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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11:00pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using the American Express Platinum Card, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
There’s been a widesp over the past few weeks, and it looks like it isn’t over yet. Today we’re seeing flights from a handful of cities on both coasts to several destinations in Hawaii from $336 round-trip. Even better, the discounted fares offered by the three US legacy carriers were for regular economy (opposed to basic economy) in the examples we found, though that may not always be the case.
While these flights are cheap enough to book outright, if you’d rather not pay anything out of pocket, you can book them by redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points. As a reminder, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem UR points at 1.5 cents each, meaning that most of these options are under 24,000 points round-trip. Plus, if you’re flying with American Airlines, you can earn extra award miles and AAdvantge Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQD) by booking Special Fares through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
To book, head to Google Flights and plug in your desired departure city. After finding the dates that work best for you, book with the airline directly or with an OTA such as Expedia or Priceline.
Airline: Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, United
Routes: ATL/EWR/LAX/PDX/SAN/SEA/SFO/ to HNL/KOA/LIH/OGG
Cost: $336+ round-trip in economy
Dates: August – December 2018
Booking Link: Orbitz, Expedia or directly with the airline
Pay With: The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express, Citi Prestige (3x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
San Francisco (SFO) to Kona (KOA) for $337 round-trip in August on Alaska:
Seattle (SEA) to Maui (OGG) for $353 round-trip in November/December on Hawaiian:
Atlanta (ATL) to Kona (KOA) for $374 round-trip in December on United:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Kona (KOA) for $397 round-trip in November on American:
Newark (EWR) to Kona (KOA) for $405 round-trip in October/November on United:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Platinum Card (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Premier Rewards Gold or Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
Source: thepointsguy.com