The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Deals
Act fast: Fly to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines for $99
A classically trained journalist, Caroline Tanner covers news and travel for TPG. She is a dual-journalism graduate of Mizzou and Northwestern.
September 15, 2021 • 7 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.
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.
Related stories
Quick summary
A major airline offered discounted one-way fares to Hawaii from select U.S. cities, starting at $99 for a limited three-day sale.
Travel dates spanned late September through February or March, with blackout periods during peak holiday travel.
Lowest fares were available on specific routes and days, primarily Mondays through Thursdays, and required booking by a set deadline.
Saver fares included basic amenities, with options to upgrade for additional comfort.
What to consider
Flights must be booked at least 14 days in advance and by 11:59 pm PT on September 16.
Holiday periods in mid-December and mid-February are excluded from the sale, and lowest fares are mostly available outside these windows.
Saver fares include assigned seating and last boarding, with one carry-on and one personal item allowed; upgrades to main cabin are available for an extra charge.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of route options, booking strategies and travel tips for maximizing this Hawaii fare sale.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Fall is coming, which means winter is not too far behind. Come January, you'll probably do just about anything to escape to a tropical destination. Well, how does Hawaii sound? For just three days only, you could fly to Hawaii and back for as low as $99 each way thanks to Alaska Airlines' Hawaii sale.
Flights are available from Sept. 28 through February/March from various cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, to Maui, Kauai, Kona and Honolulu, starting at $99 for select routes. The sale also includes departing/return flights from Hawaii to the mainland U.S. for the same price.
Hawaii in March 2021. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Airline: Alaska Airlines. Routes: PDX/SEA/SJC/SAN/ANC/LAX and others to HNL/KOA/OGG/LIH. Cost: Starting at $99 each way for select routes. Dates: Book for travel between Sept. 28 and February/March. The exact end dates depend on the route. Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3x on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel.
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
One-way flights are available from select U.S. cities to Kona (KOA), Maui (OGG), Kauai (LIH) and Honolulu (HNL). Example routes include:
Departing from San Diego (SAN) for $99 to HNL, KOA and OGG.
Departing from Los Angeles (LAX) for $99 to HNL and OGG.
Departing from Portland (PDX) for $149 to four Hawaiian islands.
Departing Anchorage, Alaska (ANC), for $198 to HNL, KOA and OGG.
Before we jump in, let's discuss logistics. Flights must be booked by 11:59 pm PT on Sept.16 for travel at least 14 days out. Flights during holiday travel, specifically Dec.15-30, are excluded from the sale, as well as Feb. 16-17. In searching, you'll note the availability of the deal depends on the timing. Most have more open availability at the lowest fare throughout October and November, before tapering off in December and January for the holidays and picking back up in February through March.
This deal is valid on flights departing Mondays through Thursdays for the airline's saver fare, which means assigned seating and boarding last. Passengers are allowed one carry-on plus one personal item. For $40 each way, you could upgrade to the main cabin. Note that a 24-hour cancellation policy applies to all fares.
This deal includes flights from Portland and Seattle to Honolulu for as low as $149 each way. For example, you could fly nonstop from Portland (PDX) to Honolulu (HNL) for a week in mid-November for less than $300 round-trip.
(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)
One-way flights for $177 are also plentiful in February and March.
Oahu, Hawaii, in 2021. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Nonstop flights from Seattle to Honolulu for as low as $149 each way are also available, like the below flight in February next year.
(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)
SJC/SAN to KOA
Let's talk about the star of this deal, which is its $99 one-way flights, including from San Jose, California, and San Diego to Kona. The below round-trip flight is in mid-January from San Diego to Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. This round-trip flight would cost you less than $200.
Remember this deal goes through March, so you could fly from San Jose to Kona for $99 each way as well.
(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)
If you are planning to take advantage of this deal, do note a few logistical considerations regarding traveling to Hawaii during the pandemic. If you are headed to Honolulu or elsewhere on Oahu, note that as of Aug. 30, the island requires proof of a COVID-19 vaccine or negative test to eat at bars and restaurants, in addition to other indoor facilities. This mandate is expected to last through at least October.
Oahu, Hawaii, in 2021. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Fully vaccinated travelers no longer have to get pre-travel testing or quarantine upon arrival and those who are unvaccinated age 5 and older can skip the mandatory 10-day quarantine by submitting results of negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure. The state has not indicated its intention to add back pre-travel testing, vaccination or self-quarantine requirements for interisland travel. All travelers 18 and older must register for the Safe Travels online program.
Earlier this week, Hawaii Gov. David Ige rolled out Hawaii’s Smart Health Card for locals to use as a form of digital vaccination proof to access businesses and venues with COVID-19 vaccination requirements. It is currently only available for those vaccinated in the state of Hawaii, though.
Lastly, we would be remiss not to mention the pleas from Ige and other officials to avoid tourist travel to the islands due to the strain tourism has put on the state in managing COVID-19. If you take that into consideration, which you should, perhaps use this deal as an opportunity for travel that is further out.
How to book
There are no special codes needed to find these fares. Just go to the Alaska sale landing page here for the details.
You can also use Google Flights and plug in your desired departure and destination cities. Then, use the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you and then click through to book with the airline directly.
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on travel), American Express Gold Card (3x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel), Citi Premier Card (3x on air travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
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.
