Summer flights to Hawaii from $312 round-trip on Southwest and other major carriers
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.
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 Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). 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.
Surf’s up, fares are down: Summer flights to the Aloha State are on sale now via several major airlines.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more travel tips
The cheapest ticket prices begin at $139 one-way or $312 round-trip to Maui for the first week of June, departing from many West Coast cities, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose and Los Angeles. However, rates like these are available all the way through 2020 as of now, so don’t limit your search. According to Google, these fares are at least $300 cheaper than usual on some routes — summer fares to Hawaii often average between $600-800 per person — so this is a great time to lock in your peak-season vacation at budget pricing.
Among the airlines offering these rates is family-friendly Southwest. Lowest cash prices begin at $312 round-trip from Oakland direct to Honolulu.
Related: Here’s how to get your money back when a Southwest fare goes down in price
The only drawback is that many of these fares begin in basic economy. Basic economy means different things to different airlines but you may not have free use of the overhead bins for a carry-on bag and you probably won’t be able to select your seat, get an upgrade, or earn PQM/PQS/PQDs. However, it’s possible to defeat many of basic economy’s negative aspects by having elite status or a cobranded credit card.
To find a deal, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or an OTA like Orbitz or Expedia.
Airline: Alaska, Hawaiian, American, Southwest, United, Delta, Sun Country Airlines
Routes: LAX/OAK/SEA/AUS/DFW/PDX and more to HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH/ITO
Cost: $312+ round trip
Dates: May-August 2020
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige® Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (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.
Here are some examples of specific flights that are available:
Oakland (OAK) to Honolulu (HNL) for $312 round-trip on Southwest in early June:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Maui (OGG) for $338 round-trip nonstop on United basic economy in June:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL) for $368 round-trip nonstop on Sun Country Airlines in July:
Seattle (SEA) to Maui (OGG) for $395 round-trip on United basic economy in July:
Portland (PDX) to Kauai (LIH) for $369 round-trip on Delta in basic economy in July:
Austin (AUS) to Kauai (LIH) for $463 round-trip on Alaska in August:
Dallas (DFW) to Kauai (LIH) for $520 round-trip on American basic economy in July:
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card, Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
Featured image by Summer Hull for The Points Guy.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.