Getting to Hawaii on A Budget

Recently, we talked about the fact that Hawaiian Airlines came out with a refreshed version of their credit card. With the new Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite MasterCard offers through Barclays, you get 50,000 miles after you sign up and use your card for $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. You also get an improved 3-2-1 earning structure, which lets you rack up 3 miles per $1 spent on Hawaiian Airlines purchases, 2 miles per $1 spent on gas, dining, and grocery purchases, and 1 mile per $1 spent one everything else.

With that in mind, you’re probably trying to figure out how you could put those miles to use for a cheap Hawaiian getaway. And, who can blame you?

Getting to Hawaii with Hawaiian Miles

The number of miles you’ll fork over for a trip to Hawaii will depend on the type of fare you’re able to secure based on availability. Generally speaking, SuperSaver awards from North America to Hawaii are 20,000 miles each way, while CoachSaver awards are 30,000 miles one-way. Coach Flex awards are 40,000 – 60,000 miles one-way. However, Business/First Saver Awards are only 40,000 miles one-way, or 80,000 miles round-trip.

I flew First Class from LAX to HNL then from HNL to SFO on Hawaiian Airlines on my recent trip to the state, and I would do it again in a heartbeat provided I had the miles to spare. The lie-flat seats are roomy, and the food is superb — even for a vegetarian. They also offer pre-departure and constantly flowing Mai Tais and a personal iPad loaded with movies. It’s a very nice experience that I would suggest if you get the chance!

Still, a 20,000 one-way SuperSaver is hard to beat, especially since the signup bonus on this card is 50,000 miles. If two spouses signed up for this card and earned the signup bonus, they would have enough miles for 2.5 round-trip flights in economy.

Where Should You Stay in Hawaii?

There are an endless number of hotels you can book in Hawaii with rewards. You could stay at the Andaz Maui for just 25,000 Hyatt points per night, for example. You could stay at the Hilton Waikiki Beach (50,000 Hilton Honors per night), the Holiday Inn Resort: Waikiki Beachcomber (40,000 IHG rewards points per night), or the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa, for just 25,000 starpoints per night.

Personally, I think Hilton has some of the best options in Hawaii. Some of the properties you can book include:

• Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay: as little as 45,000 points per night
• Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Alaina, Waikiki Beach: as little as 47,000 points per night
• Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach: as little as 50,000 points per night
• Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort: as little as 60,000 points per night
• Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria resort: as little as 95,000 points per night

But, I feel inclined to make a suggestion here. I spent two nights at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai on my recent trip to the island. This property is luxurious in every way with amazing grounds and one of the coolest pools I’ve ever seen. The rooms are just okay, but the environment the hotel exists in is absolutely heavenly. This hotel also costs just 25,000 Hyatt points per night for a standard room, making it a steal.

The Bottom Line

If you’re dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway and hope to pay in points and miles, your options are better now than ever. Once you take the time to explore airline credit cards and hotel cards that can bring your trip to fruition, you can strategize the exact trip you want.

 

What is your favorite hotel in Hawaii that you can book on points? Why?