How To Make the Most of Your First Flight On Hawaiian Airlines

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Ah, Hawai’i… the island state famous for its beautiful beaches, swaying palm trees, shave ice, gnarly surf, and multicolored sunsets.

This summer I decided, for the first time in my life, to visit the dreamy-hued paradise I’d heard about for years. I declared (mostly to myself) that a journey this extraordinary must happen with an island-focused company, so I began channeling my extra time and energy on… what else?

How to make the most of my first flight on Hawaiian Airlines.

As a solo female traveler on my first trip to Hawai’i, I planned to arrive in late October, hoping to find less crowded beaches and fewer families vacationing after the start of school. I began researching flights in August, which left me plenty of time to search online and hopefully avoid the outrageous 2022 spikes in the cost of air travel.

Using clever search apps like Skyscanner and Hopper, plus the helpful email newsletters from Scott’s Cheap Flights, I found a ticket on Hawaiian Airlines for a round-trip, non-stop flight from Sacramento to Honolulu for… (hold on to your tray tables…) $235.00!

Though I was later told by friends who frequent Hawai’i quite regularly that they find travel deals for even less than $235 RT NS, I was really happy with the price and duration of my first flight on Hawaiian airlines.

My diligent planning and laser-focused attention on making this first visit to Hawai’i as “Hawaiian as possible” worked like a charm and I thoroughly enjoyed my passage to and from the islands.

I paid attention to the process and made note of what was pulled off with excellence and where there was room for improvement. Gathered for you now are my best tips and tricks on how to make the most of your first flight on Hawaiian Airlines.

Book Tickets in Advance

Book your tickets as far in advance as possible. This is probably a no-brainer, but booking your airline tickets as far in advance as possible is one of the best ways to save money and put more energy into planning what you’ll do after you arrive.

The headache of haggling with different websites for the best price or clearing your web browser’s cache a dozen times are two things you won’t have to deal with when you book in advance.

Watch for Deals

Watch for flight updates and online deals. As mentioned earlier in this article, flight updates and deals are constantly happening and changing all over the Internet.

Set a reminder on your smartphone or computer to check your favorite resources regularly but at different times over several days. A flight at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday may be advertised for a different price than at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday, for the same, exact flight.

Though no one knows why this is the case, ticket prices do fluctuate and vary according to the days of the week and hours of the day.

When you see a price that fits within your budget and time frame, why not buy it? After all, it could change in a few hours.

Book Directly with Hawaiian Airlines

Skip the go-between and book directly on the Hawaiian Airlines website. Although it may be tempting to search and buy with websites like Kayak or CheapFlights, when it comes to booking your ticket, it’s best to go directly with Hawaiian Airlines.

Booking directly, while it doesn’t always seem like the best route financially, will save you a lot of time and a potential headache if you need to change or cancel your flight. (Restrictions vary, don’t rely on this as gospel, and always check the website for the latest updates!)

Often, the airline will have live agents available to help with flight adjustments or rearrangements, something many broker-like websites struggle to offer.

Then there are those mysterious “fees” that appear when you use an intercessor: small amounts that accrue in addition to the base price.

Most of the time, the price you see on the airline website is the price you’ll pay for the ticket.

Get the Hawaiian Airlines App

Download the Hawaiian Airlines App to Your Smart Phone. OK, so if you haven’t realized it by now, Hawaiian Airlines is a worthy airline to choose for your first flight to Hawaii.

Not only is the company over 90 years old and still focused on excellent service, but it also continues to rank as the highest of all domestic airlines traveling to and from the Hawaiian islands.

Naturally, a company that’s lasted this long has learned to roll with the changes, including technology, and the Hawaiian Airlines app is a testimony to its service.

From the bright, easy-to-find white, pink, and purple icons to the option to receive notifications, this is a smartphone app that was carefully designed and deployed and continues to receive regular updates to keep it fresh.

Users will enjoy viewing flight status by number or route, airport and terminal maps, and in-flight entertainment when available. Best of all, the Hawaiian Airlines app offers the ability to check in and download a boarding pass right to your phone 24 hours before your scheduled flight.

I checked in from the app in my swimsuit on Lanikai Beach on Oahu, just before heading into the water to snorkel with sea turtles. Mahalo, Hawaiian Airlines, your colorful app is pretty shaka!

Put Your Boarding Pass in Your Wallet

The iPhone Apple wallet is preferred. In addition to downloading the Hawaiian Airlines app to their smartphone, Apple iPhone users can also add their boarding pass to their wallet – the same app that stores health records, rewards cards, and Apple Pay.

Adding the boarding pass QR code isn’t mandatory after you check in, but it is a good way to ensure you have proof of your flight in case WIFI is unavailable or in the rare case that the Hawaiian Airlines app isn’t functioning properly.

I prefer to use my Apple wallet boarding pass when scanning to board the plane, as its bright pink background is similar to the petals of colorful hibiscus flowers found in the island paradise.

✏️ Expert Tip: Snap a photo of the QR code displayed on your phone for extra piece of mind. The photo will still be scanned at boarding time. Just be sure to turn your brightness to full-light mode!

By the way, you can still print and put a paper boarding pass in your wallet when you check into the kiosks at the ticket counter.

Some people really like having the piece of mind (and paper) to ensure they’re on track, and some hotels or hostels require you to show proof of arrival and departure in Hawai’i. If you prefer paper, then roll on with your cool print self!

Be an Early Manu

Check-in on the App early. Manu is a lovely Hawaiian word for bird, so when it’s recommended to be an early one to make the most of your first flight on Hawaiian Airlines, don’t let it ruffle your feathers!

Since you’ve already downloaded the pretty, colorful Hawaiian Airlines app, you know what comes first: checking in 24 hours before your flight. Ticket printers and classic flyers, take note: this may also be done from the Hawaiian Airlines website.

If you have to set a reminder to yourself to check in 24 hours early, then do it. Nothing says “I feel like a real dodo bird (manu),” than getting to the airport and realizing you forgot to check in early.

Arrive at the airport early. Set that alarm and stick to it. Better yet, set two – an actual alarm and a reminder – just to make sure you’re moving in the direction of the airport.

Traffic jams, rideshare delays, and long lines to get into the building, are all situations that can substantially slow you down. Make it a point to arrive early and set your stressors at ease.

Get to the gate early. Once you arrive early at the airport, go straight to the gate. Get in the typically long line for baggage screening, and choose a short line with mostly small carry-on bags if you can.

Be swift with your actions here, and be friendly or at least polite to the TSA agents. Most times, if you are polite with them, they reciprocate and this part of your journey will be a breeze.

Appreciate the Aloha

Here comes that Ohana feeling. Now that you’ve downloaded the app, have your boarding pass in your smartphone wallet, and arrive early to settle into your seat… here comes the good part.

Hopefully, your fellow travelers are just as excited (or at least content) to be flying with Hawaiian Airlines with you and the mood on your aircraft is pleasant and cheerful. After all, you’re all heading for Hawai’i!

Hawaiian Airlines is one of those airlines that still maintains panache and class. For the flight I was on, to and from Sacramento, the air staff was dressed in stylish, blue-and-aqua flower-printed, short-sleeved shirts.

The technicolor, catchy safety information video was presented in English and Hawaiian (fortunately, I learned some words before leaving), and takeoff was a breeze (island pun intended).

Traveling as a vegetarian, I typically pack a hearty snack even when there is a complimentary meal onboard. My experience served me well on this first flight with Hawaiian Airlines.

The meal on the flight to Hawai’i included a hot pork sandwich and chips. For the return flight to the mainland, another hot sandwich, this time chicken with artichokes. Both times, I was a little bummed out, but then the offer of delicious drinks, including guava nectar and complimentary Koloa rum punch for flyers 21 and over, was well-appreciated.

What I later learned from Hawaiian Airlines’ website is that they don’t cater to picky eaters. According to their website regarding in-flight-services, for dining, drinks, and menus:

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free and child meals are available on all international inbound and outbound flights (except PPT and PPG) in Business Class and Main Cabin, by request, at least 48 hrs before your flight.* To pre-order any of these special meals, please call our reservations department or your travel agent.

If our complimentary meals (regular, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or child-friendly) do not meet your specific dietary needs, we welcome you to bring your meals on board.

*Pre-orders for these special meals will not be taken at the gate or in flight.

Lucky for me, I brought some snacks, as well as a crappy pair of headphones from a previous flight. I noshed happily and watched a pretty decent movie about (what else?) time travel.

✏️ Expert Tip: AUX or Bluetooth? Most planes are still equipped with regular AUX input jacks for headphones. Bring your own set (perhaps from a past flight) to avoid the $3 to $5 fee airlines charge for theirs. Better yet, check out this genius, Apple-inspired, Bluetooth transmitter from Charleston-based company 12 South.

As for the rest of the flight, the plane was at a pleasant temperature with no weird smells or sounds and little to no turbulence.

We departed and arrived on schedule and, overall, the flight was peaceful, uneventful, and fun.

A Million Mahalos to Hawaiian Airlines

Mahalo to all and let that be all for now. I enjoyed this journey to Hawaii so much that I’m already planning a return trip or two to different islands, where I’ll explore more of the tropical beauty, soak up additional history and culture, and make the most of all my flights on Hawaiian Airlines.

What about you? Did you make the most of your first flight on Hawaiian Airlines? Are you still wondering if you should choose them over other airlines to the Islands? Check back soon for more tips and tricks about air travel and other adventures!