PHLGovFlyer

Trying to book an award trip EWR-LAX (stopover) then LAX-OGG (desitnation) then OGG-HNL-EWR for the return. The OGG-HNL flight will be on Hawaiian. All of the UA metal legs have saver availability and it looks like the HA flight ia available for 5000 UA miles.

I'm unable to book everything as one trip on line so I'm assuming I'll have to call to book it as one ticket, correct?

I'm also considering just booking an open jaw on UA without the HA flight and purchasing the HA flight separately. I'll have a checked bag so I'm assuming I'll have to pay a bag fee to HA based on other threads on FT. Will HA check my bag all the way to EWR?

aacharya

Why not book OGG-LAX/SFO-EWR, and avoid the HA hassle, baggage fee, and save 5K miles? Or are the times all off? I imagine as a 1K, even an award ticket would garner CPUs on OGG-LAX/SFO, and a slim chance on LAX/SFO-EWR.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Not only does it cost 5k miles for the inter-island leg, HA will hit you for baggage charges at OGG check-in, even though it may show UA flight number and no matter what you status is. HA is not Star Alliance.

They will check it thru if on one PNR for sure. Haven't had to try checking thru on separate records lately.

Wx4caster

I'm guessing OP is trying to take advantage of HNL-EWR lie-flat service, though desired cabin is not mentioned.

If booking coach, I would do just as aacharya mentions, assuming times work ok. If trying to book first on the non-stop HNL-EWR, it's simple enough to get the HA ticket separately, though as already noted, cost is 5,000 miles + bag fees. Just to be clear, the multi-city feature was not able to piece together the desired itinerary? The only potential benefit to a single award would be if the HA flight was canceled, or late resulting in a mis-connect. Actually, if PLAT or above, you can probably just call in and have the inter-island segment added to an existing itinerary with a 5,000 mile add-collect.

FYI, the inter-island flights are typically fairly inexpensive (sub $100), and while fees for 2 bags =$35, you can often get a buy-up for FC for $50, which comes with 2 free bags and HA lounge access. So, net $15 cost to upgrade, albeit a very short hop and very minimal lounge amenities - still nice to be up at the pointy end of the bus.

mikel51

You may also want to book the UA legs as one way....then if you have to change one direction, you will be able to keep the other direction intact.

Wx4caster

Can't be done with OP's desired stopover in LAX.

aacharya

Ah, didn't consider an award booking in F. (I reserve those for int'l redemptions).

I have been able to find (all the way on the bottom) OGG-HNL-EWR with HA/UA on the website. Maybe don't use multi-city for that, and just try OGG-EWR?

ctroadwarrior

I recently used this same strategy for a trip in July LIH-HNL-EWR and it worked out very nicely. FC seats with no bag fees on HA followed by lie flat beds on the overnight HNL-EWR segment. Just be sure to check in promptly at T-24 on the HA web site and do the buy up to FC ($50 per seat).

lensman

Can you buy up to F if you're flying on an award ticket?

Wx4caster

this scenario is assuming one purchases (revenue) HA tickets separately.

PHLGovFlyer

Unfortunately, for the desired dates there is no saver availability to EWR out of OGG. HNL has lots of it though so the compromise would be spending 5000 miles on the HA flight (or $$) versus an extra 20,000 miles to get a standard award OGG-EWR.

Sorry for not mentioning. Looking for coach awards. Also there's no saver availability on the non-stop HNL-EWR for the dates I need so I'll be connecting somewhere.

Correct. Multicity will allow me to book one trip EWR-LAX (stopover), LAX-OGG, and HNL-EWR all as one round trip for 40,000 miles. However if I try to use multicity to add in the OGG-HNL flight it returns an error. Oddly I can book the OGG-HNL flight on UA's site as a separate reservation for 5000 miles. The issue probably comes in trying to combine the UA and HA flights on one PNR.

Interesting idea. I'll ponder that one. Are the fees different for 1 bag vs. 2?

Correct.

The OGG-HNL flight is running about $88 right now so IMO the cash option is probably a bit better than using 5000 miles.

aacharya

All makes perfect sense. One option might be to just book HNL-EWR, and waitlist OGG-EWR (since it's all UA metal). Then book HA later if the wl never clears (or the HA flight starts creeping up in price).

IAH-OIL-TRASH

A couple of things about HA fares and tickets.

Award availability disappears fast on the best connections to/from outer islands. If you wait too long, you might find yourself with longer-than-wanted connection. On the other hand, if you make a real long connection, you can take bus or cab over to Niko's Pier 38 for food/drink (and if timing right, entertainment) at Honolulu Harbor.

Also, if you're buying tickets, HA really has only 3 or 4 prices for seats between islands. The cheapest definitely also go fast at times convenient to connecting mainland flights.

bocastephen

There is no 'hassle' with HA - it's a great airline, but the decision to add it to your award ticket (or not) has no bearing on the bag fee - even if the HA segment is part of a UA ticket, you will still need to pay bag fees when checking in for a HA segment, even if that segment connects to a UA flight. HA is pretty vigilant about collecting bag fees and their agents don't pause to analyze DOT disclosure rules about fees and ticketed carrier/majority carrier, etc.

Having said that, you should be looking at inter-island fares first - the HA awards are rare to begin with, and usually never at ideal times, so finding low fares on HA and booking separate tickets is usually the way to go, and that is our standard practice on the multiple HI trips each year we take. I can't remember the last time we redeemed award seats on HA.

Wx4caster

Now I see - no the multicity search won't return results with that individual inter-island segment specified, but if you search OGG-EWR, the engine will usually piece together options that include HA inter-island flights - I see it all the time. However, it may not piece together the exact option you're looking for.

It sounds like you're trying to find a way around paying bag fees, and I don't think you're going to find one unless a UA metal flight out of OGG opens up. It makes the most sense to me to book a HA award separately, so that if OGG opens up you can just cancel it and change your itinerary.

That said, what part of the island are you staying on? If anywhere on the NW side, I would recommend a completely different solution, and go with Mokulele Air out of Kapalua over to HNL. http://www.mokuleleairlines.com/

Sadly, Island Air (a mileage plus partner) discontinued service into JHM recently, so no more award availability. Mokulele on the other hand has been aggressively expanding service out of JHM (flights to Lanai, Big Island, and Hana). Their fares are good, JHM is awesome (no security screening for Mokulele flights required, ~ 5 minutes from just about any north-side resort instead of hour-long ride to OGG), and while small, their planes are surprisingly roomy and offer something of a "sightseeing charter" type experience. Food for thought.

Enjoy Maui, and don't sweat the bag fees.