Flights to Hawaii

[Bellasmummy]

Any top tips on booking flights from LAX to HNL and return for next summer? Or possibly returning to San Diego?

We went to Hawaii in 2018 and booked our flights using avios through BA for each leg individually. I can’t even find the flights through BA paying cash now.

Skyscanner shows reasonable prices but they’re all through third parties. Direct with the airlines is coming up very expensive for June which I was looking at earlier.

We’re after August but I like to know the best plan before our dates are released.

We do have enough avios to do it that way again but was planning on using them for the uk to lax flights. Not sure which option would be better.

Would be interested to hear how others have booked their flights.

Thanks all

[KarenG]

I just book whoever is cheapest! I have done it from the UK all the way to HI and using a combination of points and cash / booking internal legs separately.

Our next trip is booked through Skyscanner (with Skyscanner themselves though I know this sounds odd as I’ve always used them as a screen scraper rather than booking engine) from a local airport, all checked bags included, £720 return (economy). Not great flight routing on the way home and I’m concerned about all the well publicised airport issues at the moment, but these flights were booked before any of that was in play

[Bellasmummy]

Originally Posted by KarenG

I just book whoever is cheapest! I have done it from the UK all the way to HI and using a combination of points and cash / booking internal legs separately.

Our next trip is booked through Skyscanner (with Skyscanner themselves though I know this sounds odd as I’ve always used them as a screen scraper rather than booking engine) from a local airport, all checked bags included, £720 return (economy). Not great flight routing on the way home and I’m concerned about all the well publicised airport issues at the moment, but these flights were booked before any of that was in play

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Is that per person?

For 3 people in June I’m seeing £1200 return in Skyscanner but over £2000 if I look direct with the airlines.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

Is that per person?

For 3 people in June I’m seeing £1200 return in Skyscanner but over £2000 if I look direct with the airlines.

See more...

Is June just slightly too early (depending on your exact dates)?

Yes, per person.

I just wait until a price I’m happy with pops up and book then, but I realise that may not work if you want to lock flights in sooner. Price is the most important factor for me and I’m happy to go elsewhere if I don’t find the right price (I always have so far though). I tried different airports and for the dates I booked Heathrow was about £900 plus checked luggage on top - and that adds up with four flights in total!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

Any top tips on booking flights from LAX to HNL and return for next summer? Or possibly returning to San Diego?

We went to Hawaii in 2018 and booked our flights using avios through BA for each leg individually. I can’t even find the flights through BA paying cash now.

Skyscanner shows reasonable prices but they’re all through third parties. Direct with the airlines is coming up very expensive for June which I was looking at earlier.

We’re after August but I like to know the best plan before our dates are released.

We do have enough avios to do it that way again but was planning on using them for the uk to lax flights. Not sure which option would be better.

Would be interested to hear how others have booked their flights.

Thanks all

See more...

We have just done this.

A key point is that only a US airline flag can fly an internal
/ domestic flight in the USA as I understand it. Hawaii is in the USA and this is important when I summarise firstly what I have purchased, then secondly what you may purchase.

I realised in research that a single ticket purchase off a return ticket to Oahu will involve a stop on the US mainland and also be very expensive. This led me two lateral thinking (as I also prefer multi city deals in any case).
What if I split my deal in half, bought tickets on a multi city, into and home from the Western Seaboard and then a further multi city ticket from my US arrival city to Honolulu, then back to my flight home US departure City.
Clearly and in order to prevent a delay preventing my boarding my second flight, I would look to a couple of days layover at each of my mainland cities in order to pretty much ensure I could make my connections?
It would have to be cities where it is easy to transit from Airport to Downtown in order to maximise these short(ish) layovers.
I don’t like Los Angeles and it is huge as well as gridlocked. I never intend returning.

I do like SFO and the BART (Bay area rapid transport) gets you into Union Sq really easily.. plus a team can take you to Fishermans after disembarking at Powell.

I love San Diego and it is little more than a (British as opposed to American), walk to the Harbourside area, where the Springhill Suites looks awesome!

I have never been to Seattle and the good train/tram takes half an hour to get from Tacoma Int to downtown Seattle. It also goes past and stops by the Boeing Museum of Flight!

Vegas always seems a comparatively expensive flight, but McCarran Int is at the bottom of the ‘Strip’. A possible that I will explore in October.

Portland? Not even looked at it.

Vancouver? It’s in Canada and presents problems if I fly to Honolulu from there, but want to fly home via a US City.

WHAT DID I DO ?

I booked a flight LHR- Vancouver at Easter app 20 March, then a Flight home from Seattle on 05 April. I booked with AA as I had a £200 credit from my last adventure and the flights are both BA. (BA we’re £65 more expensive on their own aircraft!).
I have an Army friend in Vancouver that I have not seen for 33 years, but is keen to meet up. These flights were £415 each when hand baggage, but the wife wanted not to be last on, wary of being ‘bumped’ and also to fly Prem Economy home. That took them to £615 inc baggage both ways, although we will still do it hand baggage only as we like to travel real lite.

I booked a Canadian Airlines Vancouver- Hon around 23 March and an Alaskan Airlines Hon- Seattle around 03 April, giving me 2 days, one night in Seattle. Total £379. I am not worried about the second airline but as the flights are 11 days apart.

In summary, I could have done the whole deal in the Easter Hols at £796, but due to my frivolous wife, I am doing it at £996.

WHAT YOU MIGHT DO (AS YOU HAVE NO REASON TO VISIT CANADA)

Buy LHR - SFO and San Diego- LHR around 18 days apart.

Buy SFO- Hon for 3 days after arrival in SFO , returning to San Diego 4 days before your homeward leg.

Hand baggage only, I would be hoping for around £850 return, having 3 days in SFO, 10 in Oahu and 4 in stunning San Diego.

THOUGHTS.
There are many permutations and only good research will take you to an answer.

Hoping this helps!

[Bellasmummy]

Originally Posted by KarenG

Is June just slightly too early (depending on your exact dates)?

Yes, per person.

I just wait until a price I’m happy with pops up and book then, but I realise that may not work if you want to lock flights in sooner. Price is the most important factor for me and I’m happy to go elsewhere if I don’t find the right price (I always have so far though). I tried different airports and for the dates I booked Heathrow was about £900 plus checked luggage on top - and that adds up with four flights in total!

See more...

Ideally I want an afternoon flight to HNL and an overnight flight back.

I think I’m going to start watching the release day prices and follow to see if there’s any pattern to prices peaking then dropping. I’ve got a bit of time yet so easy to keep an eye for a while.

I think last time I didn’t get the flights booked until about 4-5 months before as I was watching for reward flights. I’m just not sure yet if I should use the avios for the Hawaii flights for the uk flights, I want to maximise the saving I get from them.

Hope you have a great trip, and that the flights work out well.

[Bellasmummy]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

We have just done this.

A key point is that only a US airline can fly an internal
/ domestic flight in the USA. Hawaii is in the USA and this is important when I summarise firstly what I have purchased, then secondly what you may purchase.

I realised in research that a single ticket purchase off a return ticket to Oahu will involve a stop on the US mainland and also be very expensive. This led me two lateral thinking (as I also prefer multi city deals in any case).
What if I split my deal in half, bought tickets on a multi city, into and home from the Western Seaboard and then a further multi city ticket from my US arrival city to Honolulu, then back to my flight home US departure City.
Clearly and in order to prevent a delay preventing my boarding my second flight, I would look to a couple of days layover at each of my mainland cities in order to pretty much ensure I could make my connections?
It would have to be cities where it is easy to transit from Airport to Downtown in order to maximise these short(ish) layovers.
I don’t like Los Angeles and it is huge as well as gridlocked. I never intend returning.

I do like SFO and the BART (Bay area rapid transport) gets you into Union Sq really easily.. plus a team can take you to Fishermans after disembarking at Powell.

I love San Diego and it is little more than a (British as opposed to American), walk to the Harbourside area, where the Springhill Suites looks awesome!

I have never been to Seattle and the good train/tram takes half an hour to get from Tacoma Int to downtown Seattle. It also goes past and stops by the Boeing Museum of Flight!

Vegas always seems a comparatively expensive flight, but McCarran Int is at the bottom of the ‘Strip’. A possible that I will explore in October.

Portland? Not even looked at it.

Vancouver? It’s in Canada and presents problems if I fly to Honolulu from there, but want to fly home via a US City.

WHAT DID I DO ?

I booked a flight LHR- Vancouver at Easter app 20 March, then a Flight home from Seattle on 05 April. I booked with AA as I had a £200 credit from my last adventure and the flights are both BA. (BA we’re £65 more expensive on their own aircraft!).
I have an Army friend in Vancouver that I have not seen for 33 years, but is keen to meet up. These flights were £415 each when hand baggage, but the wife wanted not to be last on, wary of being ‘bumped’ and also to fly Prem Economy home. That took them to £615 inc baggage both ways, although we will still do it hand baggage only as we like to travel real lite.

I booked a Canadian Airlines Vancouver- Hon around 23 March and an Alaskan Airlines Hon- Seattle around 03 April, giving me 2 days, one night in Seattle. Total £379. I am not worried about the second airline but as the flights are 11 days apart.

In summary, I could have done the whole deal in the Easter Hols at £796, but due to my frivolous wife, I am doing it at £996.

WHAT YOU MIGHT DO (AS YOU HAVE NO REASON TO VISIT CANADA)

Buy LHR - SFO and San Diego- LHR around 18 days apart.

Buy SFO- Hon for 3 days after arrival in SFO , returning to San Diego 4 days before your homeward leg.

Hand baggage only, I would be hoping for around £850 return, having 3 days in SFO, 10 in Oahu and 4 in stunning San Diego.

THOUGHTS.
There are many permutations and only good research will take you to an answer.

Hoping this helps!

See more...

Thanks, it’s interesting to see the different permutations you looked at.

In 2018 we did LHR-LAX return over three weeks and had the middle week in Hawaii flying in and out of LAX.

We want to repeat certain elements of that trip but staying in different places.

LAX works for us on the way out as we want to do Universal Hollywood and Disney before heading to Hawaii. After that we want to head to San Diego, would rather fly straight there but if it’s a lot cheaper we’ll drive down from LAX.

Would really prefer to fly home from San Diego for ease but again LAX isn’t a game cheaper if it saves enough.

These kind of trips are always a bit more tricky to pull together I find as everything gets booked over a fairly long period. I could book some hotels now, some won’t be released until 8 months before. We want to rent dvc points so need to be on the ball for those. Reward flights if possible so probably booking each leg separately as school holidays go quickly.

It’s making my head hurt already 😂 it’ll be worth it though.

I’ve got my heart set on staying at The Del so am preparing myself for a shocker of a price there. Everything I can save on flights will help!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

Thanks, it’s interesting to see the different permutations you looked at.

In 2018 we did LHR-LAX return over three weeks and had the middle week in Hawaii flying in and out of LAX.

We want to repeat certain elements of that trip but staying in different places.

LAX works for us on the way out as we want to do Universal Hollywood and Disney before heading to Hawaii. After that we want to head to San Diego, would rather fly straight there but if it’s a lot cheaper we’ll drive down from LAX.

Would really prefer to fly home from San Diego for ease but again LAX isn’t a game cheaper if it saves enough.

These kind of trips are always a bit more tricky to pull together I find as everything gets booked over a fairly long period. I could book some hotels now, some won’t be released until 8 months before. We want to rent dvc points so need to be on the ball for those. Reward flights if possible so probably booking each leg separately as school holidays go quickly.

It’s making my head hurt already 😂 it’ll be worth it though.

I’ve got my heart set on staying at The Del so am preparing myself for a shocker of a price there. Everything I can save on flights will help!

See more...

The primary difference between us is that if I said I had no further interest in theme parks whatever, then I would be grossly exaggerating my remaining interest in Theme Parks. As for the Mouse….. I never got it in the first place.

We are going West Coast alone and without children in just 82 days time, having given the kids their last parent funded USA/ Theme park vacation in April. Even then, we only purchased DC ultimates.

I am never worried about complexity as most all our vacations in the past decade have been multi city, planes, trains and automobiles with a decision made on each leg as to the best mode of transport.

I feel certain that you will pull it off and further, that it will be brilliant!

[berneslai]

Just as an extra permutation, have you considered the United flight out of Santa Ana (John Wayne airport)? I’m flying SFO-HNL-SNA next week.

I booked my outbound through Skyscanner (Hawaiian) but it actually was direct after clicking through. Return was through Expedia on United. Both flight bookings are recognised on the carrier iPhone apps so I can’t tell the difference between booking direct and indirect.

[KarenG]

SNA is much better than LAX for Disneyland

CFB, doing a ticket all the way to HNL and back doesn’t have to be expensive, in my experience, and also doesn’t have to include a stopover. Though we found the 24 hour travelling day and eleven hour time difference very tough.