✦ Hawaii Award Guide · October 2026
Best cards for Hawaii on points & miles
Compare award flight and hotel redemptions for Hawaii across the top loyalty programs. Use the calculator below to see exactly which cards cover your trip. Ranked by math — compensation never changes the order.
Best flight path
United MileagePlus saver economy from ~22,500 OW mainland to HNL (dynamic) · Atmos Rewards from 12.5k OW
Best hotel value
World of Hyatt · Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort ~35,000–75,000 pts/nt vs. $600–800+ cash · ~1–2¢/pt
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Top flight program
United MP
from ~22.5k saver OW to HNL
Top hotel value
Hyatt Maui
~35k+/nt vs. $600+
Best hotel CPP
~1–2¢
Andaz Maui
Last updated
Oct 2026
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Enter your points balances — see your Hawaii trip gap
Shows coverage % and compatible transfer paths in real time
→ United · Virgin · Avios · Hyatt
→ Flying Blue · Aeroplan · KrisFlyer
→ Turkish · KrisFlyer · Flying Blue
→ Aeroplan · Turkish · LifeMiles
→ United · Hyatt · Avios
Hawaii — Business class coverage—
Enter your balances above to see how close you are
Your Hawaii trip calculator
● Live dataTop Pick
Chase
Sapphire Reserve
Chase Ultimate Rewards
100k
signup pts
59% covered by bonus
$795/yr
40k – 55k pts business
Recommended
Points needed for your trip
Flight per person (business)
40k – 55k
Flight total (2 travelers)
95,000 pts
Hotel (4 nights avg)
75,000 pts
Total trip estimate
170,000 pts
Signup bonus covers
59%
Earn rates
8x Chase Travel; 4x flights & hotels booked direct; 3x dining; 1x everything else.
Transfer partners for this destination
Hotel transfer partners
Destination-specific note
Best Chase card for Hawaii. United for flights (saver from ~22.5k OW), Hyatt at 1:1 for Andaz Maui or Grand Hyatt Kauai (Category 8).
Key perks
$300 travel credit
Priority Pass
Global Entry credit
Top Pick
Chase
Sapphire Preferred
Chase Ultimate Rewards
75k
signup pts
44% covered by bonus
$95/yr
40k – 55k pts business
Recommended
Points needed for your trip
Flight per person (business)
40k – 55k
Flight total (2 travelers)
95,000 pts
Hotel (4 nights avg)
75,000 pts
Total trip estimate
170,000 pts
Signup bonus covers
44%
Earn rates
3x dining/online groceries/streaming/gas & EV/vacation rentals; 2x travel; 1x everything else
Transfer partners for this destination
Hotel transfer partners
Destination-specific note
Best value Hawaii card. 75k bonus covers ~3 OW saver tickets. Note: Preferred transfers to Hyatt at 4:3, so a 35k Andaz Maui night costs ~46.7k UR.
Key perks
$95 annual fee
Same partners as Reserve (Hyatt at 4:3)
$100 hotel credit via Chase Travel
American Express
Platinum Card
Amex Membership Rewards
175k
signup pts
100% covered by bonus
$895/yr
40k – 55k pts business
Points needed for your trip
Flight per person (business)
40k – 55k
Flight total (2 travelers)
95,000 pts
Hotel (4 nights avg)
80,000 pts
Total trip estimate
175,000 pts
Signup bonus covers
100%
Earn rates
5x on flights booked directly or via Amex Travel; 1x everything else
Transfer partners for this destination
Hotel transfer partners
Destination-specific note
Amex MR → Hilton 1:2 for Grand Wailea or Hilton Hawaiian Village. No Centurion Lounge at Honolulu. Not the best for Hawaii flights — use Chase UR for United instead.
Key perks
Priority Pass lounges
$200 airline fee credit
$600 FHR/THC hotel credit
American Express
Gold Card
Amex Membership Rewards
100k
signup pts
57% covered by bonus
$325/yr
40k – 55k pts business
Points needed for your trip
Flight per person (business)
40k – 55k
Flight total (2 travelers)
95,000 pts
Hotel (4 nights avg)
80,000 pts
Total trip estimate
175,000 pts
Signup bonus covers
57%
Earn rates
4x restaurants & US supermarkets; 3x flights; 1x everything else
Transfer partners for this destination
Hotel transfer partners
Destination-specific note
4x at resort restaurants earns well during a Hawaii trip. Use MR for Hilton hotels. Best combined with Chase cards for flight coverage.
Key perks
$120 dining credit
$120 Uber Cash
4x at resort restaurants
Bilt (Cardless)
Bilt Mastercard
Bilt Rewards
0k
signup pts
0% covered by bonus
$0/yr
40k – 55k pts business
Points needed for your trip
Flight per person (business)
40k – 55k
Flight total (2 travelers)
95,000 pts
Hotel (4 nights avg)
75,000 pts
Total trip estimate
170,000 pts
Signup bonus covers
0%
Earn rates
1x everyday + 4% Bilt Cash; up to 1.25x on rent/mortgage via Bilt Cash
Transfer partners for this destination
Hotel transfer partners
Destination-specific note
$0 fee card that transfers to United (flights) and Hyatt (hotels) at 1:1 — both are the top Hawaii programs. Use rent payments to earn points with no annual fee.
Key perks
No annual fee
Transfers to Hyatt and United at 1:1
Rent Day double points
Citi
Strata Premier Card
Citi ThankYou Points
60k
signup pts
68% covered by bonus
$95/yr
38k – 50k pts business
Points needed for your trip
Flight per person (business)
38k – 50k
Flight total (2 travelers)
88,000 pts
Total trip estimate
88,000 pts
Signup bonus covers
68%
Earn rates
3x air, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, gas; 1x everything else
Transfer partners for this destination
Hotel transfer partners
Destination-specific note
Citi TY has limited Hawaii-specific transfers. Citi TY → American AAdvantage at 1:1 is its main Hawaii flight option. Not the ideal Hawaii card — better for Europe/Asia destinations.
Key perks
3x on 5 categories
$100 hotel credit
Best booking paths for Hawaii
#1 Best Flight
United MileagePlus saver to HNL
United MileagePlus uses dynamic pricing for Hawaii: saver economy often starts around 22,500 miles one-way from the continental US and climbs on peak dates. Chase UR transfers to United at 1:1. Bilt also transfers to United at 1:1. No fuel surcharges on domestic United flights.
#2 Alaska Options
Atmos Rewards (Alaska + Hawaiian)
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have merged as Atmos Rewards. Atmos Rewards books Hawaii flights from 12,500 points one-way from the West Coast. Best for West Coast departures. Earn via Atmos Rewards Visa cards (Bank of America) or Bilt transfers at 1:1.
#3 Luxury Hotels
World of Hyatt — Andaz Maui or Grand Hyatt Kauai
Hyatt has two of the best Hawaii redemptions: Andaz Maui at Wailea (~35,000–75,000 pts/nt vs. $600–$800+ cash) and Grand Hyatt Kauai (~35,000–75,000 pts/nt; both Category 8). Resort fees are waived on award nights at both properties. Bilt and Sapphire Reserve transfer to Hyatt at 1:1; Sapphire Preferred transfers at 4:3.
#4 Hilton Resorts
Hilton Honors — Grand Wailea or Hilton Hawaiian Village
Hilton has the widest Hawaii resort footprint. Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki runs roughly 60,000–95,000 points per night; Grand Wailea typically 110,000+. Amex MR transfers to Hilton at 1:2. Resort fees are waived on standard reward stays paid fully in points. The fifth night free benefit with Hilton Amex cards applies.
Insider tips for Hawaii award travel
Tip 01 — United saver pricing
Shoulder-season dates usually show the most saver space. Saver HNL awards often start around 22,500 miles OW; peak dates can price much higher. Check United's award calendar for the lowest dates before booking. Bilt points also transfer to United at 1:1.
Tip 02 — Hyatt pricing after the May 2026 chart change
Andaz Maui is Category 8: 35,000–75,000 Hyatt points per night. Sapphire Reserve and Bilt transfer 1:1; Sapphire Preferred transfers at 4:3, so a 35k night costs ~46,700 UR.
Tip 03 — Resort fees on award stays
This is specific to Hawaii and very important: Hyatt waives resort fees on award nights. Hilton waives them on standard reward stays paid fully in points. Marriott does NOT waive resort fees on award stays. At Andaz Maui, resort fees are $50–$75/night — waiving them on a 5-night trip saves $250–$375.
Tip 04 — Domestic, no FTF needed
Hawaii is domestic — no foreign transaction fees needed. Focus on maximizing hotel points and minimizing flight points. Use a cash-back card for food and activities if you have no high-earn travel card with you.
Tip 05 — Book flights early
Hawaii is the most popular domestic award destination. Off-peak United saver space at 22,500 miles disappears fast. Search at 11 months out and be flexible on departure date. Maui (OGG) and Kona (KOA) have less award space than Honolulu (HNL).
Tip 06 — Island hopping strategy
If visiting multiple islands, use cash for interisland flights (Hawaiian or Southwest) — Atmos interisland awards start at just 4,500 points, so compare them with cash fares. Save your points for the mainland-Hawaii leg and hotels.
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Hawaii Award Travel FAQ
What is the best credit card for Hawaii travel?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve are the best Hawaii cards. Chase UR transfers to United MileagePlus (saver from ~22,500 OW economy) and World of Hyatt (Andaz Maui ~35,000+ pts/nt with resort fees waived). Reserve transfers to Hyatt 1:1; Preferred at 4:3.
How many miles does it cost to fly to Hawaii?
United MileagePlus saver pricing is dynamic, often from ~22,500 miles one-way economy from the continental US to Honolulu, higher on peak dates. Atmos Rewards (Alaska/Hawaiian) starts at 12,500 one-way from the West Coast. No fuel surcharges on domestic US flights.
Are resort fees waived on Hawaii award hotel stays?
It depends on the program. World of Hyatt waives resort fees on standard award nights — this is very significant in Hawaii where resort fees run $40–$80/night. Hilton Honors waives resort fees on standard reward stays booked entirely with points. Marriott Bonvoy does NOT waive resort fees on award stays.
What is the best hotel points program for Hawaii?
World of Hyatt offers the best value in Hawaii — Andaz Maui at Wailea runs ~35,000–75,000 points per night versus $600–$800+ cash (about 1–2¢ per point) with resort fees waived. Bilt and Sapphire Reserve transfer to Hyatt at 1:1; Sapphire Preferred at 4:3.
Can I use Chase points for Hawaii?
Yes. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to United MileagePlus (for flights) at 1:1 and World of Hyatt (for hotels) at 1:1 (Reserve) or 4:3 (Preferred). Both are the top programs for Hawaii. Bilt Rewards also transfers to both. Check the live panel above for any current Hyatt transfer bonus.
When is the best time to visit Hawaii for award availability?
April through June and September through November offer the best combination of good weather and award availability. Summer (July–August) and Christmas/New Year have peak pricing and limited award space. Book 11 months out for peak dates.
Pre-transfer checklist
Transferred points cannot be returnedPoints
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I have enough points or an active transfer bonus makes it worthwhile now
✓
I verified the exact points cost on the airline or hotel website before transferring
✓
I confirmed the transfer ratio (most are 1:1 — verify before moving points)
✓
I am not transferring speculatively — award space is confirmed first
Flights
✓
I searched for award space on the airline website before transferring any points
✓
I confirmed routing, layover, connection time, and terminal
✓
I know the cancellation and redeposit policy if my dates change
✓
I confirmed any fuel surcharges and included them in my total cost estimate
Hotels & Timing
✓
I searched award hotel availability for my exact dates before transferring
✓
I checked whether resort fees are waived on award stays for this property
✓
I checked for active transfer bonuses in the live panel above before transferring at standard rate
✓
I confirmed my points do not expire before the trip dates
YourBestCards is a property of the ByTheMath network. Award rates and transfer bonuses verified October 2026. No institution pays for placement or ranking. Always verify award availability and surcharges directly at the airline or hotel website before transferring points — transferred points cannot be returned.
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