Forget Arby’s Strange $6 Hawaii Trip — Here’s 6 Ways to Book Your Own Flight for $5.60 Plus Miles

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard

Right now Arby’s wants you to fly 10 people to Hawaii for $6 each to eat its three King’s Hawaiian sandwiches in a tropical paradise. The promo says “No volcanoes. No pineapple farms. Just you, sweet buns, tender meats, and a Hawaiian paradise to eat them in.” And the length of your stay for this crazy sandwich promotion? A whopping six hours!

At TPG, we’ve done some crazy things, but why fly all the way to the middle of the Pacific if not to enjoy the views of volcanoes, pineapple farms, beautiful crystal waters and enjoy true, fresh Hawaiian cuisine? Forget Arby’s gimmick about its sandwiches. With the right strategy you can be enjoying that Hawaiian paradise for less than the cost of a sandwich, and stay much longer than just six hours.

Here are six ways to use your miles to get to Hawaii using miles and deals without bothering with Arby’s.

1. Use 12,500 British Airways Avios One-Way to Fly American Airlines

You can fly to nearly every Hawaiian island using British Airways Avios starting at just 12,500 Avios each way (plus taxes and fees) in economy from cities on the West Coast, and as far east as Phoenix on American Airlines operated flights. Here’s how.

You can earn British Airways Avios with the British Airways Visa Signature Card and points also transfer from American Express Membership Rewards (sometimes with a transfer bonus) and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

2. Fly Southwest Airlines to Honolulu or Maui from 9,000 Points

Southwest Airlines recently starting flying to Hawaii from the West Coast and while the initial $49 flights are gone, you can still find some dates for less than 9,000 Rapid Reward points. In fact, if you happen to have a Companion Pass, then two can fly for that award price plus taxes.

You can rack up Rapid Rewards points with the various Southwest credit cards or make transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards.

3. Book United Airlines Flights to Hawaii for Less Via Singapore KrisFlyer

United Airlines often wants at least 45,000 miles to fly to Hawaii and back, but you can book the same United operated flights via partner Singapore KrisFlyer from 35,000 miles per round trip in economy. Miles transfer 1:1 to Singapore American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

4. Buy One, Get One for $99 Hawaii Tickets

If you don’t want to wait and earn enough miles to redeem for Hawaii, you can just jump on the companion certificate available with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card where a friend can come with you to Hawaii for just $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees; from $22)!

5. Fly to Hawaii in a Lie-Flat Seat Using Miles

Hawaii can be a little far, so don’t just spend six-hours on the ground as Arby’s has in mind, but instead spend your six (or more) hours in the air lounging in a lie-flat seat thanks to your miles. Well-priced first-class awards to Hawaii can be tough to find, but they are out there starting at 40,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles + $5.60 in taxes each way (that’s less cash than Arby’s wants for it’s flight!)

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points from cards like the American Express® Gold Card to Hawaiian Airlines to snag a nice seat up front. (Here’s our recent review of the Hawaiian Airlines first class seat.)

6. Book a Flash Sale to Hawaii With Points

Even before Southwest Airlines took off with its own low fares to Hawaii, there have been pretty regular flash sales across airlines to the Aloha state. TPG has seen many sub-$300 round-trip flights to Hawaii in recent months. A recent sale had flights for $277, which is about 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Follow @TPG_Alerts, have a credit card that earns points that can be used to wipe out travel charges such as the  Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard (earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days, worth $700 in travel) and pounce when the next flash sale to Hawaii appears.

So as you can see with the right strategy you can easily make your Hawaiian vacation dreams a reality, all without spending a ton of money or participating in this crazy sandwich promotion. Who wants to spend only six hours in paradise anyway?

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Featured Photo by Darren Murph / The Points Guy