Finding a low level award to Hawaii on Delta Airlines is extremely difficult. Last year I attempted to book a low level award to Hawaii on Delta, but I kept getting the award pricing engine to break and could only see middle award availability. Well, I’m happy to report the situation has got better, significantly better. I’m now booked on a Delta Business Class award at low level in Delta’s new Flat-Bed Business Class to Hawaii.
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After following the few simple steps I usually take to find an award, I was surprised to find the low level award availability in Delta’s new Flat-Bed Business Class seats from the US to Hawaii.
Outbound Availability From Los Angeles To Hawaii (HNL) In April
The first thing I did was pull up the Delta award search engine and search for the current two months. The award availability in April looks surprisingly good. I’m pretty flexible when it comes to award booking, because I know that’s how you can get the best seats.
The award availability looks worse in May.
Sort by Miles Per Passenger to see the low availability. The low level Business Class award availability routes through Seattle on Alaska Airlines or you can take the direct on Delta Airlines 767. But it gets more interesting.
Take a closer look at the Delta flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu. It’s operated by a 767 with flat-bed seating. This means you can ride in style all the way to Honolulu.
Return Availability From Hawaii
The return availability is good at the low award level. However I wasn’t able to find a Flat-Bed award ticket at the low level. There were some great options in a 767 with the old cradle Business Class seats.
Pulling It All Together
I found low level award availability on the outbound from Los Angeles to Honolulu in Delta’s new Flat-Bed seats. I couldn’t find it on the return, so I booked a low level award on the return in cradle Business Class seats.
The total amount of miles required is 75,000 per person plus $7.50 in taxes and fees for Business Class from the US to Hawaii. Since I’m a Delta Platinum member, I can add segments the segments to get me to Los Angeles and back to my home city at a later date.
Bottom Line
Delta’s award availability to Hawaii isn’t always easy to find. But a good backup if you have Delta SkyMiles is using Alaska Airlines flights from the west coast. If you’re lucky, you may just find award availability on a plane with Flat-Bed Business Class. I need to add this to the post about Delta’s Domestic Routes with Flat-Bed service:
- Delta Lie-Flat Domestic Routes 11/25 – Big Repositioning Day For 747, 767, 777
- Delta Secrets – Delta’s Domestic Flat-Bed Routes And Delta New York JFK To Los Angles 4x Daily Flat-Bed Business Elite Service For Summer
- Delta’s Domestic ex-New York Flat-Bed Routes
- Another Domestic Delta Lie-Flat Route For 767
- Two More Delta Flat Bed Routes – One Dedicated And Another On Limited Basis
- Another Domestic Delta Route With Flat-Bed Service On International Configured Plane
- Delta’s 757 Business Elite Seats – Holiday Traveling Isn’t So Bad
- Upgrade – Delta International Business Class On 767 Domestic Flight
- Delta’s Dedicated Routes With Lie Flat Business
- Delta 767 International Business Class Review On Domestic Route
- Delta 767 Old Style Business Seat And 777 Flight Tomorrow
Being Platinum member certainly helps with booking awards to Hawaii. This is because I can cancel and rebook at a later date without penalty. So I was able to lock up the hard to find award availability and can add the segments at a later date. If you don’t have Delta status and are having a difficult time finding award availability, consider the Delta Reserve card or the Delta Platinum SkyMiles card. You’ll have the opportunity to get status faster with free MQMs that come with the Platinum (5,000 MQMs) and Delta Reserve (10,000 MQMs) cards. Once you have status, more award availability shows up and you can then cancel and redeposit miles without penalty until you find the best award that works for you.
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The Weekly Flyer writes about travel from a business traveler perspective. He travels the world every week accumulating points and miles along the way.
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75k miles in biz from the west coast to/from Hawaii hardly seems worth getting excited about. Like most Delta awards, my response is meh.
Flights to Hawaii I just tough it out and go economy for 25K avios round trip.
Hi JakePB – I would agree, but mine will be from the east coast. Those with plenty of Delta SkyMiles may find an east coast to Hawaii in Business for 75k SkyMiles a worthy redemption.
Hi RomsdeAls – I would too. Mrs Weekly Flyer has a 3.5 hr rule to upgrade to Business, so I go right up there with her. Plus, 10 hours from the east cost with a connection in coach is a hard sell.
Yup, West Coast to HI is definitely a hard justification, but from East Coast (present company) flying a 10-11h flight in economy is not easy.
FYI, supposedly EWR-HNL on United also now has flat seats in business. that goes for 80,000 United or U.S. Airways miles.
Cheers,
PedroNY
TWF – understood. The LAX availability in your example threw me off.
Im not sure what you mean by add segments later? For the same amount of points?
Hi Cyndi – What I meant is add in the segments from the east coast to Los Angeles. For example, adding Atlanta to Los Angels will be no extra miles, as long as it is at the same award level.
Thanks for the clarification! Good to know, one last question, can you add them yourself or does a delta agent need to do this.
Thanks again. I have learned so many tips thanks to all of you!
Hi Cyndi – I usually call Delta to have them add the segments. But I make sure I find the low availability first.
Glad you like the blog. Thanks for reading!