The Ultimate Guide to Cheapest Flights To Hawaii – How Much Does It Cost?
The Ultimate Guide to Cheapest Flights To Hawaii
It’s not exactly a secret that the Hawaiian Islands are some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Whether you find yourself drawn to the brilliant greens of lush forests, the sparkling blues of azure waters, or the rich reds of active volcanoes, there’s something about these islands that touches just about everyone.
It’s also probably not a huge surprise to learn that so many people want to visit Hawaii; after all, it’s one of the few places where you can hike through a rainforest, swim with dolphins, and catch glimpses of snow-capped mountain peaks all in one day. The only problem is that it isn’t exactly cheap to visit.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO FLY TO HAWAII?
The bad news is that when you look for flights to Hawaii, you’ll find that it’s one of the most expensive places for air travel. Prices are often quoted in terms of roundtrip flights from Los Angeles since LAX is the busiest airport for flights to Hawaii. For example, Hawaiian Airlines flights to Honolulu start around $400 on weekdays. In contrast, flights to Kona ($600+) and Hilo ($900+) are even more expensive.
You will pay even more if you want to fly to Kauai or Maui. On the other hand, the good news is that there are ways to avoid paying those high prices. You can save up to 80% on flights to Hawaii by flying at less busy times, booking in advance, and using the tips in this guide.
THE BEST TIMES TO FLY TO HAWAII
You’ll pay less for flights to Hawaii by traveling outside of the busy summer schedule. The best time to fly to Hawaii is from February to April and October to November, when prices are significantly lower than the rest of the year. During the summer months, flights to Hawaii are much more expensive, as Hawaii is a popular destination for beachgoers.
If you can avoid the summer crowds, you’ll pay less for flights to Hawaii. You can also save money by flying on weekdays. While weekend flights are notoriously expensive, you’ll see lower prices on the weekdays. You’ll often find even lower rates if you can travel on the first or second weekdays after a weekend.
WHAT’S THE CHEAPEST DAY TO FLY TO HAWAII?
The best days to fly to Hawaii vary widely based on where and when you’re traveling. For example, if you want to go during the summer months, you’ll pay less to travel on a Tuesday than on a Saturday. If you’re looking to save money on a trip to Hawaii outside of the summer season, you can save by flying on a Wednesday.
That day tends to have the lowest rates in Hawaii. If you don’t have a particular season, you can save even more by flying on a Tuesday. Tuesdays are usually the cheapest days to fly almost anywhere, so you can take advantage of that to save on your trip to Hawaii.
WHICH DAYS ARE THE CHEAPEST TO FLY OUT OF HAWAII?
As mentioned above, Tuesdays are the cheapest days to fly to Hawaii, followed by Wednesdays and Fridays. Saturdays are the most expensive days to fly out of Hawaii, followed by Sundays. While the best days to fly to Hawaii are based mainly on the cheapest days to fly out of Hawaii, you can save even more by flying out of Honolulu on Mondays. The least expensive day to fly out of Honolulu is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
OTHER WAYS TO FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS TO HAWAII
If you can plan your travel to Hawaii more than a few weeks in advance, you can save big by booking your flights during off-peak travel. We’ve already covered which times of the year you should travel to Hawaii for the cheapest flights. If you can wait until about three months before your trip, you can also use sites like Hopper to find flights to Hawaii for even cheaper.
When you search, you’ll see a prediction for how much the flight will likely cost. If the price drops, you can click to get an alert so you can buy the cheaper ticket. You can also use a travel rewards credit card to get free flights to Hawaii. Many of these cards offer a sign-up bonus worth hundreds of dollars, which can be applied to a flight to Hawaii. You’ll need to earn enough points or miles to cover the ticket’s cost, but it’s an easy way to get free flights to Hawaii.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO STAY IN HAWAII?
If you’re planning to stay in hotels or hostels in Hawaii, it’s not a cheap place to spend your time. You can expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $400 a night for a decent hotel, and you can double or triple that for staying at a top-notch hotel.
You’ll also find that most attractions and activities in Hawaii are expensive, especially if you want to do scuba diving or take a helicopter tour. Depending on what you want to do and where you stay, you can expect to pay around $100 per day for a trip to Hawaii. Add another $200 if you want to do an excursion, like a scuba diving trip.
CHEAP FLIGHTS TO HAWAII
The first step towards finding cheap flights to Hawaii is researching. You’ll want to look at a few websites specializing in flight deals, such as Skyscanner or Travel Hacker. You can also try searching for flights directly through an airline’s website; be sure to sign up for the airline’s newsletter if they have one so you can stay on top of any specials they offer.
CHEAP FLIGHTS TO HAWAII ROUNDTRIP
If you’re flexible about when you want to visit and can find cheap one-way flights, you can often save even more money by booking a roundtrip flight. Many airlines offer extremely cheap one-way flights, sometimes as low as $99, to entice you to visit their destination.
However, if you’re not willing to commit to a return flight or are unsure if you’ll like the place enough to return, you might be better off booking a roundtrip ticket. Roundtrip flights tend to cost a little bit more, but not usually by a crazy amount.
CHEAPEST FLIGHTS TO HONOLULU HI
Honolulu International Airport is one of the biggest airports in the Hawaiian Islands, and it’s also one of the most used airports for flights to Hawaii. If you land here, you’ll likely want to catch a flight to another Hawaiian island.
The cheapest flights to Honolulu from the East Coast are usually to New York City, where a one-way ticket can cost as little as $194. From the West Coast, the cheapest flights to Honolulu are generally from San Francisco, where a one-way ticket can cost about $226.
CHEAPEST FLIGHTS TO HAWAII FROM LAX
Unfortunately, there’s no best place to find cheap flights to Hawaii from Los Angeles, as prices can vary based on several factors. Generally speaking, the cheapest flights to Hawaii from Los Angeles are during the summer months, from June to August. The peak season for flights from Los Angeles is during December and January.
DEALS ON FLIGHTS TO HAWAII
One of the easiest ways to find cheap flights to Hawaii is to keep an eye out for special sales. Airlines and travel sites often offer discounted rates on specific dates, especially at the end of the year. It’s also worth signing up for travel newsletters, which often send out helpful deals and sales information.
If you can’t find a deal that works, you might consider signing up for a travel reward credit card. These cards often have sign-up bonuses that include travel rewards, like points or miles, which you can redeem for free or reduced-rate flights when the time comes.
CONCLUSION
Image Source: Unsplash
Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places in the world and one of the most expensive. That doesn’t mean you can’t visit, though. By flying at off-peak times, booking early, and taking advantage of travel rewards credit cards, you can save a ton of money on your trip to Hawaii. You can also save money by staying in hostels instead of fancy hotels and using public transportation.
Image Source: Unsplash