Going to Hawaii - Should I Buy Flights Now?
 

My brother-in-law, who lives on Maui, is getting married in March. We plan to fly to Honolulu, spend a couple of days there, then about five days on Maui before we have to head home. Sadly, our vacation time is limited due to a trip Mr. Pickle's choir is taking in May.

Should we go ahead and reserve our flights now? I suspect fares will increase as the date gets closer, but I don't want to lose money if the wedding doesn't happen.

What say you all?

Lee Ann, also considering travel insurance

If you buy tickets now and the wedding doesn't happen how would that be covered by travel insurance?

I'll need to check into that. We'll use Southwest points to fly from ABQ to LAS, and then Hawaiian Airlines to HNL and eventually back to LAS, so I'll also need to see if the price of the flights is refundable.

Lee Ann

Lee Ann, when we flew last year - we flew from here to
San Jose on Southwest, and then flew via Alaska Air; reversed for return. We got a good rate on Alaska late in the year and we went in Feb of 2011, so only a few months out. Southwest was on points.

Sign up for Alaska emails.

Cancel for any reason trip insurance is going to cost.

I'd also look at Alaska for good deals. Also, how close are you to an Allegiant hub? They started running flights to Honolulu this last year.

In my experience with trip insurance you can only cancel for specific reasons (death, natural disaster, etc) - deciding not to go would not be covered.

Even if the wedding didn't happen, Maui is an AMAZING place and you couldn't go wrong with a vacation there :)

It is just my opinion, but I would spend as much time on Maui and little time in Honolulu.

I'm no expert but I do go to Hawaii every year (from Seattle). I usually buy my tickets only 1-2 months out. I always fly HA (love that airlines!).

I definitely think Oahu has plenty to offer for at least a few days (actually I prefer it to Maui, but as above just a personal opinion).

I have no objection to a Hawaii vacation, but given that we're already committed to the Wales tour with Mr. Pickle's choir, we would rather spend that time in northern England. :-) But, assuming my brother-in-law actually gets married, we're looking forward to seeing him, meeting his fiancee, and spending a few days in Hawaii.

Thanks for the Alaska Air suggestions, kureiff and DebitNM. I will check that possibility.

We want to go to Pearl Harbor while we're on Oahu, and I wouldn't mind visiting some LOST filming sites. :-)

Lee Ann

Allegiant flies out of Phoenix, but not Sky Harbor, Lee Ann. They fly out of Mesa, worth checking out.

http://www2.allegiantair.com/

Get an Alaska Air credit card, which comes with a $99 companion ticket. We've used it more than once to get a great deal from SF (actually San Jose or Oakland) to Hawaii.