Hawaii newcomer Virgin America is celebrating their 9th anniversary and with it comes a sale, a frequent flyer (Elevate) bonus, and interesting questions about the future of the highly regarded brand. These Hawaii deals run through May 2017, when Alaska Airlines will be the new owner. It remains to be seen if there will be any re-branding or not.
Anniversary Sale to Maui and Honolulu
Book by August 10 to take advantage of this anniversary sale. Some fares are valid into May 2017, and others are good to February or March. See our tips below on finding the best deals on these flights to Hawaii. Fares below are round trip including all required taxes and fees.
San Francisco to Maui $378. Excellent pricing for late summer and fall. Fares as low as $408 are available through mid-May 2017 which is a great opportunity to lock in Hawaii vacation plans. Holidays are not included.
San Francisco to Honolulu $398. Most economical for late summer and fall. Some dates available through mid-February 2017, except holidays.
Los Angeles to Maui. $478-$493. Late summer and fall have best availability. Some dates available through March 1, except holidays.
Los Angeles to Honolulu $498. Best prices late summer and fall. Some dates through mid-February 2017, except holidays.
Elevate Bonus Offer
If you sign up for Virgin America’s Elevate frequent flyer program and fly by September 30, 2016, you can also receive an additional 999 Elevate points. What happens with these points under Alaska Airlines remains to be seen.
Sale to Alaska Airlines
The company was sold in a hotly contested bidding war in April. Alaska airlines was the winner and paid $2.6 Billion for the highly regarded airline.
Future of Virgin America brand
While it was originally thought that Virgin America would become part of the Alaska Airlines brand, that may in fact not be the case. Alaska CEO Brad Tilden said recently they are, “taking a good look at running two brands for some period of time, perhaps forever.”
The reason is that the two companies have distinct cultures associated in part as a result of their customer demographics and loyalty. Alaska is based in Seattle while Virgin is based in San Francisco. As an interesting side note, Virgin America has paid Richard Branson $22 Million in the past three years for use of the name.
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