Posted on: Saturday, December 11, 2004
Low fares to Mainland still available for holidays
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Tired of standing in long check-out lines this holiday season and desperately want to get away?
There are still discounted airfares from Hawai'i to the Mainland in December — but you'll have to act fast.
ATA Airlines is offering a $275 roundtrip fare from Honolulu to either Los Angeles or San Francisco through the end of the year. United Airlines is continuing to promote its annual Mele Kalikimaka fares, which hover around $500 roundtrip to the West Coast — still a deal for this time of year, travel agents say.
"Fares have been real good, exceptionally good," said Rachel Shimamoto, vice president of Travel Ways. "This has been one of our better years."
Shimamoto booked a last-minute, round-trip flight on United Airlines to San Francisco on Wednesday for a customer for $390 — cheaper than a flight booked seven days in advance.
Late December to early January is one of the busiest times of the year for Hawai'i's tourism industry, with westbound visitors wanting to spend the winter months in sunshine. The discount comes with airlines reducing fares for flights from Hawai'i to the Mainland to fill the seats vacated by in-bound tourists.
The market for these discounted fares have typically been students returning home on Christmas break or families planning to visit relatives on the Mainland.
But the number of Hawai'i residents who are taking advantage of these cheaper flights for last-minute, end-of-the-year getaways has been growing, travel agents say.
"They're going up (to the Mainland) for nothing in particular," said Duke Ah Moo, vice president of operations at Pleasant Island Holidays, which offers ATA's $275 fare. "Our phones have been ringing off the hook."
These discounts come at a time when major airlines are facing fierce competition from low-budget carriers such as Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways and dealing with the rising cost of jet fuel.
Even so, more carriers are slashing airfares during and after the holidays, forcing competitive pricing, which is good news for travelers.
"The cheap fares are still there," Shimamoto said. "But you have to plan early."
Fare will even drop lower from January through March, traditionally a slower time for carriers.
"There are still some (discounted) fares left, but they're quickly going away as we get closer to Christmas," said Joyce Charles, manager of Star Travel. "But next year, prices are already going down, in the low $300s to the West Coast. That's typical. The planes are empty then."
Local carriers Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines also have discounted fares through mid-December and after the first week in January.
A roundtrip flight from Hawai'i to Oakland on Aloha Airlines before Dec. 15 or after Jan. 10 costs around $300. That price goes up about $50 in February.
Hawaiian Airlines is promoting fares starting at $285 roundtrip to the Mainland through Dec. 16, and at $259 after Jan. 8. First-class fares to the Mainland through Dec. 16 start at $999 — one of the cheapest first-class rates right now.
But interisland flights haven't been discounted as much, say travel agents. Aloha Airlines offers interisland specials to its AlohaPass members, with round-trip fares starting at $138.
"Fewer and fewer (Hawai'i residents) are traveling interisland because the Mainland ticket prices are so cheap," Ah Moo said. "More people are just going to the Mainland now."
Reach Catherine E. Toth at 535-8103 or ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.
