long time lurker but new poster with a question for the experts.

I currently have 160k United miles, 78k AA miles, and 200k Delta miles mostly compiled from card sign up bonuses over the last 12 months. I can probably add another card or two in the next couple of months if necessary

I am trying to secure business class for 5 from RSW to OGG roundtrip next summer and can split the group 3 and 2 if needed. If possible for the same miles, 1 week on Kaui and 1 week on Maui would be even better.

What is the best way to get the lowest mileage rewards guaranteed? Is it worth it to use bookyouraward.com for a straightforward domestic trip like this or is what I see on the airline website the best deal anybody can get?

thanks for any advice

the mi needed are per person, so 5 pax is 5 x the pp number....

the lowest mi pp is available on each of the carriers sites....

You shouldn't have too much trouble booking this yourself if you have some flexibility.

You can book HA flights on both AA and UA.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

You will not find Business Class offered between RSW and Hawaii. Your choices will be Coach or First Class.

You need more miles if you want three seats together.The Delta awards will be tough, especially since they rarely release space at 330 days like AA/UA. Read up on searching for Delta low awards segment-by-segment. I've been following Delta award space from LAX-all Hawaii this summer (albeit in coach) and availability since Dec has been pretty much nonexistent.

Just checked and I don't see a single low seat from LAX to either LIH/OGG all calendar, and that's with extended (Silver) elite availability, which has helped for all of the awards I have redeemed so far (if the "I'm Traveling" checkbox is to be believed).

thanks for all the feedback..have added 125k mr points that I can turn into 160k or so BA miles or maybe even more if I wait for a 50% bonus...does that open up any options...disappointed that delta doesn't open up any low flights at all. can go out of MIA or TPA if that makes it easier,,wife is set on going first class for that long of a flight

As you've probably discovered from UA's award chart, you don't have enough for 5 roundtrip in Y much less F. You do have enough for 5 one-ways in Y, assuming Saver availability on UA.

With BA being distance based you'll pay more in mileage compared to others from the eastern US, but with the balance you would have it would get you 5 one-ways in Y on AA if available.

Your AA balance might help with part of your group.

UA, BA, and AA availability can all be easily checked and booked online. I certainly wouldn't waste money on an award booking service for it. They can't get you a lower mileage rate than what the published award rates are in any case.

I don't know if you will find availability from RSW, but you have enough miles to do what you want to do, just barely, if you can find award space.

Basically, you need 10 one-way awards, and you need them grouped as a 3, 3, 2, and 2.

Forget about BA. It is good for coach to HI in some cases, but it treats AA or AS first class as a first class award and thus requires 3x miles. Instead, convert 120k Amex to SQ. SQ lets you book one ways on star alliance, and domestic US first prices at the business level on SQ's chart on a two-class airplane. (I am not 100 percent certain this holds for trips to HI but I am pretty sure.). You cannot use your SQ miles for unlimited numbers of friends and family -- each person gets 5 nominees, but that's plenty. Or you can just send 30k to 4 different people instead of all 120k to one. Same difference. Any way, here's how you put the jigsaw puzzle together with what you have:

120k UA gets 3 of you one way in F -- on UA or US or a combination of the two. 75k AA gets two of you one way in F -- on AA, AS, HA or a combination of the three. So, that gets all five of you there (or back) in F.

Now coming back, use 40k UA for one of you on UA or US in F. Use 30k SQ to get a second person in F on that same flight. Use the remaining 90k of SQ for the last 3.

Caveats: I am dubious you will find enough seats at the saver F level on US or UA to make this happen, but this is the blue print for how to use your existing miles. Note that Amex does not transfer instantly to SQ. This can lead to some nervous times if you are watching award space while waiting for the transfer.

thanks...looks like I might need to churn some more UA and AA cards this summer