The best ways to travel to Hawaii with points and miles
Editor's Note
The Aloha State offers something for everyone, from the bustling city of Honolulu on Oahu to the quiet black-sand beaches of the Big Island, Kauai's lush rainforests and Maui's volcanic Haleakala National Park. Of course, a destination this dreamy doesn't come cheap, and Hawaii has garnered a reputation for being almost as pricey as it is beautiful.
Thankfully, a few savvy rewards strategies can help you plan your dream Hawaiian vacation without breaking the bank — whether that means booking flights with airline miles, redeeming points toward hotel rooms, maximizing rewards on your purchases or all the above.
If Hawaii is on your travel wish list for 2026, read on to learn the best ways to save money on your trip with points and miles.
Related: Hawaii storm update: What to do if you have a trip planned to the islands
Best ways to book flights to Hawaii using points and miles
With so many islands — Hawaii has four major islands and over 100 smaller ones — which airport should you fly into?
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in the state's capital offers the most options. This is a good approach if you want to visit multiple islands, because you can spend some time on Oahu before hopping on a short-haul flight to another island.
On the other hand, if you'd like to base yourself on Maui, Kauai or Hawaii (aka the Big Island), several major U.S. carriers offer direct flights from the West Coast to Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG), Kauai's Lihue Airport (LIH) and Kona International Airport (KOA).
As you might expect, the cheapest flights to Hawaii depart from West Coast hubs. In some cases, you may not pay much more in miles to fly from an airport farther east; in others, you may want to look into a positioning flight.
Now, let's dive into the best ways to redeem miles for flights to Hawaii.
Book partner flights through Atmos Rewards
The first carrier that comes to mind for a trip to the Aloha State is Hawaiian Airlines, part of Alaska Airlines' Atmos Rewards program.
Based on Alaska's award chart, Hawaiian Airlines flights from the West Coast to Hawaii start at 10,000 or 12,500 points each way in economy, depending on the airports and the distance between them, plus minimal taxes and fees.
But Hawaiian Airlines isn't the only partner on which Alaska offers great award rates. You can also find some sweet deals on American Airlines flights, like this nonstop one from Los Angeles to Kauai for 35,000 Atmos Rewards points and $19 in first class.
Booking this exact same flight through American Airlines would cost you much more: 22,000 AAdvantage miles in economy or 55,000 in first class.
To earn more Atmos Rewards points, consider one of these cards:
- Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card
- Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card
- Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card
Or you may want to add a Bilt credit card to your wallet, since Bilt Points transfer to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
Related: How to save hundreds on flights with the Alaska and Hawaiian Companion Fare
Redeem Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points
Southwest offers direct flights to HNL, OGG, LIH and KOA from various California airports and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). The carrier also plans to launch a new route from Las Vegas to Hilo International Airport (ITO) on the Big Island in August.
Since Southwest Rapid Rewards implemented variable award pricing, it's harder to predict how many points you'll need for an award flight. Southwest's Low Fare Calendar is usually the best way to check out your options and pinpoint the best rates.
For example, you can fly nonstop from Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) to Honolulu in the Choice fare class (a step above basic economy) for as few as 16,500 Rapid Rewards points and $5.60 one-way.
The following cobranded cards can help you earn Rapid Rewards points faster while providing travel perks like free checked bags, seat selection and even extra-legroom upgrades:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees)
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
Alternatively, you may prefer a card that earns Bilt points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which transfer to Southwest on a 1:1 basis.
Related: How to earn and use the Southwest Companion Pass
Book United Airlines flights with Avianca Lifemiles
United MileagePlus has some reasonable redemptions to Hawaii for under 25,000 miles one-way in economy, and you can save more if you have a United credit card. But you can usually find better deals on United flights if you book through Avianca Lifemiles.
Take this flight from San Francisco to Maui, for example. Avianca's price is just 15,000 miles and $17 one-way. Meanwhile, United charges 24,000 miles and $5.60 for the same nonstop flight, or 22,500 miles for a connecting flight on a partner airline.
You can save thousands of miles by booking through Avianca, without paying much more in taxes and fees.
Even better, Avianca miles are incredibly easy to earn because Lifemiles is a 1:1 transfer partner of several major credit card programs: American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Wells Fargo Rewards. Here are some of our favorite cards for earning these valuable transferable rewards:
- American Express® Gold Card
- Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees)
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees)
- Wells Fargo Autograph® Card (see rates and fees)
Thanks to Avianca's partnership with Cardless, U.S.-based travelers can also earn Lifemiles on one of two cobranded credit cards.
Related: Award chart sweet spots that can save you money on domestic flights
Redeem Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
Delta may not have as many West Coast hubs as other carriers on this list, but there are still good deals to be found — especially if you hold a credit card with the TakeOff 15 perk, which provides 15% savings on Delta-operated award flights.
Since Delta doesn't publish an award chart, rates can vary widely. I recommend using Seats.aero or the calendar search function on Delta's site to find the lowest prices.
For instance, Delta has good availability on this direct flight from Seattle to Honolulu for just 16,300 SkyMiles one-way (19,200 miles without the cardholder discount).
The following credit cards not only give you 15% off award flights, but can also help you earn SkyMiles quickly:
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Related: Which Delta credit card is right for you?
Best points hotels in Hawaii
Beyond the powder-soft sand and endless sunshine, another thing Hawaii has going for it is a plethora of points hotels. No matter what kind of rewards you have at your disposal, there is almost certainly something you can redeem them for.
I like to start my search with Rooms.aero, where I can see (most of) my options on each island and search by my preferred hotel loyalty program. Here are a few properties I found where you can get maximum value from your points.
Points hotels on Oahu
- Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach: You can book this recently renovated beachfront property in Honolulu for as few as 58,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or about $350 a night.
- Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach: Nightly rates start at $216 or 15,000 World of Hyatt points — though that may increase when Hyatt implements its award chart changes in May.
- The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay: For the epitome of luxury on Oahu's North Shore, book a room here starting at around $800 or 116,000 Marriott points per night.
Points hotels on Maui
- Grand Wailea Maui, A Waldorf Astoria Resort: With standard rooms starting at around $700 or 110,000 Hilton Honors points per night, this is one of the best hotels in the world to use your Hilton free night certificate.
- Hana-Maui Resort: One of the few points hotels along Maui's Road to Hana, this boutique property has nightly rates starting at around $450 or 30,000 World of Hyatt points.
Points hotels on Kauai
- Sheraton Kauai Resort: Prices start at around $420 or 75,000 Marriott points a night — meaning you could book with a 50,000-point free night certificate topped up with 25,000 points.
- Hale Hokuala Kauai: We don't know what award rates will look like yet, but keep your eyes peeled for when this new Hilton Honors property opens for reservations later in 2026.
Points hotels on Hawaii
- Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection: All rooms have a private lanai — and a price tag to match — at this luxurious Big Island resort. With rates starting at around $1,200 or 94,000 points per night, you can get great value for your Marriott points here.
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo: This DoubleTree by Hilton offers the brand's famous welcome cookies, plus views of Mauna Kea volcano, snorkeling equipment for rent and more. You can book it for as low as $240 or 50,000 points per night.
For more inspiration, check out our roundups of the best hotels on Oahu and the most family-friendly resorts in Hawaii.
Related: Why you need a credit card with your favorite hotel loyalty program
Credit cards to bring to Hawaii
Even if you book your flights and lodging with points and miles, you're bound to have additional expenses during your Hawaii trip. For anything you pay for with cash, be sure to use the right credit card to maximize your rewards. I would suggest:
- Dining and groceries: The American Express Gold Card earns 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar after that) and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar after that).
- Tours and activities: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) earns 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on general travel purchases.
- Souvenirs: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase.
With the right card, you can enjoy that after-dinner shave ice or beachfront massage knowing you're getting that much closer to your next free vacation.
Bottom line
It's no secret that Hawaii is a pricey destination. But points and miles can help put a Hawaii getaway within reach for budget-conscious travelers, whether you're planning your first redemption or eyeing first-class flights and top-tier beachfront resorts (or both).
There are plenty of ways to book flights and hotels with points and miles, especially if you have a credit card that earns transferable rewards at your disposal. Before transferring your points, be sure to confirm award availability on the airline or hotel's website — and check out our list of credit card transfer bonuses to see if you can get an even better deal.