Help! How to book two Hawaii two island with frequent flier miles

[Cathyb]

We are timeshare confirmed to Maui and Hawaii (Big Island) from June 28-July 21 (with 2 hotel nights) in 2007. We want to use frequent flier miles -- in fact just got confirmed for Los Angeles to Maui but how do we work the rest?

1. We have to fly from Maui to Hawaii after 2 week stay (own at Whaler). Should we pay for inter-island outside of American Airlines or 'pay' 10,000 points each for Maui to Hawaii and let American Airlines handle whole thing?

2. Do we have to call AA in two weeks and get the inter-island confirmed, then call again each day after that for our return trip to Los Angeles? That is what the Agent told us last night -- to assure we have a confirmed seat home. She said there was NO charge to move the return home date each time we called them.

Very confused. Dave M or anyone -- please tell us the best way to get back home to Los Angeles -- and whether we should handle inter-island and pay cash ourselves or have American Airlines handle the whole frequent flier package?

Thank you in advance!

[Arkansas Winger]

Just a couple of days ago inter-island air fares were on sale for $39. Don't know if they are still available. Also, when I was checking the other day I believe the miles for and inter-island flight was 5,000 so 10,000 each sounds a little high to me.

[Judy]

I don't know specifically about AA, but I recently checked with United on a similar itinerary. For 35,00 miles (if available ) I can book a roundtrip from Orlando, with a stop-over in Denver, to Honolulu, and return from the Big Island. United's rules allow one stop-over on the "direct routing" and one "open jaw". So I'll have to pay my way from Honolulu to the Big Island.
Maybe AA's rules are the same. They should be posted on their website.
Maybe you could book a round-trip to the Big Island with a "stopover" in Maui and not have to pay the inter-island airfare.

[Dave M]

Yes, I would follow the agent's advice - calling at the earliest date you can to book the inter-island travel and your flight home.

However, there is no point in calling every day to change your flight home unless those flight dates are acceptable. Make one reservation home and then call on the first date you can make a reservation for the earliest date you would be willing to fly home.

Stated another way, if you call on the first date allowed for your July 21 flight home and you can't get award tickets for that date or any of the next five or six days, will you be wishing you had tried to make a reservation to fly home on July 20 or July 19? If so, reserve the 19th, then the 20th, then (finally) the 21st, one day at a time.

Note that it will likely be much more difficult to make an award reservation for your return home on July 21 (a Saturday) than it was for making your outbound reservation for June 28 (a Thursday). Most vacationers try to travel on weekends!

Also, you are correct that the AA award for inter-island travel is 10,000 - for a round trip. I'm not sure whether AA will split the cost in half for a one-way trip. In theory, you'll need to use the additional mileage – 5,000 or 10,000 – because AA apparently doesn’t allow stopovers in Hawaii on a single award, according to AA's restriction on stopovers on Hawaii free awards (see the second section of the first post in the linked thread):

Awards between California and Hawaii, 1 stopover is allowed within California only using the most direct routing.

However, if AA will allow you to ticket your trip on a single award, go for it!

[skim118]

My advice to you is to buy your Maui-Kona one-way ticket with cash; You can fly directly from Kona to LAX on American.

AA lets you fly into & out of 2 different Hawaiian islands(at least on direct flights).

Unlike other airlines AA is great in letting you make outbound reservations at the 330 day limit & hold it for 14 days without having to make dummy return reservations and clogging up their system. When your return date opens up you should be able to book your trip without any problem. Since you are staying longer than 14 days, make sure you call AA and ask for another extension during the hold period.

We are in the process of booking 6 FF tickets from SF-Maui and some of us are staying longer than 14 days & we are doing the same procedure listed above.

[Cathyb]

Thank you all -- isn't TUB great!!!

[scotlass]

We are going to Honolulu and Maui in January. We booked award flights on AA round trip to Honolulu, then used United (5,000 miles each) awards for the inter island flights.

[Jim and Cindy]

Check Hawaiian airlines and Aloha if you decide to go the cash route

[skim118]

Originally Posted by scotlass

We are going to Honolulu and Maui in January. We booked award flights on AA round trip to Honolulu, then used United (5,000 miles each) awards for the inter island flights.

It's too bad that one of the best FF deals around : the United 5000 miles inter-island roundtrip award will be history for bookings made after Oct 16 2006(10,000 miles )

We have also used this award extensively before and will be sad to see it go.

[Cathyb]

skim: Does that mean travel by Oct 16, 2006 or make the reservations to use next June by calling in now, please clarity.

[skim118]

Originally Posted by Cathyb

skim: Does that mean travel by Oct 16, 2006 or make the reservations to use next June by calling in now, please clarity.

You just need to book by Oct 15 2006. Your travel date can be after that.

[philemer]

Originally Posted by Cathyb

Thank you all -- isn't TUB great!!!

So is TUG!

Phil

[jehb2]

We do two islands every year with our AA frequent flyer miles. We fly from Texas to an outer island with a connecting flight through LAX. (If you go through HNL I believe there's an additional 5,000 miles charge. We pay cash for an inter-island flight. And our return home from HNL is part of the frequent flyer ticket.

I would definitely pay cash for the inter-island flight. I always felt that was a better deal than having to use 5,000 miles.

[Cathyb]

Phil -- whoops, lol