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A general question on getting to Hawaii : planning a future trip / possible 1st Class ticket plan

bbodb1

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Hello all,

I know there has been a good amount of discussion on TUG about the many options and changes in how to get to Hawaii by air. With Southwest's entrance into this market, I would hope prices would come down and more options become available, but Southwest does not offer first class air travel. In looking ahead, I am hoping that sometime in 2022 we will be (finally) able to go to Hawaii for the first time. Given that a trip from the central U.S. likely means 10+ hours in the air, I'd like to start working now toward exploring the possibility of first class air travel. We have never done this before so that would be a first time experience all its own as well.

But my question is this - starting from scratch (now), what options would you explore for first class travel to Hawaii next year? Part of the reason I would like to revisit this topic is (I suspect) many of the programs and options which existed in pre COVID times may no longer be reasonable or viable.

Are there (at present - meaning still useful in this COVID and post COVID times) credit cards (or other programs) that are truly helpful to this end? The goal is to minimize the cost of first class air travel as much as possible. Thanks in advance for any ideas offered.
 

Henry M.

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A friend of hours just got here from Central Texas. A first class ticket on American Airlines was 45,000 miles each way. You can find offers for an AA credit card that will give you 50-60k miles for signing up.

Premium Economy is also an option on AA. These are much nicer seats than the standard economy seats, but cost a bit less than first class.

If anything, COVID has improved availability of cheaper award tickets. What the situation will be in 2022 is anyone's guess.
 

stslc

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Alaska Airlines has first class options on their HI flights. They have a credit card that offers an annual companion fare discount. We have flown Alaska the last two trips and it has been very pleasant. The Pre-Clear entry is also a nice benefit.
 

geist1223

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But you can no longer use Companion Fare for 1st Class. It was great when you could. We on ocassion will buy a Regular Fare, Companion Fare, and use Miles to upgrade to 1st Class on Alaska.
 

artringwald

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First class is great, especially for such a long flight. We go every year (well, maybe not this year), and every year we get different combinations of flights and airlines. One year we had 5 flight segments on 4 different airlines. It all depends on which island(s) you'll visit and where you'll be leaving from. Hawaiian is our favorite for first class, but has limited connections on the mainland.
DW doesn't like long travel days, so we usually stay overnight at an airport hotel on the west coast. Google Flights is an excellent way to try out all the possibilities and track the prices. It does take time to find the best deal.
 

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We go to Oahu every other year (although I went twice in 2019) from the east coast. I’ve done coach several times, first class several, in the past almost always using airline miles (we have had several ways to accrue them). I’m pretty depleted now, so paying cash for our return flight next trip.

You say you’re central US, so I’d start looking at most one stop flights. There are nonstop from Chicago if that’s close to you.

I’d start by looking at which airline has lie flat seats, which are ideal for the return flight especially, as they are always red eye flights (I never stop in California). I’ve done economy comfort going over once, and honestly that was pretty nice. Coming home I really want lie flat (American, Delta, United all have some routes with them, as does Hawaiian but they don’t fly near me).

I’d start also reading up on The Points Guy, or get on Flyertalk too. Find which airline suits you, then get their credit card (especially if there’s a good sign up bonus). That can help a lot (I signed up for United’s, then transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards to my account to get 2 first class seats going over for our next trip). Saved a couple grand.
 

bbodb1

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Thanks to all who have replied this far in this thread. To be a bit more specific, our closest departure point is Little Rock but we also are not that far from Memphis or Dallas either. I have started looking at some prices for travel picking some dates in mid October - not because we are traveling then, but I was looking for what I am guessing would be lower (lowest) fare options. I see the Tuesday rule is still very much in play (air travel tends to be cheaper then). Just to clarify a point I touched on in the OP, we do currently hold a Southwest CC, but given that we have a good bit of time prior to when I hope we make this trip (summer 2022), I am hoping to offset some of the cost with a properly chosen credit card and airline.
 

MommaBear

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Thanks to all who have replied this far in this thread. To be a bit more specific, our closest departure point is Little Rock but we also are not that far from Memphis or Dallas either. I have started looking at some prices for travel picking some dates in mid October - not because we are traveling then, but I was looking for what I am guessing would be lower (lowest) fare options. I see the Tuesday rule is still very much in play (air travel tends to be cheaper then). Just to clarify a point I touched on in the OP, we do currently hold a Southwest CC, but given that we have a good bit of time prior to when I hope we make this trip (summer 2022), I am hoping to offset some of the cost with a properly chosen credit card and airline.
The bigger issue I had was finding the appropriate Trusted Partner to get our testing done before we leave. The closest one is about 2 1/2 hours away.
 

SeeMe

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The bigger issue I had was finding the appropriate Trusted Partner to get our testing done before we leave. The closest one is about 2 1/2 hours away.
Their trip is not until 2022 and this morning the Honolulu Advertiser talked of Hawaii updating their safe travel to include those who have been vaccinated as being free from testing and quarantine. We are traveling to Maui in May and then Oahu and Kauai in July and Oahu in December so I sure hope so.
 

bbodb1

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On the vaccination front, I have had my first dose of the Moderna vaccine and was scheduled for the 2nd dose this Tuesday but snow moving through Arkansas has disrupted those plans. The 2nd dose has been rescheduled for Friday (weather willing) and as a result, it will be 31 days between doses. According to what I have read, there seems to be no issue if you extend the window between doses but you do not want to shorten it.

The wife is the more pressing issue. I qualified for a shot earlier than many since I work in a public school. The wife has worked from home during the past year and is not on any schedule to receive it (yet anyway). We will definitely address this long before next summer though as we do NOT want to have to deal with testing and quarantine while on vacation....

Nonetheless, this is an aspect that must be considered - thanks to both of you for mentioning this here!
 

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Hawaiian is my carrier of choice to HI, especially if you can get a flight on one of their widebody A330 aircraft. Those have the lie-flat first class seats and are really comfortable. They fly direct to HNL from most West Coast hubs. Outside of the West Coast they go from BOS and JFK and will be adding in AUS and MCO this year. All of those long routes from the East Coast are going to be on their larger planes making it pretty comfortable to travel 10+ hours in a lie-flat seat. Not sure what the mileage redemption would be on these routes but I would absolutely fly Hawaiian when I have the option to do so.
 

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Luanne

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I couldn't find the article, but here's a nice summary of the progress toward being quarantine free if you're vaccinated.
This sentence concerns me: "quarantine should be avoidable for those fully vaccinated within 3 months of the last vaccination ". The way I'm reading it is you have to travel within three months of receiving the vaccine.
 

artringwald

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This sentence concerns me: "quarantine should be avoidable for those fully vaccinated within 3 months of the last vaccination ". The way I'm reading it is you have to travel within three months of receiving the vaccine.
You are correct. There's no strong evidence yet about how long the vaccines last, and with new strains developing, they just don't know. Once they have collected better data, they may be able to extend the 3 month requirement.
 

Luanne

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You are correct. There's no strong evidence yet about how long the vaccines last, and with new strains developing, they just don't know. Once they have collected better data, they may be able to extend the 3 month requirement.
I don't mind getting the vaccine annually, like the flu shot, but I really hope it is a once a year thing.
 

amyhwang

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Since you are close to Dallas, I’d look into a nonstop from there if you can. We’ve done American connecting through DFW (they have a nonstop from DFW to HNL with lie flat seats).
 

bbodb1

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Speaking of this:
....DW doesn't like long travel days, so we usually stay overnight at an airport hotel on the west coast. ...

I have to admit our first attempt to Hawaii used a similar strategy BUT it was more forced on us because we wanted to use Southwest airlines. At that time, Southwest could not schedule us from Little Rock to Kona on one reservation (it took two then), so we had planned to stop for a day in San Francisco (both coming and going). I have to admit I soft of like that idea as well, so that begs the following question: in looking at our options for a short stay to break up a trip, it would seem San Diego is probably the best option (distance and time wise), but have you @artringwald found any particular west coast city that breaks this trip up particularly better than any other?

In other words, have you found a west coast gateway to Hawaii city that has a very good combination of a place to stay overnight? Near (if not on) the airport itself, requiring no rental car to get around in order to satisfy your needs for a day?
 

bbodb1

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Since you are close to Dallas, I’d look into a nonstop from there if you can. We’ve done American connecting through DFW (they have a nonstop from DFW to HNL with lie flat seats).

I will definitely check that out. From a post above, @bonjourashley mentioned Austin (and Hawaiian Airlines) as another option to consider. Having never taken a first or business class trip, it would be worth it to see if those accommodations make it possible (comfort wise) to make a trip in one day. I do want our first trip to Hawaii to be special (memorable) so I am looking at the easiest ways to get to lie down seating in both directions.
 

artringwald

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In other words, have you found a west coast gateway to Hawaii city that has a very good combination of a place to stay overnight? Near (if not on) the airport itself, requiring no rental car to get around in order to satisfy your needs for a day?
We usually pick flights that arrive in the evening and leave in the morning, so we never need a car. It's easy to search for hotels that provide a shuttle. Of the cities we've tried, LAX is the worst. The pickup area for taxis, Uber, and hotel shuttles usually isn't close to the baggage claim. Our favorite stopover city is Portland because it's a smaller airport, less congestion and lower hotel rates. Most of the flights there are on Alaska. Our 2nd favorite is San Diego because the Hilton on Harbor Island is so close to the airport and is very scenic being right next to a marina. We've also stopped over in Seattle and San Francisco. Both very have busy airports. We haven't tried them yet, but depending on the airline, Phoenix, Oakland, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City could also be stopover points.

No matter what city you pick, be prepared for multiple flight changes, even without the pandemic.
 

SmithOp

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I will definitely check that out. From a post above, @bonjourashley mentioned Austin (and Hawaiian Airlines) as another option to consider. Having never taken a first or business class trip, it would be worth it to see if those accommodations make it possible (comfort wise) to make a trip in one day. I do want our first trip to Hawaii to be special (memorable) so I am looking at the easiest ways to get to lie down seating in both directions.

We fly from Long Beach LGB on Hawaiian to HNL connect to KOA, I just booked Sept, First Class was $1250 round trip. HA has one of the lowest cost FC but the seats are not lie flat. There is a Marriott right next to the airport.

Orange County SNA just announced that United will offer one flight a day to HNL. There hasn’t been a Hawaii route here since 2012.
 

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I also use Chase Ultimate Rewards to apply points towards the purchase of 1st class seats or transfer to a Frequent Flyer program. We fly Premium Economy or First Class on our long flights from the East Coast (NJ).


Keep in mind, 1st class seating can vary greatly. If you want lie-flat seating, you‘ll need to verify which routes and frequency. Here are some articles to give you a general idea of what you need to look for.


Booking lie-flat seats via reduced miles can be difficult.
 

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Last October we flew American Airlines to Honolulu from San Antonio through Dallas. From DFW we flew the 787 non-stop in first class and it was absolutely the BEST flying experience ever. It’s basically an 8 and a half hour flight that absolutely flew by (no pun intended). Lie flat seats in our own little cubbies, pillow, warm comforter, snacks, meals, individual entertainment system with Bose noise-cancelling headset, etc. Two movies and a couple of episodes of “Friends” and we were landing. I do not like flying in general (there’s just something unsettling about jetting through the sky for hours in a tuna can) but I can honestly say I was completely relaxed on that trip. I would highly recommend the 787 from DFW. We also flew it in return on the red eye flight which made the trip home completely comfortable and enjoyable.

We flew using miles and it was 110K miles each. Completely worth it. You can get American Airlines branded credit cards through Citibank and Barclays for both of you that will get you enough miles.
 
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alwysonvac

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But you can no longer use Companion Fare for 1st Class. It was great when you could. We on ocassion will buy a Regular Fare, Companion Fare, and use Miles to upgrade to 1st Class on Alaska.
Thanks for the tip. I’ll have to keep watch for Mileage upgrades in the future. :)

I took advantage of an Alaska Airline’s bonus miles Credit Card offer earlier this year.
I used the bonus miles to book return flights in coach for my sister-in-law and nephew (HNL to DTW) and then upgraded them to premium economy with cash.
 

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Thanks to all who have replied this far in this thread. To be a bit more specific, our closest departure point is Little Rock but we also are not that far from Memphis or Dallas either. I have started looking at some prices for travel picking some dates in mid October - not because we are traveling then, but I was looking for what I am guessing would be lower (lowest) fare options. I see the Tuesday rule is still very much in play (air travel tends to be cheaper then). Just to clarify a point I touched on in the OP, we do currently hold a Southwest CC, but given that we have a good bit of time prior to when I hope we make this trip (summer 2022), I am hoping to offset some of the cost with a properly chosen credit card and airline.
Not sure if currently available or not, but American Express Platinum card often has a 100,000 mile bonus which can be transferred to numerous different airlines, including Hawaiian. You can get an AA Citi card, and an AX card, spend the minimums, and have almost enough points for First RT, or at least premium coach. Remember that the flight THERE is much longer than the flight back due to wind, so if you are in First only one way, going may be better.
 

csodjd

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I also use Chase Ultimate Rewards to apply points towards the purchase of 1st class seats or transfer to a Frequent Flyer program. We fly Premium Economy or First Class on our long flights from the East Coast (NJ).


Keep in mind, 1st class seating can vary greatly. If you want lie-flat seating, you‘ll need to verify which routes and frequency. Here are some articles to give you a general idea of what you need to look for.


Booking lie-flat seats via reduced miles can be difficult.
Last month we flew LAX-HNL-LAX first class. American not lie-flat going, Hawaiian lie-flat returning. Hawaiian was a much better experience. Much more room. Much more comfortable seats. Much much better food service.
 
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