Hawaii vacation packages: Who’s got the best deal?

I’m skeptical about vacation packages, especially since the sum of the parts (purchased separately) is often less than what the whole deal costs you. That said, if you’re planning a trip to Hawaii this summer, a vacation package could save you a bundle of money on your flight. So, I decided to compare identical vacation packages offered by a major airline, a hotel chain and a popular online travel discounter to see how they stacked up. Guess who came out on top?

Deal: My goal was to book a 7-night vacation package for two adults, including a round-trip flight from L.A. to Oahu, arriving in Honolulu on July 18th and departing on July 25th, 2007. The best deal that Outrigger Hotels & Resorts offered me started at $870.94/person (including taxes and fees) for a very basic hotel room and inconveniently timed flights. Even worse, when I tried to book any of the packages, the prices instantly increased. The vacation packages offered by Hawaiian Airlines started at $963.16/person, with a good choice of flights and accommodations at more upscale hotels. But Orbitz blew me away with its vacation package deals, starting at $754/person and offering the biggest range of hotels. Personally, I’d pick the Aqua Bamboo Hotel & Spa vacation package deal for $862/person, a total savings of $200 over what I would have to pay if I booked the flight and hotel room separately.

Caveat: As with any vacation package deal, you’ve got to do your homework and check to be sure that booking your flight and hotel separately wouldn’t be cheaper. Also, I was only able to compare vacation packages being offered by a few airlines, hotel chains and online travel discounters – there are, of course, dozens more options out there that might be cheaper still.

Why Go: With round-trip airfares from the mainland to Hawaii sky-high during peak summer season, a vacation package may be the way to go.

Why Not: For accommodations, you’re limited to choosing from among only the hotels, condos, etc., that whomever is selling you the vacation package is partnered with.

Contact: Orbitz, (888) 656-4546

Have you found a cheaper vacation package deal to Honolulu recently? Tell us where you found it by posting in the Comments section below.

Related Los Angeles Times links:
Hawaii: Roundup of summer airfares from LAX
Hawaii: Big Island sale from United Vacations
Aqua Bamboo Hotel & Spa (review; add your comments)

– Sara Benson, L.A. Times Travel Deal Detective

[Photo credit: Lawrence K. Ho / LAT]

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 8:08 am by Sara Benson and is filed under Hawaii, Hawaii's Big Island, Islands & Beaches, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Summer, Tours & Cruises. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.