<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ExMo:
I'm not sure the rules state that. They only allow one flight between Hawaii and the mainland and prohibit backtracking between the two as part of the OWE ticket, however, there is nothing I see there that specifically prohibits a surface segment. ... I'd especially like to see the mainland-HNL and surface return explored further.</font>
Sadly it does mean this, even though the rule doesn't quite say it. At least that was the result of extensively discussing this rule with AA about a year ago. I didn't press the issue completely (I was't very interested in going to HNL using a OWE), but I believe my statement is accurate: you can't use surface (unless you enter or exit NA at HNL immediately adjacent to that surface segment). AA seems to be very keen to keep HNL out of OWE itineraries.