Cheap flights to Hawaii? Visitors say that’s a myth. Airfare has become one of the steepest and most frustrating parts of planning a Hawaii vacation. Families tell us they’re priced out of trips they once took regularly, while couples say the deals they relied on have disappeared.
Yet a new study reported by Forbes claims Hawaii has the cheapest airfares in the nation, with an average ticket cost of $287.79. That figure combines short interisland hops with long-haul mainland flights, creating a distorted picture of what travel to Hawaii really costs today.
The study that crowned Hawaii cheapest.
The FinanceBuzz study, reported by Forbes contributor Gary Stoller in September 2025, analyzed airfares from over 100 U.S. airports using data from the Department of Transportation. It found that Hawaii’s five airports (Honolulu HNL, Kahului OGG, Kona KOA, Lihue LIH, and Hilo ITO) had the lowest average domestic fares in the country.
According to the report, those flights averaged $287.79 compared with a national average of $382.62. The most expensive state was New Jersey at $547.91. On the surface, those numbers make Hawaii appear surprisingly affordable to reach by air.
FinanceBuzz confirmed in its published materials that the ranking reflects all domestic departures from Hawaii airports, not inbound mainland-to-Hawaii fares. The result is a blended number that does not match what most visitors pay to get here.
FinanceBuzz confirmed in its published materials that the ranking encompasses all domestic flights departing from Hawaii airports, including short interisland routes between islands, as well as longer mainland flights. Because interisland tickets greatly outnumber the far costlier mainland routes, the statewide average fare is pulled sharply downward, creating the illusion that Hawaii is the cheapest state for airfare.
What travelers really pay.
Recent searches on Google Flights tell a very different story. A traveler flying from Los Angeles to Maui for the December holidays found roundtrip economy fares at nearly $1,200 on Hawaiian Airlines when booked a few months in advance.
A Seattle to Honolulu trip in February priced at $724 roundtrip on Alaska Airlines. From New York’s JFK to Honolulu in July 2025, Delta listed some fares at $1,453 roundtrip.
Even during off-peak months, finding deals can be challenging. Airfare-tracking company Hopper reports that the average roundtrip fare from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii this year is about $640, up twenty-two percent from 2019. That is more than double the FinanceBuzz figure.
Dave, a Beat of Hawaii reader from the Bay Area, said his family used to fly every summer for around $350 each. “This year it was $760 each, and that’s before baggage or seat fees,” he told us. “The cheap flight thing feels like a mean joke.”
These experiences show why averages can be misleading. While airfare deals do appear, they rarely become available during holidays or school vacations, when most families can travel. The study’s figures may be technically correct, but they are irrelevant to how most visitors plan and purchase flights to Hawaii.
A look back: when Hawaii fares really were low.
In 2010, the average roundtrip mainland-to-Honolulu airfare was $454, according to Airlines Reporting Corporation data. By 2019, it had risen modestly to $520. The big jump came after the pandemic, when airline capacity dropped and demand surged.
In 2023, the average ticket surpassed $650, a 43% increase over the past decade, even before adjusting for inflation. Inflation-adjusted, that number approaches $800 in today’s dollars. While the FinanceBuzz study is not wrong, it is measuring something else entirely. For most travelers, the cost of getting to Hawaii has never been higher.
How Southwest changed the math.
Part of the reason Hawaii appears cheap on paper is the rise of interisland competition. Since Southwest Airlines entered the Hawaii market in 2019, it has flown thousands of short routes between Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Those low fares, often priced between $39 and $59, dominated the dataset. According to DOT flight statistics, nearly 40% of all scheduled flights operating in Hawaii are interisland. That ratio explains much of the “cheap average” illusion.
Industry and tourism context.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s most recent visitor report noted that higher travel costs continue to influence arrivals and spending.
UHERO’s State Forecast Update: Visitor Industry Trends 2025 reached similar conclusions, warning that rising travel costs could weigh on Hawaii’s economy. Repeat visitors who once came annually are now staying home or exploring alternatives in the South Pacific.
The gap between perception and reality, between a $287 headline and a $1,200 ticket, is hard for travelers to ignore.
When Hawaii flights really are cheaper.
Deals still exist, but timing matters. Based on Kayak and Google Flights data, the cheapest months to visit Hawaii are typically April, May, September, October, and early November. Tuesdays and Wednesdays continue to yield arguably the best fares, and booking roughly three to four months in advance improves odds of finding deals.
Flights from the West Coast remain the most affordable, averaging around $400 to $500 roundtrip during shoulder months. Prices jump sharply for midwinter escapes, major holidays, and school vacations. East Coast travelers can sometimes find connecting itineraries under $900 if they book early and remain flexible on dates and airports.
What the bigger picture means.
Hawaii’s designation as the “cheapest” state for airfare highlights how data can mislead without context. While interisland flights truly are inexpensive by comparison, the majority of Hawaii’s visitors are not focused on flying those routes. Instead, they face record-high mainland fares that shape their perception of value and affordability.
Meanwhile, the disconnect between Hawaii’s “cheapest” ranking and what travelers actually pay to get here continues in part to shape how visitors perceive value in the islands and whether they choose to come at all.
Have you found a surprisingly good deal on Hawaii airfare, or were you shocked by prices when you searched? Tell us what you paid and when you booked.
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How can you print these lies , the cost of my ticket is more than double what it was last April. Inter island flight is almost 3 times more with fewer flights and longer waiting between connections. Really messed up.
We have been flying from SoCal to Hawaii at least annually for 20 years, and only once before have we gotten fares cheaper than they are currently.
We always look for the cheapest fares and have no brand loyalty.
From 2005 to 2015 (with the exception of the GFC: 2008-2011) we typically paid $500-$600 for a nonstop roundtrip from LAX to OGG.
From 2015 to 2024 the cost was typically $400 to $500.
Next month we are making what will probably be our last trip to Maui for awhile (for reasons stated in other posts) and our cost was $417 per ticket.
On the other hand, Hotel Rooms/Condos have skyrocketed in price over the same period.
Flying is now the cheapest part of Hawaii travel.
Booked 3 months ago. Chicago to Kauai with a plane change each way. 55 minutes in Cali. $212 American going and United return flight. Trip is October 29th. Deals can be found. Our lodging is at the Waimea Plantation Cottages. 3 bedroom. With the Airfare, $1073 for a week!
That $287 fare is not true. I booked through Booking.com last January for a trip to Oahu for one month. First their computer went down while booking and mysteriously they refused to correct the information. My name was inverted so had to supply Passport info and a fee to correct their error. Plus seat assignment, checked bags charged for this as well. Then they refused to help me with the return flight after escalating it. As a last resort Hawaiian Airlines helped me get it straightened out. I cancelled my account with Booking.com when I got home. So our $287 fare turned into almost $875 round trip x 2 and they screwed up our rental car at Budget which caused another 1 hour delay at Honolulu Airport because of the inverted name.
Just a few days ago I saw a one-way first class ticket on American Airlines to Kona for $567 from Los Angeles. Best I’ve seen so far… economy is around $200. This search was for April 15th.
We booked Hawaiian Airlines RT SJC to OGG for $527 each in Comfort Plus in July for our trip in September. Not too bad!
We have been visiting the islands yearly for about 15 years. Our itinerary has been consistent: Hawaiian Air flights from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Oahu; Oahu to another island; that island to Maui; and Maui back to SF or LA. Our multi-city air fare for a total of 4 Hawaiian Air flights has been under $1,400 for the past 3 years. The only concern we have is having to pay for our checked luggage.
Makes sense. If you factor in all the Hawaiian daily inter island daily local travel that is $59-100 bucks then the mainland and foreign travelers tickets sink in average price. Rating should be addressed by location like US west coast, East Coast, Asia, Australia, Mexico, and such. IMO this is just a marketing ploy to make tourists feel flying to Hawaii is cheap. I don’t even think you can get a flight point to point mainland through Southwest airlines for less than $100 dollars like SFO-PDX or PDX-LAS on their LUV let’s get away .deals. Not to mention all the local, resident, discount that Southwest and Alaska gives to Hawaiians that other travelers are not eligible for.
Yes, if you know statistics, well you can skew numbers and data the way to benefit your argument.
The airfares from Seattle to Kona have increased significantly since 2015.
With the addition of the supersaver fares included in this article it has greatly lowered the average cost of a flight when added together and then divided. I personally fly Main, Premium or 1st class depending on price as I want to choose my own seat.
I do purchase up to 6 months before my travel and check the prices. I’m retired and my dates are flexible.
So in closing the airfares to Hawaii are not the cheapest.(unless you use a super saver deal)
Cheap airfares to Hawaii are a myth! (Unless you want to sacrifice comfort and convenience)
Yesterday I booked two adult tickets to Maui on Hawaiian Airlines. The total round trip cost was $2,414.80.
The cost breakdown for the Seattle to Kahului nonstop flight in Extra Comfort Seats:
Base Airfare: $1723.00
Seat Cost $580.00
Taxes & Fees $111.80
That was for an April flight and on a Tuesday.
We like the Airbus 330 service, but “it ain’t cheap”!
We are both large adults and appreciate the comfort seats for long flights.
Airfare from STL is easily double to triple what it was just a few short years ago. And that isnt flying comgortably in a larger plane with breathing room. That’s a seat in a Full Flight with barely enough room to scratch your nose. The the nice Aloha and Hawaiian flights are just distant memories now.
We’ve flown from San Jose to Honolulu several times during October, April/May and July over the past 4 years. This year has been the most expensive and deals were hard to find. Prices have just remained pretty high.