... OP, you are traveling by yourself, correct?
Yes I do. In addition I am travelling with my wife and my two kids. So as for a party of 4 it will be not easy to get the earlier flight due to availability.
If I have to pay the $75 fee, every family member has to pay the fee as well?
And on the way back LIH-LAX: fare rules allow to use WP intra islands flights. Do you think I can get LIH-HNL-LAX instead of LIH-LAX? To avoid the old B752?