Well of course, the first time I decide to wait to purchase tickets to Honolulu (m)

[ciscogizmo1]

the prices are not going down.... I can't believe this... I've been searching daily. Normally, I like to purchase early but decide this time to wait for a deal. What did I do wrong. I'm thinking it is just going to cost $600 roundtrip per person for Thanksgiving week. My local airport is filling up fast so I need to make a decision. Should I wait in hopes the prices will go down? Or should I go ahead and purchase? Last time we went to Kauai during Thanksgiving week and it was about $400 per person roundtrip.

[Dave M]

Don't wait much longer to purchase.

Prices are not going down. They are (and have been) going up, way up. Partly due to soaring jet fuel prices. Partly due to the combination of fewer planes in the air combined with significant increases in passenger trafic, resulting in planes that are routinely full, thus allowing airlines to successfully raise fares.

There are numerous threads on this forum over the past several months regarding higher fares. Those higher fares aren't going away.

[ZCar]

cisco ...
I made reservations on Hawaiian LAX to HNL for March 10-24, 2007.
$805 for two. HOWEVER, that rate has a red-eye eturn to LAX. ($353 more for 9:05 pm LAX arrival Saturday).
If you try the HA web site, play with different flight times, even depart/return days. Price may vary sustantially. If you join HA Miles, there is a bit of a discount.

Coming up June 3-17, we paid $1034 LAX to HNL with the normal flight times (8:40 am Saturday depart and arrive LAX Saturday after 9 pm).

For Oct. 11-Nov. 4, LAX to Kauai, to Maui and back to LAX on HA, we're paying $1174 for two, HOWEVER that also has a red-eye return. It's also departing on a Wednesday (at 8:40 am) which made it less expensive and we're staying at the Courtyard ($142 nite/senior rate) on Kauai for (3) nights prior to Kauai Beach Club.

On HA, if one doesn't mind an 8:30 PM or so arrival in HNL, the price is less, but you sort of give up a day.

Whether these are good prices, I don't know, but can't worry about it.
It will give you an idea of what kind of costs we're incurring, though.
Aloha Airlines, from Orange County has always been higher, sometimes considerably higher.

Edit: Over Thanksgiving 2004, on HA Saturday flights, our cost was $961.

[JillChang]

Zcar,

for your 3 night on Kuaui, there is no need to pay so much for a Couryard. Try Priceline. You should be able to get 3 star for $60 - $70, 4 * for $90 - $100

[ZCar]

Jill,
I have no interest in Priceline, but thanks anyway.

[ciscogizmo1]

Thanks, ZCar.... Unfortunately, we only have one flight out of Sacramento. I wish there were more. Also, we are stuck with Friday to Friday. Thanks goodness because the Saturday to Saturday flights were $1138 each way. Anyways, I priced it via SFO and it was about $300 cheaper but not worth the hassle of driving down there at 4 am.... So, I did end up booking via Sacramento. I think the mistake I made was waiting too long. I think we got the same deal you did for Thanksgiving 2004 it was around $400 per person which isn't too bad for Sacramento. I'm encouraged to hear you got great rates. I shouldn't complain too much since this is the first time in a while we had to pay for a flight. Normally, we are on frequent flyer miles. And, yes, I do have HA visa couldn't live without.

[ZCar]

cisco,
Just curious. Is the Hawaiian flight from Sacramento handled by Hawaiian?
HA used to have one flight from Ontario, but used Delta services, although the aircraft was HA. Apparently did not work out!
(ATA now has one flight to HNL from Ontario).
My post, with pricing, was just to give you an idea of what was available around here. It's a game of some sort, and one that you won't know wheter you won or not, depending upon price when you leave. Oh well, it's only money and it is Hawaii.
Enjoy!

[ciscogizmo1]

Originally Posted by ZCar

cisco,
Just curious. Is the Hawaiian flight from Sacramento handled by Hawaiian?
HA used to have one flight from Ontario, but used Delta services, although the aircraft was HA. Apparently did not work out!
(ATA now has one flight to HNL from Ontario).
My post, with pricing, was just to give you an idea of what was available around here. It's a game of some sort, and one that you won't know wheter you won or not, depending upon price when you leave. Oh well, it's only money and it is Hawaii.
Enjoy!

Interesting... I'm assuming it's a Hawaiian flight. They have their own check-in desk. It is kinda of weird since they only have one flight a day leaving from Sacramento. It is on a Hawaiian plane. By one flight, they only have one that flies to Honolulu and then, you must transfer to go to the other islands. I did notice for our flight coming home they have two flights. This is the first time I noticed that. So hopefully, that is a sign of more flights. Now that you mentioned it I'll have to look more carefully when we are there. Maybe it is delta employees checking us in. Yep you are right you can't take the money with you when you die so we'll definitely enjoy it!!

We can't use ATA from Sacramento. I can through obitz because they would have you fly to SFO. Aloha flies direct to Maui. But I've never found their prices reasonable. Any other airline will not be a direct flight. You either have to fly to SFO or LAX. I think, American even makes you fly to SLC and then, to Hawaii. So for now until the flight routes improve I'll probably stick with Hawaiian.

Boy do I wish I lived in LA just for the airfare prices...

[ZCar]

Maybe that's the only reason you would want to live in LA!

[DeniseM]

We have flown Hawaiian Air from Sacramento for the last 4 years, and it has always been a HA plane w/HA employees doing the check in. We really like Hawaiian Air and love their tropical theme - it get's us in the mood before we get there!

[ZCar]

ALOHA! Denise,
We too like HA, even though one must go through Honolulu to get to the other islands. But that's never really been a problem for us.
Do you belong to their Premier Club? Has a few small perks in addition to First Class check-in and priority boarding. (And that special security line at HNL). Using LAX, it has paid-off for us, even at $150 a year.
A nice feature, is that it covers myself and two others, occasionally three others if you ask nicely.
Maybe it wouldn't work out as well at Sacramento ... is there a Club room? Ontario did not have one.