35,000 points · 3 months timeline
Quick Answer
Flying to Hawaii costs 35,000 points for economy or 80,000 points for business class (round-trip). The best route is United direct or Southwest. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (60,000 bonus after $4,000 in 3 months) and reach your goal in 3 months.
United MileagePlus is one of the most versatile programs for international travel because United is a Star Alliance member with partner agreements covering 40+ airlines. For Hawaii, United miles book both United-operated flights and partner airlines, often with better availability than booking directly. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to United at 1:1, making it one of the easiest programs to top off.
Book United MileagePlus awards at united.com under 'Use miles'. The United system shows both United-operated and Star Alliance partner flights. Filter by 'Saver' awards for the best rates. For Hawaii, search 6–8 months out for best availability. United's 'Excursionist Perk' lets you add a free one-way stopover on certain itineraries — useful for multi-city trips that might include Hawaii plus a nearby destination.
The bottom line: Hawaii requires approximately 35,000 points for economy or 80,000 for business class. With Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (60,000 bonus points), you can reach this goal in 3 months. The points value delivered — compared to cash fares of $500–$900+ for economy — makes this one of the most powerful travel strategies available.
HYATT · Best hotel redemption in Hawaii
Hyatt Regency Waikiki / Andaz Maui offers an exceptional points redemption in Hawaii. At 20,000 HYATT points per night, you're getting outstanding value compared to cash rates in the area. Andaz Maui is 25-30K/night — one of the best hotel redemptions in the world. Transfer your credit card points to HYATT and book directly at hyatt.com — award availability for most properties in Hawaii is generally strong outside peak holiday periods.
A round-trip economy flight to Hawaii (Honolulu, Maui, Kauai) costs approximately 35,000 United MileagePlus miles or Southwest Rapid Rewards points. Business class (United Polaris on widebody aircraft to Honolulu) is 80,000 miles. Southwest often has competitive nonstop service from West Coast cities.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred (60,000-point bonus) covers Hawaii economy at 35,000 points with 25,000 to spare for hotel stays. Transfer to United for direct flights or to Southwest for more routing options. Andaz Maui (the best Hyatt in Hawaii) costs 25,000–30,000 Hyatt points/night — worth pairing with flight redemption.
Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to United MileagePlus for direct flights to HNL, OGG, LIH, or KOA. Search united.com with miles. Alternatively, transfer to Southwest Rapid Rewards for direct West Coast-Hawaii service. Southwest Hawaii awards are revenue-based, so off-peak travel (January–March, September–October) uses fewer points.
Hawaii is a great points destination, especially for hotel redemptions. Flight cash fares run $400–$800, giving 1.1–2.3¢ per point value. Andaz Maui at 25,000–30,000 Hyatt points/night (vs $700–$1,200 cash) is one of the best hotel redemptions in North America. A 5-night Hawaii trip using points saves $2,000–$4,000 vs cash.
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