Airfare Deals From Mainland To Hawaii (Honolulu, Hilo: purchase, college, live in)

[GirlinAZ]

If anyone sees deals online, etc. Can you please post the airline/route/terms or a link to the site here?
I am particularly looking for PHX TO Big Island, but I am sure I am not alone in looking for reasonable flights. So, if we stick together, perhaps we can pass along info we see. Thanks.

[bronxbellydancer]

Try US air...My husband and I got a flight from NY to Maui for Mar 5 2008 with one hour long stop in Phoenix... it was under $700.. I also had a great deal on Continental but it was non stop and 10 hours on a plane was not fun....

[thornpicker]

Check out ATA airlines
They fly non stop Phoenix to Honolulu--I looked for direct flights to Hilo awhile back but nothing non stop--you have to go through Honolulu--I live in Tucson by the way
But last time I looked it was $298 round trip!!
They have all kinds of deals like this--plus with cheaper interisland airfares it's probably worth it

We go over every year and usually fly out of Tucson airport because I hate the shuttle ride to Phoenix
Usually we fly United to LAX then Continental to HNL--a couple months ago I think we paid $400 r/t from Tucson
I don't think you'll find ATA if you search Expedia or anyone else--go directly to their site

Happy trails
Thornpicker

[Elder_Shawn]

My wife and I just returned yesterday from Maui via Southwest out of Salt Lake City. We paid $300 each round trip. Our connecting flight was out of Phoenix with ATA. We check the Southwest site regularly.

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by NanawaleJulie

If anyone sees deals online, etc. Can you please post the airline/route/terms or a link to the site here?
I am particularly looking for PHX TO Big Island, but I am sure I am not alone in looking for reasonable flights. So, if we stick together, perhaps we can pass along info we see. Thanks.

I recommend signing up for the "frequent flyer" programs and/or newsletters from Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines, and Continental Airlines, since they often offer some "last minute" deals that are pretty good. ATA and their partner Southwest, also have pretty good deals. Airfares often vary by season and Farecast.com is useful for determining the best times to travel. I travel back-and-forth between Hawai'i and California a couple of times per month and overall, Hawaiian and Continental usually have the best price/performance ratio when compared to Aloha and ATA.

[GirlinAZ]

The only airlines I can choose from would be: ATA, Hawaiian, Aloha, USAirways and not much else. And not all of those will go from here to the Big Island. I have learned to pay extra for as direct a flight as I can get as one time I had to spend an entire day at the connecting airport as they canceled my connecting flight. It was awful. It seems to be particularly expensive to fly to Hilo, do you think it would be less to Kona? Thanks, Julie

[thornpicker]

Thing is, Julie, is that nobody flies from PHX to ITO direct as far as I can tell
Correct me if I'm wrong
I've flown Phoenix to Lihue but never to Hilo
Phoenix to Kona is worth a search...

Aloha!
Thornpicker

[GirlinAZ]

Yes no one does. I meant like flying here to Oakland to Hilo, etc. Meaning changing planes on the mainland versus one of the islands. Or perhaps there was a direct flight from here to Kona? Either way, is it cheaper to fly to Kona vs. Hilo from the mainland? Thanks.

[CLQ]

You might find a better deal if you purchase piecemeal from Phoenix to Honolulu and an interisland flight. Check Hawaiian and Aloha airlines for deals. Kayak, travelocity and then go directly to the airlines website for further discounts. I was frugal in college and researched for hours online for the best deals.

[GirlinAZ]

Thanks, hadn't thought of that. I really hate taking more than one flight, but unless I am going to Maui or Hononlulu I really do not think that I have a choice. Mahalo, Julie