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Guides
How to fly to Hawaii starting at just 13,000 points each way
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
May 18, 2023 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
Hawaii remains a top destination for travelers, offering diverse landscapes and activities from beaches to hiking and surfing.
Booking flights to Hawaii using Avios can provide significant value, with nonstop economy flights from the West Coast available for as few as 13,000 Avios one-way plus minimal taxes and fees.
British Airways partners with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, allowing travelers to book these award flights at lower rates compared to booking directly through those programs.
Flexible points from several major transferable currencies can be converted to Avios, making this redemption accessible for many U.S. travelers.
What to consider
Award availability may be limited and some routes are seasonal, so flexibility with travel dates is important.
Taxes and fees are low at $5.60 each way, but always compare with cash fares, as occasional sales may offer better value.
You can transfer points from multiple flexible programs to Avios, including via indirect routes, increasing accessibility.
What you'll miss from the article
Step-by-step instructions for searching and booking these award flights, plus tips for maximizing value and alternative booking strategies.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Hawaii continues to be a TPG reader favorite with gorgeous natural scenery, friendly people and lots to do. The volcanic island chain in the Pacific Ocean offers famous beaches, rainforests and mountains, but Hawaii also provides outdoor enthusiasts with exciting surfing, hiking and snorkeling activities. Whether you want to unwind on the shore, experience the local traditions or explore nature, Hawaii is a fantastic destination that caters to all.
Lucky for readers, Hawaii happens to be one of the best sweet spots in award travel. You can fly there from the West Coast for as little as 13,000 points or miles one-way if you’ve got any of the following currencies:
The British Airways Executive Club offers one of the cheapest ways to get to Hawaii using points and miles. The carrier's distance- and segment-based award chart prices nonstop economy flights between 2,001 and 3,000 miles at just 13,000 Avios. On nonstop domestic U.S. award flights (including those between the West Coast and Hawaii) the taxes and fees are just $5.60 each way.
When you book these flights with Avios, you’ll fly on British Airways partners American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. As a reference, these programs generally charge the following for the same routes:
American Airlines — 20,000-plus miles.
Alaska Airlines — 15,000-plus miles.
Tickets to Hawaii frequently sell for $260 or more per person, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting outsized value for your rewards. When redeeming 13,000 Avios, you should average a value of 2 cents each. That’s a solid 33% more value than TPG’s valuation of Avios.
American Airlines and Alaska Airlines offer a handful of routes to the four main Hawaiian islands — though some are seasonal. Here are the nonstop routes under 3,000 miles that you can book for 13,000 Avios each way in economy class:
Origin
Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG)
Kauai's Lihue Airport (LIH)
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA)
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC).
Alaska.
Alaska.
N/A.
Alaska
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Alaska and American.
Alaska and American.
American.
American.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
American.
American.
American.
American.
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Alaska.
Alaska.
Alaska.
Alaska.
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Alaska.
Alaska.
Alaska.
Alaska.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Alaska.
Alaska.
N/A.
N/A.
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
You can search and book American- and Alaska-operated awards on the British Airways website. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Log in to the British Airways site
Sign in to your British Airways account and hover over the “Book” tab at the top. This is where you’ll find “Book a flight with Avios.”
BRITISHAIRWAYS.COM
Step 2. Enter your travel details
Enter your origin and destination according to the eligible routes outlined above. For this example, we’ll search from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
BRITISHAIRWAYS.COM
Step 3. Select your ideal flight
Hopefully, you’re staring at loads of availability for your desired date. If you can’t find any, you can head to the American or Alaska Airlines website and look for saver availability in a monthly calendar view, then return to the British Airways site once you find dates that work for you.
You’ll now see flight details and an award cost of 13,000 Avios plus $5.60. Click “Continue” to move forward with booking your award.
BRITISHAIRWAYS.COM
This exact flight costs 20,000 AAdvantage miles and $5.60. You could save 14,000 miles round-trip by booking through British Airways.
AA.COM
The Alaska-operated flight requires 22,500 AAdvantage miles — or 16,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles.
ALASKAAIR.COM
But it's not just the pricing that makes this such a great award option. It's also because how accessible Avios are for a large number of U.S. travelers.
A major reason this award is a sweet spot is because of how truly effortless it is to earn British Airways Avios. You can transfer the following flexible currencies to British Airways:
Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 transfer ratio (plus 5,000 bonus Avios for every 60,000 points you transfer).
You can also transfer Qatar Airways Avios to British Airways at a 1:1 ratio. This is an important detail because Qatar is a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou points. Therefore, Citi ThankYou is a 1:1 transfer partner of British Airways by proxy.
There are plenty of cards that earn these types of points, such as:
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
On the other hand, American AAdvantage only partners with Bilt Rewards for transfer purposes, while Alaska isn't a part of any transferable program.
In other words, you're getting both a better price and a wider variety of opportunities to earn the rewards you need for the ticket.
Hawaii is about as international as you can get without leaving the country, and a stash of British Airways Avios is one of the best ways to get there for (nearly) free. You can even fly an open jaw to see two (or more) Hawaiian islands when using British Airways Avios since there’s no pricing advantage to booking a round-trip award with this sweet spot.
Additional reporting by Sarah Hostetler and Kyle Olsen.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
