Plumeria Lounge at HNL

[aboveH20]

Disappointing, but I’m glad to learn it now and not the day we leave.

Thank you.

 

[aboveH20]

Me, again. As I’ve been mulling this over, I’m wondering what to do. We have a ship transfer from the port to HNL so I assume we’ll get to the airport before noon — way before noon. Is there a place to hang out before we are allowed into the airport? I assume this must happen a lot with cruisers.

 

[Lew]

If you are checking bags, you will not be allowed to do so at HNL more than 3 hours before scheduled flight departure.

Not true... From United: Hi, Lew. Checked bags can be checked in up to 4 hours before departure. ^MT

 

[marisabuzz]

From Canada here too,,,we are going in July for 1st time.
Just an option if you can,,,if booking points see if your room is still available for your check out day. Book it,, and then you have your room right till you leave. For us it is worth it for those extra 8 hours of chilling, last minute showers and wash up or laundry. Now if you switch categories, its not worth it since you have to check out at 11am,,and no guarantee to have new room ready for 4pm or earlier. So if doing so book same cat room and just link the reservations.

Just catching up on this. We went all out with our points (2.5 years worth of points used) and with the 50% restriction on borrowing, we won't be add one more night. It's a good idea though.

 

[monsterkitty]

Not true... From United: Hi, Lew. Checked bags can be checked in up to 4 hours before departure. ^MT

We always fly United.

We arrived at the airport at 4 for our 8 pm flight. By the time we returned our rental car and walked to checkin, it was about 4:30. We were not allowed to check in for our flight because the screeners who check your bag for fruits and plants would not allow us to be screened until 3 hours before our flight.

United may let you check in 4 hours before your flight, but the screeners would not.

Me, again. As I’ve been mulling this over, I’m wondering what to do. We have a ship transfer from the port to HNL so I assume we’ll get to the airport before noon — way before noon. Is there a place to hang out before we are allowed into the airport? I assume this must happen a lot with cruisers.

There are places to sit both inside the check-in area as well is right outside.

 

[marisabuzz]

We arrived at the airport at 4 for our 8 pm flight. By the time we returned our rental car and walked to checkin, it was about 4:30. We were not allowed to check in for our flight because the screeners who check your bag for fruits and plants would not allow us to be screened until 3 hours before our flight.

United may let you check in 4 hours before your flight, but the screeners would not.

This is helpful. *sigh* So I guess that means we'll be at the airport 3.5 hours ahead of our flight so that we're able to check-in at the three hour mark. The Plumeria Lounge at that point I guess won't make sense.

 

[Lew]

We arrived at the airport at 4 for our 8 pm flight. By the time we returned our rental car and walked to checkin, it was about 4:30. We were not allowed to check in for our flight because the screeners who check your bag for fruits and plants would not allow us to be screened until 3 hours before our flight.

As crazy as that sounds, I believe you 100%!! Why on earth would inspections be limited to three hours before flight time? Doesn't make sense at all.

Another thing that doesn't make sense is inspecting only large, checked luggage. It was not necessary to put carryons or hand luggage through the machine...crazy! This was on March 23rd.

 

[monsterkitty]

As crazy as that sounds, I believe you 100%!! Why on earth would inspections be limited to three hours before flight time? Doesn't make sense at all.

Another thing that doesn't make sense is inspecting only large, checked luggage. It was not necessary to put carryons or hand luggage through the machine...crazy! This was on March 23rd.

I think they wanted to cut down on the amount of people in the airport, so they don't let you screen the bags until 3 hours before the flight. They weren't short of staff because the cranky lady who told us we couldn't screen yet was the same person who screened our bags an hour later.

We walked up to the machine two minutes before our 3 hour window. Her response, "You cannot screen until 3 hours before your flight! You must wait!"

She did make us do our carry-on bags. I wonder if she was mad at us haha!

 

[aboveH20]

We always fly United.

We arrived at the airport at 4 for our 8 pm flight. By the time we returned our rental car and walked to checkin, it was about 4:30. We were not allowed to check in for our flight because the screeners who check your bag for fruits and plants would not allow us to be screened until 3 hours before our flight.

United may let you check in 4 hours before your flight, but the screeners would not.



There are places to sit both inside the check-in area as well is right outside.

Interesting. We are flying United, leaving at 5:10 pm. Looks like we'll have a lot of time to kill before we can get screened. We were looking forward to the United lounge, which as I remember from last time, is one of their nicer ones.

It's hard enough to get my husband to travel as is, don't need anything making the trip less pleasant.

 

[Sydnerella]

First time Hawaii visitor

Could someone please explain the airport lounges to me? Are there multiple?

We do not have significant loyalty status or high mileage on any airline and are using Delta/United combo for our flights to/from.

Would we be eligible for access to the lounges(s) is it paid? Do we have to reserve in advance? We have a 15 yo and 18 yo traveling with us- any issue with that?

 

[Lew]

First time Hawaii visitor

Could someone please explain the airport lounges to me? Are there multiple?

We do not have significant loyalty status or high mileage on any airline and are using Delta/United combo for our flights to/from.

Would we be eligible for access to the lounges(s) is it paid? Do we have to reserve in advance? We have a 15 yo and 18 yo traveling with us- any issue with that?

Each airline has its own set of rules regarding access to its lounges. I suggest you visit the website of the airline on which you are flying out of HNL...Delta or United.

In March we flew out of HNL on United in first class, but that didn't give us lounge access...go figure? Holders of United's credit card get two lounge passes per year along with free luggage...the passes provided entry at HNL. When we joined first year membership was free and we received a huge amount of air miles...don't know what their current offer might be. Free Dole Whip in the United lounge at HNL!

We also have the Delta credit card...same first year free and free luggage, but I don't believe they offer free lounge access vouchers.

Some credit cards offer free membership to Priority Pass for free access to lounges all over the world...some better than others. I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card which offers free membership. There are others offering membership.

You can always pay for lounge access. A good friend does that, but we've never found it to be a good value. With checkin less than three hours prior to flight time at HNL it doesn't really make sense for the actual time able to enjoy the lounge. Subtracting time from checkin to the lounge and time waiting at the gate from less than three hours airside doesn't leave much time for lounging.