Award prices, routes and transfer ratios change often — search the live price before you move any points.
Los Angeles is the biggest gateway to Hawaii on the mainland. United, American and Delta each fly LAX to Honolulu, Maui (Kahului), Kona and Kauai (Lihue); Hawaiian flies to Honolulu, Maui and Kauai; Southwest flies to Honolulu year-round and adds the neighbor islands seasonally; and Alaska runs a seasonal Honolulu flight. With that much competition, Hawaii is one of the cheapest award trips you can book from LA — often 12,500 to 15,000 points one-way in economy.
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Quick answer
- Cheapest economy route: Hawaiian or Alaska on Atmos Rewards (published from 12,500 one-way), or American, Alaska or Hawaiian with British Airways Avios (about 13,000 one-way, $5.60 in tax).
- Best business-class value: United's lie-flat flights via Turkish Miles&Smiles at 40,000 if you can find space — otherwise Atmos first class, published from 30,000.
- Best program to collect: British Airways Avios — Chase, Amex, Capital One and Bilt transfer 1:1.
- Best card: Chase Sapphire Preferred (Avios, United and Southwest in one pot) or the Atmos Rewards Summit card if you fly Alaska and Hawaiian.
Nonstop flights from LAX
| Route | Airline | Alliance | Book with |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX–Honolulu, Maui, Kona, Kauai | United | Star Alliance | MileagePlus, Turkish |
| LAX–Honolulu, Maui, Kona, Kauai | American | oneworld | AAdvantage, Avios, Atmos |
| LAX–Honolulu, Maui, Kona, Kauai | Delta | SkyTeam | SkyMiles, Virgin |
| LAX–Honolulu, Maui, Kauai | Hawaiian | oneworld | Atmos, Avios |
| LAX–Honolulu (seasonal) | Alaska | oneworld | Atmos, Avios, AAdvantage |
| LAX–Honolulu (+ seasonal Maui, Kona, Kauai) | Southwest | none | Rapid Rewards |
Hilo has no LAX nonstop. Other Southern California airports — Burbank, Long Beach, Ontario and Orange County (SNA) — have Hawaii flights too, mostly on Southwest, Alaska and Hawaiian; check them if LAX space is tight.
Best ways to book
Atmos Rewards (Alaska + Hawaiian)
The merged Alaska/Hawaiian program has a published chart for its own flights. For 2,101–3,500 miles (all of LA–Hawaii) it shows 12,500 points in economy and 30,000 in first, and AwardFares found 12,500 economy broadly available from LA in July 2026 — though first-class seats priced live at 40,000–95,000. Feeds: Bilt at 1:1, plus the Atmos co-brand cards.
British Airways Avios (on American, Alaska, Hawaiian)
BA prices partner flights by distance. Nonstops of 2,001–3,000 miles cost about 13,000 Avios one-way in economy, and taxes on domestic award flights are just $5.60. BA's site now searches Alaska space, and Hawaiian joined oneworld in April 2026. BA raised most award prices about 10% in December 2025, so check the live price. Feeds: Chase, Amex, Capital One and Bilt at 1:1; Citi via Qatar.
Turkish Miles&Smiles (on United)
The old 15,000-mile United business award to Hawaii is gone. Since Turkish's no-notice change on 3 December 2025, mainland–Hawaii costs 25,000 in economy and 40,000 in business one-way — still good value on United's lie-flat widebodies, but reports after the change found little or no bookable space. Feeds: Capital One, Citi and Bilt at 1:1. Our Turkish to Hawaii guide has the booking steps.
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest prices awards from the cash fare, so the points price moves with demand. Its 2026 award sales put select routes, including Hawaii, at 10,000 points or less one-way; the last one closed for booking on 31 August 2026. A Companion Pass halves the cost for two. Feeds: Chase and Bilt at 1:1.
United, American and Delta (dynamic)
All three price their own Hawaii flights dynamically. United cardholders get a 10–15% award discount and see extra saver space. AAdvantage miles come from Citi at 1:1; United from Chase and Bilt; Delta from Amex.
Sweet spots from Los Angeles
- Avios on American or Alaska for about 13,000. The classic: low miles, $5.60 tax, and Chase, Amex, Capital One and Bilt all feed it.
- Atmos economy at 12,500. Broad availability from LA in 2026 — the easiest Hawaii award to find.
- Southwest with a Companion Pass. Two people for one award. See our Companion Pass guide.
- Lie-flat to Maui on American. Our American First to Maui guide covers the premium version.
Which card to earn with
| Card | Points | Transfers to | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred / Reserve | Ultimate Rewards | BA (Avios), United, Southwest | One pot for three Hawaii programs |
| Atmos Rewards Summit | Atmos points | Earns Atmos directly | Alaska and Hawaiian flyers |
| Capital One Venture X | Capital One miles | BA (Avios), Turkish | Flat 2x earning |
| Amex Gold | Membership Rewards | BA (Avios), Delta | Delta flyers and Avios |
| Citi Strata Premier | ThankYou | AAdvantage, Turkish | American and United (via Turkish) |
See also our Southwest cards guide and Bilt guide — Bilt feeds Atmos, Avios, United, Turkish and Southwest. Welcome offers change; check each card page for the current one.
Taxes & surcharges
Hawaii counts as domestic, so award taxes are the flat $5.60 per one-way segment on most programs — no carrier surcharges, even with Avios. That's what makes Avios so strong here compared with its transatlantic pricing. Watch for change and cancellation fees instead: BA refunds Avios for a small fee, and American, United, Delta, Alaska and Southwest no longer charge to cancel most awards.
FAQ
How many points does it take to fly LA to Hawaii? Typically 12,500–15,000 one-way in economy through Atmos or Avios. Dynamic programs (United, American, Delta, Southwest) vary with the cash fare and can run much higher on holidays.
Which island is cheapest on points from LAX? Honolulu has the most flights and the most award space. Maui, Kona and Kauai price similarly by distance on Avios and Atmos, but there are fewer seats.
Can I fly business to Hawaii on points? Yes. American, United, Delta and Hawaiian all fly premium cabins from LAX, some lie-flat. Turkish (40,000 on United) and Atmos first (from 30,000 published) are the cheapest routes when space exists.
Do I need to call to book Avios on Hawaiian? Check online first — BA's site added Alaska space, and Hawaiian joined oneworld in April 2026. If a seat shows on Alaska's site but not BA's, call.
Related guides
- Fly to beach destinations with points
- LAX airport lounges · Honolulu airport lounges
- Maui airport lounges · Kona airport lounges · Kauai airport lounges
- Avios guide · Alaska Visa Signature guide
Award prices and availability change daily. Search before you transfer points — transfers are one-way.
