Hawaii-based Airlines - Inter-island flight from OGG to HNL advice

I will be arriving in Maui on May 2 at around 3:25pm. My plan is to catch an inter-island flight and go directly on to HNL as soon as we arrive. (Flights were cheaper to fly straight from NC to Maui.) I know we will be tired (12 1/2 hour flight) but that day is already shot any way.How late do flights run in the afternoon? Should I go ahead and book now? What time should I try for the flight to HNL? About how much do these flights cost? Which is the best airline? ( I know, 50 questions.)

I will be arriving in Maui on May 2 at around 3:25pm. My plan is to catch an inter-island flight and go directly on to HNL as soon as we arrive. (Flights were cheaper to fly straight from NC to Maui.) I know we will be tired (12 1/2 hour flight) but that day is already shot any way.How late do flights run in the afternoon?

Hawaiian Airlines flights run well into the evening OGG-HNL.

Should I go ahead and book now?

Yes. Prices are low compared to a month ago.

What time should I try for the flight to HNL?

I would suggest 75 minutes between flights. If you have checked luggage, your originating carrier can "inter-line" check it all the way through to HNL.

About how much do these flights cost?

Right now for your travel date there is a 5:11pm flight on Hawaiian that is showing $39 cost. The next $39 one, though, is at 9pm. I'd book now.

Which is the best airline? ( I know, 50 questions.)

My recommendations would be (in this order): Hawaiian, Mokulele, IslandAir, PacificWings.

Please don't fly go!, though. They are the cause of much misery in Hawai`i. Moreover, they have a history of canceling flights with zero notice to passengers.

And welcome to FlyerTalk, and e komo mai to Hawai`i!

I will be arriving in Maui on May 2 at around 3:25pm. My plan is to catch an inter-island flight and go directly on to HNL as soon as we arrive. (Flights were cheaper to fly straight from NC to Maui.) I know we will be tired (12 1/2 hour flight) but that day is already shot any way.How late do flights run in the afternoon? Should I go ahead and book now? What time should I try for the flight to HNL? About how much do these flights cost? Which is the best airline? ( I know, 50 questions.)

Flights run until about 10:30 at night. You should go ahead and book now - any lower future fares will only be lower by a small amount, and the flight you want can sell out. If you are booking a separate ticket, I would allow some extra time in case your arrival into OGG is late - perhaps around 7:30 departure. If the interisland flight is part of one ticket with the mainland flight, a connection of around an hour is fine, could even be a little tighter - the question mark is really your bags, not you, making the interisland flight. Flights cost $39-84 plus tax. Due to potential financial problems with other carriers, I would book HA right now.

Flights run until about 10:30 at night. You should go ahead and book now - any lower future fares will only be lower by a small amount, and the flight you want can sell out.

That's good advice.

Mokulele (http://www.mokulele.com)has a 6:40 p.m. flight for $59

There is also a 7:10pm IslandAir flight (http://www.islandair.com), but it's $84. If you're going to pay that, then HA would be preferable at the same cost for a similarly-timed flight.

If you are booking a separate ticket, I would allow some extra time in case your arrival into OGG is late - perhaps around 7:30 departure. If the interisland flight is part of one ticket with the mainland flight, a connection of around an hour is fine, could even be a little tighter - the question mark is really your bags, not you, making the interisland flight.

Again, akamai advice.

Flights cost $39-84 plus tax. Due to potential financial problems with other carriers, I would book HA right now.

Sadly, I would have to agree.

Make sure you check with your carrier to Hawaii to see how much time they require in order to check your bags all the way through otherwise you will have to collect them in OGG and recheck them and go through security again. That happened to us recently.

I believe the industry standard is 75 minutes for transferring bags. I have bags transferred all the time between United and Hawaiian and there is rarely a problem.