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Winter is the low season in Hawaii, and I think it is the best time to visit because:

  • there is more award space
  • lodging is cheaper
  • it’s cold where you live but still 80 degrees in Hawaii

Normally one drawback is that it is rainier in the winter months in Hawaii, but this winter should be drier because El Niño is disrupting weather patterns in the Pacific.

I took a look at United award space from several cities in the center and east of the continental United States to the four major Hawaiian Islands. This award space can be booked very cheaply with Singapore miles, only 17,500 Singapore miles each way in economy and 30,000 Singapore miles each way in First Class. (Why didn’t I look from the Western US? Because it is better to use Avios from there.)

Right now the Citi Prestige® Card comes with 40,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

You can get both eight days apart, meet both minimum spending requirements and have 96,000 ThankYou Points, which transfer 1:1 to Singapore miles.

Award Space

Search for United award space on united.com. Do NOT sign in before searching. If you sign in, you may be shown extra award space set aside for United elites and credit card holders that Singapore cannot book. If you don’t sign in, you can book all the United Saver award space on united.com with Singapore miles.

Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.38.20 AM

New York to Honolulu

There is great award space in economy (yellow and green days) from New York to Honolulu in January and February.Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.38.56 AM The same can be said for the return.
Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.39.51 AM

An award like this would cost 90,000 United miles for two people in economy.Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.40.17 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.40.26 AM

The exact same flights would cost 70,000 Singapore miles for two people.

Unfortunately there is almost no First Class award space. Even the days that the calendar says will have First Class award space often have “Mixed cabin” awards.

Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.49.38 AM

You pay the First Class price with United or Singapore miles, but only some of the flights are in First Class. That may or may not be worth booking for you.Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.49.50 AM There is some legit First Class award space like this day with two First Class seats from Newark to Honolulu on a direct flight with a flat bed (which I reviewed here), but that is very rare.Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.54.40 AM

Chicago to Maui

Chicago to Maui shows a similar pattern of great award space on United flights in January and February. Outbound calendar above. Return calendar below.
Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.57.09 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.57.28 AM

Richmond to Kauai

Kauai has far fewer flights, and Richmond to Kauai shows much less award space. Outbound above, return below.
Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.59.23 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 10.59.43 AM

Houston to Kona

Houston to Kona returns to the better award space we saw to Oahu and Maui.Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 11.01.25 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 11.01.54 AM

Caveat

Some of the award space on the calendar includes interisland segments on Hawaiian Airlines. These are an extra 6,000 United miles one way.

Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 11.01.37 AM

They are not bookable at any price with Singapore miles because Singapore doesn’t partner with Hawaiian.

Bottom Line

There is plenty of United economy award space to Hawaii this winter, which is supposed to be an exceptionally dry one.

Search for the space on united.com; note the date, cabin, and flight number of the space; transfer ThankYou Points to Singapore miles; and call Singapore to book the awards for 35,000 Singapore miles + $11 roundtrip per person. See the Guide to Booking United Flights to Hawaii with Singapore Miles for more detail on the process.

Right now the Citi Prestige® Card comes with 40,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

You can get both eight days apart, meet both minimum spending requirements and have 96,000 ThankYou Points, which transfer 1:1 to Singapore miles.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.

With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!


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