How Much Does A Week Vacation In Hawaii Cost
This post is meant to only help you decide if this is a vacation spot for you or not. We are not in any way promoting any Vacation In Hawaii company. This information is from traveling both inside and outside of the state of Hawaii. Are you looking to vacation in Hawaii? How much is it going to cost? We’ve researched average flight and hotel costs for a 7 day stay, so you can see if Hawaii vacation is right for you.
Some travelers love to travel for free – and others would rather pay for a week long Hawaiian vacation than spend another day at their desk. What’s the best option? If you’re looking for a great vacation destination, you have plenty of options. Thailand, Grand Cayman, New Zealand, Mexico are all fantastic places to visit. But there’s one destination that trumps them all: Hawaii. With its warm weather, beautiful views and exciting activities, you’ll feel like you’re on a holiday in paradise.
How Much Does A Week Vacation In Hawaii Cost
The Hawaiian Islands are a U.S. state and an archipelago located in the central Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 mi (3,200 km) southwest of California. Hawaii has over a million permanent residents, along with U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families. Its capital is Honolulu on Oahu Island. The islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain.
How Much Does it Cost to go to Hawaii?
By Barry Choi | July 6, 2022 | 4
**This post may contain affiliate links. I may be compensated if you use them.
Do you want to know how much does it cost to go to Hawaii? I’m going to break it down for you and provide some tips on where and how you can save. When it comes to a beach vacation, Hawaii is one of the first places that comes to mind. Idyllic white beaches, great food, friendly locals, and stunning scenery made famous by Hollywood movies including Jumanji 2 and Jurassic Park.
For the purpose of this article, I’m going to suggest an itinerary of 7 days and 7 nights. I’m also going to base this article on Oahu prices as it is the main and most expensive island in Hawaii. That said, I’m going to throw in some mentions of what to do in Maui too. If you plan on doing additional Hawaiian islands, you’ll need to budget more. Please note that this guide is based on the costs for a single person. If you are travelling as a couple, make sure to double these estimates (except for hotels).
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| Estimated cost | |
|---|---|
| Airfare | $800 |
| Accommodations | $1,400 ($200 per night) |
| Local transportation | $70 (or $50 a day for a car) |
| Food and drink | $595 ($85 per day) |
| Attractions | $400 |
| Random spending | $100 |
| Total | $3,365 USD |
The above estimate is in American dollars, so please use XE.com to find out the average costs in your home country.
Airfare
Airfare to Hawaii can really vary in cost, but if you have some time to plan then keep an eye out for sales. Hawaii is a popular destination in North America and it’s pretty easy to find deals, flash sales, or promotions to Hawaii. To get the best deals, avoid the high season (summer months and over the holidays). April and September are great times for a Hawaii vacation.
I’ve estimated airfare to Hawaii to be $800 but if you’re travelling from within North America, I’ve seen prices in the $450. For those who live on the west coast of Canada or the US, e.g. in Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles, prices could be even lower on Southwest Airlines. Expect your airfare to cost more if you’re coming from the east coast. Of course, if you live on the opposite side of the world, you could easily spend more than $800.
If you’re Canadian, you may want to consider applying for one of the best travel credit cards in Canada to help offset your costs by collecting points. For example, the American Express Platinum Card gives you a signup bonus of up to 85,000 American Express Membership Rewards points which have a minimum value of $850 (potentially more if you transfer your points to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy). There’s also the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card that has no foreign transaction fees and it comes with airport lounge access.
Local transportation
How you get around Hawaii’s island of Oahu will depend on what your plans are. If you plan on basing yourself in Honolulu, then you can rely on the local bus, conveniently called ‘The Bus’. If you are staying on the North Shore, or are really looking to explore then your best bet is to get a rental car. Note that most resorts charge parking fees.
The bus costs $5 per day for a daily ticket while renting a car will put you back about 40 dollars a day without insurance. If you’re staying in Maui, renting a car is pretty much a must unless you plan on booking a tour for all of your activities.
To get to and from the airport I suggest using one of the shuttle services which cost $16 per person rather than a taxi which will cost $40+ to the Waikiki area. Uber is also an option both to/from the airport and around Honolulu.
Remember, my guide assumes you’re staying on a single island. If you plan on island hopping, you may need to budget another $250 per flight with Hawaiian airlines. Please note that the estimate given in this article is for using local transportation so prices will vary depending on where you stay.
Accommodations
From vacation rentals to luxury hotels, Hawaii has every accommodation possible. However, no matter what you choose, you will likely find it pricey in comparison to other destinations. I’m going to estimate $1,400 for seven nights ($200 per night) in a midrange hotel in Waikiki-the most popular part of the island for visitors. The average price for a hotel room in Maui is also $200 per night. Prices can drop below $200 per night during the off-season, so you could save a bit of money depending on your timing.
Certain parts of the island, such as Haleiwa, have limited options for accommodations so be sure to book in advance.
If you are looking for accommodation recommendations in Honolulu, I suggest the following:
Budget
Mid-range
Luxury
If you have the right credit card, you can save a fair amount of money on hotels. Americans should strongly consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card since you can earn up to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and $200 back at U.S. restaurants as a welcome bonus.
Canadians should consider the Marriott Bonvoy American Express which gives you up to 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That’s enough points for a few free nights at some hotels which could easily have a value of over $500.
Attractions
It’s easy to get caught up with Hawaii’s attractions. From visiting Pearl Harbor to taking a taking a day trip around the island, checking out the film sets, or swimming with wild dolphins. Not to mention taking part in a traditional Hawaiian Luau. There is no shortage of things to see and do in Hawaii and the costs for these attractions can get really high really quickly. I recommend choosing what you want to do ahead of time so you can shop around for the best pricing, rather than just making impulsive decisions. Day trips will normally cost a minimum of $80- $100 per person, so you can use that as your baseline when looking around. For those staying in Maui, the road to Hana and Haleakalā Summit are the most popular tours.
Keep in mind, if you are renting a car you will be able to shave some of these costs off your total estimate. Most tours do provide transportation, but if it isn’t required you will receive a discount.
A couple of budget-friendly tips: If you are staying in a hostel or you’re a student, you should ask to see if there is a discounted rate. Also, Pearl Harbor is free- though you do need to book your slot ahead of time online ($1.50 to hold your place). This is the basic tour that takes you to the USS Arizona Memorial. The surrounding museums do have fees. If you plan on visiting a lot of attractions, consider buying the Go Oahu Card which gives you discounts for multiple days.