Originally Posted by
Flying for Fun
I would take it one step further. For 40K, you can fly LAX-DFW-HNL on widebodies in lie-flat J on AA and hop over to LIH on a $50 Inter-Island flight. LAX-DFW 788, DFW-HNL 772. It requires a DFW overnight but HI approved PCR COVID-19 testing at LAX is $125 pp for a 3-5 hour result; rapid PCR testing at DFW is $250 pp, last I checked.
OP is already balking at LAX-XXX-LIH when the XXX is on the West Coast and same-day, not DFW and requiring an overnight. I assume "parents" are older and not interested in adding what amounts to a full day to a routing, even if they end up in lie-flats.
Originally Posted by
Flying for Fun
A main Cabin award on the same flight is 10K. I would book that and if the OP isn't able to choose Premium at booking, pay for the upgrade. With blocked middle seats in Premium, 2 can stretch out in a ½ row to themselves with extra legroom to "boot!" All while saving 60K miles.
Good call IMO. Even if there's luggage requirements it could well be more cost-effective.