Best route/airline to Hawaii?
Discussion
Hello all,
I've been lucky enough to be invited to attend an event in Maui in February. I can book my own flights and my employer will reimburse me.
I live near Manchester so would probably want to start there. A check online suggests I can hop from Manchester to Heathrow, then on to the West Coast of the US (San Francisco or Los Angeles), then another hop to Maui.
Virgin and BA both go to the West Coast and there are a number of US carriers for the onward leg.
Any recommendations for route and airline please? I can go business class, is there any difference between the carriers? (For example, if the dates are right I can get Virgin Upper Class for the same price as BA Club World).
Any help appreciated, I need to book flights this week.
Thanks,
TB
I've been lucky enough to be invited to attend an event in Maui in February. I can book my own flights and my employer will reimburse me.
I live near Manchester so would probably want to start there. A check online suggests I can hop from Manchester to Heathrow, then on to the West Coast of the US (San Francisco or Los Angeles), then another hop to Maui.
Virgin and BA both go to the West Coast and there are a number of US carriers for the onward leg.
Any recommendations for route and airline please? I can go business class, is there any difference between the carriers? (For example, if the dates are right I can get Virgin Upper Class for the same price as BA Club World).
Any help appreciated, I need to book flights this week.
Thanks,
TB
Business class = you jammy dodger. I recommend UK to LAX or SFO, then direct into Kahalui, Maui. A lot of US airlines fly direct from the West Coast and they're all similar. Hawaiian Airlines might be a good option as a change from the dross of United etc. For the Europe to US leg, Virgin Upper Class is a far superior business class service to BA.
Shameless additional comment: I'm currently in Hawaii for Christmas
(route was LHR/SEA/KOA)
Shameless additional comment: I'm currently in Hawaii for Christmas
(route was LHR/SEA/KOA)Kudos said:
You can fly from Vegas direct to Hawaii too - might be a good option.take a look at the globe with a bit of string, Vancouver is your best bet. Both times we have been to HI we have done Air Canada through Vancouver. AC have flat beds up front too.
The best bit though is on your return you fly over night from HI to Vancouver, but make sure you book a route then doesn't then spend the day flying to Toronto but instead take the 9 hour layover in YVR. Sounds s
t i know but the up side is the fairmont is inside the international terminal and if you phone them up you can book a day use room for 8 hours. they have them in a quiet area of the hotel and blackout curtains so 6 hours of kip, pop to the pool spa, grab a bite in the bar then you hop on your leg home and you still get back to LHR at the same time of the Toronto flight.
you will need to check the schedule for Manchester though or take a hop from lhr at the end
The best bit though is on your return you fly over night from HI to Vancouver, but make sure you book a route then doesn't then spend the day flying to Toronto but instead take the 9 hour layover in YVR. Sounds s
t i know but the up side is the fairmont is inside the international terminal and if you phone them up you can book a day use room for 8 hours. they have them in a quiet area of the hotel and blackout curtains so 6 hours of kip, pop to the pool spa, grab a bite in the bar then you hop on your leg home and you still get back to LHR at the same time of the Toronto flight.you will need to check the schedule for Manchester though or take a hop from lhr at the end
Brilliant, thanks guys - hadn't thought of Vegas.
Any reason this wouldn't work?
Outbound (Sunday)
Virgin VS085 Manchester (depart 1230) - Las Vegas (arrive 1455)
Hawaiian Airlines HA31 (depart Las Vegas 1715) - Kahului (arrive 2145)
Cab to hotel (Ritz Carlton Kapalua which looks like a nice drive along the coast road)
Return (Sunday)
Hawaiian Airlines HA105 (depart Kahului 0621) - Honolulu (arrive 0654)
Hawaiian Airlines HA6 (depart Honolulu 0750) - Las Vegas (arrive 1530)
Virgin VS086 (depart Las Vegas 1725) - Manchester (arrive Monday 1050)
There don't seem to be any direct flights from Kahului to Las Vegas on the day we need but the short hop to Honolulu won't be a problem.
These flights leave 2-2.5 hours for transfer between flights in Las Vegas, is that enough time?
Also, when would we go through immigration into the US? At the Hawaii end (hopefully)? I've heard this can take a while.....
My passport is up to date - don't need Visas for a week's trip do I?
Thanks very much for your help so far, this is looking a lot more pleasant (plus if this works I can go Upper Class with Virgin and First Class with Hawaiian :-))
Any reason this wouldn't work?
Outbound (Sunday)
Virgin VS085 Manchester (depart 1230) - Las Vegas (arrive 1455)
Hawaiian Airlines HA31 (depart Las Vegas 1715) - Kahului (arrive 2145)
Cab to hotel (Ritz Carlton Kapalua which looks like a nice drive along the coast road)
Return (Sunday)
Hawaiian Airlines HA105 (depart Kahului 0621) - Honolulu (arrive 0654)
Hawaiian Airlines HA6 (depart Honolulu 0750) - Las Vegas (arrive 1530)
Virgin VS086 (depart Las Vegas 1725) - Manchester (arrive Monday 1050)
There don't seem to be any direct flights from Kahului to Las Vegas on the day we need but the short hop to Honolulu won't be a problem.
These flights leave 2-2.5 hours for transfer between flights in Las Vegas, is that enough time?
Also, when would we go through immigration into the US? At the Hawaii end (hopefully)? I've heard this can take a while.....
My passport is up to date - don't need Visas for a week's trip do I?
Thanks very much for your help so far, this is looking a lot more pleasant (plus if this works I can go Upper Class with Virgin and First Class with Hawaiian :-))
ViperDave said:
take a look at the globe with a bit of string, Vancouver is your best bet. Both times we have been to HI we have done Air Canada through Vancouver. AC have flat beds up front too.
The best bit though is on your return you fly over night from HI to Vancouver, but make sure you book a route then doesn't then spend the day flying to Toronto but instead take the 9 hour layover in YVR. Sounds st i know but the up side is the fairmont is inside the international terminal and if you phone them up you can book a day use room for 8 hours. they have them in a quiet area of the hotel and blackout curtains so 6 hours of kip, pop to the pool spa, grab a bite in the bar then you hop on your leg home and you still get back to LHR at the same time of the Toronto flight.
you will need to check the schedule for Manchester though or take a hop from lhr at the end
Thanks Dave, was composing my post when you posted yours. Will have a look at the Vancouver options.The best bit though is on your return you fly over night from HI to Vancouver, but make sure you book a route then doesn't then spend the day flying to Toronto but instead take the 9 hour layover in YVR. Sounds s
t i know but the up side is the fairmont is inside the international terminal and if you phone them up you can book a day use room for 8 hours. they have them in a quiet area of the hotel and blackout curtains so 6 hours of kip, pop to the pool spa, grab a bite in the bar then you hop on your leg home and you still get back to LHR at the same time of the Toronto flight.you will need to check the schedule for Manchester though or take a hop from lhr at the end
you would clear immigration in Vegas if that is your first entry in the US, you may do it in the time you have but it could be tight. also your layover in Honolulu on the way back could be tight also as you will have to clear agriculture before boarding your flight to the mainland.
if you go into the us via Vancouver you will do immigration in Vancouver for both Canada (breeze) and US (PTA) before you board you flight to the US
if you go into the us via Vancouver you will do immigration in Vancouver for both Canada (breeze) and US (PTA) before you board you flight to the US
Tidybeard said:
Brilliant, thanks guys - hadn't thought of Vegas.
Any reason this wouldn't work?
Outbound (Sunday)
Virgin VS085 Manchester (depart 1230) - Las Vegas (arrive 1455)
Hawaiian Airlines HA31 (depart Las Vegas 1715) - Kahului (arrive 2145)
Hawaiian Airlines HA6 (depart Honolulu 0750) - Las Vegas (arrive 1530)
Virgin VS086 (depart Las Vegas 1725) - Manchester (
These flights leave 2-2.5 hours for transfer between flights in Las Vegas, is that enough time?
Tight connections, tighter than I'd be happy withAny reason this wouldn't work?
Outbound (Sunday)
Virgin VS085 Manchester (depart 1230) - Las Vegas (arrive 1455)
Hawaiian Airlines HA31 (depart Las Vegas 1715) - Kahului (arrive 2145)
Hawaiian Airlines HA6 (depart Honolulu 0750) - Las Vegas (arrive 1530)
Virgin VS086 (depart Las Vegas 1725) - Manchester (
These flights leave 2-2.5 hours for transfer between flights in Las Vegas, is that enough time?
McCarran airport is pretty small.
That said, I wouldn't want to connect there. Off the top of my head there probably just aren't enough flights in case things go TU and you need to get a later flight.
Plus VS, even in UC, going to Vegas? No thanks. It's full of pissed up stag groups etc.
I'd connect in LA (and have done so in the past when flying UK to Oahu).
That said, I wouldn't want to connect there. Off the top of my head there probably just aren't enough flights in case things go TU and you need to get a later flight.
Plus VS, even in UC, going to Vegas? No thanks. It's full of pissed up stag groups etc.
I'd connect in LA (and have done so in the past when flying UK to Oahu).
Those connections look OK to me. Get yourself checked in all the way to ensure the airlines wait. Vegas airport can have a big queue at security but if you're on a tight connection then speak to someone and they'll let you push to the front.
Personally I'd be stopping over in Vegas a few night if I took this route. Doing the whole Hawaii To UK trip at once is pretty tiring.
Personally I'd be stopping over in Vegas a few night if I took this route. Doing the whole Hawaii To UK trip at once is pretty tiring.
I'd make sure it's all booked with the same airline group, missed connections are a big possibility with flights from the UK in February. It's probably one of the worst months for delays and cancellations due to weather.
A flight from Heathrow to the West coast followed by a connection would be my choice. Vegas with Virgin from Manchester would definitely be out as mentioned above it'll be full of pissed up chavs on package deals.
A BA/AA combo would be ok but a lot of the AA flights don't have a business class section on flights that length.
A flight from Heathrow to the West coast followed by a connection would be my choice. Vegas with Virgin from Manchester would definitely be out as mentioned above it'll be full of pissed up chavs on package deals.
A BA/AA combo would be ok but a lot of the AA flights don't have a business class section on flights that length.
I would spent a couple of nights in Vegas myself either on the way out ot way back, even if it was at my own expense. 2.5 hours between flights should be plenty, McCarran airport is pretty small. I recenlty had a transfer in New York with only a 2 hour window and this was plenty and Vegas airport in comparison is small.
AndyACB said:
I'd make sure it's all booked with the same airline group, missed connections are a big possibility with flights from the UK in February. It's probably one of the worst months for delays and cancellations due to weather.
A flight from Heathrow to the West coast followed by a connection would be my choice. Vegas with Virgin from Manchester would definitely be out as mentioned above it'll be full of pissed up chavs on package deals.
A BA/AA combo would be ok but a lot of the AA flights don't have a business class section on flights that length.
If you book international j you'll get F when in the us. AAs domestic F product (if 757) isn't much to write home about though. 767 is a little better (sort of like international J).A flight from Heathrow to the West coast followed by a connection would be my choice. Vegas with Virgin from Manchester would definitely be out as mentioned above it'll be full of pissed up chavs on package deals.
A BA/AA combo would be ok but a lot of the AA flights don't have a business class section on flights that length.
Puggit said:
cjs said:
I'd be stopping over for a few days in Vegas.
You'll need an ESTA if you're visiting the USA, you can apply online. The Visa Waiver Program is now finished.
You'll need an ESTA if you're just transfering through the USA.You'll need an ESTA if you're visiting the USA, you can apply online. The Visa Waiver Program is now finished.
Another reason to consider Air Canada!
On the transfer subject i am of the 3 hour+ into the US and 2 hour between flights opinion. anything less with long flights and potential bad weather is just way more stressful than sitting in the lounge waiting an hour longer on what is already a days travel anyway.
The Ritz Carlton Kapalua is awesome. Sounds like this is a no expense spared trip. I lived on Maui for 12 years. It's a very special place. How long are you going for? The reason I ask is, it's a good 30 odd miles and an hours taxi drive from Kahului to Kapalua. If you're staying any reasonable length of time I would get a hire car as there is undoubtedly stuff you are going to want to do whilst there. Enjoy the Mai Tai's, definately go to a Luau show (whole pig slow cooked under the sand, wrapped in banana leaf). The Marriot just outside Lahaina do a very good one. Sunset cocktails at the Hula Grill (on the beach at Ka'anapali Village) is an absolute must. Volcano, the rain forest road, Seven Sacred Pools waterfalls, Hana, the bamboo forest etc., etc., It's little wonder this was George Harrison's favourite place on the planet, so much so he owned a place on the beach near Hana. Enjoy Haole!
I'm afraid I'm not with those who like the long connections when getting in to the US.....I lived there and used to go in about 6-8 times each year and would look specifically for connections with under 2 hours.
Most of the time I was through and bored waiting for my luggage 45 mins to an hour after touchdown.
Only once (in over 5 years) did I miss a connection (and actually I missed 4) which was entirely due to the ineptitude of those operating the immigration system at Bush Intercontinental in Houston - never used the airport again (even for Domestic).
Most of the time I was through and bored waiting for my luggage 45 mins to an hour after touchdown.
Only once (in over 5 years) did I miss a connection (and actually I missed 4) which was entirely due to the ineptitude of those operating the immigration system at Bush Intercontinental in Houston - never used the airport again (even for Domestic).
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