Airfare and Halloween

[gstepic]

We booked our rooms for next October and I am disappointed ticket prices have not dropped much even though fuel costs have nose dived. We cannot even book yet so not a huge concern, but hopefully in next month or so prices will drop. We have found for now going out of Denver is much cheaper than Albuquerque and if we use Hawaiian airlines we can fly out of Phoenix for a decent fare. Phoenix is an 8 hour drive and Denver about 7.

A question about Hawaiin Airlines. If we booked soon and prices then drop, can we get the lower fares. Soutwest Airlines does give you this option and I do not think flights through Expedia or Travelocity allow for this, not sure though.

We will be leaving Oahu on the 31st of October for Maui. My wife is a little upset at me because she wanted to spend Holloween in Waikiki for our next trip. It was really fun watching everyone in costumn this past Holloween. We left that evening so even though my wife would have liked to have stayed that evening not sure if we would have seen much more as the evening went on. So we will be in Maui on Holloween and I am hoping Liahana will also be fun on Holloween. Has anyone been both places during Holloween and how does Waikiki compare to Lahaina?

Gary

 

[Icarus]

I've never been to it, but Lahaina has a big Halloween thing also.

Make sure the savings are really worth it for the 14 - 16 hours of driving you are considering. Do you really want to drive 7 - 8 hours after getting off a long flight from Hawaii?

-David

 

[gstepic]

yes, we are considering

One nice thing about Hawaiin Airlines is we get in at 12:00 pm (I think three hour difference though so more like 3:00 am) which is not as bad as the flights that leave at 11:00 pm and arrive around noon the next day.

Since we are going to be in Hawaii end of October and first week of November we will wait a couple months to book. I do not think fuel prices will rise by then. We prefer to fly out of Albuquerque but not the cost savings is between $500 and $600, which is substantial in my view.

Gary

 

[DeniseM]

Hawaiian does not do a price adjustment if the fare drops. Orbitz does, so you might consider booking through them.

 

[gstepic]

thanks - anyone been on Lahiana on halloween

We will not book for another month as we can't reserve a flight anway as they only go through October 31st and we leave November 6th. I could be wrong on this but I think gas prices are lower now this time of year then they were last year. We booked toward the end of December and the fare was $1150 for two of us. I can't find anything less then $1,800 at the moment. I know two airlines have gone out of business since last year but I am still surprised fares have not budged much.

Has anyone been in Lahiana during Holloween? It was really fun watching so many dressed for the occasion on the streets of Waikiki last year so I hope Lahiana will be similar that time of the year. I am not one to really take part in Halloween but I admit I got a chuckle out of many of the costumes.

Gary

 

[DonM]

We booked our rooms for next October and I am disappointed ticket prices have not dropped much even though fuel costs have nose dived.

I think that's too far out for the airlines to stick their necks out and assume the fuel costs will remain low (I'm not sure if they buy oil or jet fuel futures)

I just booked a July flight out of NYC to HNL for $437 r/t on AA- but they only had 3 tix at that price so I'm gambling that a fourth will become available before we leave.

I noticed that there were more of these cheap fares in March, April & May. So I think that travel is down to Hawaii and the cost of energy is down, so the deals might continue if these factors don't change.

good luck
don

 

[Dave M]

Hawaiian does not do a price adjustment if the fare drops. Orbitz does, so you might consider booking through them.

Be wary of Orbitz' "Price Assurance Refund". The refund for a lower price applies only if another Orbitz customer books the exact same trip (same flights, same connections, same outbound and return dates) with Orbitz that you booked. Think about how many permutations there are of different outbound and return dates and different starting points to connect with your second (or third) flight of the day - in either direction. The odds against the same itinerary for the same dates being purchased through Orbitz, which is only one of many, many booking sources, are astronomical.

 

[AKE]

We were in Lahaina at halloween this year - because of the past rowdiness, no permits were issued for Halloween celebrations this year nor were the steets closed off (and rumour has it that the same will be true for the coming year). As such the crowds were down by 2/3rds (according to the papers) although people still dressed up, etc etc but it was not the same as years past when we were there. I would not make a special effort to be there at halloween.

 

[Icarus]

oh right, I think remember reading that in the paper this year.

-David

 

[DeniseM]

Be wary of Orbitz' "Price Assurance Refund". The refund for a lower price applies only if another Orbitz customer books the exact same trip (same flights, same connections, same outbound and return dates) with Orbitz that you booked. Think about how many permutations there are of different outbound and return dates and different starting points to connect with your second (or third) flight of the day - in either direction. The odds against the same itinerary for the same dates being purchased through Orbitz, which is only one of many, many booking sources, are astronomical.

Thanks, Dave! I didn't know that!