Sometimes the most interesting part of a travel story on Beat of Hawaii (BOH) happens after we hit publish. You, our loyal readers, add experiences, perspectives, and details that never made it into the original article, and often the conversation becomes more revealing because of what you add. There have been more than a quarter of a million reader comments published on BOH.
The best reader voices do not simply agree or disagree with a story. They add something we did not have or even think of before, whether it is a receipt, a firsthand memory, or a comparison that entirely shifts how an issue looks.
As many as a third of the articles on Beat of Hawaii have started with something a reader said, and that has been true for almost twenty years. We remain one of the very few Hawaii travel publications that still hosts and actively moderates reader comments to keep them polite, on-topic, and out of politics.
Recently, three things struck us exactly that way. One came from a repeat visitor who broke down the actual cost of their 20-night Hawaii vacation and explained why she is not planning another one. Another came from a Hawaiian Airlines pilot saying goodbye to the airline he had represented around the world for 26 years. The third offered an unexpected perspective on one of Hawaii’s most talked-about wildlife incidents.
A $13,320 Hawaii vacation.
The conversation around Hawaii’s rising costs often gets reduced to broad statements about overall affordability. Nancy brought something far more specific after visiting Hawaii every year since 2012, sharing the numbers from her most recent trip down to the fees, charges, and nightly costs.
Her comment put a specific dollar figure on a discussion we have been hearing on Beat of Hawaii. It also showed how repeat visitors are not always reacting to a single fee or a bad bill, but to a growing sense that each trip now has yet another layer of charges and less to show for it.
“It’s not the fees themselves that change my plans, it’s the never ending addition of fees and nothing to see for them. We traveled to Maui and Hawaii in April/May this year for a total of 20 nights and the lodging alone was $11,800 including tax, cleaning fees, admin fees etc. On Hawaii there was an extra charge of $130 per day for the Beach Club so that was another $1170. On Maui, the resort fee was $35 per night adding an additional $350. Total for both stays was $13,320 which is an average of $1332 per night. Both island accommodations were condos. Then add in the airfare, rental car and groceries and dining out. This also does not include any activities or parking charges. This was far and away the most expensive trip the islands and we have been coming every year since 2012 only missing 2020 due to Covid. As it stands, we are not returning next year because the cost has skyrocketed. I cannot justify this high $ expense again.” — Nancy.
Join the conversation on this article here: Visitors Aren’t Planning Hawaii The Same Way As Summer 2026 Begins
A pilot says goodbye.
We have covered the end of Hawaiian Airlines as a business story, a branding story, and a Hawaii story. William reminded us that it is also a deeply personal story for the people who carried that name into cockpits, airports, and air traffic control conversations around the world.
After 26 years of saying “Hawaiian” to controllers, he is now learning to say “Alaska” instead. On paper, that is a change to the radio call sign. His comment became something much larger and harder to dismiss.
“The last petal from Pualani’s beautiful flower has been plucked. Hawaiian Airlines is no more. All pau. I have spoken the words “Hawaiian xxx” to air traffic controllers around the world for the past 26 years. Saying the radio call sign “Alaska” from now on will be a very hard transition to make. A huge “Mahalo!” to all the guests who have flown with Hawaiian Airlines for the past 95+ years! We couldn’t have done it without you! Aloha!” — William.
Join the conversation on this article here: Hawaiian Airlines Is Gone. Travelers Just Lost The Airline That Knew Hawaii Best.
A different view of this Hawaii wildlife controversy.
The monk seal incident generated some of the strongest reader reactions we have seen recently. Most focused on the actions of the visitor involved, which was understandable given the images and the emotions around Hawaii wildlife.
Mike S steered the conversation elsewhere by drawing a comparison from his home state of Montana. Whether readers agreed with him or not, he added a perspective that pushed the discussion beyond the easiest version of the story.
“While I wholeheartedly agree the rock throwing tourists needs to be held accountable, this kind of bad behavior happens all over. In my home state of Montana a buffalo calf in Yellowstone National Park had to be put down, because 2 Hawaiian men attempted to help it out of the river. Its mothers would not nurse it after they had touched it. So, nobody is perfect. And in all cases, all parties should be held accountable. I don’t know why people can’t just admire from a distance! The fact you got to see a Monk seal would be amazing. Been to Hawaii 5 times have never seen one. We always bring friends with us and we always educate them on the wild life and not to touch especially the turtles.” — Mike S.
Join the conversation on this article here: Visitors Turn On Hawaii Tourist Who Attacked Monk Seal With A Rock
One reason we pay such close attention to reader voices.
First, they continue to surprise us. Nancy, William, and Mike S each added something different: the cost of a Hawaii trip broken down in real numbers, the voice of someone inside Hawaiian Airlines at the end of a long era, and an outside comparison that complicated a story many readers thought had already been settled.
That is the part of Beat of Hawaii we do not want to lose. We see articles as a way to start the conversation, but readers often take it somewhere more useful, more personal, and more revealing than we could ever expect.
What would you add to any of these conversations?
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One can pay nightly rate plus 18.712% taxes on Big Island plus cleaning fee in many great privately owned places on the Big Island, avoiding resort fees, parking fees, etc. But, that 18.712% is the highest in the country and that is a shame. Shop around.
Currently on Costco Travel October 4 through 24 stay Maui/Hawaii 10 days each.
Low end accommodations with rental car no flights including all fee’s 5,909.96, plus you get a 5 percent back if using Costco Credit card.
Higher end accommodations 10 days Palms at Wailea Maui, 10 days Hapuna Beach resort BI…with rental cars 10,159.78, plus 310 in Costco gift cards, breakfast buffet included at Hapuna Beach, that’s a 1,200.00 value, plus 5 percent back when using Costco Credit card.
Hilton Hawaiian Village. Nice room but then add $55 resort charge +9.88 tax on resort charge, $78.33 combined tax on the room, $93.19 for valet parking, $99.90 to rent an umbrella on the beach. So yes, becoming very pricey.
Wow! Mahalo Nui to BOH for keeping it so very real and spot on. Even more Kudos to Nancy, William, and Mike for their personal reflections that were heartfelt and very inspiring!
Aloha to all.
If the visitors had stayed 20 nights in a STR, they would have most likely avoided the resort fees. Saves money on meals by having a unit to cook in.
While her math may have ben a mistake, $660/night w/o air or meals is pretty steep. Toss in $200/day for meals for two (could be more, could be less) and then airfare…We can fly to Maldives from the US, stay 10 nights in an all inclusive 5* resort in an overwater villa with everything paid for for $950/night. Just saying, Hawaii is pricing itself out.
regarding the $13,320 lodging for 20 nights: the average is $660 .. 13320 / 20 = 666.
The increased expense of visiting the Hawaiian islands is what is wanted by the Hawaiian visitors department. The reason is that they Want the wealthy and rich to visit and Not the average income visitor. The ultra wealthy and rich don’t hike, they don’t trespass, they don’t trample sacred sights… They usually stick around the resort and order room service and massages… They may hire a tour flight around the island… But their footprint is much smaller than a family visiting for the first time… So these are the people the Hawaiian visitors department want!
I believe Nancy miscalculated her average cost per night by a factor of 2.
For 20 nights the total of $13320 represents a cost of $666 per night.
Yes, Hawaii is very expensive. , however, your nightly rate was $666 not $1332. $13,332 divided by 20 nights.
Not to diminish the continues trend of tacking on fees and escalating costs of visiting Hawaii, Nancy’s math is off. $13,200 divided by 20 nights equals $660 per night, not the $1,320 noted in her comment.
I love the islands. Hisband and I have come for 15 years. The expense this year was prohibitive and I am literally heart broken to be priced out after we have treated the islands as our ” home”. Feeling very ” abused” right now. Some tourists are nasty, entitled and behave ignorantly. We were not those people.
My heart is broken 💔
A number of years ago I saw a commentary on the rising cost of nothing, such as the increasing cost of a utility hookup to your house, not the service usage, just the hookup. That seems to be what Nancy has been tracking all these years and what many long time visitors are seeing. The rising cost of nothing.
Re: the story about changing uniforms. That story made me upset. Not just the fact that Alaska has destroyed Hawaiian Air bit by bit. What bothers me most is the dismantling of a culture. Sounds like the old, sad story of being denied your right to be who you are: no leis, no Hawaiianshirt, no hair flowers pretty soon no saying aloha, mahalo. Alaska has stripped Hawaiian Air to a bland, soulless corporate model and is erasing everything that made Hawaiian Airlines the best. They are cancelling the Hawaiian culture just like every other takeover by a conqueror that has come to the islands. They did not have to do that but they chose to because it’s all about money and not about caring about customer service or ensuring a pleasant travel experience or even allowing us to experience a beautiful culture that is continually being stamped out. RIP Hawaiian Airlines. Hello flying greyhound buses.
Michelle I get your sentiment but it’s called a “uniform” for a reason, so that everyone looks/dresses the same. An Alaskan Air flight from Rome to Amsterdam with a flight attendant in a Hawaiian shirt or lei etc would certainly look weird to a European. Alaska bought the company and has a right to do with it as they wish, but they could not buy it if Hawaiian A/L didn’t sell so perhaps your angst should be directed elsewhere.
Regarding Mike S. From Montana’s comment about people behaving badly everywhere. Agreed! However the incident with the “2 Hawaiian men” that were trying to help a young buffalo calf out of the river seems to differ in that they were “trying to help”. The rock throwing tourist hardly seemed to share the same desire to help an animal in distress. He will have his day in court and perhaps we’ll find out what his real motivation was.
Also, not “Hawaiian,” but just a resident of Hawaiʻi.
I for one Mahalo you two for this site and all you do to keep us informed and letting us add our 2 cents. People may not realize how much time and energy is spent on airplanes and in airports. We whine on an occasional trip, you guys are on a never ending trip. So Mahalo to you both for doing this.
Hi TE.
Mahalo for that! After nearly 20 years, it’s readers like you and these conversations that keep us going.
Aloha.
Where was Nancy staying at for $1,332 per night? It had to be a high end resort. There are plenty of really nice and affordable STR condos on Maui (at least for now) that won’t break the bank.
The comment by Mike is not surprising. Parks on the mainland deal with the issue of disrespectful tourist as well. From tipping over ancient rock formations to harassing wildlife. Seems there are people out there that just can’t think beyond themselves and enjoy nature.
We’ve flown HA for probably the past 20 years. On our last trip, the reality of the Alaska takeover hit when our flight number changed our familiar HA33 was suddenly a AS 933. Fortunately, the aloha spirit is still there.. at least for now.