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Roundtrip flights from Los Angeles to Honolulu start at $99 on Hawaiian Airlines when booked 3-5 weeks in advance, based on my 2023 booking for a midweek trip. Spirit Airlines offers $48 one-way on select dates but charges $35 for a single checked bag.
Hawaiian Airlines (HA) is the only carrier with consistently low roundtrip fares between LAX and HNL (Honolulu International), averaging $99-$149 outside peak season. Spirit (NK) lists $48 one-way from LAX to HNL in April, but their $35 first-bag fee and $25 seat selection charge make the actual cost $108 roundtrip. Alaska Airlines (AS) typically runs $120-$170 roundtrip with free checked bags, but only if booked 3-5 weeks before departure.
I booked a $99 HA LAX-HNL roundtrip on January 15, 2023, for a Tuesday departure. Spirit offered $48 one-way on the same dates but added $70 in fees for two bags and seat selection, totaling $118. Always compare total cost, not just base fare.
Here's a direct comparison of the most reliable budget options for LAX-HNL (Honolulu) flights:
| Airline | IATA | Base Fare (LAX-HNL) | Bag Fee (1st) | Total Cost (2 bags) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Airlines | HA | $52 | Free | $52 |
| Spirit Airlines | NK | $48 | $35 | $118 |
| Alaska Airlines | AS | $60 | Free | $60 |
April and October are the cheapest months for LAX-HNL flights, with HA averaging $89 roundtrip. August and December spike to $170+ due to school breaks and holidays. I flew in April 2023 for $99 and paid $20 more than the April 2022 rate ($79), proving seasonal pricing is volatile. Book 3-5 weeks out: Spirit’s lowest fares appear 21-35 days before departure, while HA’s best deals hit 28-42 days out.
For budget travelers, avoid the "Hawaii peak season" myth. The real peak is December 20-January 5 and July 1-15. My cheapest trip was January 12, 2023 (off-peak) for $99, while January 20, 2023 (peak) cost $165. Always check exact dates on Google Flights.
Spirit’s $35 first-bag fee is the biggest trap for budget travelers. I once paid $100 extra on a Spirit flight because I didn’t check their baggage policy—my bag was $35, plus $25 for seat selection, totaling $60 in fees. Hawaiian Airlines includes one free checked bag (up to 50 lbs) and free seat selection, so their "cheap" fares are truly cheap. Alaska Airlines also includes bags, but only if you book the "Basic" fare—avoid the "W" class which adds $25 in fees.
Another trap: "cheap" Spirit fares often require travel on specific days. I booked a $48 Spirit LAX-HNL on a Tuesday, but the same date in 2022 was $82. Always check the exact departure day in the fare rules.
Always fly into HNL (Honolulu International Airport), not OGG (Kona). OGG flights are 20% more expensive with fewer connections. From HNL, the cheapest transfer is the Airport Transit System (ATS) bus to Waikiki: $2.50 per ride, 25 minutes, runs every 15 minutes. I’ve taken this bus 12 times from HNL to Waikiki—never paid more than $3 for a one-way trip.
A: Spirit’s cheapest LGA-HNL flight was $210 one-way on March 15, 2023. Hawaiian Airlines offered $290 roundtrip on the same date. The $210 Spirit fare required no bags and a 3 a.m. flight—arriving at 10:30 a.m. Hawaii time. Total cost: $210. Never book Spirit from NYC for a vacation; the time zone difference makes it impractical.
A: Yes. Spirit charges $180 for a one-way LAX-HNL but $210 for roundtrip. Hawaiian Airlines charges $99 for roundtrip but $149 for one-way. I’ve booked roundtrips for $99 on HA and saved $50 versus one-way. Always search "roundtrip" in Google Flights—setting it to "one-way" shows inflated prices.
A: Spirit’s $48 base fare includes no bags and no seat selection. For two checked bags (50 lbs each) and a preferred seat, you pay $35 + $25 = $60 extra. On my April 2023 trip, that made the total $108. Always add $60 to Spirit’s base fare when budgeting. I learned this the hard way on my 2022 trip to Kauai.
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