This airfare to Ohau is killing me. :(

[funhouse8]

First I played the waiting game with my points, unsure if I could score a 2 bedroom the week leading into July 4th at the beautiful Aulani resort. Well that went perfect and now I'm playing the airfare game. The fares are $1160 dollars R/T from NYC. I read that they can drop 3 months before but I am so worried they will go up. There are 6 of us so each rise will be x 6. Should I just say oh the heck with it and buy it now? What would you do?

 

[lurkernj]

I'm in NJ and watch the airfare to Hawaii constantly even when I'm not going, just so I can see the patterns (we're actually going that same timeframe as well, but to Maui). I already have my tickets, but friends are joining us and need them now. They have been $1165 for a few months now, which is the most I have ever seen them without budging. Our previous two trips they were in the $750/$900 range (though we always use miles for them). I have faith they will go down.

For United, they are going to be de-valueing their miles to Hawaii starting 2/1 (45,000 miles instead of 40,000 for saver award round trip), so I am hopeful that after that date there will be some movement.

I'm not an expert, but I would not buy now. There is a lot of room on the flights I've been watching and I believe they will lower the rates to fill the planes.

 

[teambeaman]

Check the prices for flights for dates inside the next few months and see what the average price is. I used to be a travel agent and I worked for Delta. Usually prices go down as you get closer. What I usually do is figure out what it should cost and wait for that price. If one way is discounted, and the other is not, I buy the discounted one way and wait for the other half to go down. 99% of the time, it goes down.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Check the prices for flights for dates inside the next few months and see what the average price is. I used to be a travel agent and I worked for Delta. Usually prices go down as you get closer.....

Just the opposite. The closer it is to your flight date, the higher the prices.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just the opposite. The closer it is to your flight date, the higher the prices.

With dh booking semi last minute work travel since 2009, I have seen prices down closer to the date more often than prices going higher. It's truly the oddest thing. He's gotten (his company that is) some amazing deals to the most far away places.

Even with our leisure travel I've seen the same more than it going higher. Even using miles has gone down on both of our main airlines for using miles.

But that can't be relied on. Almost seems like the more important the travel is to you, the more expensive it is, and the more the prices do what you don't want the prices to do.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

First I played the waiting game with my points, unsure if I could score a 2 bedroom the week leading into July 4th at the beautiful Aulani resort. Well that went perfect and now I'm playing the airfare game. The fares are $1160 dollars R/T from NYC. I read that they can drop 3 months before but I am so worried they will go up. There are 6 of us so each rise will be x 6. Should I just say oh the heck with it and buy it now? What would you do?

You're traveling at a very busy, popular time of year, when families, not just couples and individuals, are filling seats to and from Hawaii. Although it's possible that there could be a fare sale at some point, it's more likely that the lower fare categories will sell out, leaving only more expensive fares.

Play with Hipmunk (http://www.hipmunk.com/) and Kayak (http://www.kayak.com/) to compare airlines and connection options.

Consider departing from JFK or Newark (EWR). Hawaiian Airlines flies nonstop from JFK. United flies nonstop from EWR. Nonstops are great because they eliminate the chance of missing a connection and having wait, possibly until the next day, for the second segment.

Also consider connections out of any airport in your general area (just leave a nice, long time at the connecting airport).

Consider flying in a day earlier or flying home a day later. You may find lower fares that more than pay for a hotel night, especially if the fare savings are multiplied by 6.

Good luck and Aloha!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I've gambled, too. I scored for Alauni for our last trip in Feb. 2013 during Presidents week. I live in California and when I started looking many, many months out...they were really high (in the $800's). One would think it would be cheaper living on West Coast. However, I trolled everyday and scored tickets for $391. I know I purchased the tickets in October 2012 for February 2013. We're going to WDW around Spring Break/Easter time and I thought I did so well with Hawaii that I can do it again. I was so wrong. When I started looking for WDW, they were real high (like last time) and they did drop but it was still so far out I was certain it would drop again. It never did. Not only did it continue to climb, but the times and layovers did as well. Instead of one stop, I was now looking at multiple. I was so bummed. Thankfully, I budgeted and have enough saved. I went with another airline with better times and one stop but did not get the deal I wanted.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

With dh booking semi last minute work travel since 2009, I have seen prices down closer to the date more often than prices going higher. It's truly the oddest thing. He's gotten (his company that is) some amazing deals to the most far away places.

Even with our leisure travel I've seen the same more than it going higher. Even using miles has gone down on both of our main airlines for using miles.

But that can't be relied on. Almost seems like the more important the travel is to you, the more expensive it is, and the more the prices do what you don't want the prices to do.

My experience, and the norm, is just the opposite, for both domestic and international travel.

 

[badiggio]

I'll be going back to Oahu for the third time next month.I was there in Jan 2013 and again in October.we rent a 2 bedroom condo across the field from aulani called the Beach Villas.We always fly United from Ottawa Canada,with one connection in either Washington or Chicago.The first time I paid 697 pp ,second 720 and this time 740.I find the best time for prices is 3 to 4 months away.IMO it's way to early to book.

 

[LadyBeBop]

We're looking at flying to Hawaii, probably late 2015 for our 30th anniversary. Would airfare be cheaper during that time of year?

Also, would it be cheaper to fly into LAX or SFO, spend the night there, then fly into Hawaii?

 

[funhouse8]

We're looking at flying to Hawaii, probably late 2015 for our 30th anniversary. Would airfare be cheaper during that time of year?

Also, would it be cheaper to fly into LAX or SFO, spend the night there, then fly into Hawaii?

Not necessarily I looked into flying into all different cities in the states and getting a different flight to hawaii and it seemed to cost the same if not more.

They were 1,000 yesterday Husband is having me wait. Today they are 1,300/ This is killing me. I know in the long run we are going to Hawaii. (hopefully LOL) Thanks everyone for your advice.

 

[taitai]

The thing is, you are going during peak travel time. Families from the west coast go to Hawaii for vacation. So, you have all those families competing for seats. If you are looking at any flights that connect in a West Coast city, the prices will not go down. In fact, the planes will probably be completely full with no seats to buy. I wouldn't wait even coming from the East Coat. All those Eastern families who have been dealing with the crazy, cold winter are planning trips somewhere warm and sunny and you could be left out in the cold.

 

[teambeaman]

Just the opposite. The closer it is to your flight date, the higher the prices.

That is not true at all. If you read travel blogs, they'll tell you the same thing. We fly frequently (about 6 trips a year) and I very rarely purchase tickets within 60 days of my travel dates and I always get the lowest fares. One of my coworkers is going from Denver to Maui in March and wanted to book for $800 in November and I told her to wait. Then it went to $600, and I told her to wait. Last week it went to $474 and I told her to go ahead and buy them. She saved over $300 per ticket by waiting.

 

[teambeaman]

We're looking at flying to Hawaii, probably late 2015 for our 30th anniversary. Would airfare be cheaper during that time of year? Also, would it be cheaper to fly into LAX or SFO, spend the night there, then fly into Hawaii?

The best deals are usually out of Las Vegas. Hawaii calls Vegas it's "ninth island" so they often have sales and specials between the two.

 

[Dizzy4DL]

Sign up for Hawaiian Airlines mileage program. We bought our $475 r/t tickets (4 months ahead) to Maui last year because of their emails. We flew out of Portland.