Peter Greenberg: Airfares to Hawaii

Hi, Marilyn,

 

Although the dollar signs can really add up when you try to transport five people all the way from the East Coast to the South Pacific, the fact remains that you are taking a large number of people a long distance, so there is really no way you can avoid the cost. However, bear in mind that airfares to Hawaii have actually come down a long way from where they were in summer of last year.

 

I found several flights from Newark to various airports on Maui in early June for around $1,046 per person on Travelocity.com. This may seem like a lot when multiplied by five, but bear in mind that last summer it cost around $800 to get to Hawaii – from the West coast! Still, my advice is to wait to book your airfare until 45 days out. That's when the bargains surface, and remember, Hawaii is suffering like many other destinations during the current economic crisis.

 

To get a better handle on when fares are falling or rising, sign up with a Web site like Farecast.com, plug in your dates and destination, and let it alert you to low fares as they arise. Farecast’s predictive modeling feature will also let you know when fares are expected to fall, based on historical patterns. Other than that, keep your eyes open for a sale, and sign up for travel deal e-newsletters with sites such as Sherman’s or Travelzoo.

You could also try talking to a package holiday specialist, such as Pleasant Holidays or NWA World Vacations, who might—just might—get you there more inexpensively. You’ll have to bundle a hotel or car rental with your flight, but since these companies get preferential, insider rates, the whole package could end up being cheaper than if you were to buy a flight only using an online service. I contacted Pleasant Holidays on your behalf, and they said they could probably get you air, plus a seven-day car rental, for about $1,050 per person.