Deal Alert: Summer Flights to Hawaii From $311 Round-Trip — NYC Included
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 that 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 Platinum Card® from American Express, 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.
Still haven't booked your summer beach getaway? Or is it that you just came back from such an amazing trip that you've been itching to go on another one? Regardless which boat you fall into, you're in luck because summer flights to several major Hawaiian destinations are on sale from just $311 round-trip. You'll find the lowest fares out of Phoenix (PHX), but there are plenty of other departures with the discounted fares — including New York City (JFK & LGA), Texas (DFW & IAH) and the West Coast.
If you're looking to pay as little out of pocket as possible, you may be best off booking these flights by redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points (opposed to converting them into airline miles). As a reminder, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem UR points at 1.5 cents each, meaning that some of these options can be booked for under 21,000 points round-trip. Plus, if you're flying with American Airlines, you can earn extra award miles and AAdvantge Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQD) by booking Special Fares through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Note that you might not be maximizing the value of your UR points if you redeem them this way, which TPG pegs at 2.1 cents apiece.
To book, head to Google Flights and plug in your desired departure city and destination. After finding the dates that work best for you, book with the airline directly, an OTA such as Expedia or through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
Airline(s): Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, United
Route: IAH/JFK/LAX/LGA/OAK/PDX/PHX/SAN/SEA/SFO/SJC to HNL/KOA/LIH/OGG
Cost: $311+ round-trip in economy or 20,713 Ultimate Rewards points
Dates: July – September 2018
Booking Link: Orbitz, Expedia, Chase travel portal or directly with the airline.
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Phoenix (PHX) to Kona (KOA) for $311 round-trip or 20,713 UR points in September via Chase Ultimate Rewards portal:
Dallas (DFW) to Lihue (LIH) for $354 round-trip or 23,586 UR points in August via Chase Ultimate Rewards portal:
Phoenix (PHX) to Maui (OGG) for $355 round-trip or 23,640 UR points in September via Chase Ultimate Rewards portal:
Houston (IAH) to Lihue (LIH) for $364 round-trip or 24,253 UR points in August via Chase Ultimate Rewards portal:
New York (JFK) to Kona (KOA) for $374 round-trip or 24,920 UR points in July via Chase Ultimate Rewards portal:
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 (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.