Award Availability Spring Break KOA-ORD
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Depends on the day!
Programs: Marriott/Lifetime Titanium Hyatt/Explorist, Hilton/Silver, IHG Spire,UA Gold
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Award Availability Spring Break KOA-ORD
Looking to book spring break for 2020 to the big island for a week or so. I can find plenty of availability on the way out for 22.5K miles, but coming back it's all 45K. Anyone have experience with traveling to any island in Hawaii over the Easter holiday? Wondering if there is ever saver availability that week, or is it typically not available? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
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Looking to book spring break for 2020 to the big island for a week or so. I can find plenty of availability on the way out for 22.5K miles, but coming back it's all 45K. Anyone have experience with traveling to any island in Hawaii over the Easter holiday? Wondering if there is ever saver availability that week, or is it typically not available? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
#3
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Keep checking daily - one thing in your favor, Kona isn't nearly as popular as Honolulu or Maui.
#5
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,402
OP: I agree with the general consensus that this may be a tough ask.
Sadly, it gets worse than that: as of November 15, UA is eliminating the award chart. There’s theoretically no limit to how many miles they could request for your return flight. Furthermore, the 22.5K outbound flights could disappear at any time.
#6
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Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Depends on the day!
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To be fair, the OP was asking about economy seats.
OP: I agree with the general consensus that this may be a tough ask.
Sadly, it gets worse than that: as of November 15, UA is eliminating the award chart. There’s theoretically no limit to how many miles they could request for your return flight. Furthermore, the 22.5K outbound flights could disappear at any time.
Cheap travel was a lot easier when you could travel at off peak or shoulder seasons vs. having to do it around kids school schedules!
#7
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: All of them, UA-Plat, 1MM*G
Posts: 881
Note by the time you are traveling, WN (if the MAX is back in service) should have begun flying to the islands. That may both pressure UA prices -- and give you an economical one-way return option to couple with your Saver seats outbound.
#8
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
Southwest has been operating for over a month now to the Islands. KOA isn't particularly convenient via WN. Outside of their introductory prices, fares aren't exactly bargains. The best thing is free bags.