Hawaii travel is split. One version gets you here on a cheap fare and meals from the Costco food court. Another offers butlers, private SUVs, and suite-only yachts. And in between, what used to be the most common kind of Hawaii vacation with moderate pricing is fading fast.
We first noticed it while reporting on cruise tiers in From Buffets To Butlers: What Hawaii Travel Has Become. But a reader said it better than we could.
Jim wrote: “The three travel tiers are also a reflection of what is happening in America’s housing affordability, with the middle being squeezed downwards and the upper class able to afford premium everything. Hawaii’s travel model may just be what will exist in all facets of life for everyone—and maybe Hawaii’s travel model is a trendsetter of the way things are becoming everywhere, travel or otherwise.”
We haven’t stopped thinking about that. It aligns with what we’ve been seeing for years and what many of you’ve been telling us as well. And now, more than ever.
The access tier: just getting to Hawaii.
This is the Hawaii vacation where you watch fare alerts like a hawk, jump on a Hawaiian or Southwest sale, or use saved miles, and make the numbers work. Maybe you’re in an older Waikiki hotel, a no-frills condo in Kihei, or another basic accommodation that’s clean, safe, and not much more. Groceries come from Costco or Foodland, with poke eaten on the beach and musubi packed for the next day’s adventure. It’s not glamorous, but it’s Hawaii, and for many travelers, that’s still the ultimate dream come true.
The trouble is, even this version is getting substantially more expensive. Airfares from both the West and East Coasts have doubled mainly in the past year. Prices even for simple plate lunches have gone up across the islands. As we reported in Surging Hawaii Fast Food Prices Amplify Travel Costs, even fast food is straining budgets. Rental cars, taxes, fees, and activities have all soared in tandem. And with fewer direct flights available, when you find lower fares, they sometimes come with longer or less convenient itineraries.
This tier still works—but only if you’re willing to adapt. That might mean flying at odd hours, skipping island hopping, trimming your stay duration, or cutting back on activities and excursions. You’re still in Hawaii, but it takes more compromises to make it happen, and for many, it no longer feels like the trip they remember so fondly.
The indulgence tier: pay to skip the stress.
This is the Hawaii trip where everything is taken care of. You land, and someone’s already waiting. The room has a view, a stocked minibar, and maybe even a butler. You’re at places like the Four Seasons Lanai, private resort enclaves, or aboard the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, now quietly entering the Hawaii cruise market with an experience most visitors will never see.
This tier isn’t just about spending more. It’s about removing friction entirely. These travelers get picked up in luxury SUVs, bypass lines, and rarely touch their bags. They’re not navigating Hawaii. They’re floating above it.
This is where the industry, from airlines to accommodations, is investing most heavily now. It scales well, and it sells the fantasy of Hawaii without the reality. Hotels, like airlines, are now using AI to adjust room rates hundreds of times a day. Loyalty programs demand more points for fewer perks. As benefits shrink for everyone else, this tier is being actively pursued.
The curation tier: curating your own.
This is the tier that takes the most thought, and often delivers the most meaning. It’s not about grabbing the cheapest deal or chasing the highest-end ones either. It’s about creating a trip that feels like your own slice of Hawaii. You stay at a small inn or an older hotel with personality. Maybe only two stars, but with a small view. You plan your days around trails, farmers markets, local restaurant lunches, and time in the water, but not just checklists.
You do the thorough research, not on Reddit. You avoid the worst crowds. You pay attention to what’s changed and what hasn’t. It’s not always easy, but it’s deeply rewarding when you get it right.
Unlike the access tier, which often means scaling back, or the indulgence tier, which you buy your way into everything, the curation tier requires actual design, and that’s what makes it harder to achieve and all the more authentic.
This is where BOH editors spend most of our travel lives and where many of you still find your rhythm. However, it’s also the most challenging tier to maintain. As we noted in This Is Not The Hawaii You Knew: A New Travel Reality Emerging, even seasoned visitors are finding it harder to plan the kind of trip that used to come naturally.
Why this tier is fading fast.
The curation tier isn’t something you can buy off the shelf. It’s not a package or a preset itinerary. The traveler builds it one decision, one discovery at a time. And that’s precisely why it’s at risk.
As reservations become tighter, closures more common, and prices rise without always reflecting value, it’s getting harder to pull off this kind of trip. First-time visitors often don’t know where to start. Even longtime travelers—us included—are adjusting on the fly. We’ve had to change plans based on cruise ship schedules, overcrowded lookouts, closed trails, and weather patterns that didn’t used to shift so fast.
In Hope for Hawaii’s Most Devoted Visitors, one reader said it plainly: “We don’t want luxury. We want connection. But it’s become exhausting to plan.” And that’s what we keep hearing—again and again.
It’s the middle-class Hawaii vacation that’s breaking.
Across the U.S., vacation budgets are shifting fast. A recent series from GOBankingRates on vacation inflation reported that a basic family vacation to Costa Rica now averages $7,800 without airfare. Hotel prices in the Netherlands forced one family to skip the country altogether. Single-day theme park tickets have risen to nearly $200. What used to be a seven-night stay is now often just four nights.
Hawaii airfares are up significantly from last year. Sales are few and far between. Across the country, road trips are on the rise and are often longer in distance, and RV rentals are also increasing. More Americans are opting for driving vacations or staying close to home, not because they prefer it, but because trans-Pacific air and hotel pricing no longer work. Travel budgets are shrinking even as prices rise, and in many cases, it’s the middle-tier traveler who’s getting squeezed out of Hawaii.
What’s happening in Hawaii isn’t isolated.
The split we’re seeing—between high-end and bare-bones travel, with the middle falling away—is showing up far beyond Hawaii. A recent Financial Times article on shifting travel demand reported that U.S. travel demand is now cooling among middle-income travelers, while upper-income households continue to spend freely. That same piece pointed out that the mid-tier travel market is under the most pressure, exactly where curated, effortful Hawaii trips used to thrive.
Business Insider’s report on luxury summer travel found that more than half of this summer’s travelers have household incomes over $100,000, with luxury hotel bookings rising sharply. Meanwhile, mid-range options aren’t keeping pace, either in terms of inventory or pricing flexibility. The result is a travel experience that increasingly caters to those who can spend far more or are willing to settle for much less.
What’s playing out here may be the early version of something much broader. Hawaii has consistently absorbed economic shifts more quickly than most places. And this time, it’s showing how travel—and travelers—are being re-sorted into extremes.
Hawaii is a national mirror.
This isn’t just a travel story. It’s a reflection of something bigger. Hawaii has long been a kind of preview market, where limited space and intense demand collide in ways that often play out ahead of the mainland. Whether it’s airfare, accommodations, or the cost of a burger, what happens here tends to show up elsewhere, albeit just a little later.
The shift we’re seeing now, where travel is either stripped down or designed for the most wealthy, looks a lot like what’s happening across American life. The middle isn’t disappearing all at once; it’s just harder to hold onto. Pew Research pointed to the shrinking U.S. middle class years ago. That data may not be current, but the direction hasn’t changed. And Hawaii is just making it all the more visible.
Your story completes the picture.
We’ve said it before, but it continues to prove true. Some of the clearest signals about Hawaii travel come from you. We hear from readers who have downsized their trips, delayed return plans, or completely changed how they travel to Hawaii. Others are doubling down on making their time count, even if it takes more work. That mix is what fleshes out the picture, not just what data or the travel industry says.
If you’ve noticed the shift in tiers, we’d like to hear how it’s impacted you. Has the middle gotten harder to find? Is the experience still worth it? Or have you had to compromise in ways you didn’t expect?
Please share your experience.
Let us know how you’re navigating Hawaii now. What’s different and what’s the same? What’s gone? What’s still holding up? Your insight doesn’t just reflect the trend—it often gets ahead of it. And we’re all ears.
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With the prices at an all time high it is out of reach for most Canadians who love Hawaii
A room at the Halekulani at 1000.00$/n is ridiculous.
Between Trump and the exchange rate ($1400.00) and the cost of Hawaii travel our time on the glorious islands is probably over!!!
I think you left out a very significant reason why people may be choosing other vacation destinations. Hawaiians don’t want us (haoles) there. They’ve made that very clear, and sometimes that message comes through in your articles. It’s gotten worse after Covid, of course.
Aloha Mike. Are you aware how few Hawaiians still exist? And that once you make their acquaintance, 90% of them are the sweetest people you will ever meet, and are welcoming, especially when you provide them with respect.
Could not agree more with the author’s premise. My wife and I have been upper middle tier Hawaii travelers since our retirement in 2018. Six visits to various islands. We were in our late 60s then and now mid 70s. We are healthy and active, but Hawaii has become such an ordeal to plan. And the flight costs and uncomfortable seating are especially ‘hard’ on seniors. Sadly, my wife is now a hard No to a Hawaiian trip, even if I manage to curate what now passes for a deal. It was fun while it lasted. Aloha my friends
Dynamic pricing is the major culprit to all travel decisions. It is cheaper to just stay home.
It’s a shame the Hawaiian state government has made affordable vacations to Hawaii difficult at best. In addition to removing short term rentals available for visitors, the state has hurt its own small business owners who depend on a regular stream of visitors to use services while on vacation. It’s time for the state to accept that tourism drives the Hawaiian economy and nothing will replace it.
I last visited my favorite Hawaii property for a couple weeks (Waikoloa Marriott on the Big Island) just a month before covid shut the world down.
That was my 22nd trip to Hawaii and I have not returned since. I miss it very much but I have been priced out so do travels more regionally now. It’s sad but unfortunately it is the world post covid.
I’m in middle class. We love Hawaii, but it’s now longer affordable for us. This article gets it right. Sorry to say.
My wife and I are coming to Maui the end of August for 36th anniversary. Been coming to the islands since our honeymoon. This will likely be our last visit. Prices are off the charts airfare and accommodations making it difficult to justify a trip. We’ve begun looking at Central America and Caribbean for our future sun and sand trips but we’d rather be coming to Hawaii.
Visit different every 2 years with family. Rent house, research local eateries, and seek out local sights. Book flights 4 to 6 months out and prices have gone up still affordable
Currently planning a trip to Kauai and trying to book a luau. Prices are north of $160/person. For a family of four, that’s nearing unaffordable for average food, crowded seating in the back, and a show for an evening.
In one sense, it’s an ingenious way to limit tourism – price the majority out of the market by turning Hawaii into an elitist destination. However, if that is the goal, you still haven’t addressed the housing and employment problems faced by residents. If you want to scale back tourism, what alternative industries can replace it?
I’m in Aruba right now because a Canadian friend told me she is looking for a cheaper alternative to Hawaii and wanted me to come check it out with her.
She, hubby and kids regularly visited Kailua on Oahu for years, always renting a home for a week or more.
She says the weak Canadian dollar means she can get the same quality beaches and safe feeling in places like Aruba for less than half the price of Hawaii.
I somewhat sheepishly have to admit that I actually go home to Honolulu regularly in part because I enjoy the premium experiences there which simply aren’t available where I live. The Sunday Brunch at the Halekulani, the Omakase meal at Sasabune, shopping for gifts at Ala Moana etc.
However, the simple pleasures of hiking a beautiful trail, having a great plate lunch from Liliha Drive Inn, getting a musubi from 7/11, taking a friend to Yokohama Bay, and hanging out at Arnolds don’t cost much, are a lot of fun, and far more “authentic” than most of what gets pushed as such by the tourism and travel industry nowadays.
The unrealistic portrayals and expectations raised by these industries make a mockery of what Hawaii used to be… It’s my experience that it’s still very possible to have great vacation at a reasonable cost if you don’t drink the koolaid of what they are trying to sell to you…
Best Regards
I agree completely. People on a strict budget (“middle class” or otherwise) need to be creative to finding value. In the “olden days,” it might have been easy to just book an all-inclusive tour. Now, as with almost every other desitination in the world, you have to string together value buys (airfares, hotels, tours, etc.) so you can have a great budget vacation. The internet makes it much, much easier to find value (Google Flights, Airbnb, TripAdvisor, the various OTAs, etc.). Don’t be dismayed. Go find value.
We were going to make our 3rd trio to Hawaii next year. After looking at the costs we’ve decided not to go. Instead we’ll do something else for our trip.
I think many of your readers missed the point of this story. Many comments suggest ways to save a little money and do their trip more simply than they might have before. While that is certainly possible, the point of the story is that as the “middle class traveler” we are again being squeezed and forced to downsize, economize, forgo, and heavily strategize for a Hawaiian vacation that used to be cheaper, easier and better. Yeah, it’s still possible, but not as nice. Unless of course you’ve got the money. Like airplane seating, the squeeze is on.
I submit that this is Not a “Hawaii-only” problem. Most other vacation spots are also more difficult to plan and require more research than “just winging it.”
We bought into a good timeshare which allows us to stay in Waikiki for less than 100 a night, with a kitchen in modest condos. We avoid restautants, too expensive, and yes, we play the flight bargain game too.
Indeed, Hawaii has become very expensive for a modest vacation and government taxes are a problem too, both with flights and accommodation.
I would never pay the 300-400 a night for hotels, no wonder travellers are down in numbers. Stop Gouging Hawaii.
Reading this story brings my last trip to Las Vegas to mind. Used to be that you could do Vegas on a budget that fit all comers. Now everything in Vegas is geared to premium experiences. You might be able to get a couple nights at f comped or afford guest rooms, but the food prices, shows and attractions that used to be the low cost lures to get you to gamble are now all of a sudden profit drivers. Do you do the $79.00 buffet or do you do the $20 food court pizza?
Do you remember the .99 cent shrimp cocktail in downtown vegas? I do, and it’s long gone! Aloha
Definitely agree. Vegas used to be a fun and cheap weekend getaway. Went twice last year after a 8yr absence. Surprised by the dinner prices and 25.00 mixed drinks at many bars and restaurants. Hawaii was always more expensive but prices have risen especially high since 2020. Sad.
The least expensive way to visit Hawaii is to rent a condo Owner Direct. Make sure they are licensed and reputable (reviews) but once you make that connection there’s no better resource. Condos offer full kitchens & laundry plus most provide beach chairs, beach gear – All ways that help make your vacation more enjoyable and affordable. Hawaii isn’t cheap but it’s still affordable if you do your due diligence . Aloha🌺
Excellent comprehensive article by BOH editors! Been coming to Hawaii for 60 years. First trip in 1965 when 17 years old. The changes in Hawaii over the past 6 decades are massive, just like everywhere else in the USA. Now that we’re in our mid 70s we are definitely in the middle curator class tier.
Used to come two and even 3 times a year. Now it’s one and sometimes twice a year. Very little island hopping as in the past. Search for airfare and rental car rates months in advance. Creatively use miles and one way fares to maximize value. Arrive Lihue, pickup rental car, hit Walmart, Costco, Long’s in Kapaa, then on to the Princeville Timeshare. Only eat out for dinner. Gone are the big Splurge days. Do I miss the old Hawaii days? Yes, of course.
Am I ready to throw in the towel on Hawaii?
No, not as long as we can cobble out a decent itinerary. Aloha to all.
I feel it !
This week was my family’s 4th visit to Hawaii (in a span of 15 years), and I would say….things have really changed from ‘price tag’ perspective.
When I came here last time, I didn’t think much about the cost, as they were expensive but not out of reach, but now I’ve to think 10 times before reserving any activity for family.
Definitely, I’m not having fun like last time !
Local legislators and business owners need to think about it, as this is coming from a person who is not a low-earner.
IMO the middle class that felt rich came home feeling poor. The incovenience of making reservations for beaches, trails, sites, etc. How can you go and not have to plan? The freedom is gone and everything you do is like going to a dentist or doctor’s appointment. It’s one thing to have a service take care of all your needs if one has or want’s to spend that much money. Sounds like Hawaii is more marketing Fine dining, Luxury hotels, luxury golf courses, and beach views from a yacht. Without HTA or the new reorganized operation really What does Greenie really want to know about next?
Traveling is a giant game now. The fly game, the drive game, the stay game, the sustenance game, and the what u going to do game. Then there’s the jerks on a plane game, the gps game, the noisy neighbor game, and this food sucks game. Which means, do your homework, CYA, plan for the worst and hope for the best, and above all, Have Fun!!! LOL!
The effect is just as profound on the people who live here. We used to enjoy going to Oahu once a quarter to do shopping, catch a movie or two, and just do things that weren’t readily available on Kauai. Now, one weekend costs what four used to, and the crowds just aren’t worth the hassle. Internet buying and streaming are filling in for past pleasures and enjoying the beauty of the unknown to tourists parts of Kauai make life complete for much less money.
Build Pele Park a eco friendly self sufficient water park and convention center, the water park is for the people and the convention center will be named for the great Queen liliuokalani, which will help with the excessive taxes and fees on the tourism industry
Even after discount for locals, one night at Halekulani will cost about $1K for ocean view rooms after tagging on multiple, different taxes; parking alone with the facility is insane, too. Another example, the newly renovated Ritz-Carlton Turtle with cheapest room price starts over $1K+ (no locals discount) will be pretty challenging for many to lodging there just a night or two. With that said, I believe many tourists will not be fond of coming to the Aloha state, like many other tourists hot spots, “milking” them mercilessly. Sad!
We visit several times a year, twice for board meetings and once for a family reunion. Over the last few years, and especially since COVID, we’ve found that air fares have gone up around $200-300 pp, and food prices have really gone up in both restaurants and grocery stores. We have a time share, so we haven’t experienced the hotel rates. We love Hawaii; it’s home to the family, but the costs never seem to stabilize for either travelers or residents. Not sure how much longer we can visit at this rate.
I have enjoyed reading your articles for the past months learning about the travel woes coming to Hawaii and other places. I am from I guess what you would call the lower middle class as I am a retired secretary, nowhere near that $100,00 per year income. I managed two Tours to Hawaii in 1981 to bring my mom on her dream trip and 2012w ith a friend on the large cruise ship, Spirit of America I believe it weas called. Both tours were great and we got a lot of culture, scenic visions, park and nature area visits, etc. I am wondering if that class of travel is affected by all this mentioned turmoil in your articles. It seems that the individual tour traveler is out of the mix. How do these changes affect those of us who depend on tours for such travel? I don’t see that type of travel mentioned in your articles unless it is called something else now-a-days. Thanks for your consideration.
I pay more for a flight to Maine than a flight to Viet Nam? Why is that?
If I want to go to Hawaii, premium seating, first class, if available, I’m going, period. There’s plenty of flights going to Hawaii, yes the prices are up, but it’s summer, kids are out of school, lots of people go on vacation. We were in Maui in April, the prices, at the time we made reservations, on Delta, were about average. The resort price was high, but I didn’t think it was any higher than any year in the past. I don’t think the middle is getting squeezed out or the rich is getting catered to. Every place you go to nowadays, Florida, California, New York, Hawaii, there is places for middle income people and rich people. I have no issue with that. The crowds are ridiculous everywhere, been to FL beaches lately? Prices are higher everywhere, food, gas, hotels, rental cars, attractions. I don’t have an issue with some Hawaii attractions being closed or with reservations, I’m not a resident of Hawaii, I’m a visitor, so I have to go by the rules.
Unlike most of your readers. I am 40 year Hawaii resident, and can report that, over the years, the demographics have changed dramatically. We have always had rich folks and beach bums. However, you are right, the middle class visitor numbers are fading. I just took a (very uncomfortable) Alaska flight from Seattle direct to Kauai and was shocked that the plane was only 1/3 full in couch and full in first. Too pricey for most beach bums and a rip-off for the middle class. Never again!
The airlines will usually upgrade their higher ranking status customers into first class and other premium seats for free to fill all the better seats. I have flown first class to Hawaii numerous times, without actually ever buying a first class seat, due to airline loyalty programs.
Interesting that you never mentioned vacation rentals once, since those are what most easily allows you to get the curated experience. Nothing beats having your own house/pool/kitchen to capture an authentic experience as opposed to artificial/commercialized.
Aloha Sue.
I am unsure of what you mean by a “curated” experience provided by vacation rentals. Unless the owners or agents are providing you with a lot of pertinent information about your accommodations, as well as solid recommendations as to eateries, activities, sights, hikes and beaches, I would hardly refer to a trip as “curated”. That said, I am the owner/operator of two farmstays on Kauai and pride myself on “curating” guest stays.
Also, a house rental with a pool and a kitchen is hardly an authentic experience by local standards, and hardly a luxury that most middle class visitors can afford. In a prime location, a week in the type of vacation rental you describe will cost $3500 at the low end and $10,000 + for larger homes or luxury digs with a view, plus the exorbitant 17.962% tax rate on short term rentals, scheduled to increase at year end.
Sounds upper middle class or more to me…
Mahalo nui, e komo mai,
Bruce F
To be fair, they did mention “a no-frills condo in Kihei.” That said, I don’t think of most condos as no-frills. We vacationed regularly in condos in complexes with beaches and pools, and we found it to be a great experience. Cooking most of our meals made the trip so affordable and we didn’t miss the daily housekeeping service as we were usually only staying for a week.