While the Hawaiian Islands aren’t necessarily known for their affordability, it’s still possible to redeem your way to a (nearly) free trip by using airline miles to cover your flights and hotel points to cover your stay. And with so many options through every major airline alliance — plus a few non-alliance carriers — getting to Hawaii with points and miles is easier than ever.
Here’s everything you need to know about flying to Hawaii on points and miles, whether you’re just getting started or you’re a long-term enthusiast.
Which airlines and alliances offer flights to Hawaii from the U.S. mainland?
Hawaii has four major airports across the four main islands: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Oahu, Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui, Lihue Airport on Kauai (LIH), and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) on Hawaii Island (also called the Big Island). It’s also possible to catch short island-hopper flights between the islands via Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Mokulele Airlines.
Nonstop flights from the U.S. mainland are available through all three major airline alliances, namely United Airlines (Star Alliance), Delta Air Lines (SkyTeam), American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines (both part of Oneworld), plus non-alliance carriers like Southwest Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.
Since many of those carriers also have travel partners, this opens you up to even more redemption options. Star Alliance members can save more miles by booking flights to Hawaii through partner programs like Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, while SkyTeam fans can book through Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Similarly, Oneworld members can save by booking with an Avios-earning partner like Finnair Plus — which partners with British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Iberia Club, and Aer Lingus AerClub — to save on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights to Hawaii.
How many miles or points do I need to fly to Hawaii?
The number of miles you’ll need for a free flight varies by airline (and their alliance partners), the cabin you fly in (economy or premium classes), and your travel dates. In general, you can expect to spend anywhere from 6,500 to 22,000 miles each way in economy from the West Coast or 10,000 to 44,000 miles each way in economy from the East Coast.
The lowest award redemption rates can be booked through United’s Star Alliance partner, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, which offers domestic flights from 10,000 miles each way in economy or from 15,000 miles each way in business class — that’s from either the East or West Coast, though finding availability can be tough.
We’ve outlined the best options for each airline alliance below, plus Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, which sometimes prices redemption as low as 6,500 points one-way from the West Coast.
When should I book flights to Hawaii?
Ideally, you’ll want to either book your award flight to Hawaii as early as possible — most airlines release their award availability between 330 and 360 days ahead of time, as outlined in this article. You can also try your luck with a last-minute flight redemption a few days in advance.
Since most airlines typically allow refunds on points, you may want to grab whatever you can, check later to see if rates have lowered, and change it if you find a better deal. Always double-check the airline’s rules regarding refunds just in case, and keep an eye out for flash sales, transfer bonuses, and other points-buying promotions that may come up.
What are the best frequent flyer programs for travel to Hawaii with points and miles?
While you can sometimes find decent flight redemptions directly through United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, or Delta SkyMiles, you’ll get more bang for your buck by transferring points and miles to partner airlines.
The cheapest options are listed below, plus Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, which offers relatively low rates overall and provides extra savings through its Companion Pass, if you qualify. Keep in mind that all point transfers are final and irreversible, so make sure you have a solid redemption in mind before you pull the trigger.
Star Alliance: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
According to this updated mileage chart, you can find domestic flight redemptions on United Airlines as low as 10,000 Turkish miles one-way in economy, 15,000 miles one-way in business class, or 20,000 miles one-way in first class. That means you could potentially fly from anywhere in the continental U.S. to Hawaii for 20,000 miles, 30,000 miles, or 40,000 miles round-trip, respectively.
You’ll need to create a free Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles account, log in, and enter your travel dates in the Star Award Ticket search. It’s not easy to find availability, so search for seats on United’s website, then call Customer Service at 1-800-874-8875 to book the award, especially if you’re reserving two or more seats.
Points can be transferred to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles from Bilt Rewards, Capital One Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 transfer ratio, or from Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1.
Another Star Alliance partner offering affordable redemptions to Hawaii is Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, a great option if you’re based near a United hub like San Francisco (SFO), Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), or Washington, D.C. (IAD).
As per this Star Alliance partner award chart, round-trip flights start at 39,000 miles (or 19,500 one-way) in economy, 78,000 miles (or 39,000 one-way) in business class, or 104,000 miles (or 52,000 one-way) in first class. Search for availability through United’s website, then call Singapore Airlines at (833) 727-0118 to finalize your booking.
Alternatively, you can use Singapore KrisFlyer miles to book flights on Alaska Airlines, since they’re non-alliance partners. There is a separate award chart, and the process involves tracking down award availability on Alaska Airlines’ website, then calling Singapore Airlines customer service to book it (this cannot be done online).
Rates are determined by which state you’re flying from. For instance, you’ll need at least 12,000 miles each way for economy or 44,500 miles for first class on trips to Hawaii (Zone 5) from California, Washington, and Oregon (all in Zone 1). Interestingly, you’ll find better deals coming from Zone 2 states (Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming), where one-way economy flights start at 11,500 miles and first-class seats from 42,000 miles, though a connection is required.
Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards each allow you to convert points to Singapore KrisFlyer miles at a 1:1 transfer ratio. Alternatively, you can transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio, with 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred..
For comparison’s sake, let’s try a sample search for one-way flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL) in early September. The results revealed several options ranging from 18,700 miles to 25,000 miles in economy class or 57,200 miles to 295,000 miles in first class. In any case, you’d save more miles by booking the same seat through Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Oneworld: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan or Finnair Plus
Since Alaska Airlines acquired Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024, you can now use Mileage Plan miles to book flights to Hawaii on either carrier. You can also use Alaska miles to book a flight with one of Alaska’s partners, including American Airlines.
For Hawaii redemptions on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, rates start at 15,000 miles one-way in economy or 40,000 miles one-way in first class.
Otherwise, Alaska Airlines uses a distance-based award chart, so you’ll need to calculate the mileage between your desired airports on Great Circle Mapper first.
Depending on your departure city, award redemptions range between 17,500-25,000 miles in economy class, 22,500-32,500 miles in premium economy, 35,000-50,000 miles in business class, or 52,500-75,000 miles in first class.
Through June 30, 2025, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to HawaiianMiles, and from there to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, providing an easy way to boost your balance.
Otherwise, points can be transferred to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan from Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 ratio or Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio.
It’s also worth considering other Oneworld partners if you’re hoping to fly aboard Alaska Airlines or American Airlines for less. Since all the Avios-earning loyalty programs — Finnair Plus, British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Iberia Club, and Aer Lingus AerClub — let you transfer miles between them at a 1:1 ratio, it’s worth searching through the British Airways website to find award availability.
For what is typically the cheapest redemption option, transfer your points to Finnair Plus and book either through the Finnair website, via live chat, or by calling customer service at (929) 474-6049 or (323) 694-7646.
Economy flights start at just 13,500 miles each way, while you’ll need 50,500 miles each way for a first-class redemption aboard Oneworld partner Alaska Airlines.
As for booking award flights on American Airlines metal, one-way rates start at 15,000 miles in economy, 38,000 in business class, and 47,500 for first class redemptions.
You can transfer points from Capital One Rewards to Finnair Plus at a 1:1 ratio, or from Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1. Or, you could convert points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, or Capital One Rewards to British Airways Executive Club. Another option is to transfer points from Citi ThankYou Rewards or Bilt Rewards to Qatar Airways Privilege Club and then to Finnair Plus, since they’re Avios partners.
To compare,the same one-way flight from LAX to HNL in early September on American Airlines reveals options in economy class from 20,000 miles and a range of first-class options ranging from 63,500 to 75,000 miles each way. So, once again, you’d end up saving more miles by booking via Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan or Finnair Plus.
SkyTeam: Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
To score the best possible points redemption to Hawaii aboard Delta Air Lines, you’re better off pricing it out on the Delta SkyMiles website first, then comparing rates for those same dates with its two SkyTeam partners – Air France/KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Of course, this can easily be done by using point.me’s website.
Since Delta SkyMiles and Flying Blue don’t have award charts, their prices will vary based on date and availability. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has a distance-based award chart, pictured below, so you’ll want to calculate the mileage between your airports on Great Circle Mapper first.
One-way flights from the West Coast to Hawaii typically start around 22,000 miles in economy (Delta Main Cabin), 46,000 miles each way in premium economy (Delta Premium Select), and 70,000 miles each way in business class (Delta One).
If you’re coming from the Midwest or the East Coast, you’re looking at 35,000-44,000 miles each way in economy, 57,500-75,000 miles each way in premium economy, and 80,000-105,000 miles each way in business class.
Still, it’s not a bad idea to look through each program, just in case you stumble on a deal. In a sample search for a one-way flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL) in early September, for instance, results include Delta Air Lines from 20,500 Flying Blue miles.
When I searched for the same flights on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club’s website, the rate was 22,000 miles.
Oddly enough, the best deal this time came from Delta SkyMiles, which offered the same flights for 14,000 miles – so you never know.
To build up your Delta SkyMiles balance, transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
Points can be transferred to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Flying Blue from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, or Capital One Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
In a pinch, you can transfer points to any of those three airline programs at a 3:1 ratio from Marriott Bonvoy.
Non-Alliance: Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
While Southwest doesn’t have any alliance partners, it’s still a decent option if you’re looking to book one-way flight redemptions, especially if your schedule is flexible. Pop your dates in and use the Low Fare Calendar to view the rates for that particular month.
For a one-way flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL) in mid-September, for example, the cheapest redemption was just 6,500 Southwest points and $5.60 in taxes. Even if the return flight costs more, you’ll still save some points by booking this way.
Rapid Rewards points can be converted from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 transfer ratio, or from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 transfer ratio. Best of all, if you earn enough points to score a Southwest Companion Pass, you can book your own flight with points and cover your travel partner’s ticket for just the cost of taxes and fees.
Which Hawaiian destinations are best to fly to with points?
Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll likely be able to find the best and cheapest award redemptions by flying nonstop into one of these four main airports:
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Oahu
- Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui
- Lihue Airport (LIH) on Kauai
- Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) on Hawaii Island
What are the best stopover destinations on the way to Hawaii?
While there are a few nonstop flights available from the East Coast, you’ll likely have to stopover somewhere on the West Coast. Depending on the airline, that could be Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Las Vegas (LAS), Portland (PDX), or Seattle (SEA).
You could also opt to fly via other hubs such as Phoenix (PHX), Salt Lake City (SLC), Denver (DEN), Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Detroit (DTW), or Chicago (ORD).
Booking an award flight to Hawaii with point.me
It’s easy to use point.me to find the best flight redemption for your travel needs. Simply enter your desired travel dates, the class you prefer to fly in, and your departure and arrival cities.
Next, narrow your search results by filtering by any credit card or airline loyalty programs you’re affiliated with. Then choose from the available listings, which include the total amount of points you’ll need to redeem (plus all taxes and fees), along with comparable cash fares to help you choose the best possible deal.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Hawaii on points
The number of points or miles needed for a free flight to Hawaii depends on where you’re coming from, the class you prefer to fly in, your airline of choice, and its alliance partners. For an economy flight, you can expect to spend 6,500 to 22,000 miles each way from the West Coast or 10,000 to 44,000 miles each way from the East Coast.
When it comes to maximizing airline miles, you’ll get the most flexibility by using travel rewards credit cards that let you accumulate transferable points, which can be used to book flights with their partners. In most cases, points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio.
With certain travel rewards credit cards — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve — you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to airline partners, including Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.
Other cards, like the American Express Gold Card or The Platinum Card from American Express, let you transfer Membership Rewards points to Delta Air Lines, Air France/KLM, Hawaiian Airlines (until June 30, 2025), Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic.
Bilt members can transfer points to airline partners like Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Air France/KLM, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Virgin Atlantic.
Each of those transferable points systems counts Marriott Bonvoy as a hotel partner, so you could transfer points to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio, then over to your desired airline partner at a 3:1 ratio. Plus, you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred, or 10,000 miles if you transfer 60,000 miles to United Airlines.
Alternatively, Citi ThankYou Rewards counts Air France/KLM, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Virgin Atlantic as airline transfer partners. Members of Capital One Rewards can transfer points to British Airways, Finnair, Air France/KLM, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, among others.
The cheapest way to fly to Hawaii on points is 10,000 miles each way in economy or 15,000 miles each way in business class when you book United flights through Turkish Airlines. Oneworld partner Finnair Plus offers one-way hops on Alaska Airlines from 13,500 miles in economy. SkyTeam fans can find the best deal by comparing rates across Delta SkyMiles, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which can sometimes be as low as 14,000 miles each way.
Southwest Rapid Rewards also has award seats as low as 6,500 points or 9,000 points one-way from the West Coast (depending on your dates and airports), though your return flight may cost more. If you manage to earn the Companion Pass, your travel partner’s flight can be booked for just the cost of taxes and fees.
Several U.S. cities have direct flights to Hawaii. The best options depend on which island you want to fly to and your preferred airline’s hub city. Here’s a look at your best options for nonstop flights between the U.S. mainland and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu (on Oahu):
United Airlines: From Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Washington, D.C. (IAD).
Alaska Airlines: From Anchorage (ANC), Seattle (SEA), and Ontario (ONT).
American Airlines: From Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Phoenix (PHX).
Delta Air Lines: From Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW), Los Angeles (LAX), Minneapolis (MSP), New York (JFK), Salt Lake City (SLC), Seattle (SEA).
Southwest Airlines: From Las Vegas (LAS), Long Beach (LGB), Los Angeles (LAX), Oakland (OAK), Phoenix (PHX), Sacramento (SMF), San Diego (SAN), San Jose (SJC).
Hawaiian Airlines: From Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Long Beach (LGB), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Oakland (OAK), Ontario (ONT), Phoenix (PHX), Portland (PDX), Sacramento (SMF), Salt Lake City (SLC), San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO), San Jose (SJC), Seattle (SEA).
There are also direct flights to Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island (Big Island) from a dozen U.S. cities.
You’ll likely find the cheapest flights to Hawaii on weekdays, especially during the shoulder seasons — April and May, and September and October — when crowds are smaller, prices are typically lower than in high season, and the weather is just right.
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