# Airfare to Hawaii at Thanksgiving, sample prices?



## Denise L (Nov 6, 2005)

Hi,

I'm thinking of going to Maui for Thanksgiving 2006.  If anyone from the West Coast is going THIS Thanksgiving, can you post your airfare prices for this year so I can get an idea of what the prices might be? I would be booking in advance, probably on United.  Is it more to travel that week even if you book way in advance?


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## LisaH (Nov 6, 2005)

Not this Thanksgiving but we'll be going to Maui next President's week. The lowest fare I saw so far was around $500 on ATA from SFO. We bought the Aloha tickets from OAK for around $540. With Aloha, I can earn miles on United and it also has better service (in general) than ATA.


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## ZCar (Nov 6, 2005)

denise,
This Thanksgiving the prices seemed to get pretty steep around late September. This year, at this time, you probably can't even find a flight. Well, you can, but hold your wallet. Thanksgiving is very popula!

Can't tell you how far to book ahead, but for this Thanksgiving (Nov. 12-26) to Honolulu, I booked American Airlines FF Miles last May. Going to HNL was no problem, but not easy getting a return flight the 26th. The 25th or 27th was it and lose one or add a day of vacation. Put reservation on hold (14 days max.) and when I called to book it, I asked agent to check again. YES, two seats were available for the 26th. Where they came from, I don't know ... hey weren't there a few days earlier.

Hawaiian Airlines couldn't do anything either. Same "No Flights Available".
Paid cost of those flights was in the $1300 plus range for two.

We're going to Kauai October 14, 2006 and I'm going to start looking at fares ASAP. You might try, www.hawaiianair.com if they fly from an airport near you. Or check from some other west coast airport for an idea of pricing.

Here's our scenario for departing June 3, return June 17, 2006, LAX to HNL, 7 months out! School is probably out, but summer is not really here. I bought flights yesterday, Nov. 5. 

Hawaiian Airlines web fare for TWO is $1036.80 at this time.
I did get the flights we want, being HA1 going and HA2 return.
Hawaiian 'Senior Fare', available only by calling reservations was over $1200. If price drops, $75 charge (per ticket?) on phone reservations. No refund on web fare. Flights using FF Miles were there, but too many miles. Well over the usual 35,000. (Phone seemed to be higher Miles than on web)

American Airlines 'Senior Fare' is $1337.00. Flights 31 & 162, (the flight timing we like). Note that Senior Fare and regular fare were no different when my daughter checked the regular fare for me ... interesting.
Combining my wifes and my FF miles would have been $150 plus $30 fee.
To buy an extra 2000 miles would have been $375.00.
American could get us there on Hawaiian HA1, but return to LAX would be on American 284. 70,000 miles, but extra costs didn't seem to be advisable.

So, we'll live with the Hawaiian fare and will have added over 12,000 Hawaiian miles to my account. (Flight miles plus B of A VISA at 2 miles per dollar).
I really don't see the price dropping too much and the next time, I'll try using FF Miles near the 330 day out mark for the October 2006 flight.

If you can, try Hoc's idea of using RCI points for airfare.


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## Hoc (Nov 6, 2005)

Using RCI points for this year, it cost me about $300 r/t for LAX-HNL.  However, after I bought, American Airlines ran a sale for $264 r/t for LAX-HNL which was good for most days around Thanksgiving except for the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Last year, I also paid pretty close to about $280 r/t.


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## ZCar (Nov 6, 2005)

In todays paper, there was a comment about checking one-way fares in addition to round trip fares. In some cases, the two, one-way fares may come to less dollars than the round trip. Interesting. Wonder if it really works?


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## Denise L (Nov 7, 2005)

*Thanks for the posts!*

Thanks for your replies.  I don't belong to RCI so RCI points won't work. I might try Aloha or Hawaiian...if I can find non-stop flights.  It isn't any fun to stop in HNL with a 3 and 6 (will be 4 and 7) year-old.  We get to do this in a few weeks when return home from Orlando (stopping in Chicago). Oh boy!

I guess I'll figure on $600/pp. We have travel vouchers on United that will expire, so we may have no choice but to fly United.  Oh well.


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## ZCar (Nov 7, 2005)

Denise,
I have 3 Entertainment Book United Airlines "Take Up To $75 Off" coupons. Expire December 31, 2006. Whether they're of any real value, I don't know.
Lots of fine print on the back. E-mail if you would like to give them a try.

Aloha flies "Non-stop' to Maui from Orange County. Maybe also from your departure airport? I really like 'Non-Stops' between the West Coast and Hawaii. Obviously, one knows what they mean, but certainly wouldn't want the flight to stop on the way over.


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## rickandcindy23 (Nov 7, 2005)

*Those coupons do work for a legitimate discount*

All six of us were able to use the Entertainment coupons for $70 off each person's airfare this past May.  It would have been $75.00 but
they charge $5 for more for calling an agent to order the tickets,    but you can't book with the coupons online.  They shouldn't say it is $75.00 off.  Anyway, you just write a code, that the ticket agent give you, on each coupon and mail them immediately to the local office.  It works like a charm.  We paid $540 RT from Denver in May with those coupons.  

Bottom line: they do work, they are worth the trouble.


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## debraxh (Nov 8, 2005)

Aloha has great fares and NS flights from OAK.  Hawaiian has promo fares out of SJC but not sure about direct flights to Maui since I've only seen ads to Honolulu.


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## ZCar (Nov 8, 2005)

Anyone want the (3) United Airlines Entertainment Book coupons I mentioned above? Contact me with your address.


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## azsunluvr (Nov 9, 2005)

deniselew said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> I'm thinking of going to Maui for Thanksgiving 2006.  If anyone from the West Coast is going THIS Thanksgiving, can you post your airfare prices for this year so I can get an idea of what the prices might be? I would be booking in advance, probably on United.  Is it more to travel that week even if you book way in advance?



My daughter and her fiance spent about $840 for both of them to fly to HNL this Thanksgiving on America West. They bought their tickets in August, I think.


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## Denise L (Nov 9, 2005)

ZCar said:
			
		

> Denise,
> I have 3 Entertainment Book United Airlines "Take Up To $75 Off" coupons. Expire December 31, 2006. Whether they're of any real value, I don't know.
> Lots of fine print on the back. E-mail if you would like to give them a try.
> 
> Aloha flies "Non-stop' to Maui from Orange County. Maybe also from your departure airport? I really like 'Non-Stops' between the West Coast and Hawaii. Obviously, one knows what they mean, but certainly wouldn't want the flight to stop on the way over.



I'll email you about the coupons!  Aloha flies non-stop from OAK, not too far from San Jose.  Maybe we'll try them if the flight times are convenient.


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## nightnurse613 (Nov 12, 2005)

Just got e-mail for Hawaiian Air special fares (starting in January?)  $300 RT LAX-HNL


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## LisaH (Nov 12, 2005)

nightnurse613 said:
			
		

> Just got e-mail for Hawaiian Air special fares (starting in January?)  $300 RT LAX-HNL


I got the same email. However, when I checked for Feb. 18-25 fare, it's over $600 just for SJC ot HNL.


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