Flighthacker

Photo Credit: Christopher Seufert

Given the myriad of airlines to choose from when flying between Australia and the United States at the present, airfares on these routes are not only becoming more plentiful, but cheaper, as the competing airlines engage in an increasingly vocal price war.

So far the press has given all the airtime to the premium carriers – Delta, United Airlines, Qantas and V Australia – however Jetstar has been flying Sydney to Hawaii for years now, often slashing their prices well before the economic downturn was even a byline in the papers. Of course, flying to US “mainland” (Hawaiians don’t like this turn of phrase) destinations via Hawaii is not the most practical option if you’re short on time, however if your travel plans are as chilled as a Blue Hawaii on ice, there are some very obvious advantages to this, including:

• Price. Well, yes. Yesterday’s Fare Friday pegged Sydney to Hawaii fares at $330 a pop (or $381 today on Adioso); assuming similar conditions on the return leg, fares to the US west-coast via Hawaii come out cheaper, or at least the same as the premium carrier sale fares floating around at present. You may want to think of it as a bonus stopover.
• Price #2. The Hawaiian tourism industry is presently taking a major hit as Americans spend more conservatively and prioritise holding onto their jobs over going for a tropical break. Armed with a combination of a strengthening Australian dollar and Hawaiian hotels slashing prices to counter the waning demand, Waikiki accommodation is more affordable and plentiful than ever before. I recommend Priceline.com for booking accommodation in the US.
• Immigration procedures. I’ll have to be straight with you, US Homeland Security and Customer Service are mutually exclusive entities. In fact, their entry requirements have been labelled the worst in the world, a problem compounded at the larger gateways such as Los Angeles and New York. My personal experience is that insomuch as there is still a strict security procedure for international passengers when passing through Honolulu, the queues are definitely shorter, the airport is more compact and the staff don’t have the same gruff edge that must come with processing tens of thousands more people each day, ala LAX. In fact, I found them friendly when I was last there in 2007.
• Adult- and Kid-friendly activities. Waikiki, Hawaii is a great place to decompress after the 10-hour flight from Sydney, with an impressive array of great shopping, eating and sun-loving options to keep everyone amused, all in reach of cocktails and funnily enough, really great Japanese diners. Plus there’s the infectious Hawaiian spirit that has you dropping the tempo the moment you step out of the terminal. Hang five, braddah!
• Connections to other US destinations. A handful of airlines can take you on to your final destination in the United States, including Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines, Continental Airlines, American West Airlines, American Airlines, American Trans Air, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. Shop around, especially in the current economic climate, as discounts abound. Flight time from Honolulu to LAX is approximately 5 hours.

No doubt prices among the premium carriers will rise again (remembering that previously a return fare between Sydney and New York hovered around the $1,600 mark), which will make this leg a more viable option for those either looking for a bargain fare into the US, or wanting to break up the long-haul with a blissful stopover. A hui hou (See you soon)!

Find out more about Jetstar’s Hawaii service via the Jetstar website

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