Almost everyone wants to go to Hawaii, but too many travelers think it's too expensive to get there. We're here to prove you wrong.
Cheap flights to Hawaii have made a serious comeback in 2023. Trust us: We've found and sent Thrifty Traveler Premium several alerts in just the last few weeks, including…
- Roundtrip fares from the West Coast as low as $123 (yes, that's roundtrip)
- Nationwide fares under $300
- Points and miles deals to get to Hawaii nearly for free – as low as 16,000 Delta SkyMiles total
- Incredibly rare chances to fly lie-flat business class seats to the islands using points
The cheap flights and great deals to Hawaii just keep coming, and they couldn't come at a better time. After Maui's devastating wildfires over the summer, state and local officials have been calling on visitors to return to the island. That means Hawaii is wide-open, no matter which island you want to go.
With that in mind, you should put Hawaii travel back on your list for 2023 or 2024. So what else are we seeing, flight-wise? We're so glad you asked.
How & Where to Find Hawaii Flight Deals
Getting a cheap flight to Hawaii is never a sure thing. Paying $600 to more than $1,000 or more per ticket can be the norm, and travelers can go months without seeing even a halfway decent deal to the islands.
But that has changed in a big way: The flight deals and fare wars between airlines to Hawaii are red-hot and ultra-frequent right now. In the last few weeks alone, we've found and sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members several flight deals from airports nationwide under $500 roundtrip or much less for trips in 2023 or 2024.
Exhibit A: This nationwide flight deal for all four major Hawaiian islands this fall through the winter and even into spring 2024.
Get cheap flights to Hawaii like this one in your inbox with Thrifty Traveler Premium!
We've seen one-stop flights to Honolulu (HNL), Maui (OGG), Kauai (LIH), and The Big Island (KOA) nationwide at half-off or more. Now all you have to do is pick the best island to visit in Hawaii for your cheap trip.
If you live on the West Coast, you're in for some even more incredible fares. In fact, prices have dropped to record lows recently. Flights to Hawaii don't get cheaper than this.
Don't miss the next dirt-cheap flight deal to Hawaii – get it with Thrifty Traveler Premium!
Sub-$200 flights on the mainland are already a good deal, but if you can get all the way to Hawaii and back for that price, you'd better get to booking!
Use Points & Miles to Get to Hawaii
Why pay cash when you can use your points and miles to get to Hawaii instead?
On top of cheap cash flights, we've been finding some exceptional award deals to these islands and instantly alerting our Thrifty Traveler Premium members. Yes, our Premium members get award alerts to use their points and miles on top of all those cheap cash fares, too.
We're always on the hunt for Delta SkyMiles flash sales, deeply discounted deals to snag a flight for a fraction of what the airline normally charges. After a long absence, they've made a comeback recently. And the deals don't get much better than just 13,000 SkyMiles for roundtrip flights to Hawaii!
Still, the SkyMiles award rates are often astronomical. Lucky for you, there's a great workaround to get on a Delta plane to the islands for less: Using points from Virgin Atlantic Flying Club instead.
That's right: Transfer your credit card points to Virgin Atlantic, time it right with a transfer bonus from banks like Chase, and you could book nonstop Delta flights for as little as 35,000 points roundtrip! We're not exaggerating when we say that these flights are routinely more than $1,000 in cash or around 100,000 Delta SkyMiles apiece.
Looking for another points and miles option? Learn how to do it for 15,000 miles roundtrip using miles from Turkish Airlines!
If you have some points stacked up anywhere, there's probably a comfortable and convenient way for you to fly to paradise this year. Just be ready to jump on fares like these when Delta cuts rates.
Bottom Line
Hawaii flights don't have to be expensive.
Airlines are slashing flight prices to Hawaii for 2023 and beyond, just as the government in Maui is asking for the return of travelers in the wake of the devastating fires on part of the island.
So feel confident booking one of these Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deals. It's the difference between paying $800-plus for your next trip to Hawaii … or less than half that.
FAQs About Finding Cheap Flights to Hawaii
The pandemic triggered a flood of lower prices for flights to Hawaii, but many of them have stuck around. This guide is all about those recent deals.
But when it comes to finding cheap flights, it won't always be this easy. While you might find that airlines are currently slashing prices, there are some general tips and tricks to keep in mind when it comes time to book the cheapest flights to Hawaii down the line.
Can I travel to Maui after the devastating fires of 2023?
Yes. Local officials are calling on travelers to return to Maui to boost the local economy.
Even areas of West Maui including Kā‘anapali, Nāpili, Honokōwai, and Kapalua, are set to fully reopen on Oct. 8, according to the latest emergency proclamation signed by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green. Some Hawaiian locals are asking travelers to steer clear of these areas of West Maui. Even so, there are many other spots across the massive island to visit responsibly.
Travelers are encouraged to make or keep their existing travel plans to Maui while also being especially mindful and respectful as the community recovers from the deadly fires.
How do I find cheap flights to Hawaii?
We'll update this post with new deals and updates about cheap flights to Hawaii. It's a hotspot for travelers, and we're constantly on the hunt.
But if you always want to be up to date on flight deals for Hawaii and other bucket list destinations the moment they pop up, we highly recommend signing up for Thrifty Traveler Premium+! Premium+ members get all the best flight deals to Hawaii – you'll only see a fraction of them here on Thriftytraveler.com and other flight deal websites.
What is the cheapest airline to fly to Hawaii?
Looking for the best airline to fly to Hawaii on a budget? We regularly see affordable prices with direct flights to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and WestJet – if you live in Canada, of course.
When is the best time to book a flight to Hawaii?
We always recommend booking your flights at least three to six months before you plan to travel – especially if your travel dates are flexible.
But as with all things in finding cheap flights, the key to getting a great deal on flights to Hawaii is simple: You may need to wait for a great price to come to you, then book on the cheapest dates. Flexibility is the key to getting discounted tickets.
What is the cheapest time of year to fly to Hawaii?
It depends: A great flight to Hawaii can pop up for a trip at any time of the year.
But many find that it's cheapest to fly Hawaii in January, February, April, and September through November. During the holidays and the peak travel months of June and December, you're far more likely to encounter higher prices, so it could be worth avoiding a trip over those times.
When is the best time to visit Hawaii?
If getting the cheapest flight possible to get to Hawaii is your end goal, then you might not be worrying too much about the best time to visit Hawaii – it's Hawaii, after all. However, if you're evaluating various options based on the cheapest flights to Hawaii that you've found, here are some factors to keep in mind:
- Hawaii is the warmest during the summer months, and the sunny weather is accompanied by calmer waves during this time of the year if activities on the beach are the main focus of your trip.
- For those looking to avoid crowds, aim to book a visit in January, February, September, October, or early November – all of which tend to be slower tourist seasons on the islands.
- Planning to do some whale watching? Prime viewing for these beautiful mammals occurs from February to early March.
Does Alaska Airlines traditionally offer lower airfares during the month of October for future travel.
Not exactly. Alaska (and all airlines) are constantly playing with airfares. You can find them every month of the year.
We have been watching flights in September 2021 for a week and about 3 weeks ago they jumped from $700 up to $1100. Any chance you think they might come back down? We previously had tickets for Feb for $450 round trip, but had to delay the trip.
This is the 2nd time I saw a deal on the regular newsletter that I would’ve wanted but didn’t get notification of as a premium member. I love going to HI often and would’ve gladly gone for $160 or 6,000 miles using chase points, but I checked backwards thru my premium emails and never received this. It’s almost as if these are posted just to entice people to enroll in premium subscription but then nothing! I’ve gotten tons of daily premium emails for deals that I don’t really want but like seeing, but the important ones seem to miss me. Is it just me having this experience? I’m beginning to question my premium benefits.
Hi Arlene. The deals we featured in this story were all sent to premium members within the last year. If you have “All Cities” checked in your Thrifty Traveler Premium account preferences, then you should have received them all. Otherwise, you’ll be getting flight deals from just your home airport. If you want to expand your deal preferences to get more deals, log-in to your account and select more nearby departure airports or the “All Cities” tab. Thank you.