Need help planning airline travel to Hawaii

[Ann-Marie]

We want to go to the Hawaiian islands next summer. I have one week booked on Maui for 6/24/07. I am searaching for another week on the Island of Hawaii, either before or after Maui, but preferably after. We also want to go to Oahu for a few nights. I am planning ahead, thinking I may not get the exchange for the Island of Hawaii until after I book airfare. So, how do I do this. I am hoping to use AMEX freq. flyer points for first class. Which way would I be better to plan?
NYC - Oahu - Maui - Hawaii - NYC
NYC- Maui - Hawaii - Oahu - NYC
NYC - Hawaii - Maui - Oahu - NYC
NYC - Oahu - Hawaii - Maui - NYC
It is confusing because I will have to use different airlines. There are not to many flights that have only one connection from NYC. My hubby absolutely refuses to leave from Newark.

Also, does anyone know roughly how many points it will take to fly First Class through AMEX?

 

[lynne]

We want to go to the Hawaiian islands next summer. I have one week booked on Maui for 6/24/07. I am searaching for another week on the Island of Hawaii, either before or after Maui, but preferably after. We also want to go to Oahu for a few nights. I am planning ahead, thinking I may not get the exchange for the Island of Hawaii until after I book airfare. So, how do I do this. I am hoping to use AMEX freq. flyer points for first class. Which way would I be better to plan?
NYC - Oahu - Maui - Hawaii - NYC
NYC- Maui - Hawaii - Oahu - NYC
NYC - Hawaii - Maui - Oahu - NYC
NYC - Oahu - Hawaii - Maui - NYC
It is confusing because I will have to use different airlines. There are not to many flights that have only one connection from NYC. My hubby absolutely refuses to leave from Newark.

Also, does anyone know roughly how many points it will take to fly First Class through AMEX?

Flights from NY directly into Kona are few and far between. You will have better connections if you fly into/out of Oahu/Maui as there are more direct flights into these islands. You can easily get inter-island flights from both Maui and Oahu into Kona/Hilo.

From Long Island the best routing is on AA through Chicago or Dallas. I believe that United also has a few flights that will only have a single stopover.

Unfortunately I cannot answer the AMEX points question.

 

[Dave M]

Although you don't say which AMEX program you belong to, I'll assume it's Membership Rewards. You'll need (for example) 75,000 Delta SkyMiles or Continental OnePass miles for each first class ticket. At an exchange rate of one AMEX point per FF mile, that means a cost of 75,000 Membership Rewards points for each ticket. The Contitnental FF miles can be used on Northwest so that you don't have to fly out of EWR.

That assumes there are "Saver" (capacity controlled) seats available. If not, double the cost per ticket.

Don't count on getting those free tickets. Summer travel to Hawaii, especially reasonably close to July 4th week, is coveted by those who would like to use FF miles. Your competition will be keen. If you need more than two seats or if you fail to call often during the night on the first day you can make reservations, I wouldn't like your chances.

 

[Icarus]

Dave,

Is the backdoor to UA awards still available from Amex MR -> US Air?

If it is, I would look for UA P.S. flights from JFK->LAX or SFO (book in business class), and then UA from LAX or SFO to the islands in F. You can book an open jaw award, say fly into Maui and return from the Big Island, and then use interisland flights to make the other connections during your stay.

Of course, if you're using saver awards, it all depends on availability.

-David

 

[Ann-Marie]

Thanks. I guess I should consider flying in and out of Oahu. It sounds like I should not hope for FF first class seats. I will try business, or come up with another plan.

 

[Courts]

Dave,

Is the backdoor to UA awards still available from Amex MR -> US Air?

If it is, I would look for UA P.S. flights from JFK->LAX or SFO (book in business class), and then UA from LAX or SFO to the islands in F. You can book an open jaw award, say fly into Maui and return from the Big Island, and then use interisland flights to make the other connections during your stay.

Of course, if you're using saver awards, it all depends on availability.

-David

Hi David,
Could you fill me in on the "open jaw award".? We just booked for March 2007 round trip to Maui. We tried to find a "fly-in to Kauai and return from Maui", but the price was double the Maui round trip.
Jack

 

[camachinist]

Hi David,
Could you fill me in on the "open jaw award".? We just booked for March 2007 round trip to Maui. We tried to find a "fly-in to Kauai and return from Maui", but the price was double the Maui round trip.
Jack

An "open jaw" is where the outbound destination is different from the inbound emplaning point. For example, ORD-OGG (stop) HNL-SFO-ORD would be considered an open-jaw. An example of a double open jaw might be ORD-OGG (stop) HNL-SFO. We recently flew a revenue open-jaw FAT-SFO-KIX (stop) NRT-SFO-FAT. The trick is finding availability/pricing bucket for all segments. With UA, open-jaw award tickets can only be booked over the phone with an agent. IME, it's best to have the timetable handy and give them routing/flight options to work with. It also pays to check award availability online for the seperate legs to guage your chances before calling.

The likely reason your prospective open jaw trip was more expensive was because you couldn't book the cheaper fare buckets for all segments on the dates/times you specified. This is an example where it pays to be flexible and to do your own research in advance. On UA, fare bucket information is available on their web site in expert mode, if you have the skills to interpret it. Many other airlines have similar capabilities. IME, some agents have to be walked through this, especially offshore agents. I've found, when dealing with on-shore elite reservation agents, that they have a much better grasp of all the nuances of finding the best deal.

Good luck!

Pat

 

[Courts]

An "open jaw" is where the outbound destination is different from the inbound emplaning point. For example, ORD-OGG (stop) HNL-SFO-ORD would be considered an open-jaw. An example of a double open jaw might be ORD-OGG (stop) HNL-SFO. We recently flew a revenue open-jaw FAT-SFO-KIX (stop) NRT-SFO-FAT. The trick is finding availability/pricing bucket for all segments. With UA, open-jaw award tickets can only be booked over the phone with an agent. IME, it's best to have the timetable handy and give them routing/flight options to work with. It also pays to check award availability online for the seperate legs to guage your chances before calling.

The likely reason your prospective open jaw trip was more expensive was because you couldn't book the cheaper fare buckets for all segments on the dates/times you specified. This is an example where it pays to be flexible and to do your own research in advance. On UA, fare bucket information is available on their web site in expert mode, if you have the skills to interpret it. Many other airlines have similar capabilities. IME, some agents have to be walked through this, especially offshore agents. I've found, when dealing with on-shore elite reservation agents, that they have a much better grasp of all the nuances of finding the best deal.

Good luck!

Pat

Thanks,
There is so much to learn about timeshares and traveling. Makes me appreciate travel agents, who are probably being put out of business by the internet.
Jack

 

[camachinist]

Thanks,
There is so much to learn about timeshares and traveling. Makes me appreciate travel agents, who are probably being put out of business by the internet.
Jack

In fact, there are a number of FT'ers who have taken their interest in traveling to the next step, becoming their own travel agent (licensing). I'm not privy to that subculture on FT, but believe it is where some of the true deals are to be found. Having direct access to the CRS and GDS gives one opportunities we mere travelers can only salivate over

I appreciate the travel agent I once used for everything more and more each day, as I learn how much she had to know to do her job competently. I still use her for complex things, especially international.

Pat