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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.
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The Best Transfer Partners for Booking Flights to Hawaii
Jason Steele is a Senior Points and Miles Contributor who has been writing for The Points Guy since 2012. An expert in credit cards and award travel, Jason travels frequently across the United States and around the world with his wife and three children. Jason lives in Denver, Colorado, where he enjoys cycling, snowboarding, and piloting airplanes.
April 11, 2018 • 8 min read
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Quick summary
Redeeming points for flights to Hawaii can be challenging due to high demand, but using flexible point transfer programs expands your options.
Award availability is generally better for inter-island flights once in Hawaii, with most major islands now accessible via nonstop service from the mainland.
Different frequent flyer programs and transfer partners offer varying mileage requirements for flights to Hawaii, with notable deals through select international loyalty programs.
Travelers from the West Coast benefit from distance-based programs, which can offer lower mileage redemptions compared to those departing from the East Coast.
What to consider
Award space for flights to Hawaii is limited, especially during peak travel periods and from the mainland, but inter-island flights are typically easier to book.
Mileage requirements and redemption value vary significantly by loyalty program and transfer partner, with some programs offering better rates for business or first class awards.
Some offers and redemption rates mentioned may no longer be available, so always check current program terms before booking.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of the best loyalty program transfer partners and strategies for maximizing award flights to Hawaii, including specific program quirks and booking tips.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
When it comes to redeeming miles for vacation, for many people, Hawaii is a dream destination. Perhaps that’s why flights to Hawaii are also some of the hardest award tickets to redeem.
When booking an award to Hawaii, or any other popular vacation destination, it helps to have points in one or more of the main flexible point transfer programs — American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest — because you can use those points for travel on a variety of airlines, or to top up your frequent flyer program of choice.
To maximize your transfer options, it’s important to know which partners offer the best deals on award flights to Hawaii as well as for inter-island service.
Special Considerations for Booking Awards to Hawaii
It used to be that most flights to Hawaii from the mainland arrived in Honolulu, and travelers to any other island were expected to change planes there and board a short "island hopper" flight. Today, most of the larger islands (Hawaii, Maui, Kauai and of course Oahu) can be reached by nonstop service from the mainland. Nevertheless, it’s sometimes easier to piece together a trip arriving on one island and transferring to another. You can do this by booking an award on an airline that has a codeshare with the only remaining inter-island operator, Hawaiian, or by booking a separate award between islands.
As hard as it often is to find award space to Hawaii, it can actually be very easy to find award seats on flights within the islands once you're there. In fact, it’s rare that I find inter-island flights without the award seats I request, and even when that is the case, there’s usually another flight with availability within hours.
In most frequent flyer program award charts, Hawaii is in its own zone, with a unique number of miles required to book tickets there. So the mileage needed to book an award on a particular flight can vary greatly depending on which program you use. However, there's one notable exception: the Korean Air SkyPass program.
Another factor to consider is that travelers from the West Coast and Alaska are within 3,000 miles of the islands, or about half as far as travelers from the East Coast. Thus, travelers closer to Hawaii can take advantage of distance-based frequent flyer programs like British Airways Executive Club.
Hawaii is within 3,000 miles of all West Coast destinations.
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.
