Deal Alert: Flights to Hawaii From $293 Round-Trip
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using the American Express Platinum Card, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
For the second time this year, flights to Hawaii have dropped under $300 round-trip. While there are still some solid deals from California, this time the cheapest fare isn't from the Golden State, but rather from Denver (DEN).
There are no tricks needed to find these airfares — just find the dates you want by searching with Google Flights, then book on Orbitz, Expedia or directly with the airline itself. Note that while many of these fares are not in basic economy, a few of them are, so be careful when booking to avoid a stripped-down basic economy fare, or know which tools you'll need to defeat the restrictions.
Airline: Alaska, Hawaiian, United, American
Routes: DEN/OAK/SFO/LAX/SJC/SAN/ABQ to LIH/KOA/OGG/HNL
Cost: $292+ round-trip in economy
Dates: March-May and August-January 2019
Booking Link: Orbitz, Expedia or directly with the airline
Pay With: The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Denver (DEN) to Lihue (LIH) for $292 round-trip on Alaska:
Oakland (OAK) to Kona (KOA) for $357 round-trip nonstop on Alaska:
San Francisco (SFO) to Maui (OGG) for $357 round-trip nonstop on Hawaiian:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Lihue (LIH) for $357 round-trip nonstop on Hawaiian:
San Jose (SJC) to Maui (OGG) for $357 round-trip nonstop on Hawaiian:
San Diego (SAN) to Lihue, Kauai (LIH) for $362 round-trip on United:
Albuquerque (ABQ) to Honolulu (HNL) for $404 round-trip on American:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Platinum Card (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
H/T: Fare Deal Alert
