you think – will you pay to fare hold?
I just filed a complaint about Hawaiian Airlines to the DOT for price gouging and abusing their monopoly on inter-island travel. I am awaiting the reply. It should take a month or two. Anyone else who is interested in filing a complaint should go to the Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. website and click for the filing a complaint choice. Stay tuned.
It is fascinating to me to see how airfare pricing parallels the stock market and other financial transactions. The service to lock in a fare for a particular amount of time sounds like an options contract for a stock. I think it would be interesting for the airlines to expand this concept. For example sell an option today to buy a ticket at a specific price for sometime between December 1-15. Charge say $200 for this option and if the option is not taken then the $200 is lost. I can see this valuable for people such as DJoan above or say people who may need to travel but won’t know for sure until the last minute.
Planning a trip in Sept 2016 for a month when is best time to book
Hi Cindy,
The latest information on that is contained here: https://beatofhawaii.com/the-cheapest-time-to-fly-to-hawaii-is-coming-soon/.
Aloha.
Last minute trip to Honolulu from Dallas the week before Christmas (I know!). Are there ever any last minute holiday deals or is there a cheaper hub to fly to and then fly to Hawaii? Thanks
Hi Tam,
Best information on holiday travel to Hawaii is here. https://beatofhawaii.com/the-cheapest-time-to-fly-to-hawaii-is-coming-soon/. You are probably going to just have to pay. Seeing fares starting at $900 depending on travel dates, which isn’t bad for that time frame.
Aloha.
Planning a trip to the Big Island the 1st of April 2016, when would be the best time to get a good deal on tickets? We will,be leaving from Omaha Nebraska.
Hi Stefanie.
That’s spring break so you can’t expect deals. On 4/1 running $1100+. Buy now or wait for any last minute opportunities if they arise.
Aloha.
planning a trip to Honolulu December 2016 to celebrate my 80th birthday. Hopefully there will be an awesome deal for my husband and myself. He has been there during the Vietnam conflict, I have yet to see Hawaii. I am so looking forward to it. Can hardly wait.
Hi Joan.
If you come in early December then a great price is likely. Later in December gets expensive.
Aloha.
Just another way for Hawaiian to make still more money. It’s not enough that their inter-island fares are astronomical. I recently paid $355 RT from Lihue to HNL. THAT IS A 20-25 MINUTE FLT.!!! Now they want more money. I will be reporting HAL to the DOT and Dept. of Justice for price gouging.
When ever I fly inter-island, I always use Mokulele air. They aren’t fancy and they get about 20 people in their Cesna Caravan planes, but it’s always a wonderful flight and you are treated like a valuable customer instead of cattle. And they even sometimes have standby flights for $33 each way.
Wow 33 that’s great, will have to check into that when we get their…:)