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Act quickly: Fly to Hawaii for less than $200

April 15, 2022
5 min read
Sunset on a Maui Beach
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If you’ve considered the possibility of a late, last-minute spring trip, Alaska Airlines has a sale going on right now that includes some great deals on trips to Hawaii.

The deals are limited to some very specific dates and routes. But since it's been less than a month since the state relaxed the vast majority of its COVID-19 restrictions, this could be a great chance to go enjoy beautiful weather, beach resorts and stunning nature in Hawaii for less than $200 round trip.

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Alaska Airlines announced the deals this week as part of a series of discounted fares on certain routes in and out of some of its biggest west coast hubs. There are a number of flights within the U.S., for instance, for $69 one way.

It was the $99 one-way tickets to Hawaii that stood out to us, though.

(Photo courtesy of Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

The deals are being offered most prominently through the end of the month, with limited options in May. In order to tap into the best deals, you’re going to need to be flexible in booking on the days the carrier is offering the best fares.

It’s also important to note that these particular deals are only on flights departing from a couple of West Coast airports, but if they work with your travel plans, this could mean great savings on your trip compared to other times of the year.

Deal basics

Airlines: Alaska, with some options on United.
Routes: SFO to OGG; SAN to KOA.
How to book: Directly through the airline.
Travel dates: Throughout April and May 2022.
Book by: There's no official end date to the deal, but we suggest booking as soon as possible to take advantage of this pricing.

Related: I had sworn off Hawaii during the pandemic. Here’s why I went back

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 Sample Flights

I found a number of options for flights out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG) on Alaska Airlines for under $200 round trip. These itineraries are direct flights, which is an added bonus to the fare prices.

Flying on Alaska, it’s a five and a half hour direct flight to OGG, with the return trip a hair under five hours. The round-trip ticket I found was priced at $197.

(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)

There were also some similar options on United. The search I ran had direct, round-trip flights priced at $197 for May 5–12 between SFO and OGG. This could be a great opportunity for frequent United flyers looking to book some flights in cash to accumulate miles as opposed to spending them.

(Screenshot courtesy of United Airlines)

You can also take advantage of this deal by flying Alaska Airlines from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Kailua-Kona Airport (KOA) on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Just like the SFO–OGG routes, the price is $197 for direct, round-trip flights. The outbound flight from San Diego is about six hours, with a little under five and a half hours on the return trip.

(Screenshot courtesy of Alaska Airlines)

Related: Hawaii travel gets a lot easier

Maximize your purchase

To fully maximize this deal, be sure to book with a card that earns rewards on your flight purchase, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5 points per dollar on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel). You can also use an Alaska Airlines credit card or a United credit card when booking direct to earn even more miles with those respective airlines on your purchase.

Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

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.

Bottom line

This is a great deal for West Coast travelers who have the flexibility to book quickly and take their trip in the next month. Taking a positioning flight to either airport might also make sense for those who live in other major U.S. cities and want to take advantage of this deal.

If it fits your schedule, this is a great bargain on a trip to one of the U.S. states most frequently atop travelers’ bucket lists.

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto
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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3XEarn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
2XEarn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.
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  • Intro Offer
    Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.

    Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles
    50,000 Bonus Miles
  • Annual Fee

    $250
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    670-850
    Excellent/Good

Why We Chose It

Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.

Pros

  • Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
  • Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
  • First checked bag free

Cons

  • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
  • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
  • Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
  • New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees