Cheapest Time to Fly to Hawaii | Hawaii Vacation Deals

Our four-step 2016 guide to Hawaii vacation deals features the best time for cheap flights to Hawaii and how much you can expect to pay. We just updated them in September 2015 with our latest tips valid through fall 2016. Included are the most likely dates to find Hawaii deals that not only help you save on cheap flights to Hawaii, but on accommodations and activities as well.

Step 1: What to Pay for Hawaii Vacation Deals.

Great news for the rest of 2015 and into 2016! We expect to see more competition and strong discounting offering cheap flights to Hawaii. This is based in part on increased inventory as well as on continued low fuel prices which permit the airlines to make money even on reduced airfares.

West Coast Departures: Lowest sale airfares starting from mid to high $300 s round-trip including all taxes and fees. Weekend travel may be $50 to $100 more than midweek.

Midwest and East Coast Departures: Expect to generally pay $250 to $300 more although some sales could result in even lower prices. Note that many mid-west and east coast cities do not get Hawaii deals due to lack of a competitive market. They may, however, still see some reduction in off-season pricing. Weekend travel may be $50 to $100 more than midweek.

Step 2: When to Travel for Hawaii Vacation Deals.

• Through November 19 and December 1 through 10, 2015.
• January 5 through mid-March, 2016.
• April 11 through June 9, 2016.
• August 15 through November 15, 2016.
• November 29 through December 9, 2016.

Christmas in Hawaii. This time of year should be avoided unless you are willing to pay the highest prices (which can sometimes be double or more). If you do travel at the Christmas/New Year holidays, the lowest prices will usually be on December 24, 25, 31 and January 1.

Snowbird season. Early 2016 (January through mid-February) has already featured some unexpectedly good Hawaii vacation deals. This is usually considered high season, especially for visitors from colder areas (snowbirds). Demand will determine whether this will continue to be discounted, and if so, when and by how much.

Spring Break 2016. This will cover the second half of March and the beginning of April and is an expensive time to visit.

A spring or fall Hawaii vacation gets our unequivocal thumbs up. First, the very best in Hawaii weather is found during spring and fall. You can also luxuriate in the feeling of having the islands all to yourself. That s something which is only possible during low season. Plus the best chances to score Hawaii vacation deals.

Step 3: When to Buy Hawaii Vacation Deals.

This largely depends on your flexibility and how determined you are to take a Hawaii vacation. Sometimes the deal that is available now is the best option. That s true even if it isn t the rock bottom price, as other Hawaii vacation deals may or may not materialize later. Monitoring for the very best in cheap flights to Hawaii can also be quite time consuming. If you read the comments you ll hear from people who have missed out by waiting.

• Late Fall 2015 travel now through Fall.
• 2015 Christmas in Hawaii travel it is most advantageous to book as early as possible, or at the very last minute if there is any remaining availability.
• Winter 2015/2016 travel airfare sales may start during fall 2015, or thereafter.
• Spring break 2016 it is most advantageous to book as early as possible, or at the very last minute if there is any remaining availability
• Spring 2016 travel airfare sales may be combined with winter 2015/2016 sales appearing fall 2015 and after. There will also be spring only sales appearing thereafter.
• Mid summer 2016 travel book as early as possible. Do not expect to find deals from mid-June through mid-August.
• Late summer 2016 Hawaii deals for travel starting August 15 could appear starting late spring to early summer.
• Fall 2016 Hawaii deals could appear starting early summer.

Tip: At Beat of Hawaii we have our fishing net out to catch Hawaii vacation deals for you. We ll reel them in and be first to let you know when they appear. Please subscribe to our free mail  and Facebook updates then stay tuned and act quickly.

Step 4: Best Gateway Cities for Cheap Flights to Hawaii AKA Where to find Hawaii Vacation Deals.

Some cities continue to have increased competition. Travelers using these airports can expect to benefit most in terms of best pricing and greater availability. Those cities are:

Airlines that Fly to Hawaii.

The two primary choices from the west coast are Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Both are great carriers that have a wide range of offerings. Their prices on competitive services are usually but not always similar. There are other choices as well, soon including Virgin America  from the Bay Area.

• Hawaiian Airlines flies to Honolulu, Hawaii (Big Island), Kauai, and Maui from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle. They also offer inter-island service between all islands.
• Alaska Airlines flies to Honolulu, Hawaii (Big Island), Kauai, and Maui from Anchorage, Bellingham, Oakland, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, and Seattle.
• Virgin America will fly from San Francisco to Honolulu and Maui starting fall 2015. Their entry may or may not spur Hawaii vacation deals in those markets.
• Allegiant Air  still flies to Honolulu from Las Vegas and Los Angeles although we aren t sure for how long. Their base pricing can often be the lowest. However, they feature a la carte pricing that includes fees for carry-on luggage and even water on board. Their seats do not recline.
• Legacy carriers, including American, Delta and United all have a range of flights to and from Hawaii from most areas of the U.S. While there can be (and recently has been) discounting on these companies as well, Hawaii vacation deals are not nearly as frequent as on the airlines above which specialize in Hawaii.

Lastly, we look forward to your comments and questions. We may not be able to respond to all of these individually and timely. If you read the comments, we have already answered many of the most asked questions. If you would like to respond to others comments and questions, we encourage that.

Watch for updates.

We continue to update this information on Hawaii vacation deals as changes occur. Also subscribe to our free deal alert emails .

E komo mai Welcome to Hawaii. Mahalo and A Hui Hou!