# Hawaii Prices are UP, UP, UP and away!!!



## csalter2

I have been following the prices on flights to Hawaii and car rental prices since I am going to be there during the month of July.  I know that there are many who feel you need to wait about four months out before booking flights because discounts could be better but I have got to say that is certainly not the case for this year. The prices are getting ridiculously high. 

Air fare that I got for right at $600 from LAX for roundtrip nonstop to Honolulu are now over $800. Now there is Allegiant whose flights start at $522 for the ticket and then charge you for everything including breathing on the plane.  

Even San Diego flights are a lot higher. Alaska Airlines is cheapest at $713 roundtrip for a nonstop to Honolulu but after that it's $900 for nonstop roundtrip. These flights were once at $600.  There are cheaper flights but crazy layovers, where it would take you 10 or even 16 hours to get to San Diego or LA.

Car rental prices are also skyrocketing. Those who love Costco, when are those rates going to bend? I have been looking daily since October and I am not seeing the discounts. Discount Hawaii has had the best rates in most situations so far and Car rental Hawaii a close second. However, their prices have increased since January. I made my first reservation in July, 2013 for a week in Oahu for July 4th week 2014 for $301 for the week. Costco now is charging  $421 for that same week now. I was able to book that same full size car in early February for $217 with Car rental Savers. 

My point here is that prices are going up sharply. There is a demand in Hawaii right now for the summer. I have been closely tracking this so I would just put it out there to all of my TUG comrades to not wait too much longer if you're doing that.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte

csalter2 said:


> I have been following the prices on flights to Hawaii and car rental prices since I am going to be there during the month of July.  I know that there are many who feel you need to wait about four months out before booking flights because discounts could be better but I have got to say that is certainly not the case for this year. The prices are getting ridiculously high.
> 
> Air fair that I got for right at $600 from LAX for roundtrip nonstop to Honolulu are now over $800. Now there is Allegiant whose flights start at $522 for the ticket and then charge you for everything including breathing on the plane.
> 
> Even San Diego flights are a lot higher. Alaska Airlines is cheapest at $713 roundtrip for a nonstop to Honolulu but after that it's $900 for nonstop roundtrip. These flights were once at $600.  There are cheaper flights but crazy layovers. Where it would take you 10 or even 16 hours to get to San Diego or LA.
> 
> Car rental prices are also skyrocketing. Those who love Costco, when are those rates going to bend? I have been looking daily since October and I am not seeing the discounts. Discount Hawaii has had the best rates in most situations so far and Car rental Hawaii a close second. However, their prices have increased since January. I made my first reservation in July, 2013 for a week in Oahu for July 4th week 2014 for $301 for the week. Costco now is charging  $421 for that same week now. I was able to book that same full size car in early February for $217 with Car rental Savers.
> 
> My point here is that prices are going up sharply. There is a demand in Hawaii right now for the summer. I have been closely tracking this so I would just put it out there to all of my TUG comrades to not wait too much longer if you're doing that.


That's consistent with my impressions, as well.  Though I haven't been tracking things like car prices so closely, I can see the increase in demand when making our reservations for this summer. For a dozen or so years we have been spending multiple weeks in Hawaii in August. Never in that time have I ever seen Hawaii inventory as scarce as it has been this year.  

I also learned several years ago to make my reservations using the Alaska Air companion certificate as soon as the certificate hits our account.  While playing the waiting game has occasionally yielded lower fares, it has always involved much less favorable connections.


----------



## Luanne

Costco prices for car rentals are generally lower closer to the time you're going.  Keep checking.  For example, I need a car in Tampa in May.  I check a few days ago the price was double what I could get through an Avis corporate discount.  I checked again today and Costco was HALF of the Avis price!  I booked that one quick.


----------



## vacationtime1

Airfares for our April and May trips to Kauai are higher than they were the past couple of years (non-stop flights on Alaska in each case).

OTOH, after extensive shopping and re-shopping, car rentals are a bit cheaper for these off-season weeks then they have been in the past -- about $160/week for a full sized car, everything included.


----------



## dougp26364

For us costs are higher and just getting there has become a major travel PIA. I use to be able to book a flight with one layover before reaching the islands and, I use to be able to find flights on 767's and 777's. Pone everything has at least 2 connections and the largest plane is a 757. It's almost not worth the effort to make the trip. We'll go back to Maui in 2015 but, after that, I'm not so sure we'll return unless things get either a little cheaper and/or a little easier.


----------



## MOXJO7282

dougp26364 said:


> For us costs are higher and just getting there has become a major travel PIA. I use to be able to book a flight with one layover before reaching the islands and, I use to be able to find flights on 767's and 777's. Pone everything has at least 2 connections and the largest plane is a 757. It's almost not worth the effort to make the trip. We'll go back to Maui in 2015 but, after that, I'm not so sure we'll return unless things get either a little cheaper and/or a little easier.


Although it won't keep us from going to Maui this is so true. We've been so lucky with all our Marriott points that over the years we've made the trip what will be for the 6th time this July in 1st class on FF but it has gotten harder and harder to get FF seats on good equipment when it at one time was so easy.

The first 3 trips starting in 2002 when we got to 11 months from check-in we'd go on-line and(4) 1st class saver FF seats in the better planes with the lay flat seats were there for the taking.

Starting in 2010 the industry changed and they started releasing FF seats haphazardly and mostly in the older planes and only limited saver seats so I had to use more points for less value.

This trip for the first time we're with United and we were actually able to get the (4) 1st class saver seats but again only in the older planes without the lay flat seats.


----------



## MOXJO7282

csalter2 said:


> I have been following the prices on flights to Hawaii and car rental prices since I am going to be there during the month of July.  I know that there are many who feel you need to wait about four months out before booking flights because discounts could be better but I have got to say that is certainly not the case for this year. The prices are getting ridiculously high.
> 
> Air fare that I got for right at $600 from LAX for roundtrip nonstop to Honolulu are now over $800. Now there is Allegiant whose flights start at $522 for the ticket and then charge you for everything including breathing on the plane.
> 
> Even San Diego flights are a lot higher. Alaska Airlines is cheapest at $713 roundtrip for a nonstop to Honolulu but after that it's $900 for nonstop roundtrip. These flights were once at $600.  There are cheaper flights but crazy layovers, where it would take you 10 or even 16 hours to get to San Diego or LA.
> 
> Car rental prices are also skyrocketing. Those who love Costco, when are those rates going to bend? I have been looking daily since October and I am not seeing the discounts. Discount Hawaii has had the best rates in most situations so far and Car rental Hawaii a close second. However, their prices have increased since January. I made my first reservation in July, 2013 for a week in Oahu for July 4th week 2014 for $301 for the week. Costco now is charging  $421 for that same week now. I was able to book that same full size car in early February for $217 with Car rental Savers.
> 
> My point here is that prices are going up sharply. There is a demand in Hawaii right now for the summer. I have been closely tracking this so I would just put it out there to all of my TUG comrades to not wait too much longer if you're doing that.



I found this to be true as well for our 2 weeks in Maui this July. I booked an intermediate through Costco last Sept for $655.  Almost immediately it went up and now same is $100- $120 more.   I keep checking but my assumption is it won't go down again.

I guess I'll do Priceline at some point but don't expect much luck there but we'll see.  I just think its a case of big demand again for Maui and limited supply especially winter and summer.


----------



## Ken555

MOXJO7282 said:


> Starting in 2010 the industry changed and they started releasing FF seats haphazardly and mostly in the older planes and only limited saver seats so I had to use more points for less value.




AA and UA previously flew lots of 767s but over the last few years changed to 757s. When I was on those 767s there were almost always empty seats. You do the math. In Dec LA-OGG on AA was a 767 for the holidays but my return flight was on a 757. I think HA may be the only airline consistently flying 767s to the islands. I would prefer to fly AS 737 than AA/UA 757 but I don't have the option...


Sent from my iPad


----------



## akp

*Best deal for car rental*

If you have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards, you have access to better deals on car rentals than you can get from Costco.  (And if you don't have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards, you should...nearly every frequent traveler should.  2x miles on timeshare MF and all travel, 2x on dining, 7% points bonus every year, etc.)

Just now, I priced out a rate of $206.16 (plus 1 Ultimate Reward point) for HNL picking up 6/28 and dropping off 7/5.  You have the option of paying with any mixture of cash and points but the best deal is all cash + 1 pt.)

This is through Enterprise, but National and Avis are just a bit more.  

Anita


----------



## akp

MOXJO7282 said:


> I found this to be true as well for our 2 weeks in Maui this July. I booked an intermediate through Costco last Sept for $655.  Almost immediately it went up and now same is $100- $120 more.   I keep checking but my assumption is it won't go down again.
> 
> I guess I'll do Priceline at some point but don't expect much luck there but we'll see.  I just think its a case of big demand again for Maui and limited supply especially winter and summer.



See my comment above about pricing through Chase Ultimate Rewards.  Maui 6/28-7/5 for $202.52 + 1 UR through Alamo.


----------



## akp

vacationtime1 said:


> Airfares for our April and May trips to Kauai are higher than they were the past couple of years (non-stop flights on Alaska in each case).
> 
> OTOH, after extensive shopping and re-shopping, car rentals are a bit cheaper for these off-season weeks then they have been in the past -- about $160/week for a full sized car, everything included.



If you're flying Alaska, don't forget the annual $118 companion pass available to holders of the Alaska Airlines credit card:

https://www.applyonlinenow.com/USCCapp/Ctl/entry?sc=VABROP&mboxSession=1366432240008-513864#b

It has an annual fee of $75, but you get 25,000 Alaska miles as a bonus upon approval and a $100 statement credit after spending $1k in 90 days.  (There is also a version that gets you 40,000 mile bonus after bigger spend but doesn't have the statement credit.)


----------



## akp

csalter2 said:


> I have been following the prices on flights to Hawaii and car rental prices since I am going to be there during the month of July.  I know that there are many who feel you need to wait about four months out before booking flights because discounts could be better but I have got to say that is certainly not the case for this year. The prices are getting ridiculously high.
> 
> Air fare that I got for right at $600 from LAX for roundtrip nonstop to Honolulu are now over $800. Now there is Allegiant whose flights start at $522 for the ticket and then charge you for everything including breathing on the plane.
> 
> Even San Diego flights are a lot higher. Alaska Airlines is cheapest at $713 roundtrip for a nonstop to Honolulu but after that it's $900 for nonstop roundtrip. These flights were once at $600.  There are cheaper flights but crazy layovers, where it would take you 10 or even 16 hours to get to San Diego or LA.
> 
> Car rental prices are also skyrocketing. Those who love Costco, when are those rates going to bend? I have been looking daily since October and I am not seeing the discounts. Discount Hawaii has had the best rates in most situations so far and Car rental Hawaii a close second. However, their prices have increased since January. I made my first reservation in July, 2013 for a week in Oahu for July 4th week 2014 for $301 for the week. Costco now is charging  $421 for that same week now. I was able to book that same full size car in early February for $217 with Car rental Savers.
> 
> My point here is that prices are going up sharply. There is a demand in Hawaii right now for the summer. I have been closely tracking this so I would just put it out there to all of my TUG comrades to not wait too much longer if you're doing that.



If I were flying LAX - HNL*, I would always have a stash of British Airways Avios (their miles currency) available, or have transferrable points or miles such as Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Starwood Preferred Guest points, all of which transfer to BA Avios.   

BA charges just 25,000 Avios (plus $22) for a RT LAX-HNL.  This would be flying on American but booked through BA using Avios.

In addition to transferring Avios from one of the above partners, Chase offers a BA credit card with a 50,000 point bonus after minimum spend.  

*Avios is a distance based program, so if you're near any AA hub and flying relatively short flights, Avios make a lot of sense.


----------



## pedro47

dougp26364 said:


> For us costs are higher and just getting there has become a major travel PIA. I use to be able to book a flight with one layover before reaching the islands and, I use to be able to find flights on 767's and 777's. Pone everything has at least 2 connections and the largest plane is a 757. It's almost not worth the effort to make the trip. We'll go back to Maui in 2015 but, after that, I'm not so sure we'll return unless things get either a little cheaper and/or a little easier.



Dougp26364 at least you lived on the west coast,  now suppose you were traveling from the east coast. Airline tickets and car rentals are much higher and yes major travel to the west coast and even Florida is becoming a major travel PIA. Doug, I really liked that terminology.


----------



## Ken555

pedro47 said:


> Dougp26364 at least you lived on the west coast,  now suppose you were traveling from the east coast. Airline tickets and car rentals are much higher and yes major travel to the west coast and even Florida is becoming a major travel PIA. Doug, I really liked that terminology.




Imagine how it is for those of us on the left coast going to Europe...or even the Caribbean. Basically, travel isn't fun any more so be certain the trip is worthwhile!


Sent from my iPad


----------



## camachinist

If flying by my maxim of credit card and bikini to Hawaii , Allegiant can currently get you there and back, LAX-HNL, for 478rt 7/19-7/28, or about 35 bucks more for 7/26-27. Watch out for their bag fees, as stated in OP!

IMO, watch for a fare sale around Easter/Tax day, meaning mid-April. 

What surprised me was, even though expensive, flights out of my local (FAT) on the legacy carriers to LIH/OGG/HNL were cheaper than out of LAX. Low 6's. Not going but interesting nonetheless.


----------



## Luanne

camachinist said:


> If flying by my maxim of credit card and bikini to Hawaii , Allegiant can currently get you there and back, LAX-HNL, for 478rt 7/19-7/28, or about 35 bucks more for 7/26-27. Watch out for their bag fees, as stated in OP!
> 
> IMO, watch for a fare sale around Easter/Tax day, meaning mid-April.
> 
> What surprised me was, even though expensive, flights out of my local (FAT) on the legacy carriers to LIH/OGG/HNL were cheaper than out of LAX. Low 6's. Not going but interesting nonetheless.



Isn't Allegiant the airline that basically charges for all extras, even the air you breathe?   Have you seen their television ad about "free" sodas?  Not sure I'd want to fly them that far, well really at all.


----------



## camachinist

Before they went bankrupt years ago, their main 'base' was my local. Saw their dead jets sitting there for years. Later, they started flying to Vegas and, for awhile, it was a pretty good alternative to taking a UA puddle jumper (turboprop) which was the only alternative non-stop for a long time. The carrier reinvented itself as a LCC years later and has been growing pretty well on the 'unbundling' principle, IMO taking the concept to the extreme. 

If one can travel 'light', they're worth a shot, IMO. Their equipment is pretty thin so, if a flight goes sideways, there's little backup. Myself, I'd pay more and get the schedule flexibility and backup of a legacy carrier. After all, vacations are supposed to be fun


----------



## csalter2

*They charge for seats!*



Luanne said:


> Isn't Allegiant the airline that basically charges for all extras, even the air you breathe?   Have you seen their television ad about "free" sodas?  Not sure I'd want to fly them that far, well really at all.



Allegiant charges for seats on the plane. So depending on if you sit in the aisle, middle or window you will get charged a certain amount for all legs of your trip. Plus, they also charge for carry on luggage.


----------



## Luanne

csalter2 said:


> Allegiant charges for seats on the plane. So depending on if you sit in the aisle, middle or window you will get charged a certain amount for all legs of your trip. Plus, they also charge for carry on luggage.



Plus it also sounds like they charge for soda.  I wonder if they also charge for water, coffee and tea?


----------



## Ken555

csalter2 said:


> Allegiant charges for seats on the plane. So depending on if you sit in the aisle, middle or window you will get charged a certain amount for all legs of your trip. Plus, they also charge for carry on luggage.




They're not alone. I believe Frontier has similar charges. And Delta charges more for certain economy plus seats than others based on location. All the airlines are charging more for perceived value, and sometimes it works well but mostly it just leaves a bad taste.


Sent from my iPad


----------



## Darwin

*Alaska and Delta*

So I have been checking FAR to OGG for December 20 to January 3.  Delta and United want over $2,000.00 while Alaska wants just over $1,000.00.  Alaska does not fly into Fargo.  I would be on Delta (far-msp).  Why is there so much difference in price?  Alaska and Delta code share, so why is the price double when checking with Delta.  I realize the itineraries are different but I still am leaving and going from the same places.  

 Also, if I get the Alaska credit card, can I use the companion ticket from Fargo?
 Thanks,


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte

Darwin said:


> Also, if I get the Alaska credit card, can I use the companion ticket from Fargo?
> Thanks,



The companion fare ticket is only valid for flights that are operated by Alaska/Horizon.  So no, you can't use it FAR-OGG.  You would have to find another way to go FAR-MSP.  Frequent flyer miles perhaps, or make the drive.


----------



## rifleman69

Rule #1 of Hawaii vs Florida/Texas/California....you can drive to Florida/Texas/California.


----------



## Luanne

rifleman69 said:


> Rule #1 of Hawaii vs Florida/Texas/California....you can drive to Florida/Texas/California.



Yes, but they're not the same as Hawaii.


----------



## vacationhopeful

It is so much easier to get to Florida than Hawaii. And 16+ FEWER airport and airplane hours of my life makes it much more acceptable taking a Florida vacation.


----------



## Luanne

vacationhopeful said:


> It is so much easier to get to Florida than Hawaii. And 16+ FEWER airport and airplane hours of my life makes it much more acceptable taking a Florida vacation.



From the East coast, sure. From the West coast, no.  I would much rather vacation in Hawaii than Florida any day, and not just because it's easier to get to.


----------



## bobemac

We bought tickets on Hawaiian from HNL to KOA last August for $172 RT.
The same itinerary this week will cost $421 RT. That's for a 30 minute flight and does not include baggage fees.

   Car rentals are another matter. Six months ago an intermediate at KOA
was $48 a day not including taxes and fees. Taxes account for 70% of the
basic car rental costs in Hawaii.
   However, within a week of departure the rates are dropping rapidly.
Hotwire was around $26. a day total cost, and Priceline was just a bit more.
   There is a company called AutoSlash that will monitor the rental car rates
for you, while getting you a changeable reservation from a major rental car
company. They had me reserved with Avis at $28. per day. Yesterday they sent me an email that the rates have dropped to $23 a day on another company. I indicated that I wanted the lower rate and they canceled my Avis reservation and booked with Thrifty and my Blue Chip number.
  If the rate goes lower I can still change again. Or I can find a better rate
somewhere else. This is a nice position to be in, and be able to hedge your rental car rates.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte

Luanne said:


> From the East coast, sure. From the West coast, no.  I would much rather vacation in Hawaii than Florida any day, and not just because it's easier to get to.



+1.  The peace and calm that comes over DW when we get to Hawaii is like nothing else.  For five or six years now we've been doing winter trips to Mexico for a week, and she enjoys that very much. But it's nothing like her reaction when the plane touches down at LIH.


----------



## Tamaradarann

*Hawaiian Airlines*



Luanne said:


> Plus it also sounds like they charge for soda.  I wonder if they also charge for water, coffee and tea?



Hawaiian Airlines provides direct flights to Honolulu including from New York.  They fly the huge Airbus 330 Planes with double isles, free movies, free drinks, two free meals, a free glass of wine, no charge for carry-ons, and reduced checked bags fees for members.


----------



## Blues

camachinist said:


> If flying by my maxim of credit card and bikini to Hawaii , Allegiant can currently get you there and back, LAX-HNL, for 478rt 7/19-7/28, or about 35 bucks more for 7/26-27. Watch out for their bag fees, as stated in OP!



I flew Allegiant once.  Never again.  It was a quick business trip, MRY-SAN, there and back in one day.

On the way there, the flight was an hour and a half late.  No explanation, no updates.  Almost missed the business meeting.  OK, **** happens, I guess I can forgive that.

On the way home, the flight was *3 hours* late!  When I finally landed in MRY, I saw there were no gate agents, no Allegiant reps at all, at MRY airport.  Just a bunch of worried, angry friends and relatives, wondering where the h*ll their loved ones were, and whether they were alive or dead.  That's right, the Allegiant agents packed up and went home at quitting time, with never a thought about their customers.

Never again.

-Bob


----------



## Neesie

Luanne said:


> Yes, but they're not the same as Hawaii.



I agree.  It's not just about the weather.


----------



## luv_maui

akp said:


> If you have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards, you have access to better deals on car rentals than you can get from Costco.  (And if you don't have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards, you should...nearly every frequent traveler should.  2x miles on timeshare MF and all travel, 2x on dining, 7% points bonus every year, etc.)
> 
> Just now, I priced out a rate of $206.16 (plus 1 Ultimate Reward point) for HNL picking up 6/28 and dropping off 7/5.  You have the option of paying with any mixture of cash and points but the best deal is all cash + 1 pt.)
> 
> This is through Enterprise, but National and Avis are just a bit more.
> 
> Anita



Excellent suggestion.  On Costco our rental was $500+ but on Chase Ultimate it was $307.  However, it appears you pay for the rental up front?  Is this a pre-pay or reservation?


----------



## ronandjoan

bobemac said:


> There is a company called AutoSlash that will monitor the rental car rates
> for you, while getting you a changeable reservation from a major rental car
> company. They had me reserved with Avis at $28. per day. Yesterday they sent me an email that the rates have dropped to $23 a day on another company. I indicated that I wanted the lower rate and they canceled my Avis reservation and booked with Thrifty and my Blue Chip number.
> If the rate goes lower I can still change again. Or I can find a better rate
> somewhere else. This is a nice position to be in, and be able to hedge your rental car rates.



Autoslash is great - they were banned from HI for a while (by the other auto companies, they said) - are they back there now?


----------



## luv_maui

luv_maui said:


> Excellent suggestion.  On Costco our rental was $500+ but on Chase Ultimate it was $307.  However, it appears you pay for the rental up front?  Is this a pre-pay or reservation?



For my dates (9 days) in the fall:

$307 Chase
$318 Discount Hawaii
$400 Hotwire
$500 Costco

Chase appears to be a prepay and you have to use at least one ultimate rewards point (i.e. have a chase credit card).  There are cancellations possible, but there may be "supplier fees" or cancellation fees.  I'm opting for Discount Hawaii Car rental for now.  Still hoping to get a rate closer towards $100-$200 like last year, but this is best rate I've seen in couple weeks.


----------



## maui-or-bust

Have been going to Maui for the last 9 years. Remembering ATA out of Lax for  $250.00 each  , Aloha out of John Wayne  $350.00 each   and out of Lax 3 years ago $500.00 each. Its has been a struggle to be frugal with air prices. Finding Alaska out of San Diego, Is like the good old times. Last year tickets purchased in march 2013 for Sept flight, $370.00  1 and $119.00 companion. This year tickets I purchased tickets  Dec 2013  for Sept 2014  $424.00 and 1 for $119.00. Its a couple of hours drive from orange county to San Diego and we leave the day before to enjoy the town.  I found a couple of places to stay down there that have 7 to  14 days of free parking with a 1 night stay.
The free parking pays for the night.   I have a feeling this is not going to last very long,  will enjoy it as long as I can.  Keep looking  to find the DEAL !!!


----------



## Lydlady

jsteach said:


> .  I found a couple of places to stay down there that have 7 to  14 days of free parking with a 1 night stay.
> The free parking pays for the night.   I have a feeling this is not going to last very long,  will enjoy it as long as I can.  Keep looking  to find the DEAL !!!



Care to share or PM me the names of these places? 

We are flying out of San Diego to Hawaii in May and considering where to stay in San Diego overnight.


----------



## akp

luv_maui said:


> For my dates (9 days) in the fall:
> 
> $307 Chase
> $318 Discount Hawaii
> $400 Hotwire
> $500 Costco
> 
> Chase appears to be a prepay and you have to use at least one ultimate rewards point (i.e. have a chase credit card).  There are cancellations possible, but there may be "supplier fees" or cancellation fees.  I'm opting for Discount Hawaii Car rental for now.  Still hoping to get a rate closer towards $100-$200 like last year, but this is best rate I've seen in couple weeks.



My understanding is no cancel fee as long as it is canceled 2 days before pickup.  1 day rental charged if you cancel within a day of pickup, and full charge if you no show.


----------



## akp

luv_maui said:


> Excellent suggestion.  On Costco our rental was $500+ but on Chase Ultimate it was $307.  However, it appears you pay for the rental up front?  Is this a pre-pay or reservation?



It's not prepay. You can cancel with no fee as long as it is 2 days before pickup.


----------



## maui-or-bust

Lydlady said:


> Care to share or PM me the names of these places?
> 
> We are flying out of San Diego to Hawaii in May and considering where to stay in San Diego overnight.



This is the one with 14 days, hope this helps.

 	San Diego - Consulate Hotel - San Diego Airport Sea World Area
2901 Nimitz Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92106

Distance from Airport: 	1 Mile

Airport Shuttle Hours: 	Free 24 Hour Roundtrip airport shuttle with this package

Cruise Port Shuttle: 	Free 24 hour roundtrip cruise port shuttle.

Parking Included: 	Free 14 days Parking before or after your stay.

Additional parking: 	$10 per day after the 14 days included in our package

Accommodations: 	Shuttle to the cruise port is $15 per room.

Breakfast: 	Free expanded continental breakfast is included .

Package rate: 	
Friday to Sunday(May)
$ 155.00 inclusive
Good for up to 4 people per room
(final cost, no added fees)


----------



## talkamotta

For anyone interested RCI has some good availability for summer 2015 right now.  When I think of Hawaii Im planning out at least a year in advance.


----------



## Lydlady

maui-or-bust said:


> This is the one with 14 days, hope this helps.
> 
> San Diego - Consulate Hotel - San Diego Airport Sea World Area
> 2901 Nimitz Blvd.
> San Diego, CA 92106
> 
> Distance from Airport: 	1 Mile
> 
> Airport Shuttle Hours: 	Free 24 Hour Roundtrip airport shuttle with this package
> 
> Cruise Port Shuttle: 	Free 24 hour roundtrip cruise port shuttle.
> 
> Parking Included: 	Free 14 days Parking before or after your stay.
> 
> Additional parking: 	$10 per day after the 14 days included in our package
> 
> Accommodations: 	Shuttle to the cruise port is $15 per room.
> 
> Breakfast: 	Free expanded continental breakfast is included .
> 
> Package rate:
> Friday to Sunday(May)
> $ 155.00 inclusive
> Good for up to 4 people per room
> (final cost, no added fees)



Thank you for the info!


----------



## Denise L

I booked a full-size rental car on Maui for April back in January.

Costco (Budget): $384
Discount Hawaii Car Rental (Alamo): $320

I checked prices earlier today:

Costco (Alamo): $257
Discount Hawaii Car Rental (name brand): $274

Last year, I used PL and got the same car for $219.  I went to bidding for travel to look at the PL rental car threads for Hawaii and there hasn't been a post there since December.  Is there another place where folks are posting their bids and wins/losses?


----------



## csalter2

*Interesting...*



Denise L said:


> I booked a full-size rental car on Maui for April back in January.
> 
> Costco (Budget): $384
> Discount Hawaii Car Rental (Alamo): $320
> 
> I checked prices earlier today:
> 
> Costco (Alamo): $257
> Discount Hawaii Car Rental (name brand): $274
> 
> Last year, I used PL and got the same car for $219.  I went to bidding for travel to look at the PL rental car threads for Hawaii and there hasn't been a post there since December.  Is there another place where folks are posting their bids and wins/losses?



Denise L

Do you think summer prices in Hawaii have a chance of coming down like that? I know a lot of it will have to do with supply and demand, but I don't think April and July can be compared.


----------



## Denise L

csalter2 said:


> Denise L
> 
> Do you think summer prices in Hawaii have a chance of coming down like that? I know a lot of it will have to do with supply and demand, but I don't think April and July can be compared.



I've only booked a Summer car rental once (last year) and my best deal was booking PL about three weeks out, but it was never as low as a Spring rental.  I always book backup reservations and then about a month before (or whenever I have time), I check prices again and start trying PL.  If I run out of time, at least with the backup reservation, I know I have a car.


----------



## bobemac

ronandjoan said:


> Autoslash is great - they were banned from HI for a while (by the other auto companies, they said) - are they back there now?



Yes, AutoSlash is back. They are amazing.
I saved several hundred bucks and got a fully loaded Ford Fusion.
They are now looking at the best deal for my next trip.


----------



## Denise L

Denise L said:


> I booked a full-size rental car on Maui for April back in January.
> 
> Costco (Budget): $384
> Discount Hawaii Car Rental (Alamo): $320
> 
> I checked prices earlier today:
> 
> Costco (Alamo): $257
> Discount Hawaii Car Rental (name brand): $274



Just checked Costco price and it's down to $199.  Whoo hoo !


----------



## winger

Denise L said:


> Just checked Costco price and it's down to $199.  Whoo hoo !



Great price! 

Hey, is this for 7 days? I been watching pretty prices pretty closely lately for 12 days in Apr (Full size) but only see the lowest at 314.


----------



## Denise L

winger said:


> Great price!
> 
> Hey, is this for 7 days? I been watching pretty prices pretty closely lately for 12 days in Apr (Full size) but only see the lowest at 314.



Yes, this is for 7 days.  Two days later after I posted, it was down to $159 for the week in a full-size on Maui through AVIS.  I thought it was a typo!  Booked it and cancelled the $199 .  It is getting close to my cheapest full-size car on Maui which was probably $129 years ago via PL!


----------



## Roger830

I've saved over $1000 on cars and flights the past two years after reading posts like this on tug.

I just cancelled a Maui Budget compact car rental for $259, April 4, and picked up a standard size at Dollar for $148.

Kona the following week is $100 more?????


----------



## winger

Denise L said:


> Yes, this is for 7 days.  Two days later after I posted, it was down to $159 for the week in a full-size on Maui through AVIS.  I thought it was a typo!  Booked it and cancelled the $199 .  It is getting close to my cheapest full-size car on Maui which was probably $129 years ago via PL!



Great deal on the $159! ... I just looked - if I only booked my first 7 days (out of 12), it is $201 for full size.  I have one more week to look before I hop on the plan to OGG : )


----------



## Denise L

winger said:


> Great deal on the $159! ... I just looked - if I only booked my first 7 days (out of 12), it is $201 for full size.  I have one more week to look before I hop on the plan to OGG : )



One week to go, wow!  Try a really low bid on Priceline, maybe?  Your price is still pretty good and everything is great on Maui .


----------



## winger

Just got a nice surprise yesterday.  Autoslash found a full size from Budget for $257 which beat my current Costco/Budget ressie for $314.  This is for for 12days pickup from OGG starting next Saturday (4/5) 

This is lower than my original goal of $275 - but I will keep looking before I leave home and will try PL as well.


----------



## Denise L

winger said:


> Just got a nice surprise yesterday.  Autoslash found a full size from Budget for $257 which beat my current Costco/Budget ressie for $314.  This is for for 12days pickup from OGG starting next Saturday (4/5)
> 
> This is lower than my original goal of $275 - but I will keep looking before I leave home and will try PL as well.



Nice price!  Let us know if you get an accepted PL bid because I will be trying for our trip, too!


----------



## winger

Denise L said:


> Nice price!  Let us know if you get an accepted PL bid because I will be trying for our trip, too!



Sure will.


----------



## Luanne

I haven't gotten a good price through Priceline in year.  Also since we got bitten a few years back in having to pay for the second driver, I've been leery of using them.  Just be sure when you bid on Priceline that you know if there could be any additional charges that you haven't pre-paid for.


----------



## toyo

I just booked a 14 day Full size car rental with Hertz, for May, for $380 with AAA discount.


----------



## winger

winger said:


> Just got a nice surprise yesterday.  Autoslash found a full size from Budget for $257 which beat my current Costco/Budget ressie for $314.  This is for for 12days pickup from OGG starting next Saturday (4/5)
> 
> This is lower than my original goal of $275 - but I will keep looking before I leave home and will try PL as well.



Here is final result for us, with flight in the morning we are done searching...
PL approx $295
Costco 272
Budget 257
Chase UR 208
I prepaid with UR...price was same with Budget and Enterprise, and I went with Budget.


----------



## Roger830

When we were at the Dollar counter in Maui picking up the car that I booked last week for $148 for a week, the clerk wasted time fiddling with keys. I said to my wife, "she's probably looking for the oldest car. Sure enough, we got a 2012 Nisson Altima with 32,200 miles.

I'm ok with it, we also got a deal for Kona next week. Saved a total of $211.

Been getting up between 4 - 5 AM. Going on 7:30 whale watch tomorrow.


----------



## Denise L

winger said:


> Here is final result for us, with flight in the morning we are done searching...
> PL approx $295
> Costco 272
> Budget 257
> Chase UR 208
> I prepaid with UR...price was same with Budget and Enterprise, and I went with Budget.



That is great!  What a fantastic price.  I don't have a Chase UR.  My car is at $153/week/full size right now via Costco/AVIS.


----------



## winger

Denise L said:


> That is great!  What a fantastic price.  I don't have a Chase UR.  My car is at $153/week/full size right now via Costco/AVIS.


The place was a madhouse when we arrived at the counter. Large sedans ( full sizes, premiums) were unavailable, so they ended up offering us a minivan UPGRADE for the same cost! The lady first tried to sell us the minivan for an extra $14 per day but I declined, so she ended up upgrading us for no additional charge.


----------



## gnorth16

*Checked Again - Winner Winner!!!*

I checked again and it went from $497 for a full size 12 day rental to $332 for a Premium!!!  Very happy!!!


----------



## winger

gnorth16 said:


> I checked again and it went from $497 for a full size 12 day rental to $332 for a Premium!!!  Very happy!!!


that is actually a pretty good price for a premium car.
If you are not already doing so, try autoslash to help you continuously monitor/check for a price is lower than you reserved for.


----------



## gnorth16

winger said:


> that is actually a pretty good price for a premium car.
> If you are not already doing so, try autoslash to help you continuously monitor/check for a price is lower than you reserved for.



Very cool.  It is now tracked. Thanks!!!


----------



## Lauraine

*Hawaii airfare*

I have an exchange into the Cliffs on Kauai for the beginning of June but will most likely cancel because airfares are over $900 and over $1000 for decent flight times. I've been tracking fares since January and they haven't changed. I just refuse to pay this for Hawaii. My girlfriend was going to fly from Atlanta to join me; her airfare is only a few dollars more than my flight from LAX. So the airlines are just gouging west coast flyers to Hawaii.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte

Lauraine said:


> I have an exchange into the Cliffs on Kauai for the beginning of June but will most likely cancel because airfares are over $900 and over $1000 for decent flight times. I've been tracking fares since January and they haven't changed. I just refuse to pay this for Hawaii. My girlfriend was going to fly from Atlanta to join me; her airfare is only a few dollars more than my flight from LAX. So the airlines are just gouging west coast flyers to Hawaii.



Air miles ATL - LAX: 1944

Air miles LAX - HNL: 2615.

So she's paying the same amount of money for a shorter flight.  Not sure why you think the airlines are gouging Hawaii flyers.  Based on your data it appears to me that if flyers are being gouged, the gouging would be on the mainland.


----------



## artringwald

Here's what I call gouging. I tried to used Delta miles for multi-city interisland flights from LIH -> HNL and HNL -> KOA. They wanted 60,000 miles for two people (for next February). As I recall, interisland flights used to cost 5,000/segment. I tried booking the same flights with Hawaiian, and it was $314 total.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte

artringwald said:


> Here's what I call gouging. I tried to used Delta miles for multi-city interisland flights from LIH -> HNL and HNL -> KOA. They wanted 60,000 miles for two people (for next February). As I recall, interisland flights used to cost 5,000/segment. I tried booking the same flights with Hawaiian, and it was $314 total.



That is not surprising.  February is one of the highest demand months in Hawaii, and the third week of February is probably the highest demand week in Hawaii.  OTOH, if you can travel off-peak you can do much better.  

I've given up trying to use FF miles for Hawaii in February.


----------



## csalter2

*Inconsistent rates*



gnorth16 said:


> I checked again and it went from $497 for a full size 12 day rental to $332 for a Premium!!!  Very happy!!!



I have been looking at car rental prices almost daily since September for Hawaii. Costco has not been competitive until this week with Discount Hawaii Car Rental. 

A couple of interesting things have happened this week. First, Costco did beat my Discount Hawaii Car Rental quote by $22.00 for our July Maui time. However, Discount Hawaii was able to reduce my Oahu week from $$195 for a full size car to $146 for a PREMium size car! This is that July 4th week. 

I notice that July prices are usually very high.  I notice that my second week in Oahu that the prices are even higher.


----------



## Ken555

csalter2 said:


> I have been looking at car rental prices almost daily since September for Hawaii. Costco has not been competitive until this week with Discount Hawaii Car Rental.
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of interesting things have happened this week. First, Costco did beat my Discount Hawaii Car Rental quote by $22.00 for our July Maui time. However, Discount Hawaii was able to reduce my Oahu week from $$195 for a full size car to $146 for a PREM_M_ size car! This is that July 4th week.
> 
> 
> 
> I notice that July prices are usually very high.  I notice that my second week in Oahu that the prices are even higher.




Costco was best for my Maui rental, until a couple days ago when Advantage (with a coupon found in <1 min online) was another 10% less than Costco. I'm paying ~$21 per day for a standard size after all taxes and fees, which I consider to be quite good. Discount HCR wasn't even competitive. Of course, timing and availability is everything.


Sent from my iPad


----------



## Elli

Costco rates often go down just before a trip, but I found this year the rates for Palm Springs for early April hardly went down.  The rates went up instead of down.  We paid less for a car in Hawaii last Oct. than Palm Springs this year.


----------



## HatTrick

A 16-year-old boy has found a way to beat the high cost of flying to Hawaii.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-16-year-stows-away-california-hawaii-flight/story?id=23402777


----------



## Luanne

HatTrick said:


> A 16-year-old boy has found a way to beat the high cost of flying to Hawaii.
> 
> http://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-16-year-stows-away-california-hawaii-flight/story?id=23402777



And darned lucky he survived!

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/how-did-he-survive-teen-stowaway-very-very-lucky-n86036


----------



## HatTrick

Luanne said:


> And darned lucky he survived!
> 
> http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/how-did-he-survive-teen-stowaway-very-very-lucky-n86036



Still, don't be surprised if the airlines add "wheel-well class" tickets to their flights in the near future.


----------



## Blues

HatTrick said:


> Still, don't be surprised if the airlines add "wheel-well class" tickets to their flights in the near future.



I ran through the terminal building
To fly by my airline
The man said I could ride the wing
And I said that was fine
He said I'll confirm your reservation
And put the plane on hold
He come back and said "Sorry
But that wing space just been sold"

"The Great Airplane Strike"
Paul Revere and the Raiders


----------



## MOXJO7282

csalter2 said:


> I have been looking at car rental prices almost daily since September for Hawaii. Costco has not been competitive until this week with Discount Hawaii Car Rental.
> 
> A couple of interesting things have happened this week. First, Costco did beat my Discount Hawaii Car Rental quote by $22.00 for our July Maui time. However, Discount Hawaii was able to reduce my Oahu week from $$195 for a full size car to $146 for a PREMium size car! This is that July 4th week.
> 
> I notice that July prices are usually very high.  I notice that my second week in Oahu that the prices are even higher.



So we're looking at 7/12 - 7/26 on Maui. For Intermediate Costco had been lowest at $655. I have been checking almost daily and price had gone up by $100 after I booked in Sept.

Just today Costco is down to $579, lower by $76. Didn't check other sites because they have always been more expensive but I guess I will do so but happy for the time being saving $75 to $579 now.


----------



## dive-in

Like many others, I book early with Costco and then keep watching.  Booking out so far in advance often means there aren't any coupons available for the time I'm booking so all I get is the standard % off with each agency.  A few weeks ago I called and they were able to apply one of the coupons for my time frame that had become available since my original booking.  Saved myself a few more bucks.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Finally - a big drop for Alamo on Costco - 4.5 months ahead ($228/wk Intermediate - down from ~$400!)
Probably will drop lower, but grabbed just in case.


----------



## meatsss

*Working the system*

If you're a small business person, there are ways to work the system to keep prices down. I have an Alaska card which I accumulate miles. The last trip to Maui cost 95,000 miles for 2. It takes me about 10 months to accumulate that many miles. I also have a BLUE Amex card which I spend over $20,000 per month for the business. When I don't have enough Alaska miles for Maui, I use this card then pay for the tickets with the points I have earned. The good thing about that is instead of ONE point per penny for payment, it's only THREE QUARTERS of a point per penny. 7500 points gets you a $100 credit. 

And then Alaska gives card holders a deal once per year. Buy a regular ticket and get a companion fare for $99-$119 depending on destination. I saved over $800 using that for the next round trip. And then my points on Blue Amex paid it off, saving me 60,000 points. 

I know it's getting more difficult to earn enough points for travel, as many of the carriers have increased the point levels to offset their rising costs. But if you're disciplined enough to use the credit cards and pay off the balances each month, you can still get good deals. 

I make sure I book flights at the maximum allowable time to make sure to get FF seats. It's worked for us for over 24 years we have been flying to our various timeshares.


----------



## BocaBoy

winger said:


> Here is final result for us, with flight in the morning we are done searching...
> PL approx $295
> Costco 272
> Budget 257
> Chase UR 208
> I prepaid with UR...price was same with Budget and Enterprise, and I went with Budget.



Since you know the price at Priceline and you did not book it, you must not have used their Name Your Own Price feature.  That is where you can often do so well  a week or two before the date of the reservation.  If $295 was Priceline's price for a standard booking, you might well have been able to get it for under $200 with Name Your Own Price.  It does not always work, but it does more often than not.  I can often get the cars for 60% or so of the standard price, which in this case would be under $180.


----------



## winger

BocaBoy said:


> Since you know the price at Priceline and you did not book it, you must not have used their Name Your Own Price feature.  That is where you can often do so well  a week or two before the date of the reservation.  If $295 was Priceline's price for a standard booking, you might well have been able to get it for under $200 with Name Your Own Price.  It does not always work, but it does more often than not.  I can often get the cars for 60% or so of the standard price, which in this case would be under $180.



It could normally work that way with PL, however, the final price I noted in my post was: 
a) the price PL offered me when I failed with the name-my-price method (where they come back with a 'suggested price')
b) from a failed bid the night before I flew to Maui.  Actually, as far as I remember, I may have even checked PL at the airport while waiting for my 5 1/2 hr flight.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte

winger said:


> It could normally work that way with PL, however, the final price I noted in my post was:
> a) the price PL offered me when I failed with the name-my-price method (where they come back with a 'suggested price')


A few comments. 

1. When PL comes back with a "suggested price" you can be dead certain that the minimum price PL will accept is less than their suggested price.  

2. Never make a PL bid without first having gotten an offer from Hotwire and without having used a site such as Kayak to determine what the minimum base internet rates are.  Needless to say, any bid you make on PL should be less than the lowest offer that you have turned up via those two routes.

3. If the HW "secret rate" isn't less than the internet rates that come back from Kayak, your chances of getting a deal on HW or PL are slim to non-existent.  When that happens, that is a signal that the vendors don't expect to have excess inventory, so they aren't releasing inventory to HW or PL at a discount.  In fact, in those circumstances, you will probably get quoted higher rates on HW than you can get via sites such as Kayak.


----------



## MOXJO7282

MOXJO7282 said:


> So we're looking at 7/12 - 7/26 on Maui. For Intermediate Costco had been lowest at $655. I have been checking almost daily and price had gone up by $100 after I booked in Sept.
> 
> Just today Costco is down to $579, lower by $76. Didn't check other sites because they have always been more expensive but I guess I will do so but happy for the time being saving $75 to $579 now.



Same car now $457 through Costco. Its getting more to my liking. hopefully we see another reduction before we go July 12th


----------



## danb

*Car rental*

We got a full size in Kauai 2 weeks ago for $158. Good deal. It was from Alamo.


----------



## Chrispee

We got 10 days in a full size on Kauai at the beginning of may for $175 tax in. I couldn't believe how low it dropped!


----------



## csalter2

*Prices are going down, down, down for car rentals*

My car rental prices have been plummeting since my last post. The prices have now dropped by 50% since I started reserving my car rentals in September.  As the months passed Discount Hawaii Car Rental seemed to be the one to beat. I have six car rentals that I need for the month I will be in Hawaii island hopping. Originally, Discount Hawaii had 5 out of 6 of the rentals. Now Costco has 4 out of the 6 car rentals and I only have one economy car where initially I had four economy cars for my second two weeks. I now have full size cars that were cheaper than the cost of the economy cars.  My car rental costs have significantly changed and I will be driving in larger cars.  :rofl::hysterical::rofl:


----------



## winger

csalter2 said:


> My car rental prices have been plummeting since my last post. The prices have now dropped by 50% since I started reserving my car rentals in September.  As the months passed Discount Hawaii Car Rental seemed to be the one to beat. I have six car rentals that I need for the month I will be in Hawaii island hopping. Originally, Discount Hawaii had 5 out of 6 of the rentals. Now Costco has 4 out of the 6 car rentals and I only have one economy car where initially I had four economy cars for my second two weeks. I now have full size cars that were cheaper than the cost of the economy cars.  My car rental costs have significantly changed and I will be driving in larger cars.  :rofl::hysterical::rofl:



Way to go. Nothing better than traveling in style on The Islands!


----------



## MOXJO7282

danb said:


> We got a full size in Kauai 2 weeks ago for $158. Good deal. It was from Alamo.



That is an amazing price. Kauai must be cheaper than Maui because I have never seen anything like that on Maui for 2 weeks.


----------



## Chrispee

MOXJO7282 said:


> That is an amazing price. Kauai must be cheaper than Maui because I have never seen anything like that on Maui for 2 weeks.



I think the actual rental was 2 weeks ago, but that sounds like a 1 week rental price to me.


----------



## MOXJO7282

Just ran the deal again through Costco and got a 2 car upgrade to a full size for $17 more. So price point for a full size is now $474 for the 2 weeks. We'll see how much better it can get.

For those who have tried, *will Priceline get me a better price now *that I'm getting closer to check-in (53 days)?


----------



## MOXJO7282

Chrispee said:


> I think the actual rental was 2 weeks ago, but that sounds like a 1 week rental price to me.



You're probably right but a good price even so. I'm being quote $238/week for full size for Maui. I'd be thrilled to see less than $200 for the week.


----------



## mjm1

Like others I keep watching Costco prices. A week ago we got an intermediate from Alamo on Oahu for $124 for 9 days. When I first started looking it was close to $400. Now I have money for golf!

I don't understand how the rates work as they definitely bounce around. Since my last ressie the rates have bounced back up. I can't imagine it will get any better.

Looking forward to our trip at the end of the month.


----------



## MOXJO7282

MOXJO7282 said:


> Just ran the deal again through Costco and got a 2 car upgrade to a full size for $17 more. So price point for a full size is now $474 for the 2 weeks. We'll see how much better it can get.
> 
> For those who have tried, *will Priceline get me a better price now *that I'm getting closer to check-in (53 days)?



Wow this is getting to be fun!! Now we've secured a premium for $505.  I'm pretty happy with this car and price point but the other car I'm considering is an intermediate SUV for $443.


----------



## Luanne

MOXJO7282 said:


> For those who have tried, *will Priceline get me a better price now *that I'm getting closer to check-in (53 days)?



The answer is.....maybe. 

I've found there is a certain time when the prices seem to go way down, then they start to rise again.  They go back down closer to the time you need the car, but probably never as low as that one particular period.  However, I haven't figured out when that "sweet spot" is.  So, just keep checking.


----------



## Picker57

luv_maui said:


> For my dates (9 days) in the fall:
> 
> $307 Chase
> $318 Discount Hawaii
> $400 Hotwire
> $500 Costco
> 
> Chase appears to be a prepay and you have to use at least one ultimate rewards point (i.e. have a chase credit card).  There are cancellations possible, but there may be "supplier fees" or cancellation fees.  I'm opting for Discount Hawaii Car rental for now.  Still hoping to get a rate closer towards $100-$200 like last year, but this is best rate I've seen in couple weeks.



It would be interesting to see if these change as your dates get closer.  Through Costco, we had reserved a full size for Big Island well ahead of our 4-wk stay this past January. About three weeks before our trip the price dropped from $1050 to $640.  I think we caught lightning in a bottle with that one, but I'll definitely be watching and hoping for a similar pattern for our 5-wk visit next January.  

Yes, Hawaii is more difficult than Florida, Texas, and California.  But those places aren't magic. Hawaii is. 

  -------------Zach


----------



## ChristyK

*Car rental*

I've nearly always gotten the best prices using autoslash.com.


----------



## matbec

Oh wow! Our 2-week Aug rental in Maui through Costco just dropped from $748 (Standard SUV, Alamo) to $598 all in - same size, still Alamo, through Costco! It was $842 when I first booked it a few months ago, then a couple of weeks ago it went down to $771, then down to $748 last weekend, and now $598. Unbelievable!


----------



## rifleman69

Prcies dropped for Kauai big time the past month.  Anyone who paid over $200 for anything got gipped!


----------



## Picker57

matbec said:


> Oh wow! Our 2-week Aug rental in Maui through Costco just dropped from $748 (Standard SUV, Alamo) to $598 all in - same size, still Alamo, through Costco! It was $842 when I first booked it a few months ago, then a couple of weeks ago it went down to $771, then down to $748 last weekend, and now $598. Unbelievable!



So.....I'm sensing that there's not much point in messing with these until 3-4 months from travel date (other than idle curiosity).  Would this be correct?  Our Costco quote for Big Island next January is still up in the nosebleed section.  

One of the nice features of the Costco portal is that there is never a charge for a spouse driver.  I THINK that Discount Hawaii Car Rental is the same.  Any others? 

                      -----------------Zach


----------



## Luanne

Picker57 said:


> So.....I'm sensing that there's not much point in messing with these until 3-4 months from travel date (other than idle curiosity).  Would this be correct?  Our Costco quote for Big Island next January is still up in the nosebleed section.
> 
> One of the nice features of the Costco portal is that there is never a charge for a spouse driver.  I THINK that Discount Hawaii Car Rental is the same.  Any others?
> 
> -----------------Zach



As I've said, I've never figured out when that "sweet spot" for Costco is. Sometimes the very lowest rates are only out there for a day or so.  So my advice is to keep checking.


----------



## Blues

Luanne said:


> I've found there is a certain time when the prices seem to go way down, then they start to rise again.  They go back down closer to the time you need the car, but probably never as low as that one particular period.  However, I haven't figured out when that "sweet spot" is.  So, just keep checking.



In my experience, the sweet spot happens sometime in the 2-6 weeks out range, and usually at 3-4 weeks.  But you're right (in a later post) -- your best strategy is to check each and every day.  I've been doing that for October, even though I know it's too far out to get a good deal.

-Bob


----------



## Luanne

Blues said:


> In my experience, the sweet spot happens sometime in the 2-6 weeks out range, and usually at 3-4 weeks.  But you're right (in a later post) -- your best strategy is to check each and every day.  I've been doing that for October, even though I know it's too far out to get a good deal.
> 
> -Bob



My latest experience with Costco was for a very short rental in Florida, pick up at Tampa.

I reserved at the lowest price on 3/9, travel was on 5/16.  So that was a little more than 2 months out.  After I reserved the prices shot way back up again, then went down, but never as low as what I had reserved.


----------



## ocdb8r

Just to report my experience...

Booked a 10-day rental mid-March for our trip August 1-11, 2014.  Costco had the best rate at the time on a Standard SUV for $677 (including all taxes and fees).  Pretty rich for my blood (especially considering we usually travel during the soulder season, Oct or May).  Re-checked occassionally, until finally late April the prices dropped to $603.  I'll take it!

Just re-checked on Monday (May 19) and the prices dropped a further $170!  Now looking at $427 for the exact same rental.  That is a price I can handle (but I will of course keep checking).  I've been concurrently checking Discount Hawaii Car Rental and they occassionally are $2-3 cheaper, but I get a free extra driver on my Costco rate.


----------



## MOXJO7282

Blues said:


> In my experience, the sweet spot happens sometime in the 2-6 weeks out range, and usually at 3-4 weeks.  But you're right (in a later post) -- your best strategy is to check each and every day.  I've been doing that for October, even though I know it's too far out to get a good deal.
> 
> -Bob



I hope this is true because I'm still outside that box and already have a fairly good rate.  I'd love to get below $400 for an SUV for our 2 weeks in Maui in 7 weeks. 

Started the search and came up with the best deal for an intermediate car for $655 now at $442 for intermediate SUV.


----------



## Chrispee

Picker57 said:


> So.....I'm sensing that there's not much point in messing with these until 3-4 months from travel date (other than idle curiosity).  Would this be correct?  Our Costco quote for Big Island next January is still up in the nosebleed section.
> 
> 
> -----------------Zach



For my trip to the big island last January, I did a name your own price of $31 on priceline almost 1 year out.  The price never went down during the entire year leading up to the trip.  Having said this, I agree that usually 1-2 months is the sweet spot.


----------



## cgeidl

*Drive to Hawaii*

Must be easy as there are three interstate Highways to somewhere. Why else would there be interstate highways? Comparing Florida to Hawaii is like comparing diamonds to glass.
It is very expensive but we just love breathing the Hawaiian air and it is worth it to us..


----------



## philemer

ronandjoan said:


> Autoslash is great - they were banned from HI for a while (by the other auto companies, they said) - are they back there now?



The way it works now is you make a rez. on your own, anywhere, and send the info to AutoSlash. They will then monitor the rates and contact you when they drop. Still works great.


----------



## MOXJO7282

MOXJO7282 said:


> I hope this is true because I'm still outside that box and already have a fairly good rate.  I'd love to get below $400 for an SUV for our 2 weeks in Maui in 7 weeks.
> 
> Started the search and came up with the best deal for an intermediate car for $655 now at $442 for intermediate SUV.



 now at $425 for intermediate SUV.


----------



## MOXJO7282

philemer said:


> The way it works now is you make a rez. on your own, anywhere, and send the info to AutoSlash. They will then monitor the rates and contact you when they drop. Still works great.



I just put in my $425 intermediate SUV into autoslash to see if it will find it for me for less.


----------



## billymach4

cgeidl said:


> Must be easy as there are three interstate Highways to somewhere. Why else would there be interstate highways? Comparing Florida to Hawaii is like comparing diamonds to glass.
> It is very expensive but we just love breathing the Hawaiian air and it is worth it to us..



I also thought is was rather comical that there are Interstates in Oahu. Must have been a federally funded project. Also the Highways were built to accommodate the military transportation around the island.


----------



## MOXJO7282

MOXJO7282 said:


> now at $425 for intermediate SUV.



Now at $400 for intermediate SUV through Costco for 2 weeks starting 7/12/14. Started at $655 for intermediate car.


----------



## winger

MOXJO7282 said:


> Now at $400 for intermediate SUV through Costco for 2 weeks starting 7/12/14. Started at $655 for intermediate car.



My gut feel says if you are vigilant and using various tools (e.g. CC, AS, etc.) you can get down to $275 for the two weeks for a full size, unsure for a Int SUV.


----------



## MOXJO7282

pricing up the way up now. Checked today and its up $25.


----------



## MOXJO7282

Well I ended up getting a $356 for intermediate SUV on 6/1 and since then its gone up to $474 so I'm wondering if the low point was hit at about 40-45 days before my check-in of 7/12/14. 

Happy with $356 for 2 weeks for mid SUV considering I started and stayed at $655 for a while for midsize car.


----------



## winger

Did you take note what the lowest full-size prices were?


----------



## gvic

*Checkout Allegiant LAS to HNL in August ! !*

Las Vegas to Honolulu in August Roundtrip $326.00 ! ! !

Happy Traveling....

https://www2.allegiantair.com/


----------



## Picker57

winger said:


> Did you take note what the lowest full-size prices were?



Right now they're A BUNCH for next Jan-Feb (full-size, Costco, $1450 for 5 weeks on Big Island).  Will definitely recheck frequently starting 2 months out.  Fingers crossed......

 ------------------Zach


----------



## csalter2

*Costco Prices Up again!*

I don't know if anyone else is noticing it, but I have been looking at Costco prices to Hawaii and they have ticked up quite a bit for July 2014.  I was able to get reservations a couple of weeks ago for 4 days for fullsized cars for $55 and $52 at Kona and Kauai respectively. Now those same prices have doubled for smaller cars and are double the full sized car price if they even exist. I am now seeing a lot of sold out.


----------



## MOXJO7282

csalter2 said:


> I don't know if anyone else is noticing it, but I have been looking at Costco prices to Hawaii and they have ticked up quite a bit for July 2014.  I was able to get reservations a couple of weeks ago for 4 days for fullsized cars for $55 and $52 at Kona and Kauai respectively. Now those same prices have doubled for smaller cars and are double the full sized car price if they even exist. I am now seeing a lot of sold out.



Yes the intermediate SUV I've been watching for 7-12 to 7-26 now up from low of $356 to $526. Interesting to follow the pricing.


----------

