First Hawaii trip $$$ Better be worth it!

[Caligirlfrtx]

first Hawaii trip and it is proving to be extremely time consuming an expensive so far. Coming from the east coast. I tried my best to get rock bottom airline tickets. We will be on he Bg Island 4th of July week the on to Oahu. Got the exact resorts I wanted for the weeks we wanted but geese, it’s been time consuming and with fees etc. it’s costly.

Anyone, HI veterans, care to share their typical expenses to Hawaii?

 

[alwysonvac]

I try to avoid peak season. Airfare from NJ/NY during off peak between $600 and $800 in economy. A little higher for premium economy $800 to $1200. I normally fly United to Honolulu.

Airfare to Hawaii from the East coast (2018 thread) - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/airfare-to-hawaii-from-the-east-coast.277340/

How Much Does It Cost to Fly to Hawaii? - https://www.valuepenguin.com/travel/how-much-does-it-cost-to-fly-to-hawaii
Best Time to Visit for Hawaii Deals in 2019 - https://beatofhawaii.com/best-time-to-visit-hawaii-deals/

 

[JulieAB]

we spent a month last summer and our biggest expense was food, by far. We love it and ate out once daily. I'm frugal, but it adds up! Rental cars were from priceline and airfare was paid with chase ultimate reward points in their portal. I never found a great deal for our dates, prime summer on the weekends is hard. If you can fly out midweek by adding on a few hotel nights, you can save airfare.

We bought our own snorkel gear because we like it a lot. Used the free beach stuff at the resorts left by other guests. Shopped at Costco. We liked the go oahu card from costco a lot too. We wanted to do PCC and pearl harbor anyway, so the other activities were bonus. We chose the catamaran trip and kualoa ranch tour other days.

 

[Passepartout]

I feel your pain, but living in the West, not near a 'gateway' city and going to Europe is the same sort of deal for us. Limit your dining out in higher end eateries. Cook in and picnic and limiting those Mai-Tai's will go a long way to holding costs within reason. Do what the locals do. Enjoy the beaches.

Jim

 

[DaveNV]

It's all money well spent. Enjoy your trip! We'll be on the Big Island a month after you. Save me a Maitai or two.

Dave

 

[Caligirlfrtx]

I know it will be well worth it and a long time coming. When we moved to Virginia 19 years ago my husband had just won a free trip to Hawaii that we passed on so that we could come to Virginia and open our own business. I told him the Hawaii trip he owed me is finally coming true

I’m super excited that I was able to trade my low MF units for prime weeks in prime resorts

 

[slip]

The prices for flights has changed over the years. When we started going over ten years ago, it was about $1,500 round trip for my wife and I. Then after a couple years, it rose to slightly over $2,000. Over the last couple of years it has dropped again. Our Maui flights in January were $1,600.

We usually go at least twice a year and the last couple years we’ve made theee trips. One good thing is we usually get one free trip a year with miles.

We wouldn’t keep going back if it wasn’t worth it.

 

[davidvel]

Of course it's worth it, you're going to Hawaii.

 

[JIMinNC]

Of course it's worth it, you're going to Hawaii.

I second this sentiment!

To the OP, you need to recognize that Hawaii is an expensive place - it's an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so everything is more expensive - dining out, groceries, gas, activities, etc. Plan accordingly and don't be surprised when things cost more than you ever imagined they would. Others have offered ideas on how to save and economize, but I'm not a good source of information on how to pinch pennies in Hawaii, because we've never really tried to do that. It's our "happy place", so when we go we sorta do what we want to to do and don't really worry all that much about costs (within reason). But that is something you should think about - if this is a first time trip or maybe an only time trip - don't become so focused on saving and economizing that you compromise your experience too much. Of course, you don't want to be financially irresponsible or over-spend beyond your ability to afford it, but if this is a bucket-list type of trip, maybe consider if there are ways you can save in other areas of your life to give yourself a little more financial flexibility for this special trip.

We've been to Hawaii nine times over the last 27 years, but just got back from a 3.5 week trip that was our first in eight years. We had forgotten how much we really loved that place. We are setting up our timeshare ownership to facilitate at least three weeks every-other-year and may actually look at making it an every year trip. We're heading back in 2020 as a test of the every year approach.

If there is anywhere you want to try to find a way to treat yourself a little, Hawaii is certainly one of those places.

 

[Dean]

first Hawaii trip and it is proving to be extremely time consuming an expensive so far. Coming from the east coast. I tried my best to get rock bottom airline tickets. We will be on he Bg Island 4th of July week the on to Oahu. Got the exact resorts I wanted for the weeks we wanted but geese, it’s been time consuming and with fees etc. it’s costly.

Anyone, HI veterans, care to share their typical expenses to Hawaii?

We were there 3 weeks this past summer including 4th of July. We aid $1300 pp for air from a smaller city on the east coast plus rental prices were higher than others we've done though reserving early and following websites did help. It was worth it to us but I would have preferred to have gotten by a little cheaper since we had 15 people.

 

[DAA]

We just got back from a three week trip to Hawaii. We spent a week on Kauai and two weeks in Maui. This was our 11th trip to the islands. In 1998 we did our first trip to Hawaii for our 25th wedding anniversary. Our three children also came with us. We loved it so much we returned every year for the next 8 years even though we live in CT. Then we stopped going and started to explore the Caribbean. In 2017 we returned to Hawaii visiting the Big Island for three weeks. It had been 10 years since we had been to Hawaii. It made us realize how much we love it. The Caribbean is really nice but Hawaii just has something special about it. Even though it is such a long trip to take, it is so worth it. All the islands are beautiful and it is a hard decision to choose which one we like the best. You will love it!

 

[geist1223]

If you are not a Costco Member join. Costco has the cheapest gas by 50 cents to $1 per gallon. Food is expensive. So we normally only eat out once per day. Also check out the gift cards at Costco for various activities. Take a few re-useable grocery bags in your luggage. An insulated one makes a good picnic basket.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Costco was our saving grace on Maui, we bought our groceries there and when we were on that side of the island we filled up our tank. As a saving tool, I saved prior to our trip $600 and bought a Costco gift card and used that for our trip.

 

[vacationtime1]

We visit Hawaii 3-4x/year. Here are some random thoughts:

1. Reserve your rental car early -- and then keep checking the cost with various vendors. The price will go down.

2. Costco is your friend. Your first stop on any island.

3. The big-ticket, typical tourist activities are absurdly expensive. Helicopter tours, snorkel boats, dinner cruises, and luaus are budget busters. Decide upfront which of these activities are essential to your idea of a Hawaii vacation and ignore the rest.

4. Our experience is that the high-end restaurants are inconsistent. We have had expensive/good and expensive/mediocre dinners at the same restaurant during the same trip. We have reduced fine dining to a minimal level; our restaurant dollars are better spent at home. It is easy enough to sear ahi or grill steaks on the grills provided at a cost of about 20% of what the same dinner would cost in a restaurant.

5. We bring our snorkel masks and snorkels and rent fins from Snorkel Bob (about $12/wk/pp). Don't rent gear from your hotel. If you don't have, you can buy good enough stuff at Costco; it's cheaper than renting.

5. Hawaii is all about physical beauty and beaches -- both of which are free.

 

[luvgoldns]

first Hawaii trip and it is proving to be extremely time consuming an expensive so far. Coming from the east coast. I tried my best to get rock bottom airline tickets. We will be on he Bg Island 4th of July week the on to Oahu. Got the exact resorts I wanted for the weeks we wanted but geese, it’s been time consuming and with fees etc. it’s costly.

Anyone, HI veterans, care to share their typical expenses to Hawaii?

Hopefully your time-consuming planning to make it work out the way you want it to will prove to be worth it. For me, I actually love the time consuming process of planning; I think it's a lot of fun! Typical expenses are what they are; this is not the Outer Banks (which I also like, but I'm only talking about money right now). You are correct, from the east coast, Hawaii is far away...and it can be comparatively expensive (depending on how far outside of a major city you reside)...but it is Hawaii and there is nothing else like it on so many levels. The bottom line for those of us who have been there more than once is that the trip and ALL that goes into it is MORE than worth it! Every. Single. Time. Live Aloha!

 

[Tamaradarann]

first Hawaii trip and it is proving to be extremely time consuming an expensive so far. Coming from the east coast. I tried my best to get rock bottom airline tickets. We will be on he Bg Island 4th of July week the on to Oahu. Got the exact resorts I wanted for the weeks we wanted but geese, it’s been time consuming and with fees etc. it’s costly.

Anyone, HI veterans, care to share their typical expenses to Hawaii?

What resorts will you be staying at? Well I totally agree with the Costco/big box store recommendation to get a good supply of stuff that you will need when you get to or before you get to your timeshare. We eat just about all of our breakfasts and lunches in the timeshare saving a great deal of money. Also, having coffee and breakfast in the room is so convenient to start off your day rather than going out for breakfast. Eating some dinners in the timeshare will also save quite a bit of money.

On the Island of Hawaii you need a rental car. However, we stay in Honolulu on the island of Oahu for many days without a car. You can do the same if you are in Waikiki. You may want to rent a car for a day to go to the North Shore. That saves a great deal of money on the car rental as well as parking which can be $40/day. Also, the traffic and parking can be a pain. You can walk to many things in Honolulu or take THE BUS to save money.

 

[bnoble]

Enjoy it. It will not be cheap, but it will be wonderful.

 

[artringwald]

Consider getting an Alaska Airlines credit card. You pay $75 when approved, but you then get a companion ticket, so your 2nd ticket to Hawaii will only cost $125. They fly out of several east coast cities and all 4 of the main islands.

https://secure.bankofamerica.com/applynow/welcome.go

Don't book the inter island flight with you mainland flight. If you have any American miles, you can book an inter island flight for 7,500 miles. Otherwise book it through Hawaiian Airlines.

Book the rental car through Costco or Discount Hawaii Car Rental: https://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com/

Keep checking prices and cancel and rebook if they go down. You probably don't need a car if you're staying in Waikiki, but certainly will on the Big Island.

 

[geist1223]

Re-reading your Title I wonder what are your expectations? We love Hawaii. Our travels are from a couple times in 12 months to once every 24 or so months. So we are relaxed there. Sometimes we might spend a day or 2 being lazy around the pool. Some days we are go, go, go from breakfast to Bedtime. It depends on what we want to do. We have learned to plan down days every 2nd to 3rd day. You will not see it all or do it all in 2 to 3 weeks. We have made 11 trips in 16 years. Two trips to the BI, 1 to Oahu, and the rest about evenly divided between Kauai and Maui. We have not done it all or seen it all. We tend to dine at Food Trucks or Hole-in-the-Wall places recommended by locals.

 

[cgeidl]

We are very fortunate as Hawaii has been very inexpensive for us. We had four weeks every year at an inexpensive timeshare we purchased for $500 per week and maintenance fees were from $350 to about $550,over the past 20 years. We can fly free on a space available basis about 20 minutes from us. We eat mainly at inexpensive restaurants or half priced deals,we get. Our largest cost after accommodations is car rental although next time we may use the bus for the first time. For years we had an employee of,a Hawaii based timeshare company who could get us a unit for Saturday if we called Friday and often at very low last minute rates. We could exchange our weeks for a two for one basis. Yes we were lucky but 20 years military service was not always easy.

 

[BDMX2]

We're east coasters going for our first visit around the same time, Big Island and Kauai. We're big Disney fans and usually hit Orlando a few times a year, so to be honest Hawaii seems like a relative bargain without paying for theme park tickets! Car rental is a corporate rate through my employer, so I have that going for us. Not as dirt cheap as Orlando, where I usually find better deals than my corporate rate. Most flights are on SWA, where we have a lot of points and a companion pass, a couple of legs are on Hawaiian, not rock bottom fares but not what I'd consider outrageous due to the "Southwest effect". We're planning on dining in quite a bit since we're high maintenance eaters, which is why we like timesharing so much. We're Costco members, so we're planning on hitting there for gas and some groceries. The big thing that is getting me is the travel out there and back...quite the trek! And I'm a bit concerned about the time change and being able to deal with that!

 

[Sandy VDH]

I have been to Hawaii 8 or 9 times over the last 20 years. But this last trip I took in July, was at the height of the eruption and I went to Big Island. I went specifically to see the eruption. I have seen the volcano ooze but never really erupt. So I thought I'd better go. Well then I got air from Houston to Kona on AA for $125 one way. It was crazy cheap. So I HAD to go. Timeshares were available. It was a great last minute booking trip. One I will remember forever.

 

[Hawaiibarb]

As someone who lives in Honolulu,I had to add a few thoughts. Lots of good suggestions already given, so I'll jump over those, and add a strong recommendation to explore the islands you're visiting. Even on Oahu, get a car for at least part of your time and visit the North Shore, see the turtles on Turtle Beach, go to the Blow Hole past Diamond Head, snorkel at Hanauma Bay, hike Diamond Head, go to a Farmer's Market, just for fun. I doubt that you will be able to go to the Pali Lookout because there were bad landslides on the Pali Hwy, but they are working hard to fix it, so that's a maybe. The Big Island really requires a car because there is so much to see. Get a good guidebook to help you pin down places you don't want to miss because the time goes by so fast. The tourist activities are expensive, but exploring on your own doesn't cost much at all. (Another vote for Costco gas). Avoid driving in rush hour on Oahu....it is pretty bad. While you're on Oahu, if you like to try new foods, you have a lot of variety to choose from at Ala Moana Shopping Center at the food court; its noisy so I like to take my lunch across the street and eat on the beach. I wish I could play tour guide! Have a wonderful time!

 

[Caligirlfrtx]

Thanks everyone for all the tips! I wasn’t complaining just tired while planning the return flight and pinning down a few nights where we won’t be in a resort. So since m last post, I have booked the two nights we needed before we check in. I actually have done really well , from what I’m reading, financially and resort booking. I love planning but this has been my most extensive planning for any trip. Plus we’re leaving in two weeks for WDW so I was getting kinda burned out. Plus have to make sure our business back home is being taken care of . All is good!

Sit down now cause some of the scores I found might be shocking! ( I don’t know, you tell me)

Here’s what I have so far for my family of 4 for prime summer weeks:

Flights to Ca from east coast for ALL 4 of us = $107
Flights for Ca to Kona $187pp on American Airlines

2night stay using a few of our HICV points traded in RCI (we will waste 1night cause hotel was for a 3 ngt booking, still cheaper than anywhere else) $279ish

4th of July holiday week: Hilton Kohala Resort $800

Flights from BI to Honolulu on SW $180using a companion fair w/SW

5ngts/6days @Hilton Hawaiian Village $800

7ngts/8days Marriott Ko’Olina Resort $600


I still need the car rental and return flights and possible hotel for return in Ca

I think I did pretty good considering it’s my first time planning something so big and I’m still fairly new to the TS game. And I might add that my goal for Marriott Ko’Olina for that exact week to bump up to the Honolulu week was found on my own searches and after about 6 months, it was like I had hit the lottery when I saw it on my computer screen that lovely morningonly two weeks ago!

And I must add that this trip will fall on both of my kids bdays and our daughter is turning 18 plus our anniversary is not far after so it’ll be great to celebrate all!

 

[geist1223]

You have done great. Have a fun time. Glad it all came together. As for rental cars check Costco travel online. Also autoslash. Costco is also good for discount card for various activities on the Islands.