MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.
I tweeted this deal first from @MileValueAlerts. Follow @MileValueAlerts on Twitter and follow these directions to get a text message every time I tweet from that account. I tweet from @MileValueAlerts only a few times a month because it is designed to be used only for the best and most limited-time deals–like mistake fares–so that you aren’t bombarded by text messages.
United Airlines is offering roundtrip economy flights starting at $362 from various cities on the west coast to Honolulu, Maui, and Kona. Available travel dates span all the way from September through May of 2018. Most of the flights I saw have one stop.
If you read my series on award space to Hawaii, you know that it’s often very difficult to find any First Class saver level award space to the islands. Flights from the west coast aren’t super long anyways, so buy a cheap economy cash ticket and save your rewards for when you can redeem them for a higher value. Of course, before jumping at this deal, make sure you read The Cheapest Ways to Get to Hawaii and check on economy award space so you don’t pass up a better deal (for example, 25k Avios flying American or Alaska roundtrip in economy from many west coast cities).
Contents
- What city pairs are available?
- When are the cheap fares?
- Mileage Earning
- Baggage Allowance
Available City Pairs
You’ll find the the cheap fares ($362+ roundtrip) between…
- Seattle
- Portland
- San Diego
- Sacramento
and
- Honolulu
- Maui
- Kona
When are the cheap fares?
The easiest way to see the cheap fares is on Google Flights. Available dates for the low price start this September and span through the May of next year. I brought up this calendar of roundtrip prices between San Diego and Maui on Google Flights.
You can’t purchase tickets directly on Google Flights, but after choosing an outbound and return flight you will be given links to follow to buy on United’s website.
Mileage Earning
You need to know the fare class when looking up how many redeemable miles cash flights earn, which you can find using ITA Matrix. This United flight is fare class G.
If you credit your butt-in-seat miles to United, assuming you don’t have status, you’ll earn 5 x (ticket price – government-imposed taxes/fees). You can also see the breakdown of any ticket on ITA Matrix if you want to figure out the base fare.
Equation for how many United miles earned flying United economy: 5 x $297.92 = 1,489 redeemable United miles.
You could also credit to Singapore Airlines and get even more miles. Crediting to Singapore Krisflyer you’d earn 100% of the actual distance flown, which, if you were flying between San Diego and Maui roundtrip, would 5,082 miles.
I’d take 5,082 Singapore miles over 1,489 United miles any day.
To look at options crediting redeemable miles to other programs, check out Where to Credit Butt in Seat Miles: Flying United Airlines.
Wheretocredit.com is also a valuable tool to bookmark.
Baggage Allowance
You’ll get a free personal item to fit under the seat in front of you and a free carry-on (max dimensions 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches), but any checked luggage will cost you. The first bag is $25.
Credit card links have been removed from posts and added to the menu bar at the top of every page of MileValue under the heading Top Travel Credit Cards
Hat Tip The Points Guy
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel℠ and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.