Hawaii interline non-rev advice/input/warnings/etc?

[Hugh Jorgan]

Lastly drive to the west part of the island. This part is for islanders only but it will give you an idea of what island life can really be like . They don't like outsiders too much so don't hang around much just check in and check out.

Yeah, if you hang out there too long, the savages will eat you.

 

[igneousy2]

Well, I'm resurrecting this thread to say thanks to those who've responded, and to ask what you all think about trying to get to HNL via ATL or ORD . . . we live in Ohio, so we can get to either in one hop.

Chicago is a better bet. ATL only has one flight a day. If loads are high i usually go to ORD in the morning when UA has a OGG flight departing at 1000 and a HNL flight departing at 1015 (please double check the times as it's been a little while since i've done it) Normally they are at adjacent gates. I list for both and I get on OGG if I can...if not my backup is HNL. If you end up in OGG (arrive around 1400) then it's an easy deal to get to HNL as there are flights leaving constantly. Once I miss those it's over to AA and then to LAX. AA has the most flights to HNL from LAX departing in the later PM. You should be able to get two shots at HNL on AA once you get to LAX unless they have recently changed the schedule. In LAX AA and UA are in seperate terminals (you must go out of security) so I've found it's easier to switch to the AA terminal at ORD then go to LAX instead of jumping on a UA flight and then have to go to the AA terminal in LAX.

If the loads are really high out of ORD you might want to consider going straight to LAX in the morning as that is where the vast majority of the flights to HNL originate. You can also check NWA & HA out of SEA as the flights to/from SEA seem to have the lightest loads even when the other cities are high.

I fly to the East Coast a lot and my pattern is usually...

1. get to ORD by 1000 and do as I described above
2. fly to LAX -- two shots on AA (be careful of arrival times of KOA/LIH/OGG flights as interisland flying pretty much shuts down by 2100 so it may be impossible to get to HNL once you land in Hawaii if you take one of the later outer-island flights.
3. fly to LAS -- HA has a 0230 departure
4. hit the casinos
5. early AM...fly back to LAX to try again.

If when you check the loads they are frustratingly full...check the NW and HA flights out of SEA as they tend to be the last to fill up.


good luck

 

[igneousy2]

oh yeah...if you get so hosed that you find yourself in LAS at 0200, HA is in "the other" terminal that you can't get too by train. I think it's "terminal 2". I usually go from "terminal 1" in a cab to the Hard Rock Casino (closest to the airport) then cab back to "terminal 2" after I've killed a couple of hours on the tables. I think there is a bus but I'm not sure how to get from "terminal 1" to terminal 2" without going to the casino first

later

 

[Itsallsogood]

If Phoenix or Las Vegas can work, we, USAIRWAYS-AWA, have two flights a day (11:30 am and 2:30 pm ) PHX - HNL and a 10:30 am PHX- OGG. In addition, LAS-HNL or OGG leave at noon. We usually ask the agents if everyone got on. Red eyes back however. Usually all return to PHX and LAS around 8:30 am. Buy on board food outbound, none back. If there is room in first, have at it. We take most 121 and 135 pilots. Even some of the helicopter guys in LIH. Loads have been ~ 75% and we have added the additional flights. Hawaiian and Aloha between islands and last resort Mesa RJs. They are $59 so I'm not sure of their loads.
A few years back I rented a C172 from an FBO in HNL. Instead of a checkout we just took the CFI along. Saw much more with him and did a few bounces on Ford Island (Uncontrolled airport in Pearl Harbor.) Great view of the Arizona.
Good Luck.

 

[Phil O'Sopher]

For what it's worth, if you're flexible, you can get some great last minute deals on cruises on id90.com. I went to Hawaii a few weeks ago for 10 days. Jumpseated (alone) ATA (LAS-HNL)(no problem), 3 nights on Oahu ($80/night hotel-airline dsicount in Waikiki) and took a 7 night cruise (NCL) through the islands at $199 per person inside cabin (but they gave me an outside one), booked on id90.com 5 days before the criuse started. It was bookable earlier at $299 per and earlier still at $399 per (you get the idea). I jumpseated back HNL-LAX on ATA as well. There were many flights HNL - LAX with open seats and that was the Sat beforeThanksgiving.
I had never been to Hawaii, but the cruise was a great way to do it. No transportation worries, no accomodation worries and lots of freedom in ports, plus some special opportunities -parking the cruise ship off the coast of the Big Island at night watching the lava pour into the sea (with all except emergency lighting off) and the same during sunset off the Napali coast of Kahaui where they filmed Jurassic Park and King Kong. The only down side was the Tsunami alert during that 8.1 in Japan but I was sipping coffee at a plantation in Kona. Good luck.