To score cheap flights to Hawaii, at what point do you say “No” when the amount of time spent travelling is longer than normal? This has been brought to mind on numerous occasions recently from your comments, our own experiences and research, and the following Hawaii vacation deal available today:
Denver to/from Kona $465 this fall
Sounds great, right? It is, provided that you’re willing to spend 19 hours and 20 minutes in transit with layovers and a total of three flight connections. Pay $150 to $200 more round trip (even on the same airline) and it’s a total of 9-11 hours on more direct routing with a short layover.
Tips related to time spent traveling and cheap flights to Hawaii
1. Airlines are now frequently basing price on the length of time and/or the number of connections needed. The longer the time and the greater the number of connections, the lower the price.
2. Check transit times carefully before purchasing.
3. Determine if a longer connection can actually work in your favor. Such might be the case when it provides a full day or night in a desirable connecting city.
What would you do? Take it or leave it?
When flying from the East Coast one gets a non-stop to Honolulu and then one of the frequent inter-island hops. Still a long flight across six time zones but not a lot of connection hassle.
Europe is closer, with many non-stops to different, assuming that you’re close to a major hub in the USA. Only six hours or so. Bermuda is a quick hop from NYC, but winters are more for golf than beaches. The summers are mild. For some reason Bermuda, which I like, has fallen out of favor.
I guess sooner or later the Convention & Visitor’s Bureau/travel industry in HI is going to have get the state legislature to help them subsidize real flight costs (not the gouge so often apparent)to the islands.
Else why wouldn’t mainlanders rather choose to spend their limited vacation dollars more economically traveling to Puerta Vallarta, the Eastern or Western Caribbean, Bermuda, or the Bahamas, typical similar destinations with great beaches and even-clearer waters than Hawai’i?
Cede Hawai’i to the comfortable Canadians, WestCoasters and Far-Eastern travelers who are willing or able to get themselves there while saving some money to actually put into the local economy!
You would think that the shorter amount of time and/or the number of connections needed would be less expensive. Less fuel, less personnel help at airports. Less hassle for the airlines to keep track of your luggage. Just my opinion.
I just want to fly from Sea-Kona. right now it’s $700+ rt. crazy right?