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Guide to and Questions Concerning Connecting thru HNL & other Hawai`i airports

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Old Mar 12, 2013, 1:14 am
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Guide to and Questions Concerning Connecting thru HNL & other Hawai`i airports

Old Jun 8, 2014, 6:29 pm
  #781  
 
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Originally Posted by -Star-
We will be flying OGG-HNL on HA and then catching a flight back to the mainland on UA at 4:45pm.

Would the HA flight arriving into HNL at 1:25pm be sufficient, or would you recommend arriving into HNL an hour earlier at 12:20pm?

I read in a past thread we want to give ourselves a 3 hour buffer for the time it takes to pick up our bags, and recheck them, etc. Worried about the arrival time of 1:25pm possibly being delayed, but also want to spend as much time as possible in Maui.

Thanks!
HA was ranked first for on-time arrival for 2014. In my 12+ OGG-HNL flights in the last year I don't think I've ever been delayed.

Just don't cut it too close at the OGG check-in. Unless all in your party have TSA precheck, the security line can take a while. Also, be at the gate at least 15-minutes prior to scheduled departure because HA has been known to close the gate early and be taxiing down the runway at the scheduled departure time (yes, I've missed flights). Enjoy Maui!
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Old Jun 8, 2014, 7:19 pm
  #782  
 
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Originally Posted by stravels
HA was ranked first for on-time arrival for 2014. In my 12+ OGG-HNL flights in the last year I don't think I've ever been delayed.

Just don't cut it too close at the OGG check-in. Unless all in your party have TSA precheck, the security line can take a while. Also, be at the gate at least 15-minutes prior to scheduled departure because HA has been known to close the gate early and be taxiing down the runway at the scheduled departure time (yes, I've missed flights). Enjoy Maui!
Thank you cblaisd and stravels! That is very helpful

We have TSA precheck (We are Canadian citizens with a Nexus card), but I've barely used my Nexus card for TSA precheck. I know I need to enter my known traveler when making the HA booking, but how does it work at HNL? Will the agent scan our boarding passes and send us to a different lane? Do I need to show our Nexus cards?
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Old Jun 8, 2014, 7:52 pm
  #783  
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Originally Posted by stravels
HA was ranked first for on-time arrival for 2014. In my 12+ OGG-HNL flights in the last year I don't think I've ever been delayed.

Just don't cut it too close at the OGG check-in. Unless all in your party have TSA precheck, the security line can take a while. Also, be at the gate at least 15-minutes prior to scheduled departure because HA has been known to close the gate early and be taxiing down the runway at the scheduled departure time (yes, I've missed flights). Enjoy Maui!
+1. No delays usually. Had 40+ segments to OGG in the past year and it's normally smooth sailing. Maybe a few minutes here or there but always within 10-15 mins. The 717 is a pretty reliable aircraft, but I have heard stories (rare) or people experiencing problems.

On the question of PreCheck. You enter your Trusted Traveler number in your HA Reservation online on the itinerary page. When you print out your boarding pass (whether online, at a kiosk, or from an agent), it should say TSA Precheck on top. Then, just find the Precheck lane and you should be good to go.
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Old Jun 8, 2014, 11:22 pm
  #784  
 
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Originally Posted by slippahs
Quote:





Originally Posted by stravels


HA was ranked first for on-time arrival for 2014. In my 12+ OGG-HNL flights in the last year I don't think I've ever been delayed.

Just don't cut it too close at the OGG check-in. Unless all in your party have TSA precheck, the security line can take a while. Also, be at the gate at least 15-minutes prior to scheduled departure because HA has been known to close the gate early and be taxiing down the runway at the scheduled departure time (yes, I've missed flights). Enjoy Maui!




+1. No delays usually. Had 40+ segments to OGG in the past year and it's normally smooth sailing. Maybe a few minutes here or there but always within 10-15 mins. The 717 is a pretty reliable aircraft, but I have heard stories (rare) or people experiencing problems.

On the question of PreCheck. You enter your Trusted Traveler number in your HA Reservation online on the itinerary page. When you print out your boarding pass (whether online, at a kiosk, or from an agent), it should say TSA Precheck on top. Then, just find the Precheck lane and you should be good to go.

While OGG typically has no major delays, I have been there several times when there were major delays that disrupted countless flights and thousands of paxs. I try to minimize risk, and if I were on a separate ticket to the Mainland, I would leave time for the unforeseen.
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Old Jun 9, 2014, 6:45 am
  #785  
 
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Originally Posted by 747FC
While OGG typically has no major delays, I have been there several times when there were major delays that disrupted countless flights and thousands of paxs. I try to minimize risk, and if I were on a separate ticket to the Mainland, I would leave time for the unforeseen.
Good point. That's what worries me the most - being on seperate tickets, and others being on the same tickets having priority over me in case of a delay.
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Old Jun 13, 2014, 9:09 pm
  #786  
 
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Originally Posted by moka
I had a DL flight arriving to HNL at 1:35pm so I booked a Island Air (via UA award) to LIH at 3:20pm. Now I see a time change was made and I now arrive to HNL at 2:16pm.
Do I stand a chance in making it if I'm 2 adults with 2 children (assuming bags get interlined)?

If not what would be my course of action? Seems like I'm SOL as UA wants $100 per ticket and Island Air says they can't modify a UA award. :-(
FYI for everyone on connecting, we recently had a 2.25 hr layover in HNL connecting to HA flight to OGG on separate tickets. I had our bags checked all the way through to OGG with no problems at our home airport. Our 2.25 hr layover turned into a 50 min layover after a MX delay out of LAX. We (family w/ small kids and stroller) ran from our DL gate to the interisland gates for our OGG flight, and made it with probably 15 minutes to spare. It's a haul, but doable if bags are checked through.

Also, we had no problem interlining our bags in OGG back to the mainland, preventing us from having to leave security in HNL and get our bags and recheck them. Saved a ton of time.
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Old Jun 15, 2014, 5:55 am
  #787  
 
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Originally Posted by DavidAL
FYI for everyone on connecting, we recently had a 2.25 hr layover in HNL connecting to HA flight to OGG on separate tickets. I had our bags checked all the way through to OGG with no problems at our home airport. Our 2.25 hr layover turned into a 50 min layover after a MX delay out of LAX. We (family w/ small kids and stroller) ran from our DL gate to the interisland gates for our OGG flight, and made it with probably 15 minutes to spare. It's a haul, but doable if bags are checked through.

Also, we had no problem interlining our bags in OGG back to the mainland, preventing us from having to leave security in HNL and get our bags and recheck them. Saved a ton of time.
Thanks! Makes me feel much better!
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Old Jun 17, 2014, 8:37 am
  #788  
 
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Originally Posted by 747FC
If it were me, I would call HA and request rebooking on an earlier flight. Since they changed your flight time, I believe it should be free change. While 90 min may be enough, what happens if there is IRROPS?
I did call HA, as suggested; it was a piece of cake, and free. I had assumed, from everything I had read anywhere about separate tickets and baggage, that we would have to pick up our bags in HNL and recheck through on DL, and thus panicked a bit.

As it turns out, when we checked in at LIH the very nice HA agent said she would be happy to check the bags through all the way to our home destination. I could have kissed her.
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Old Jul 8, 2014, 3:10 am
  #789  
 
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Stopover in HNL, customs, luggage

Flying business class from PEK to HNL (20 hour stopover) to PHX (both HA) to MSP (US Airways). After going through customs in HNL, do I need to pickup and re-check my luggage to MSP? Or it can go through customs without me touching it?

FYI, this is all one ticket (from PEK to MSP) not separate tickets.
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Old Jul 9, 2014, 4:38 pm
  #790  
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Originally Posted by Mileless
Flying business class from PEK to HNL (20 hour stopover) to PHX (both HA) to MSP (US Airways). After going through customs in HNL, do I need to pickup and re-check my luggage to MSP? Or it can go through customs without me touching it?

FYI, this is all one ticket (from PEK to MSP) not separate tickets.
Yes. You always have to pick up luggage and recheck when entering the US. There are a few exceptions where one can preclear customs (like Dublin), but there is no preclearance at PEK.
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Old Jul 9, 2014, 8:52 pm
  #791  
 
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Originally Posted by Mileless
Flying business class from PEK to HNL (20 hour stopover) to PHX (both HA) to MSP (US Airways). After going through customs in HNL, do I need to pickup and re-check my luggage to MSP? Or it can go through customs without me touching it?

FYI, this is all one ticket (from PEK to MSP) not separate tickets.
After clearing customs you take your bags a few meters to a place within the same area where they will rescan them and place them on a conveyor belt. You will then exit customs/immigration out onto the sidewalk and need to re-clear security before going to the gate for your next flight.
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Old Jul 21, 2014, 4:49 pm
  #792  
 
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Fly through OGG or HNL? out of KOA or ITO?

two questions!

1. I need to buy tickets to fly from the Big Island to Kauai, and I'm not finding any nonstop flights -- but instead, everything either connects through OGG or HNL. Given the flight times are roughly similar, which would you choose to connect through? We may need to check a bag or two, but I'm hoping we'll have just carryons (but also a stroller and car seat with the toddler in tow).

2. I'm considering flying out of Hilo (we usually fly out of Kona) - any reason to avoid this? Looks like there's no rental car surcharge to pick up at Kona (when we arrive to the Big Island) and then drop off at Hilo.

thanks!
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Old Jul 21, 2014, 5:33 pm
  #793  
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Originally Posted by shannon94188
two questions!

1. I need to buy tickets to fly from the Big Island to Kauai, and I'm not finding any nonstop flights -- but instead, everything either connects through OGG or HNL. Given the flight times are roughly similar, which would you choose to connect through? We may need to check a bag or two, but I'm hoping we'll have just carryons (but also a stroller and car seat with the toddler in tow).
Probably OGG, just because it's a little smaller

2. I'm considering flying out of Hilo (we usually fly out of Kona) - any reason to avoid this? Looks like there's no rental car surcharge to pick up at Kona (when we arrive to the Big Island) and then drop off at Hilo.
No reason whatsoever. Security is apt to be easier at ITO.
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Old Jul 21, 2014, 5:50 pm
  #794  
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There are probably going to be many more flights through HNL, however, aren't there?
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Old Jul 21, 2014, 6:06 pm
  #795  
 
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Originally Posted by ILuvParis
There are probably going to be many more flights through HNL, however, aren't there?
Agreed - there are more, which I wonder if it comes in handy if there's some sort of delay on the first flight and we miss the connection.

Thanks for chiming in as well, cblaisd! Now I'm thinking we'll do ITO-HNL-LIH just so I don't worry too much if there's a delay. thanks!
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