Award prices move with demand and program changes, so check the live price before you transfer points.
From the West Coast, a one-way economy award to Hawaii starts at 12,500 points on Atmos Rewards (Alaska and Hawaiian) or Air Canada Aeroplan (on United). From the Midwest and East Coast, plan on about 20,000 to 27,000 points one-way. First class starts around 25,000 to 33,000 from the West Coast. The cheapest option depends on where you live and which bank points you hold.
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Quick answer
- West Coast economy: from 12,500 one-way (Atmos or Aeroplan), 15,000 with Cathay Asia Miles on American or Alaska.
- Midwest and East Coast economy: from 20,000 (Atmos on Hawaiian or Alaska nonstops), 22,500 (Aeroplan on United) or about 24,000-27,000 elsewhere.
- First class: from 25,000 (Aeroplan on United) or 30,000 (Atmos) from the West Coast. Most "first" seats to Hawaii are wide recliners, not lie-flat beds.
- Taxes: Hawaii is domestic, so it's usually $5.60 per one-way, with no fuel surcharges.
- Best points to hold: Chase or Capital One (Aeroplan), Bilt (the only bank currency that reaches Atmos), or Citi (AAdvantage, Turkish, Cathay).
Free tool: see what your Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi or Bilt points become at every airline and hotel, with live transfer bonuses at kritdeals.com/transfer-calculator, or in the free KritDeals app for iPhone and Android.
Points to Hawaii by program
All prices are one-way, per person, at the lowest saver level. Dynamic programs (American, United, Delta, Southwest) can cost far more on holidays and spring break.
| Program | Flights | West Coast economy | West Coast first | Midwest / East economy | Midwest / East first | Bank points that transfer in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Atmos Rewards |
Alaska, Hawaiian | 12,500 | 30,000 | 20,000 | 60,000 | Bilt 1:1 |
 Air Canada Aeroplan |
 United |
12,500 | 25,000 | 22,500 | 35,000 | Chase, Amex, Capital One, Bilt 1:1 |
 Cathay Asia Miles |
American, Alaska | 15,000 | 33,000 | 27,000 | 63,000 | Capital One, Citi, Bilt, Wells Fargo 1:1; Amex 5:4 |
 Delta SkyMiles |
Delta |
from ~15,000 | from ~40,000 | dynamic, higher | dynamic, higher | Amex 1:1 |
 Flying Blue |
Delta |
about 17,500 | n/a | about 24,000 (Detroit) | n/a | Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, Bilt, Wells Fargo 1:1 |
 American AAdvantage |
American |
about 19,500-20,000 | from ~40,000 | dynamic, higher | dynamic, higher | Citi 1:1 |
 British Airways Avios |
American, Alaska | 22,000 | 55,000 | 23,000 (Dallas) and up | 67,000 and up | Chase, Amex, Capital One, Bilt, Wells Fargo 1:1 |
| United MileagePlus |
United |
about 22,500 saver | from ~45,000 | dynamic, higher | dynamic, higher | Chase, Bilt 1:1 |
 Turkish Miles&Smiles |
United |
25,000 | 40,000 | 25,000 | 40,000 | Capital One, Citi, Bilt 1:1 |
 Southwest Rapid Rewards |
Southwest |
tracks the cash fare | no first class | no nonstops | no first class | Chase, Bilt 1:1 |
A few notes on the table:
- Atmos prices West Coast to Hawaii in its 2,101-3,500-mile band. Flights east of about Denver fall in the 3,501+ band (20,000 economy, 60,000 first). Hawaiian-operated premium seats can price far above the chart on busy dates.
- Aeroplan books United's saver seats on a fixed chart. West Coast flights fall in the 1,501-2,750-mile band and longer flights in the 2,751+ band. Aeroplan says United premium cabins can now price above the chart.
- Turkish used to charge 7,500-15,000 for Hawaii. Since December 2025 it's 25,000 in economy and 40,000 in business, and space has been hard to find. Our Turkish to Hawaii guide has the details.
- Southwest prices awards from the cash fare, at roughly 1.3-1.4 cents per point. Its Hawaii flights leave from California and Las Vegas only.
From the West Coast
West Coast travelers get the best deals. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Portland are all about 2,400-2,700 miles from the islands, which puts them in the cheapest long-distance bands.
- Atmos at 12,500 is the easiest award to find, with Alaska and Hawaiian seats from most West Coast airports.
- Aeroplan at 12,500 books the same United seats that United often prices much higher on its own site.
- Cathay at 15,000 is a good use of Citi or Capital One points on American or Alaska flights.
- Southwest can be cheap during fare sales, and a Companion Pass lets a second person fly for the taxes.
Route guides: Los Angeles to Maui, San Francisco to Maui, Seattle to Maui, Las Vegas to Maui and our Los Angeles to Hawaii guide.
From the Midwest and East Coast
From Chicago, Dallas, New York or Boston, Hawaii is 3,700-5,000 miles, and fixed charts jump a band. You'll usually pay 20,000-27,000 in economy.
- Atmos at 20,000 works on Hawaiian's New York nonstop and on Alaska and Hawaiian connections through the West Coast.
- Aeroplan at 22,500 covers United's Chicago, Newark, Washington and Denver flights, plus connections.
- American from Dallas or Chicago is dynamic. Off-peak dates can be good value, and our Dallas to Hawaii guide covers the options, including American First to Maui with Atmos points.
- Connecting on a separate award can save points. A cheap award to the West Coast plus a 12,500-point award to Hawaii sometimes beats one long award, but you take the risk of a missed connection.
Route guides: New York to Maui, Chicago to Maui, Dallas to Maui, Boston to Maui and Colorado to Maui.
Inter-island hops
Atmos prices Hawaiian's inter-island flights in its under-700-mile band, from 4,500 points one-way. That's usually the cheapest way to hop between islands on points. Southwest now flies inter-island only between Honolulu and Hilo, Maui, Kona and Lihue, with no direct neighbor-island routes, and its points price follows the cash fare. Short inter-island cash fares are often low, so compare before using points.
Which cards to earn with
| Card | Points | Hawaii programs it reaches | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Ultimate Rewards | Aeroplan, United, Southwest, BA, Flying Blue | The widest spread of Hawaii options |
| Capital One Venture X | Capital One miles | Aeroplan, Cathay, Turkish, BA, Flying Blue | Flat 2x earning |
| Bilt Palladium | Bilt Points | Atmos, Aeroplan, United, Cathay, Southwest | The only bank route to Atmos |
| Citi Strata Premier | ThankYou | AAdvantage, Cathay, Turkish, Flying Blue | American flyers |
| American Express Gold | Membership Rewards | Delta, Aeroplan, BA, Cathay (5:4) | Delta flyers |
| Atmos Rewards Summit | Atmos points |
Earns Atmos directly | Alaska and Hawaiian flyers |
Chase Freedom cards earn the same points, but you have to move them to a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred account before you can transfer. Welcome offers change, so check each card page.
How much are those points worth?
We value Chase, Amex and Bilt points at 2.0 cents, Capital One miles at 1.85 cents and Citi points at 1.8 cents (our valuations). A 12,500-point award on a $350 one-way fare works out to about 2.8 cents per point, which beats all of those. On a $150 off-season fare, you'd do better paying cash and keeping your points.
FAQ
How many points do I need for a round trip to Hawaii? From the West Coast, about 25,000 points in economy on Atmos or Aeroplan. From the Midwest or East Coast, about 40,000-55,000. Double it for two travelers.
Is it cheaper to fly to Honolulu or Maui on points? Fixed charts price them the same by distance. Honolulu has the most flights, so it usually has the most award seats.
Can Chase points get me to Hawaii? Yes. Chase transfers 1:1 to Aeroplan, United, Southwest, British Airways and Flying Blue. It doesn't transfer to Atmos.
Is first class to Hawaii lie-flat? Usually not. Most flights have wide domestic recliners. Some United, American, Delta and Hawaiian widebodies have lie-flat seats, so check the seat map before you book.
When should I book? Programs open seats about 330-355 days out. Off-peak months (late April to early June, and September to mid-November) have the most saver space.
Related guides
- Fly to Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean with points
- Los Angeles to Hawaii with points
- Dallas to Hawaii with points
- Turkish miles to Hawaii
- American First to Maui with Atmos points
- Chase Aeroplan guide
- Honolulu airport lounges · Maui airport lounges
Award prices and availability change daily. Find a bookable seat before you transfer points, because transfers can't be reversed.
