Flights to Aulani

[nkereina]

Forgive me for posting in this forum - I tried my luck on the Transportation board, so thought I'd target some of the Aulani DVC members and those staying there

Anyway, I have an appointment with my travel agent tomorrow to book a package to Hawaii for our honeymoon in September 2016. We're flying from Buffalo, NY and the nicest plane appears to be on Delta (Airbus 330-300) so I was leaning towards a Delta flight instead of a United on. But of course, fares have gone up in the last few days and we're looking at about $2200 RT total for two adults. Would you consider this on the high end of fares or is this in the same ballpark as what you have paid? It's got one stop in Atlanta. FWIW, the United flight through Newark is about $200 cheaper at this point on a Boeing 767.

If you've managed to get cheaper flights, about how fare in advance did you book, which airline, and where were you coming from?

Thanks all!

 

[rocketriter]

Watch United, and try signing up for their promotional emails. Also watch American Express Travel. They both offer Hawaii flight deals from time to time that are pretty good.

 

[rochmom4]

Have you looked into flying United out of Toronto?

 

[southerngirl528]

First, congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, Nkereina!

We live far south of you but on the east coast as you do. I have been to Aulani 3 different trips and we go to Maui as often as we can. We like American because they offer better schedules for our trips to Maui (Delta only has 2 connection flights at least part of the year to Maui. Crazy.) and we connect through DFW. I have several friends that fly AA through ORD. Both these are non-stop flights on wide-body Boeing 767's. We always try to upgrade with miles so I have not flown coach on those planes. I'm not a big Airbus fan but that's me. We have paid anywhere from about $850 pp to $1200 pp round trip from here to Hawaii. Flying to HNL this last January we paid for one way flights to HNL for just over $400 pp.

My recommendation is to go with the price, schedule, airline and plane that you will be happy with. www.seatguru.com is a great resource for what seats are better than others. If you can swing a "Comfort" seat in economy with extra leg room I think you would be very happy you spent the $$.

 

[jtkboston]

My family flew Syracuse/JFK/Honolulu on jetBlue/Hawaiian airlines in August/September 2015, it was about as good an experience as is possible in coach class. You should be able to book through either airline and do it all on one ticket (and credit miles to whichever program you prefer)

 

[happymommy]

The Delta through Atlanta flight is one of the nicer options for you, but only if you're in first class. Those have lie flat beds, so the return red eye flight will be nicer to get some sleep.

The other option for lie flat beds would be American through DFW, unless something has changed.

I've taken both, using miles and cash upgrades (which are harder and harder to do - for both!).

I've had horrible experience with Hawaiian (flew them first class from Seoul to Honolulu and then HNL to Las Vegas last year; planes were ancient and the service was awful).

We had decent experience with Delta's Economy Comfort Class going through Salt Lake City.

BTW, we're not far from you, and usually fly out of BWI but sometimes DC (DCA or Dulles).

I also agree with southerngirl528 - I never book without checking seatguru.

We've taken our kids to Hawaii 9 times now (used to live on Oahu, son was born there, but now we own at the Marriott Ko Olina). Last summer's coach flights with Delta were unbearable coming home - and we were on the flight through ATL (they actually changed our itinerary, as since we were stuck in coach we had booked economy comfort seats going through SLC). The first class seats were going for roughly double the miles we used to use, and we always use miles for our flights to Hawaii. I highly doubt I'll go coach again - but you have to compare what type of seats you're getting. First class, to me, isn't worth it on a red eye flight unless it's a true bed.

 

[nkereina]

Thank you all for the replies! I met with my travel agent yesterday and to my surprise, the fares she quoted me on Delta were less than the published fares I was seeing on Delta's web site for the flight I was most interested in. We ended up booking and went with the one stop in Atlanta there and back and paid about $1800 RT for the two of us, so I was happy with that.

HOWEVER... we asked if we could upgrade to Delta's comfort plus seats and she told me that they book it first and then go on to upgrade, so that would be an additional cost after. Ok no problem. We booked it, paid, and she went on to upgrade and it wouldn't let her. She got Delta on the phone and apparently they have a new policy where you have to book a higher fare class from the get go, and you get the comfort plus seats for all legs of the flight (you can't pick and choose which segment you want it for). So, in other words, when you look online now you will see the Economy fare, Comfort Plus fare, First Class fare, etc. No more flat upgrade fees. For us to now upgrade to that higher fare class for the comfort plus seats would be an additional $800. Ugh! So, we're in economy seats but I guess it's not the end of the world. We will still check at the airport to see if any ugprade options are available.

Thanks for all the help!

Have you looked into flying United out of Toronto?

I've looked into several options out of Toronto. It's definitely cheaper, but by the time we factor in the cost of an airport hotel near Toronto (its about a 2 hour drive for us, plus traffic/border crossings) then the cost savings is negligible. Thanks for the suggestion!

First, congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, Nkereina!

We live far south of you but on the east coast as you do. I have been to Aulani 3 different trips and we go to Maui as often as we can. We like American because they offer better schedules for our trips to Maui (Delta only has 2 connection flights at least part of the year to Maui. Crazy.) and we connect through DFW. I have several friends that fly AA through ORD. Both these are non-stop flights on wide-body Boeing 767's. We always try to upgrade with miles so I have not flown coach on those planes. I'm not a big Airbus fan but that's me. We have paid anywhere from about $850 pp to $1200 pp round trip from here to Hawaii. Flying to HNL this last January we paid for one way flights to HNL for just over $400 pp.

My recommendation is to go with the price, schedule, airline and plane that you will be happy with. www.seatguru.com is a great resource for what seats are better than others. If you can swing a "Comfort" seat in economy with extra leg room I think you would be very happy you spent the $$.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thank you all for the replies! I met with my travel agent yesterday and to my surprise, the fares she quoted me on Delta were less than the published fares I was seeing on Delta's web site for the flight I was most interested in. We ended up booking and went with the one stop in Atlanta there and back and paid about $1800 RT for the two of us, so I was happy with that.

HOWEVER... we asked if we could upgrade to Delta's comfort plus seats and she told me that they book it first and then go on to upgrade, so that would be an additional cost after. Ok no problem. We booked it, paid, and she went on to upgrade and it wouldn't let her. She got Delta on the phone and apparently they have a new policy where you have to book a higher fare class from the get go, and you get the comfort plus seats for all legs of the flight (you can't pick and choose which segment you want it for). So, in other words, when you look online now you will see the Economy fare, Comfort Plus fare, First Class fare, etc. No more flat upgrade fees. For us to now upgrade to that higher fare class for the comfort plus seats would be an additional $800. Ugh! So, we're in economy seats but I guess it's not the end of the world. We will still check at the airport to see if any ugprade options are available.

Yes, that is the new change. I've been getting notices about it this past week and it is going into place for flights on or after May 16th. I was wondering what the increased fare would look like.

 

[nkereina]

Yes, that is the new change. I've been getting notices about it this past week and it is going into place for flights on or after May 16th. I was wondering what the increased fare would look like.

The RT fare was about $400 more per person for our flights which is BUF-ATL-HNL and HNL-ATL-BUF for the way back. Any idea how this compares to what the upgrade fees would have been with the previous process? Just curious if it's more or about the same.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The RT fare was about $400 more per person for our flights which is BUF-ATL-HNL and HNL-ATL-BUF for the way back. Any idea how this compares to what the upgrade fees would have been with the previous process? Just curious if it's more or about the same.

I think it might have been similar - the longer the flight the greater the charges for Comfort+ and I wouldn't be surprised if the leg for ATL to HNL was up around $150 or even more one way. If so then I'd have expected at least $200 per person each way for Comfort+ on both legs. But with the old way you would have had the option for only some of the legs.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Oh - and I'd assume your plane's configuration from ATL to HNL is probably a 2-4-2 seat configuration. Getting into the 2 seats on the side really makes a difference in coach.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Woah - for haha's I took a look at flying to Orlando next Oct. I'd not be paying the comfort+ price. Yikes!

 

[nkereina]

Oh - and I'd assume your plane's configuration from ATL to HNL is probably a 2-4-2 seat configuration. Getting into the 2 seats on the side really makes a difference in coach.

It is that configuration! Glad to hear that being in the two seats will be good. Any area in coach that is better to sit than the others? The seats we chose are two rows behind the first set of coach exit rows/restrooms. Thought it would be less disruptive than sitting the row in front of the restrooms, which was the other option. I noticed that two of the rows in the very back of the plane were also already taken, and it got me thinking if maybe being in the back is the best option. Any thoughts?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It is that configuration! Glad to hear that being in the two seats will be good. Any area in coach that is better to sit than the others? The seats we chose are two rows behind the first set of coach exit rows/restrooms. Thought it would be less disruptive than sitting the row in front of the restrooms, which was the other option. I noticed that two of the rows in the very back of the plane were also already taken, and it got me thinking if maybe being in the back is the best option. Any thoughts?

I like to either be over the wings or just ahead of them (smoother IMO although it can be noisier because you are right by the engines) or else as far forward in the coach section as possible. Back of the plane is usually the roughest and is my absolute last choice. I don't usually find the restroom activity to be too disruptive and usually people will stand in the area just past the restrooms because there is more room there so the seats just ahead of the restrooms are probably fine but the one's you've chose are probably just as fine. Have you looked at seatguru.com to see if there are any comments about the seats you were looking at?

 

[Julie Hall]

This might be odd..but are there cheap flights to DC? We always fly Alaska Air. I was thinking you can fly Alaska from DCA to HNL- stop in SEA or LAX..??

We live in Seattle and just flew to HNL for under $1000 RT for three of us.

Just a thought...might be a pain though.

 

[nkereina]

This might be odd..but are there cheap flights to DC? We always fly Alaska Air. I was thinking you can fly Alaska from DCA to HNL- stop in SEA or LAX..??

We live in Seattle and just flew to HNL for under $1000 RT for three of us.

Just a thought...might be a pain though.

Thanks for the suggestion! Unfortunately direct flights from Buffalo to DC are few and far between, and we'd have to change airlines too. Boo!