How to find better flight deals to Hawaii
If there's one destination on everyone's bucket list, it's Hawaii. The problem: It's not particularly cheap to get to.
Flight time has something do with it, since it's about five and a quarter hours from Los Angeles to Honolulu. On the other hand, flights from L.A. to LaGuardia are actually a little longer (5:25), but cost half the price, partly because coast-to-coast flights are loaded with high-paying business travelers who "subsidize" leisure passengers. On flights to Hawaii, not so much.
Meanwhile, demand for Hawaii remains high which means prices are high, but these four tips can make paradise a little cheaper.
1. Know when to fly
Avoid these three expensive travel periods, when fares rise by up to $200 round-trip.
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas and New Year's
• From mid-July to late August
Prices drop dramatically in the last week of August. Look for more deals in March and April, as well as September and October. Northern U.S. snowbirds are often attracted to the islands in January or February, so prices may be high depending on departure city. Here are some examples of one airline's round-trip fares from Los Angeles to Honolulu:
• May: $595
• July: $724
• End of August: $600
• Christmas: $869
2. Look at discount carriers
Beginning in November, Virgin America launches flights to Honolulu, and Southwest has been hinting that it too may make the leap, good news since more competition generally means lower prices. Discount carrier Allegiant already has some excellent fares to Hawaii (including Los Angeles-Honolulu fares in late August from $365), and there are often good deals on Alaska and Hawaiian.
Tip: Don't forget the major legacy carriers, since larger airlines often match the lowest fares of competitors. Always compare ticket prices.
3. Fly from the West Coast
The best deals to Hawaii are usually from West Coast cities like San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland, Ore., but smaller cities like San Jose, Calif., and Bellingham, Wash., sometimes have the best deals of all. For travelers in other parts of the country, the cheapest way to fly may be a trip in two steps: First, fly a discount carrier to the West Coast, then fly whatever Hawaii-bound airline has the best deal.
Example: We recently found a round-trip fare for Chicago-Maui (in late August/early September) for about $880. This is what we found with the two-step method.
• Chicago to Oakland (on a discount airline): $297
• Oakland to Maui (on a legacy carrier): $403
• Total savings: About $180 per person. For a family of four, that's real money.
Note: You may not find these prices when you shop because airlines are constantly changing fares; another reason to always follow tip No. 4.
4. Compare fares
I've said it before, I'll say it again: No single airline always has the best prices. You could miss out on a major deal if you don't compare fares. Or, maybe you won't - but how will you know for sure?
FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney is an airline industry insider and top media air travel resource. Follow Rick (@rickseaney) and never overpay for airfare again.