The Best Ways to Get to Hawaii Next Year – From $197 or 15K Points RT

Everyone wants to go to Hawaii. That means demand for flights to the picture-perfect islands is always high. But high demand doesn’t mean high prices – in fact, lately, it’s meant just the opposite.

In recent weeks, we’ve sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members several alerts for some of the lowest fares we’ve ever seen to Hawaii and back from across the country: as low as $196 roundtrip or just 15,000 points!

We’ve also found excellent availability to use points and miles to fly lie-flat premium economy or first class suites for as little as 23,000 or 40,000 points each way, respectively.

This phenomenal run of Hawaii flight deals couldn’t come at a better time – right before the dead of winter. And remember: Hawaii delivers year-round, picture-perfect weather with sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 80 degrees.

So go ahead and put a Hawaii trip back on your list for 2026. With a flight deal like one of these, you might just cross it off sooner than you think.

Booked a cheap flight to Hawaii? Check out these tips to save on your lodging, too!

How and Where to Find Hawaii Flight Deals

Finding a cheap flight to Hawaii is never guaranteed. Paying $600 to $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’s not always the case.

Airlines are ramping up competition to fill seats to the Hawaiian Islands, sparking fare wars that slash prices and create some truly standout deals. In just the last few weeks, we’ve sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members alerts for flights from airports nationwide, often under $400 roundtrip – and sometimes far less.

Exhibit A: A widespread deal to all four major Hawaiian islands through fall and winter that we sent subscribers just last week.

From most U.S. and Canadian cities, flights under $400 or $500 roundtrip are a solid deal to Hawaii. But sometimes, it gets even better.

This was one example from a recent mega-sale of nonstop flights to Hawaii fueled by aggressive pricing from Alaska Airlines and Southwest.

Your flight to Hawaii shouldn’t be the most expensive part of your trip — and we can help make that a reality. All you need to do is pick the best island for your budget-friendly getaway.

Use Points and Miles to Get to Hawaii

Why pay cash when you can use your points and miles to get to Hawaii instead? You’ve been earning them, and Hawaii is one of the best destinations to put them to use.

Alongside cheap cash fares, we’ve also been finding exceptional award deals and instantly alerting Thrifty Traveler Premium members when they pop up.

Delta SkyMiles rates for flights to Hawaii can be astronomically high. But there’s a better way to book Delta using credit card points.

The key is to transfer points from cards like the *csp* or the *capital one venture card* to Air France/KLM Flying Blue. These European carriers are Delta partners, which means you can book Delta-operated flights using Flying Blue miles – often for far fewer points than what Delta itself would charge. 

Whether you're earning American Express, Capital One, Chase, or Citi points or even Wells Fargo or Bilt points, you can transfer them to Flying Blue to book flights to Hawaii and back. 

And Southwest wasn’t about to be outdone. The airline undercut many of these fares when booking with Southwest Rapid Rewards points.

Read more: 5 Ways to Book Flights to Hawaii with Points & Miles

Fly Fancier: Premium Economy From 23,000 Points Each Way

A cheap economy flight – especially one under $200 – is a great way to get to Hawaii. A lie-flat seat (more on that below) is even better. But lately, the sweet spot has been right in the middle: American Airlines Premium Economy.

On six-plus-hour flights to Hawaii, economy can feel cramped, while lie-flat seats may be more than you want to splurge on. That’s where Premium Economy shines – and one standout deal is exactly how I booked my own Hawaii trip for this coming March.

Think a wider recliner-style seat, priority perks, checked baggage allowances, and full meal service to and from the islands. Not bad at all.

Even better: These deeply discounted American Airlines fares can be booked using Alaska Atmos Rewards points.

Just 23,000 Alaska points each way can get you there – an absolute steal. Some connecting itineraries cost only a few thousand points more. I booked one-way flights from Minneapolis (MSP) through Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Maui (OGG) for just over 30,000 Alaska miles each way.

Lie-Flat to Hawaii for Less

There’s a single best way to fly to Hawaii: Hawaiian Airlines' new first class suites.

These sleek suites are fully lie-flat and feature closing doors for added privacy. Booking through Alaska and Hawaiian’s new Atmos Rewards program costs just 40,000 points each way.

While the new suites only fly on select routes, Hawaiian’s slightly older lie-flat seats are available from many more cities – and still price out at that same 40,000-point rate.

Bottom Line

Flights to Hawaii don’t have to be expensive.

Airlines are slashing prices for 2026 travel in economy, premium economy, and even first class.

That means you can feel confident booking one of these Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deals – and save hundreds in the process. It’s the difference between paying $800 or more for your next trip to Hawaii … or less than half that.