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.
Winter is the low season in Hawaii, and I think it is the best time to visit because:
- there is more award space
- lodging is cheaper
- it’s cold where you live but still 80 degrees in Hawaii
Normally one drawback is that it is rainier in the winter months in Hawaii, but this winter should be drier because El Niño is disrupting weather patterns in the Pacific.
I took a look at United award space from several cities in the center and east of the continental United States to the four major Hawaiian Islands. This award space can be booked very cheaply with Singapore miles, only 17,500 Singapore miles each way in economy and 30,000 Singapore miles each way in First Class. (Why didn’t I look from the Western US? Because it is better to use Avios from there.)
Right now the Citi Prestige® Card comes with 40,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
You can get both eight days apart, meet both minimum spending requirements and have 96,000 ThankYou Points, which transfer 1:1 to Singapore miles.
Award Space
Search for United award space on united.com. Do NOT sign in before searching. If you sign in, you may be shown extra award space set aside for United elites and credit card holders that Singapore cannot book. If you don’t sign in, you can book all the United Saver award space on united.com with Singapore miles.
New York to Honolulu
There is great award space in economy (yellow and green days) from New York to Honolulu in January and February.
The same can be said for the return.
An award like this would cost 90,000 United miles for two people in economy.
The exact same flights would cost 70,000 Singapore miles for two people.
Unfortunately there is almost no First Class award space. Even the days that the calendar says will have First Class award space often have “Mixed cabin” awards.
You pay the First Class price with United or Singapore miles, but only some of the flights are in First Class. That may or may not be worth booking for you.
There is some legit First Class award space like this day with two First Class seats from Newark to Honolulu on a direct flight with a flat bed (which I reviewed here), but that is very rare.
Chicago to Maui
Chicago to Maui shows a similar pattern of great award space on United flights in January and February. Outbound calendar above. Return calendar below.
Richmond to Kauai
Kauai has far fewer flights, and Richmond to Kauai shows much less award space. Outbound above, return below.
Houston to Kona
Houston to Kona returns to the better award space we saw to Oahu and Maui.
Caveat
Some of the award space on the calendar includes interisland segments on Hawaiian Airlines. These are an extra 6,000 United miles one way.
They are not bookable at any price with Singapore miles because Singapore doesn’t partner with Hawaiian.
Bottom Line
There is plenty of United economy award space to Hawaii this winter, which is supposed to be an exceptionally dry one.
Search for the space on united.com; note the date, cabin, and flight number of the space; transfer ThankYou Points to Singapore miles; and call Singapore to book the awards for 35,000 Singapore miles + $11 roundtrip per person. See the Guide to Booking United Flights to Hawaii with Singapore Miles for more detail on the process.
Right now the Citi Prestige® Card comes with 40,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
You can get both eight days apart, meet both minimum spending requirements and have 96,000 ThankYou Points, which transfer 1:1 to Singapore miles.
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.
Indeed award space is not as bad this year. But Hawaii just came out of a whole week of straight rain with 3 system hitting it. Hasn’t been raining that much in years.
Correct my buddy is there right now I knew Vog and I just learned the term Brown Water . He’s at Disney so that trip can have a huge cost and rain for rest of their trip too . He got a Benz for $222 for 2weeks wow . You have to check everything out then ALWAYS ask the locals like Scott before you book. I’m learning more and more Hawaii and French Rivera(1/2 the cost) are not perfect and lots of other places to go . Air was easy to get last year 6 days before on United and Jan 11 next year.
CHEERs
Indeed award space is not as bad this year. But Hawaii just came out of a whole week of straight rain with 3 system hitting it. Hasn’t been raining that much in years.
Correct my buddy is there right now I knew Vog and I just learned the term Brown Water . He’s at Disney so that trip can have a huge cost and rain for rest of their trip too . He got a Benz for $222 for 2weeks wow . You have to check everything out then ALWAYS ask the locals like Scott before you book. I’m learning more and more Hawaii and French Rivera(1/2 the cost) are not perfect and lots of other places to go . Air was easy to get last year 6 days before on United and Jan 11 next year.
CHEERs
Just as I thought. The boxes show up as “white” for Feb 12-15 from NYC to HNL. Same for the return on Feb 19-22 from HNL to NYC. That is the week that the kids have winter break. Very difficult to use miles from NYC that week.
Try the award service if it’s worth it their time not yours..
Just as I thought. The boxes show up as “white” for Feb 12-15 from NYC to HNL. Same for the return on Feb 19-22 from HNL to NYC. That is the week that the kids have winter break. Very difficult to use miles from NYC that week.
Try the award service if it’s worth it their time not yours..
ToddC-
I noticed the same thing, flights unavailable from the west coast and the midwest over Valentines Day weekend. Probably a mix of winter break plus valentines day. I booked my family of four 11 months out to Kauai from midwest Feb 12th, but have been unable to get my parents booked for that weekend. Been looking for months now but ended up booking them on a midweek flight instead. good luck
ToddC-
I noticed the same thing, flights unavailable from the west coast and the midwest over Valentines Day weekend. Probably a mix of winter break plus valentines day. I booked my family of four 11 months out to Kauai from midwest Feb 12th, but have been unable to get my parents booked for that weekend. Been looking for months now but ended up booking them on a midweek flight instead. good luck