Flights and Rental Car Questions

[suzanne]

Right now cheapest flites for my date is on Hawaiian Airlines out of Las Vegas. Its $714.00 round trip. Las Vegas to Honolulu to Big Island back to Las Vegas. August 23 thru Sept 9th. Since this is my first trip to Hawaii is this a good rate or should I wait to see if prices drop? I checked American, Delta, United and Alaska they were all much higher than Hawaiian Airlines. Plus the other airlines are multiple stops and Hawaiian is direct flite from Vegas.

My other question is about rental cars. We need one for 2 weeks on the Big Island, August 26th thru Sept 9th. Friends want an SUV, cheapest I can find is thru Costco for $796.00. It seems that rental car rates are extremely high everywhere right now. I tried Cheap Hawaiian rentals and they are over $800. for the 2 weeks. Should I book it thru Costco and keep checking to see if rates drop between now and our trip, or is the norm for Hawaii? I like using Costco since you keep checking and if rates drop cancel and rebook at lower rate.

Thanks for anyone's help and advice.

Suzanne

 

[Luanne]

Suzanne, book your car through Costco, then keep checking back. I've found the "sweet spot", when the prices are the lowest, are at about 6 months out. However, earlier this year on our trip to Hawaii I checked a couple of days before the trip and the rates had dropped significantly. So I re-booked and cancelled the original Costco reservation.

You can also check with autoslash, but I recently found that most of their rentals do NOT include a second driver. You can include the information that you are a Costco member and they will use the Costco discount (which includes a second driver), but that is not always their best rate. You can also register a reservation you've made elsewhere and autoslash will see if they can better that price. Autoslash will notify you by email if the rates drop.

As for airfare, I can't help you there. You might try looking at Las Vegas to the west coast (San Francisco Bay area or Los Angeles area) and then from there to the Big Island. We've found some pretty good rates from the San Francisco Bay area to Hawaii. We now break up our trip with a two night stay in San Francisco, fly Southwest from Albuquerque to Oakland, then Alaska Airlines from Oakland to Hawaii. I'm able to use points to get the flights mostly for free.

 

[suzanne]

Thank you for your help.
Suzanne

 

[easyrider]

I saw this the other day. Maybe your dates will work, idk.

http://www.secretflying.com/posts/las-vegas-sacramento-ca-honolulu-hawaii-331-roundtrip/


Bill

 

[sheweeble]

For car rentals, have you tried Discount Hawaii Car Rentals? It's the rental company we used on the Big Island and Kauai.

 

[Luanne]

For car rentals, have you tried Discount Hawaii Car Rentals? It's the rental company we used on the Big Island and Kauai.

I should have mentioned them as well. Although so far we've done better with Costco. Currently Discount Hawaii is coming up with some better prices for our trip in March, but they are with Dollar and Thrifty and I'd prefer not to use those companies. I'm thinking since I'm still so far out Costco will come down.

 

[suzanne]

Thanks everyone for your help. I will keep checking all the car rental sites. Hopefully they will drop as it gets closer to my trip. Will also keep watching airfares.
Suzanne

 

[DeniseM]

Hawaiian car rentals are much higher than other regions - $400 per week for a SUV is pretty normal.

I tried Cheap Hawaiian rentals and they are over $800. for the 2 weeks.

We got a Jeep on Kauai for 2 weeks this summer for $702, and I thought that was a really good price. We also use www.discounthawaiicarrentals.com

Hopefully they will drop as it gets closer to my trip.

During high season, it is not unusual for prices to go UP as availability decreases, and it's not unusual for availability to actually sell out, so hold on to what you have, and don't cancel it until you actually have a new reservation in-hand, or you could end up with no reservation.

 

[JIMinNC]

For rental car have you tried Priceline.com? I don't use them unless regular rental rates are sky-high, but I was recently trying to reserve a car for a business trip during a popular event week (in Wisconsin, not Hawaii) in late July when regular rates were $500-$600 for 5 days for a compact car. I tried the "name your own price" feature on Priceline and was able to get a mid-size from Avis for about $250. I used them once many years ago on Maui with similar savings for a convertible. You do have to pay up front, and I don't like that, but in this case it's a trip that I have to make and only a major emergency would cause a need to cancel, so I figured it was a reasonable trade-off. Priceline doesn't reveal the name of the car company you get until after you book, but they only use the major companies for their "name your own price" feature - Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, etc. - so you're not going to get stuck with some off-brand company.

 

[Luanne]

For rental car have you tried Priceline.com? I don't use them unless regular rental rates are sky-high, but I was recently trying to reserve a car for a business trip during a popular event week (in Wisconsin, not Hawaii) in late July when regular rates were $500-$600 for 5 days for a compact car. I tried the "name your own price" feature on Priceline and was able to get a mid-size from Avis for about $250. I used them once many years ago on Maui with similar savings for a convertible. You do have to pay up front, and I don't like that, but in this case it's a trip that I have to make and only a major emergency would cause a need to cancel, so I figured it was a reasonable trade-off. Priceline doesn't reveal the name of the car company you get until after you book, but they only use the major companies for their "name your own price" feature - Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, etc. - so you're not going to get stuck with some off-brand company.

I have used Priceline in the past, but usually wouldn't bid until fairly close to the date of the trip. I also found that through Priceline a second driver was not included and we got burned on one trip where we had to pay that additional fee. So I would only try this if you only plan to have one driver.

Also, since you pay ahead and can't make any changes if there are any changes to your flights, you're out of luck.

 

[suzanne]

Right now cheapest flites for my date is on Hawaiian Airlines out of Las Vegas. Its $714.00 round trip. Las Vegas to Honolulu to Big Island back to Las Vegas. August 23 thru Sept 9th. Since this is my first trip to Hawaii is this a good rate or should I wait to see if prices drop? I checked American, Delta, United and Alaska they were all much higher than Hawaiian Airlines. Plus the other airlines are multiple stops and Hawaiian is direct flite from Vegas.

My other question is about rental cars. We need one for 2 weeks on the Big Island, August 26th thru Sept 9th. Friends want an SUV, cheapest I can find is thru Costco for $796.00. It seems that rental car rates are extremely high everywhere right now. I tried Cheap Hawaiian rentals and they are over $800. for the 2 weeks. Should I book it thru Costco and keep checking to see if rates drop between now and our trip, or is the norm for Hawaii? I like using Costco since you keep checking and if rates drop cancel and rebook at lower rate.

Thanks for anyone's help and advice.

Suzanne

UPDATE ON FLITES: Prices have gone up on Hawaiian Airlines, price is almost $800.00 now. Has anyone flown with Allegient Airlines? Flites and dates with them is $373.00 rt from Vegas to Honolulu plus bag fees and rt flite from Honolulu to Kona on Big Island. Total would be approximately $600.00 savings of almost $200.00. I have never flown with any airlines except Delta and American and am concerned with airline safety. Does anyone have any experience with this airline. Advice needed Please.
Suzanne

 

[DeniseM]

I have flown on Allegiant 2-3 times, but only short flights to Las Vegas. This is a budget airline that charges separately for everything, so watch the add-on charges.

 

[suzanne]

Thanks Denise, I am just worried about 6 hour flite over the ocean with a budget airline, safety is my main concern. I would only have a checked bag and a carry on purse. I never eat of drink on flites other than water.
Suzanne

 

[Luanne]

I haven't flown Allegiant personally, but my sister's niece uses it to fly from Los Angeles to Springfield, MO. She flies it since it is a non-stop, and cheaper than other airlines. However, as Denise mentioned there is an add on cost for just about everything, including seat assignment. If you are flying with a group of people and want to sit together, this may be something to consider.

Since Allegient only flies from Las Vegas to Honolulu, who is doing the portion from Honolulu to Kona? Even adding that cost in is it still a lot cheaper to fly Allegient?

Out of curiosity I looked at Allegient for the dates of your flights. The add ons that I saw were $21 for seat assignment, and $70 for the checked bag. Your purse is considered a personal item and is free. If you, or anyone in your party, has a carry on bag that would be $50.

 

[JIMinNC]

There have been a number of media reports in recent months about Allegiant's issues with maintenance. Here are a few I found with an easy Google search:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busi...cdd5fe74204_story.html?utm_term=.0eb636098965

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...llegiant-plane-safety-failure-rates/93294238/

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/low-cost-allegiant-airlines-defends-maintenace-record/408006144

Having said that, the U.S. airline aviation system is safest form of travel in the world - even airlines that may have "issues" like Allegiant are safe thanks to the FAA oversight and the new technology all of the current planes have. The accidents of the past all taught the FAA, the manufacturers, and the airlines what causes crashes and have allowed flying to become incredibly safe. There has not been a fatal airline accident involving a mainline jet flown by a U.S. passenger carrier since November 2001 when the vertical tail section on an American Airlines A300 separated the airframe on takeoff from JFK airport in New York. (There have been a few fatal accidents involving the smaller regional jets/turboprops over that almost 16 year period, but even the last one of those was the Colgan Air crash near Buffalo in 2009.) The odds that Allegiant will get you to and from your destination safely are astronomically high. You are at far, far greater risk driving to the grocery store.

 

[davidvel]

The odds that Allegiant will get you to and from your destination are astronomically high. You are at far, far greater risk driving to the grocery store.

Or the airport.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I just returned from 2 weeks (actually full 14 days) on Maui and the rental price for a small SUV (like Escape) was about $500 incl. all taxes and fees. I rented through Costco (free 2nd driver) and chose Alamo because it was the cheapest and on-airport. We had 1 huge suitcase, 1 regular sized one, and 3 personal items and it completely filled the cargo area. So, whether or not it would accommodate the luggage for four people depends if you all go carry on or have suitcases plus other items. You may also want to consider a Van, depending on cost.

 

[suzanne]

Thank you all for your help. There will just be me flying from Vegas. Friends are flying from Portland and will be meeting me in Honolulu.

 

[Luanne]

Suzanne, the price for our car rental (intermediate SUV) for Maui next March just dropped by quite a lot. Like from the $800s to the $600s. Of course that is still 10 months away and I expect prices to fluctuate a lot before March. But, just keep checking on prices for your timeframe.

 

[easyrider]

Allegiant uses the Boeing 757 on flight to Honolulu from Las Vegas. Nice airplane, imo. With Allegiant they actually charge you to pick a seat. On this flight I wouldn't want to be near the restroom in the back of the airplane from row 37 to to row 40 which is where the people that haven't picked a seat will likely end up.

Bill

 

[cgeidl]

Get the best price you can then at the last week or so try Priceline at 20% less and maybe you will be a winner. We have a few tmes ad have gotten even when Priceline says there is little chance and recommends you bid more.

 

[Luanne]

Get the best price you can then at the last week or so try Priceline at 20% less and maybe you will be a winner. We have a few tmes ad have gotten even when Priceline says there is little chance and recommends you bid more.

Just be aware with Priceline it most likely will NOT include an additional driver. So, if you need more than one driver bid low enough that the additional driver fee will still make it a good deal. Or forget using Priceline.

Also, and I think this has been said before, check Costco rentals a couple of days prior to your trip. I did this year and the prices went down. We ended up with a different company, Budget instead of Alamo, but it was fine.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

for car rentals we have had great luck with autoslash.We got a full size car for 2 weeks ib Maui for 377. They are our go to for rentals . They will continue to offer lower rates as you get closer even after you accept a higher rate. We initially had a520 rate and then the month before they gave us a lower rate

 

[Luanne]

for car rentals we have had great luck with autoslash.We got a full size car for 2 weeks ib Maui for 377. They are our go to for rentals . They will continue to offer lower rates as you get closer even after you accept a higher rate. We initially had a520 rate and then the month before they gave us a lower rate

As I've stated in the past, just be careful. Autoslash may find you the cheapest rates, but most of the time that does NOT include an additional driver. They will include the additional driver if you provide them your Costco membership, but again, Costco may not have the cheapest price. When checking for our March 2018 trip to Maui Autoslash did come up with cheaper rates through Priceline, but I was told that I wouldn't find out if the second driver was included until I picked up the car! Then Autoslash told me that their rates did not include a second driver.

 

[suzanne]

UPDATE: I found flights I needed today on Hawaiian Airlines for $690.00, round trip multi city. I could not find anything on their website about baggage fees if spending time on 2 different Islands. Will be on Oahu for 4 days/3 nights before flite to KOA on big Island for 2 weeks. Does anyone know if I will have to pay 2nd baggage fee for checked bag for the flite to KOA or is it covered in my original baggage fee from Las Vegas to Oahu? Return flite will only be one charge as I just have 2 hour layover in Oahu. All flites are on Hawaiian Airlines.

I'm still working on rental car. Thanks everyone for your help. At least my flites, hotel and condo are now booked and I can relax.

Suzanne