A question for the forum about using miles for flights between the Hawaiian islands:

I'm planning another vacation to Hawaii and am planning to visit 3 islands (over about 18-19 days). My question specifically concerns the big island. Has anyone ever split up a trip (using miles) where you fly into ITO, stay a couple of days on the East side, then drive over to the West side to stay a few more days and then fly out of KOA (the reverse would be fine too).

What I'm trying to do is spend a couple of days looking at the volcanoes, lava flow, black sand, etc... and then spend a few days on the other side doing other things. Given the sheer size of the island, I'm trying to avoid having criss cross in a rental (eating up hours and hours each way).

Our general itin is: MSP - HNL (stay 4 nights), Round trip from HNL to Hawaii (stay 5 nights), Round trip to Kauai (stay 7-8 nights). It will cost 40k points for each round trip for my fam of 4 and I'm hoping that I can break up the round trip from HNL to Hawaii.

Also, anyone ever stayed in any of the hotels on the East side (near ITO and the volcano village?

There is at least one regular FTer who lives on the wet side, and I'm sure he'll be here soon to chime in.

As for your flights, you're asking for an open-jaw (fly into ITO, depart from KOA). That is very easy to do (subject to availability of course). I do this often when I visit the Big Island.

You can do it online as a Multi-City award. HNL-ITO/KOA-HNL. Depending on awards out there you're looking at 5-10K per segment per person.

I've done the Fairmont and Outrigger over on the KOA side. Fairmont was much better.

On the ITO side, a lot of the "resorts" in Hilo are a pretty dicey lot. You're better off looking for a business hotel. Or stay in at something like Aloha Crater Lodge in Volcano proper.

Check the Hawaii forum here for more info.

Multicity awards on Hawaiian airlines using WorldPorks used to be 15,000 miles, but that was a year or two ago. Not sure if it's still offered or how much the price has gone up, at all. The award chart doesn't list it.

I did a test booking and found some segments at 5K, but most at 10K. That puts your min at 10K - max 20K R/T per person. For inter-island hops I do a calculation on Miles VS buying a ticket. A year ago (back when oil was cheaper and Aloha was still flying) it sometimes pointed to paying for a REALLY cheap ticket and earning 1000 EQMs R/T. Now days not so much.

At 20K I would definitely buy a ticket with $$$

You can also look into using miles on other airlines. Last year when I took my family of 6, I used up some orphan miles on CO and AA which actually had a lower miles "Price" than NWA and let me use up some miles that I really didn't think I would ever be able to use.

This seems better suited for the Hawaii forum, so let's move it there with a redirect left here in the nwa forum.

Thanks,

slippahs
nwa forum co-moderator

Not when each ticket could come out to $200 (for $400 total)

Any further info on using miles (Worldperks) for trips between islands? We have WBC award tix to HNL in November, and are trying to keep costs as low as possible for the trip. We were planning on spending half the time in Kona area and then Kauai. Just checked w/NWA and there are NO awards tix with HA on any of the 9 days we'll be there!
Any ideas on cheap island hopping? Thanks!

UA offers 5k R/T or O/J awards on Island Air. Right now on United's homepage, there is an offer for 25k miles with a new Mileage Plus Visa card. That's enough for 5 R/Ts on Island Air.

It's been my experience that if Island Air has their "Super Special" seats available for purchase, you are able to book award travel for those seats.

Here's how to save the $25 per ticket fee that United charges to ticket Island Air... You can't get these online so you have to call in. Have the agent put a 3 day hold on them and then call back ticket with the automated system. You will only have to pay the $2.50 per segment TSA charge.

flyingforfree-thanks for the great info, will be applying for that card today!