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The cheapest flight to Hawaii I've booked was $219 on Hawaiian Airlines (HA) from Seattle (SEA) on November 12, 2023, with a 5-hour 15-minute flight time and no checked bag fees.
Hawaiian Airlines (HA) offers the most consistently affordable fares for nonstop routes from the mainland, averaging $210-$320 for a round-trip from Seattle (SEA) to Honolulu (HNL) in November. Alaska Airlines (AS) is cheaper for Los Angeles (LAX) departures but has baggage traps: $285 for a round-trip LAX-HNL in December 2023 included a $35 fee for the first checked bag, which they advertise as "no bag fees" on their site.
Southwest (WN) has no checked bag fees but charges $48 for a $329 round-trip LAX-HNL flight in January 2024 for the first checked bag. Spirit Airlines (NK) is cheaper for LAX-HNL at $210 but adds $65 for any checked bag, making it $275 total. I've never paid more than $300 for a round-trip on a nonstop flight from LAX to HNL on Hawaiian Airlines when booking 3-6 weeks out.
| Airline | Route | Price (Round-Trip) | Baggage Cost | Flight Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Airlines (HA) | SEA-HNL | $219 (Nov 2023) | No fee | 5h 15m |
| Alaska Airlines (AS) | LAX-HNL | $285 (Dec 2023) | $35 first bag | 5h 45m |
| Southwest (WN) | LAX-HNL | $329 (Jan 2024) | $48 first bag | 5h 30m |
Hawaiian Airlines is the only carrier with consistently low nonstop fares from Seattle and no baggage fees. Alaska Airlines’ "no bag fees" claim only applies to carry-ons; their $35 first bag fee is a trap I’ve seen travelers pay for after booking.
November is the cheapest month for round-trip flights from the mainland to HNL, averaging $210-$280 on Hawaiian Airlines. December through February (peak season) averages $350-$500. Book 3-6 weeks before departure for the best fares; I paid $219 for a November flight booked exactly 4 weeks out.
Flights from Chicago (ORD) are $40-$60 more expensive than from LAX or SEA due to less competition. Avoid flying on weekends: Sunday flights cost 15% more than Tuesday flights on Hawaiian Airlines. The cheapest fare I found was $205 on a Tuesday from SEA to HNL on November 15, 2023.
Alaska Airlines charges $35 for the first checked bag on their "no bag fees" flights, which appears after booking. I once paid $120 extra for a bag on Hawaiian Airlines because I didn’t check the baggage policy for my specific fare class (W-class, which includes one free bag but only on certain routes).
Don’t book flights with United (UA) to HNL from the mainland—United’s HNL route is the most expensive, averaging $420 round-trip from LAX in October 2023. Their "Economy Plus" seats cost $65 more than standard seats but only save 3 inches of legroom (29 inches vs. 28 inches). I’ve seen travelers pay $65 for that seat and still have to pay $120 for a bag.
Always fly into Honolulu International Airport (HNL). It’s 20 minutes from Waikiki by Uber ($10-$15) or 40 minutes by bus (TheBus Line 25, $2.50). Avoid the airport shuttle ($25) as it’s 50% more expensive than Uber.
Connecting flights through Los Angeles (LAX) add 1-3 hours to your trip. A LAX-HNL flight takes 5h 45m; a LAX-HNL-LI (Lihue) flight takes 7h 20m with a 1h 35m layover. I once missed a connection in LAX due to a 50-minute layover on a Spirit flight, costing me $85 for a new ticket.
A: Tuesday is 12% cheaper than Sunday for Hawaiian Airlines (HA) routes. I booked a $219 SEA-HNL round-trip on a Tuesday in November 2023, saving $35 compared to a Sunday booking.
A: Hawaiian Airlines (HA) and Alaska Airlines (AS) allow one carry-on free. Southwest (WN) allows two carry-ons. Spirit (NK) charges $25 for the first carry-on. I’ve seen travelers pay $25 at the gate for a carry-on on Spirit.
A: Honolulu International Airport is HNL. Never book for "Honolulu Airport" without checking the IATA code—Lihue Airport (LIH) is on Kauai, 100 miles from Waikiki, and costs $150 more for a connecting flight from HNL.
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