Jan 19 2008
Where are the Hawaii Travel Deals? Part 1: Airfares
What to expect?
The New Year is looking unusually bad for finding deals from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii. Why? Basically, the airlines now have excellent control over inventory (seats) and, with no new competitors, they aren’t likely to be offering the kind of deals we’ve seen as recently as last fall.
While there will be occasional and mostly last minute deals to watch for (which we plan to tell you about), West coast hub cities to Honolulu or Maui are starting at about $300+ round-trip (much more, say double, during peaks including spring break and summer). If you are willing to fly poorly-rated ATA (which I am not) rather than Hawaiian, Aloha or the majors, they often have some of the best deals.
To the Big Island and Kaua’i, normally add $100 round-trip for the connection, or $200-$400 round-trip more for non-stops from these cities. But there are no generalities, so check all of the options, and again, you might consider ATA.
When should I buy airlines tickets for spring break and this summer?
Given the above conditions, this year I would start looking to buy immediately for these high seasons. Or if your travel plans are flexible, wait until we are actually into each high season, to find pricing weaknesses that will cause the airlines to do last minute discounts.
Search tip: Try using Travelocity’s “flexible dates” search parameter.
When should I get mileage award tickets?
For a trip to Hawaii (one of the most desirable mileage award destinations), it is best to again, either plan far ahead (usually 330 days in advance, depending on the airline), or towards the last minute. Otherwise, expect to pay in double miles, which isn’t fun.
Say tuned and we’ll keep you apprised of any deals worth mentioning.
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