Originally Posted by
milepig
Pricing is market driven. I haven't looked recently, but in the past it was often less expensive for long-haul flights to book MKE-ORD-XXX that just ORD-XXX, like you're seeing, connecting to the same flight. My technique, which works if used infrequently, was to get a ride to MKE somehow, catch the flight from there to ORD and then just get off the plane at ORD on the return. This doesn't work with checked baggage, but you're going to LIH, what do you have - a couple swim trunks, some shorts and at-shirts?
I'd also recommend checking the SNA pricing to see what that gives.
How far in the past was it? It was like that for me too. Then things changed in September 2017. Now, it's double the price than just flying from ORD. I just checked MKE-ORD -PVG and return in Polaris for the dates I'm traveling. UA wants $7600. From my small city, it was $7100. From ORD, $3600. I wish they would go back to reasonable prices, which for me would be $4000 from my small city.