Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Indecisive? Me? OAK - KOA content

Here I find myself with 6 weeks of vacation, an Orlando Trip in December, Mexico in January, and nothing in November. So I'm looking at the OAK to KOA inaugural flight for a week on the big island. I just can't pull the trigger on this one. Have never been and usually I'm the guy who likes to see what's around the corner.

What's wrong with me?

I'm thinking golf on the volcano, and around the island and staying up on the north-eastern side.

Can anyone give me reasons to finalize this tonight? :o

Here I find myself with 6 weeks of vacation, an Orlando Trip in December, Mexico in January, and nothing in November. So I'm looking at the OAK to KOA inaugural flight for a week on the big island. I just can't pull the trigger on this one. Have never been and usually I'm the guy who likes to see what's around the corner.

What's wrong with me?

I'm thinking golf on the volcano, and around the island and staying up on the north-eastern side.

Can anyone give me reasons to finalize this tonight? :o

You don't have to spend the entire week on the big island. You can take a short hop on Mokulele Airlines from Kona to Kahului (OGG) and still earn AS miles. :) A couple of days in Maui would be a nice change of venue.

Here I find myself with 6 weeks of vacation, an Orlando Trip in December, Mexico in January, and nothing in November. So I'm looking at the OAK to KOA inaugural flight for a week on the big island. I just can't pull the trigger on this one. Have never been and usually I'm the guy who likes to see what's around the corner.

What's wrong with me?

I'm thinking golf on the volcano, and around the island and staying up on the north-eastern side.

Can anyone give me reasons to finalize this tonight? :o

Well Inaugurals always sound awesome... and a week on the Big Island is still not enough time :p [caveat- was there this summer for 6 days... but 18 days in 2001]

Can you confirm F using paper certs?

But the Big Island is awesome (Kauai is my favorite, but the Big Island is soo much bigger with more things to do like watching lava :cool:)

I would stick to just KOA... don't bother leaving the island if there for only a week...

My post time is also a sign... 808 is Hawaii's Area Code :cool:

My post time is also a sign... 808 is Hawaii's Area Code :cool:

But it's 9:08 in Seattle and we all know on the AS forum that's the only time that really matters! :p

But it's 9:08 in Seattle and we all know on the AS forum that's the only time that really matters! :p

Uh oh... a 1-900 number :p

It is annoying when fare sales end at 11 PM :(

WOW! My eyes are bleeding from looking at all the available condo's to houses to hotel rooms. Amazing stuff available! I did not realize that this is still considered the 'Low Season'. Great bargains to be had!

beckoa, If I do this, I'm using an old unused ticket. I'll be buying a value fare using my discount and will still be leaving money on the table. U inventory is available for outbound and return.

I'll keep 'yall posted on my adventure.

WOW! My eyes are bleeding from looking at all the available condo's to houses to hotel rooms. Amazing stuff available! I did not realize that this is still considered the 'Low Season'. Great bargains to be had!

beckoa, If I do this, I'm using an old unused ticket. I'll be buying a value fare using my discount and will still be leaving money on the table. U inventory is available for outbound and return.

I'll keep 'yall posted on my adventure.

Since there's extra value... can you book as a multi segment... and add on a flight for later on like OAK-SEA, even as a OW to use the full value?

Condos are the way to go IMHO... can make your own food and everything - I stayed at the Kona Coast Resort (http://www.shellhospitality.com/hotels/kona_coast_resort/) at a very reasonable rate ;)

why not buy a full F one way if you're leaving money on the table?

Here I find myself with 6 weeks of vacation, an Orlando Trip in December, Mexico in January, and nothing in November. So I'm looking at the OAK to KOA inaugural flight for a week on the big island. I just can't pull the trigger on this one. Have never been and usually I'm the guy who likes to see what's around the corner.

What's wrong with me?

I'm thinking golf on the volcano, and around the island and staying up on the north-eastern side.

Can anyone give me reasons to finalize this tonight? :o


I stayed at the Sheraton a couple years ago and enjoyed it especially for the price. I was UG'd to an Ocean View which also had a nice view of the pool. There is the Kona Brewing Company in downtown Kona which besides having great beer has some pretty good food. I liked the French Dip. The volcano is nice to see when it's not raining :rolleyes:. I got completely soaked the time I went. It's a nice place to visit but anything more than 5 days I think it too much unless you want to visit the Hilo side. If I had more vacation time, I would probably head there this Fall/Winter but I'm already scheduled OAK-OGG in early December.

Enjoy your trip.

Here I find myself with 6 weeks of vacation, an Orlando Trip in December, Mexico in January, and nothing in November. So I'm looking at the OAK to KOA inaugural flight for a week on the big island. I just can't pull the trigger on this one. Have never been and usually I'm the guy who likes to see what's around the corner.

What's wrong with me?

I'm thinking golf on the volcano, and around the island and staying up on the north-eastern side.

Can anyone give me reasons to finalize this tonight? :o

East Side of island (ITO); 150" of rain/yr
West Side of island (KOA); 20" of rain/yr

:) Thanks for the info everyone! I really appreciate it. I'll finalize plans tonight and will do the mini vacation. As beckoa mentioned, the Kona Coast Resort is on the short list. Probably easier for my first visit. Nice locale and looks clean.

This will be a good exploration trip. Pulling the trigger on the ticket tonight as two value fares with upgrade after purchase. I still have four of the RC-CU09 certs, which I could use if things go south on the upgrades. I'm also looking at squeezing a RT from SFO to SEA at $40 each way out of it. I wonder how that will go? I think that will be a long shot - but it would get me close to maxing out my original ticket value.

I stayed at the Sheraton a couple years ago and enjoyed it especially for the price. I was UG'd to an Ocean View which also had a nice view of the pool. There is the Kona Brewing Company in downtown Kona which besides having great beer has some pretty good food. I liked the French Dip. The volcano is nice to see when it's not raining :rolleyes:. I got completely soaked the time I went. It's a nice place to visit but anything more than 5 days I think it too much unless you want to visit the Hilo side. If I had more vacation time, I would probably head there this Fall/Winter but I'm already scheduled OAK-OGG in early December.

Enjoy your trip.

Never. Too. Much.

I was on Kauai for 3 weeks in December back in 2007 :cool:

Its awesome ;)

:) Thanks for the info everyone! I really appreciate it. I'll finalize plans tonight and will do the mini vacation. As beckoa mentioned, the Kona Coast Resort is on the short list. Probably easier for my first visit. Nice locale and looks clean.

This will be a good exploration trip. Pulling the trigger on the ticket tonight as two value fares with upgrade after purchase. I still have four of the RC-CU09 certs, which I could use if things go south on the upgrades. I'm also looking at squeezing a RT from SFO to SEA at $40 each way out of it. I wonder how that will go? I think that will be a long shot - but it would get me close to maxing out my original ticket value.

That, or hold using multi city (search by schedule)... not sure on fare difference, but can you book one as F and the other as bargain... hold it, and call AS up to ticket @:-)

I have a house near the Kona Coast resort that I spend the winter at. The resort is nice and is very near a full-service shopping center if that is important to you. Good grocery store, Long's Drug Store, movie theater and a few restaurants.

I have a house near the Kona Coast resort that I spend the winter at. The resort is nice and is very near a full-service shopping center if that is important to you. Good grocery store, Long's Drug Store, movie theater and a few restaurants.

Yes- L&L :D :yum:

And AS does have special food and beverage offerings on Hawaii flights too ^ including Johnny Love Aloha Vodka ^^