Originally Posted by
nomad420
Sounds like SFO to MEL and I assume the Polaris equipment is pretty much the same. I saw the VA flight from either SYD or MEL into HBA but from samyoull sounds like MEL is the way to go. Thanks
I don't think SYD deserves the hate it gets, but all else equal MEL is a better transit. SFO-SYD/MEL-HBA is the "best" routing at any cost.
As
jsloan noted, fares to Australia are in the stratosphere right now and UA does not publish a competitive fare on HNL-HBA (or HNL-SYD). More Pacific-focused carriers actually have much more reasonable tables published from HNL, so if cost is any concern at all I would strongly consider splitting the ticket in HNL and flying SFO-HNL (ticket break) HNL-AKL-(SYD/MEL-)HBA and return if you want to return to Hawaii anyway. HNL-HBA fares are as low as $5k r/t and even full-fare is only $10k, and SFO-HNL can be had for a song compared to long-haul prices.
Also note that the only way to go from Australia to Hawaii on *A without touching another continent is via AKL on NZ anyway, but that HNL-AKL is less than daily and has a 17:30 arrival that will prevent same-day connections to HBA, and that most NZ trans-Tasman service is one-class.