91 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitors Say Travel Industry Is Preying on Them”

  1. I personally will not be making any kind if travel plass to Hawaii is the foreseeable future. Things are so up in the air, cancellation policies do not accommodate Covid closures, airlines are not helping either. We have enjoyed our visits to Hawaii but I feel we might have made our last trip.
    Thank you

    1. I hate to keep saying this but good I hope MANY choose not to come again that way those of us who have been patient can get better pricing and hang out with only people who actually are happy to be there and dont white about what the state is or is not doing.

  2. We’ve moved our extended family’s trip to Maui and Kaui 3 times now. Delta refunded the difference in fairs going from July to late August, but American would only issue vouchers. With a very limited time window. We could accept vouchers for the difference, but then when we had to rebook again to October, they wouldn’t take the vouchers for that change. Now we pushed back til next June. Waiting to see if the airlines cancel flights but not holding our breath. We could be out thousands just on American. I will not book them again if any options. We’d be happy if they at least extended the window to use the vouchers. Marriott Vacation Club is also not at all flexible. Must cancel by 60 days out or have points restricted. Timeshare owners – points or weeks – are going to get stuck having to travel a LOT in 2021 or whenever COVID is under control, or lose a lot. Not happy at all with their unwillingness to be more flexible! It’s been a total crap shoot!

    1. Go to American’s page on Facebook and reach out to them there and their customer sevice. You will be happy with the results!

  3. We had a trip to Maui planned for June, we purchased through Costco Travel nearly a year in advance. Costco kept us up to date via email as the dates approached (and the virus raged). Then, about a month before we were scheduled to leave we were notified our hotel and car reservations had been canceled and would be refunded. We were told that Costco would do its best to get us a refund from Hawaiian Airlines closer to our scheduled departure date. We received a full refund for our airline tickets a few weeks later. Costco really took care of us, I will be sure to book through them again. Looking forward to returning to Hawaii as soon as we get past this!

  4. I have been fortunate and only book using methods where I can get a full refund. I use points on Southwest (which are easily cancelled), I book my rooms through Maui Resort Rentals (when I go to Maui) which usually offers a 100% refund if cancelled within 60 days. They have even changed their policy for the better for all reservations until December. I also only rent cars through Costco. All pieces are fully refundable. And thank goodness too. I have had to cancel a May trip and a September trip. Now I stopped trying to go to Hawaii.

  5. We have flights booked on Hawaiian air for August 28th, SMF to Honolulu RT They have made changes to our flights several times. They told me on the phone that we would only get a refund if they cancel our flights. So, we are trying to wait them out. But, we have to cancel at least 48 ahead to get a credit voucher
    We had a timeshare booked through RCI, luckily we were able to cancel that. Although, we only have a credit voucher with them.
    If you have any ideas as to how we can get our money back, we would be most aappreciative 😊
    Thank you !

    1. Hi Janet.

      If you read today’s comments and what we have said before, the best way to contact Hawaiian is via direct messaging in social media. That seems to have worked based on what readers have reported many times.

      Aloha.

      1. As I posted a few months back, going through Hawaiian’s Facebook page got my money refunded and air miles redeposited.

  6. Hawaii, and all of its vendors and businesses that rely on tourist $$$, it going to have to do without my $$$ for a LONG time into the future. I view Hawaii as toxic as the cruise industry where I won’t be planning to spend any $$$ until the soonest of 2022 if even then.

    Other places have figured this out. Hawaii is hopelessly lost, even when they have examples of what is and what is not working elsewhere. It is unfortunate as I would prefer to spend my $$$ in Hawaii but no mas.

    1. And what “other” places are those? No island that normally has tourists. But by all means keep crying.

  7. I had to cancel my June 13, 2020, Maui trip. Since the airlines cancelled my flights, according to DOT guidelines I requested a refund, and I was refunded for all tickets. I had flights on American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. I still have not received a refund from the condo, they actually had to cancel because they couldn’t accommodate the 14 day quarantine. I had travel insurance also through AIG, filed a claim in May but they have not had time to look at it yet. Probably going to loose my $1,100.

  8. It was me Nancy D that wrote that I clearly think the airlines are scamming us people selling us tickets to Hawaii then we can’t go .. or it’s impossible then just give us credit. Then the ticket cost more. The airlines are scamming us STOP SELLING TICKETS THEN…. we can’t swim to Hawaii dang it 🤣

    1. It’s a highly transmitteable disease. Sorry about your vacation. The state of Hawaii is not at fault here.

  9. I guess we were very lucky. We cancelled our flights and accommodations for April, and then again for November. Both Hilton and Hawaiian airlines were very accommodating. Of course, since we rebooked our flights and vacation for next March, there were no refunds involved. We did have to pay a bit for the fare difference between November and March, but nothing exorbitant. I thought we were treated very well, and are really hoping that all will be well for the trip in March. Missing our kids, and Hawaii.

    Thanks for being a site where people can share their experiences, and for keeping us up to date.

  10. The group of four of us that were planning to come have had ZERO issues in fact Hawaiian Airlines offered a full refund or use of our same tickets at no change no extra charge thru 2021. The Hotel graciously rescheduled us twice and refunded our money once we decided to pull the plug this year. So its Not everyone having these issues

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