Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,044
December 15 through January 2 is probably the worst time of the year for award availability.
If you've not already tried these: a) check for any Hawaii airport (OGG/LIH/KOA); if you can do an open jaw over the water then getting an interisland one-way is cheap, b) ask United to check for a partner award on Aloha. Aloha's first class product is very nice and they fly from SNA, OAK, plus some I'm not remembering. (It might even be possible -- although this is just a guess -- to ask them to check award availability on AC)