what does it cost to visit hawaii

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How Much Does a Trip to Hawaii Cost?

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Hawaii is often on the short list of dream destinations for a relaxing beach holiday. But a potential trip to paradise doesn’t happen without first asking the critical question: How much is a trip to Hawaii?

The answer varies depending on where you stay and when you travel. We’ve crunched the numbers to give you an idea of how much you can expect to spend so you’re better prepared to budget for a vacation in Hawaii.

Hawaiian vacation costs vary by island

For starters, realize that costs can vary widely. It's totally possible to do Hawaii on a budget , particularly if you're primarily chowing down on spam musubi from the corner store rather than sitting down in front of a white tablecoth for fine dining.

But also realize that individual islands can vary widely in cost. In general, Oahu is the cheapest Hawaiian island to visit . According to May 2024 data from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Oahu hotel rooms average about 21% less than the broader average across the state.

Here's a breakdown of average daily hotel room rates across the four main Hawaiian islands for tourism (which are Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island):

And what about other travel costs, like dining out and activities? Oahu wins there too. The Hawai’i Tourism Authority looked at average spending per day, per tourist. Their data encompassed lodging and other spending including on-the-ground transporation, food, souvenirs and activities, though it didn't spend. Here's how much the average tourist spent, per day:

Estimated Hawaii trip cost

But those are all average costs, and you might hardly be an average traveler. A broke backpacker might have a very different travel style than someone on a honeymoon at a 5-star resort. Given that, we took some hypothetical itineraries and put them to the budget test:

Beachfront view of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

For this exercise, we looked at two different hypothetical vacations. Both assume a family of four (two adults and two children). The two vacations are:

A 10-night trip for a family of four during the peak summer travel season.

A seven-night trip for that same family during the shoulder season.

Some logistics about these hypotheticals:

Travel to Honolulu on the island of Oahu, the most popular island for visitors to Hawaii.

Round-trip flights for four from Los Angeles.

A peak-season trip assumes a June 25, 2024, departure, while a shoulder-season trip assumes a May 8, 2024, departure.

We used three property types to assess price estimates:

A beachfront four-star resort: Hilton Hawaiian Village. 

A three-star hotel: Holiday Inn Express Waikiki. 

A condo: Various Waikiki units on Vrbo.com.

Totals include resort fees :

$50 per night at the four-star resort.

$29.49 per night at the three-star hotel.

All management and cleaning fees at the condo units.

Totals include parking costs of:

$68.06 per day at the four-star resort.

$45 per day at the three-star hotel.

Parking isn't included in condo totals (varies by building/unit).

Meals include nightly dinners of about $225, including drinks, taxes and tips. 

At a four-star resort, meal estimates include breakfasts and lunches totaling about $100 per day. 

Costs at a three-star hotel, which includes free breakfast, include only lunches totaling about $50 per day. 

Tightly budgeted meals assume cutting food costs by 60% with cheap eats and/or preparing meals. 

Activities for the 10-night trip include a snorkeling excursion, surfing lessons, a Pearl Harbor visit and a day at a water park. For the seven-night trip: snorkeling, the Pearl Harbor visit and a day at a water park (no surfing lessons).

Economy rental car reserved through DiscountHawaiiCarRental.com or Turo .

$5-a-day tip for housekeepers .

Based on the information outlined above, here are our estimated budgets:

10-night trip, peak summer travel season

$15,090: Four-star beachfront resort, with a 10-day rental car.

$10,447: Three-star hotel, with a 10-minute walk to the beach and a five-day rental car.

$7,781 Low-cost condo within walking distance to the beach, tightly budgeted meals and a five-day rental car. 

Seven-night trip, shoulder season

$9,574: Four-star beachfront resort, with a seven-day rental car.

$6,488: Three-star hotel, with a 10-minute walk to the beach and a rental car for two days.

$4,936: Low-cost condo within walking distance to the beach, tightly budgeted meals and a two-day rental car. 

Can you beat these numbers? Definitely. Here are tips on how to save on your vacation to Hawaii.

» Learn more: The best island in Hawaii for first timers

How to cut your Hawaii vacation costs

Stay on the beach or rent a car every day, but don’t do both.

Does your idea of a great vacation involve hitting the open road to explore every corner of the island? Then, don’t pay premium prices for a hotel on the beach.

On the other hand, if your dream trip involves tons of time lounging on the sand and splashing in the pool, don’t pay $55 a day for a rental car plus $68 a day to park it when it’s just going to sit there.

Many Waikiki hotels are within walking distance of a car rental agency, so it’s easy to get a car for just part of your trip. Select “Waikiki” instead of “Honolulu airport” as your pick-up and drop-off location for your rental car. If you pick the car up in the morning, then drop it off at the end of the day, you can save a night’s worth of parking costs, cutting down your trip cost.

The downside to this strategy is you may have to wait in a long line to get your car. So send one adult to pick up the vehicle in the morning while the rest of the crew gets ready for the day. And don’t forget to include airport transfers in your budget. Budget about $37 each way, including tip, for a taxi or rideshare between Waikiki and Honolulu airport.

» Learn more: The best times to visit Hawaii by travel style

Eat cheaper

If your family of four has a nice dinner at the world-famous Duke’s Waikiki, including cocktails for the adults, an appetizer and a Hula Pie dessert to share, you’ll spend about $225, including taxes and tip. Of course, the beachfront views, tiki torches and aloha spirit might be worth it. But you don’t have to spend that much every night.

Step away from the beach and meals get much cheaper. For example, the outstanding burgers at Cheeseburger in Paradise are about $20, as opposed to the $36 baked fish at Duke’s.

In addition, pizza joints, super-affordable ramen houses, authentic Hawaiian diners such as Rainbow Drive-In, chains such as Denny’s and IHOP and fast-food restaurants including McDonald’s, Burger King and Subway can bring your meal costs down.

Or swing into one of the many ABC Stores to pick up packaged salads, sandwiches, yogurt, snacks, drinks or some spam musubi (a slice of grilled Spam sandwiched between or on top of a block of rice, wrapped in nori) to fill up on the cheap.

More affordable yet, you can buy cereal, coffee, milk, sandwich meats and bread to prepare breakfasts and lunches at your hotel or condo.

» Learn more: Is island hopping in Hawaii worth it?

Consider a condo

You can often find a vacation rental just a few minutes from the beach for much cheaper than you’d pay for a hotel.

For example, we found the condo shown below on Vrbo for 10 nights for $1,942 plus tax, for a total of $2,260. And that’s during peak summer travel.

For a seven-day rental during the shoulder season, you can cut your total accommodations expenditure by around $500 by choosing a condo over a hotel.

Many condos have kitchens, too, so you could save money by making eggs or pancakes for breakfast, spaghetti for dinner and packing sandwiches for lunches while you’re out and about.

» Learn more: Travelers: Save on meals with these tidbits

Pay with points and miles

The question “How much is a vacation to Hawaii?” has a much more appealing answer if you pay using airline miles, hotel points or credit card points — which can erase hundreds or even thousands of dollars from your trip cost.

For more information on how to maximize your points, be sure to check out these articles:

The Cheapest Ways to Fly to Hawaii Using Travel Rewards .

How to Travel to Honolulu on Points and Miles .

Where to Stay in Waikiki With Hotel Points .

How to Visit Hawaii On a Budget .

The Best Oahu Hotels Without Resort Fees .

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Travel to Hawaii for less money

So how much does it cost to go to Hawaii? It can be expensive. Hidden costs like resort fees and exorbitant parking prices can easily break a budget. But there are ways to save on the cost of a vacation to Hawaii.

Traveling before or after the peak summer season can save a considerable amount. In addition, don’t pay a premium to stay on the beach if you won’t take full advantage of that location, and don’t pay up to $68 a night to park a car as you’re splashing around the pool for several days.

To save big, consider a condo where you can cook many of your meals to save on dining. With these simple strategies, your answer to the question “How much is a vacation to Hawaii?” is one that fits your budget.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

75,000 Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

Lists by Lukiih 🍀

Practical travel guides with less fluff

• 💰 My 2024 Hawaii Trip Cost: A Budget Breakdown

Hawaii, an island known for beautiful beaches and friendly locals, can be visited with a budget of  $95 to $250 a day.

My almost two-week trip to Hawaii, which included visits to Maui and the Big Island , cost a total of $2,761 . In this post, I share:

• 💰 Expected travel costs
• 💡 Budgeting tips
• 💵 How much cash to bring
• ✈️ My trip’s costs by category
• 📍 My trip’s costs by islands
• Is Hawaii Expensive?
• How Much Is a Trip?
• About My Trip
• Cost Breakdown
• Daily Budget: $209
• Flight: $225
• Accommodation: $1,667
• Transportation: $508
• Entertainment: $46
• Maui: $1,890
• Big Island: $862
• How Much Cash to Bring
• Cash-Only Places
• Tipping Etiquette

Hawaii Trip Planner

Lists By Lukiih is readers-supported. When you buy with my affiliate link, I may earn a small commission. Thanks!

Is Hawaii Expensive To Travel To?

Hawaii is the  most expensive state  in the United States to travel to. The island relies on imported goods, has a high cost of living, and offers expensive tourist hot spots and accommodations due to high demand.

Oahu, Hawaii’s most budget-friendly island , is more expensive than many other Caribbean island destinations.

However, Maui, Hawaii’s most expensive island, is cheaper than some of the US’s most expensive cities (e.g., New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Key West).

🏝️ Is Hawaii Cheaper Than Puerto Rico for Vacation?

If you’re looking for an island escape within the US territory, Puerto Rico is cheaper than Hawaii for a vacation. It isn’t easy to visit Hawaii for  less than $200 per day , but that’s doable in Puerto Rico.

On average, Puerto Rico is about $50 per day cheaper than even O’ahu, Hawaii’s most budget-friendly island.

I took a trip to Puerto Rico and Hawaii within a few months of each other. I visited the former during its high season and the latter during its low season.  Puerto Rico was still cheaper than Hawaii per day.  Here’s how my daily budget compared between the two:

See all my daily budgets .

How Much Is a Trip to Hawaii?

This section covers estimated trip costs depending on your travel style. I share my actual travel expenses further below.

🎒 Budget Traveler – Hawaii Trip Cost

A budget traveler can expect to spend approximately $95 per day or $475 for five days of travel in Hawaii, excluding flights.

Here’s what a budget traveler’s cost breakdown can look like:

Traveling Hawaii on a Budget

To travel to Hawaii on a budget, here are some things you’ll need to do:

• 🏝️ Island Choice – Travel to Oahu, Hawaii’s cheapest island. Here are 10 great things to do on Oahu that my friend Matt recommends.
• 🏠 Accommodation – Housing in Hawaii is expensive. A dorm-style hostel or budget hotel typically costs $50 a night in Oahu and jumps to about $60 a night in Maui . A private room increases to $100 per night in some areas during the peak season.
• 🚙 Transportation – Getting around Hawaii without a car is hard, and car rentals can be expensive. You can take advantage of the limited public transportation to minimize gas and rental costs, but keep in mind that the full Hawaiian experience requires a car.
• 🍗 Food – To keep food costs under $15 a meal, eat at budget-friendly options like local establishments, food trucks (there are many in Hawaii), and fast food chains like L&L. You can also consider shopping at grocery stores like Foodland to make your own meals.

• 🌋 Entertainment – Tours and activities are usually $50 or more in Hawaii, so enjoy the many free natural attractions where you’ll only need to pay for parking occasionally. Most of Hawaii’s national parks have an entrance fee, but not all do.
• ☀️ Travel Season – The best time to travel to Hawaii for the best deals is during the off-season, which runs from April to mid-June and September through mid-October.

The summer months in Hawaii are a popular time to visit, but the travel peak season runs from December to March when visitors are escaping their home country’s winters.

💰 Mid-Range Budget Traveler – Hawaii Trip Cost

A mid-range budget traveler like myself can expect to spend approximately $250 per day or $1,250 for five days of travel in Hawaii, excluding flights. I break down my trip expenses by travel category below.

About My Hawaii Trip

To give context to the expenses below, here’s what you need to know about my trip:

• Maui : 8 days
• Big Island : 4 days

Maui is Hawaii’s second most popular and  most expensive destination . Oahu is Hawaii’s most visited island and the most affordable one.

• ☀️ Low season – I went to Hawaii in September, which is considered the low season.

Hawaii’s high season runs from December to March when visitors are escaping their winter months.

• ✌️ Group travel . I traveled with at least one other person at all times, so we were able to split some costs, such as housing.
• 💰 Mid-range budget – I consider myself a mid-range budget traveler, and these expenses reflect that. I don’t aim to travel on a budget, but I’m thoughtful about how and where I spend.
• 🍀 Self-funded – My trips are self-funded, so I paid for everything listed below. None of my excursions or experiences are sponsored.

All costs listed in this post are per person and in US dollars.

Hawaii Trip’s Total Cost: $2,761

My almost two-week trip to Hawaii cost a total of $2,761 , including flights.

See the highlights of my trip in these  Maui and Big Island itineraries.

💰 Cost Breakdown for Hawaii

Here’s a quick overview of my expenses by travel category:

🗓️ Daily Budget in Hawaii: $209

My Hawaii trip cost $209 per day , excluding my round-trip flights from and to the United States.

A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend about $250 per day in Hawaii. This generally entails splitting a mid-range hotel that costs $180 per night, eating at $ to $$ restaurants, renting a standard car every day, and doing a mix of free activities and paid tours.

✈️ Flight Cost to Hawaii: $225

Here’s how much my round-trip flight from the West Coast of the United States to Hawaii cost:

A round-trip flight between the continental US and Hawaii that costs under $150 is considered cheap; those flights typically cost over $200.

🏠 Accommodation Cost in Hawaii: $1,667

My average cost of accommodation in Hawaii was $139 per night. I was able to split accommodations with others at all times.

Here are the accommodations I stayed at and how much I paid for each:

On Maui, the most expensive island, the average price of a mid-range hotel room is $200 per night . A budget hotel is usually at least $120 per night. Luxury hotels easily surpass $900 per night. On Oahu, the cheapest island, a mid-range hotel can be about $150 per night .

🍛 Food Cost in Hawaii: $315

My average cost of food in Hawaii was $26 per day.

A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend about $60 per day on food in Hawaii.

Cheapest Meals in Hawaii

Here are the most affordable meals I ate during my trip:

You can keep your meal cost low by eating at local establishments, fast food chains like L&L, and food trucks. I recommend getting the affordable fresh poke at Foodland, a local Hawaiian grocery store.

Most Expensive Meals in Hawaii

Here are the most expensive meals I ate during my trip:

🚙 Transportation Cost in Hawaii: $508

My average cost of transportation in Hawaii was $42 per day. I split rental cars with other travelers and had to use Uber once since I had a different departure time than others.

Here are the transportation methods I took and how much I paid for each:

Expected Costs of Transportation in Hawaii

There are several ways to get around Hawaii, and the prices can drastically vary, depending on the level of inconvenience you’re willing to accept.

• Rental car – The best way to get around Hawaii is by renting a car; not having a rental car will limit your options. The average cost for a standard car is $30 per day, not including gas. Keep in mind that you’ll also typically have to pay $2 to $10 for parking in some areas.
• Public transportation – All Hawaiian islands have at least some bus public transportation system. Oahu has a decent bike-sharing system where you can pay $12 for unlimited rides for 24 hours. Maui has a limited bus system, and it costs $2 for a one-way bus ride.
• Island hop – Flight tickets between Hawaiian islands are in the $50 to $100 range for one-way trips. $39, which is how much I paid to fly from Maui to the Big Island, is a great deal (I traveled during the low season).

🤿 Entertainment Cost in Hawaii: $46

My average cost of entertainment in Hawaii was $4 per day. Unlike many of my other trips, I didn’t spend much on attractions. I primarily did free activities and enjoyed the island’s natural beauty.

Costs of Activities and Attractions in Hawaii

Here are all the activities and attractions I paid for and how much each cost:

The Haleakalā sunrise, Maui’s most popular activity, has a $30 entrance fee , but I brought my Nationals Park Pass, which waived the cost. Instead, I only had to pay the $1 reservation fee.

Learn how to catch the epic Haleakalā sunrise (or sunset) .

Free Things To Do in Hawaii

If you’re on a tight budget, a great way to save money is to enjoy Hawaii’s many free natural attractions , where you’ll only need to pay parking fees if necessary.

In Hawaii, tours and activities are usually $50 or more per person (for example, the popular manta ray snorkeling tour on the Big Island is generally $100 or more per person).

🏝️ Free Things To Do on Maui

Here are all the activities I did in Maui that were free:

• Road to Hana – Maui’s second most popular activity, the Road to Hana is a two-day road trip featuring waterfalls, hikes, and more. There’s no entrance fee, but you have to pay for parking and a rental car.
• Kihei Beach – Kihei Beach is a decent snorkeling area with tide pools to explore.
• Papalaua Beach – This is a local spot with strong waves.
• Honokeana Cove – This is a popular and beautiful snorkeling spot.
• Honolau Bay – Another popular and beautiful snorkeling spot, Honolau Bay gets crowded if you don’t get there early.

🐢 Free Things To Do on the Big Island

Here are all the activities I did on the Big Island that were free:

• Kapalua Coastal Trail – This is a scenic, easy trail with beautiful ocean views.
• Captain Cook Monument Trail – Captain Cook is a medium-difficult trail that leads to clear and stunning snorkeling.
• Kilauea Iki – This is a hike in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. At the crater, you can walk over a solidified lava lake.
• Punalu’u Black Sand Beach – This beach is known to have sea turtles resting.
• Kukio Bay – Kukio Bay is a non-crowded snorkeling spot where I saw a sea turtle swimming in the ocean.

Cost Breakdown by Island in Hawaii

Below are my trip expense breakdowns for Maui and the Big Island. These two major islands are often featured in first-timers’ travel itineraries.

🏖️ Maui Trip’s Total Cost: $1,890

During my eight-day trip to Maui, I averaged  $237 in daily travel expenses.

I stayed at Hyatt Regency Resort for a wedding and split a mid-range hotel, Castle Kamaole Sands , with several others before staying at the resort. I had a rental car every day and mainly did free activities except for a dragon fruit farm tour.

See great things to do on Maui .

Maui is Hawaii’s most expensive island, and an average day there can easily be $300 for a mid-range budget traveler.

🤿 Big Island Trip’s Total Cost: $862

During my four-day trip to the Big Island, I averaged  $215 in daily travel expenses.

I spent $0 on entertainment and primarily enjoyed hiking and snorkeling the beautiful beaches on the Big Island.

Check out great things to do on the Big Island .

The Big Island is neither the most expensive nor cheapest in Hawaii. On a mid-range budget trip, you can expect to spend  $200 per day .

Do You Need Cash in Hawaii?

Like other places in the United States, Hawaii has an  excellent credit card infrastructure , so you’ll only need to carry a bit of cash.

Below are tips on bringing and using cash in Hawaii.

🏧 1. Carry about $50 worth of cash per day in Hawaii.

On a typical day, a mid-range budget traveler in Hawaii will need  about $50 in cash  to cover food and attractions. At a minimum, $50 will cover a meal for two people from vendors on the side of the road.

I keep my cash in my crossbody bag , but if you want extra protection against pickpocketing , carry it in a hidden money belt instead.

💵 2. Certain places in Hawaii are cash-only.

While credit cards are commonly used in Hawaii, I still had to use cash a few times during my trip. Here are some of the places that were cash-only in Hawaii:

• Local food stalls – Huli Huli Chicken on the Road to Hana was cash-only and cost about $20 per person.
• Food trucks – Hawaii has popular food truck areas, and I went to several that were all cash-only.
• Markets – For example, Maui Swap Meet has a $0.50 admissions fee that’s cash-only, and some vendors at Maui Gift and Craft prefer cash.
• Tipping – Tipping service workers is typically done with cash.

💰 3. Tipping is customary in Hawaii.

Like the rest of the United States, a  10% to 20% tip is customary  and expected in Hawaii. Good service should receive a 15% to 18% tip, and exceptional service should receive a 20% tip.

• Dining out – A 15% to 20% tip is standard for tourists and locals.
• Valets – A $2 tip is standard when they bring your car to you.
• Tours – A 10% tip is standard for a group tour, and 15% to 20% is standard for private tours.
• Massages and spas – A 10% to 20% tip is standard for these places.

To make your travel planning easier , download the trip planner below and use it as a starting point. The planner has country-specific travel information, an itinerary, a packing list, and a map with key places pinned.

The trip planner is built on Notion, which I use for all my travel planning (I genuinely love this tool). If you don’t have Notion, creating an account is free .

Thoughts? Questions? Leave a comment below .

Hawaii Travel Guides

• 🏝️ Maui Amazing 5-Day Itinerary + Great Things To Do
• 🌋 Big Island: 3-4 Day Itinerary + 10 Great Things To Do
• ☀️ Haleakalā Sunrise: Firsthand Review & Tips
• 🚗 Road to Hana: Firsthand Review & Tips
• 🤿 Captain Cook & Kealakekua Bay: Firsthand Review & Tips
• 🎒 Complete Maui Packing List: Tips + What To Bring

🧋 Support Lukiih

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Visiting Hawaii on a budget (2024): all the tricks and tips you need to know

This post contains affiliate links, for which I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying purchase.

Sharing is caring!

Most people think that “Hawaii” and “budget” don’t belong in the same sentence. After all, it’s supposed to be a splurge to visit a gorgeous tropical paradise… right?

We’re here to tell you that traveling to Hawaii on a budget is possible and can be even more rewarding than what the brochures from expensive resorts show you. There are so many opportunities for how to do Hawaii on a budget in every category – from airfares to discount accommodations in Hawaii to saving money on activities. Keep reading for our best tips to save money on a trip to Hawaii.

And listen – please only share this post with people you really like, because I’m sharing all of our very best secrets for visiting Hawaii on a budget. It’s very long because I don’t want to leave anything out, so you may want to save or bookmark the post to come back to later!

Finding the cheapest way to go to Hawaii

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Trying to plan a Hawaii vacation on a budget? Make sure you don’t blow it before your feet even touch the sand! If you’re traveling from mainland US to Hawaii, there’s a very good chance that you can score an awesome deal on your airfare to Hawaii and there are lots of ways to do it. Read on for insider tips on how to go to Hawaii on a budget.

First, be flexible about your dates and which island you visit – within reason. Since airfare and lodging are the two biggest components of your Hawaii trip cost, you’ll want to balance those two to minimize your costs. Second, weigh the many options you have for using cash or points to book those plane tickets. Here are just a few ways to save money on airfare to Hawaii:

Find the cheapest airfare for cash payment

Sometimes the simplest thing to do is pay cash for a plane ticket, and with the great deals you can often find from America’s west coast it just might make sense. The first place to start your search is on Skyscanner .

We love using Skyscanner to find flights because it allows us to reflect our total flexibility – we can allow nearby airports on both ends and search for whole months at a time to land the best rate. Even if you don’t end up paying cash, it’s always important to know the going rate for flights when evaluating whether or not an award redemption is worthwhile.

Look for special deals

In early 2019 Southwest launched their much-anticipated service to Hawaii. Introductory fares were as low as $49 each way from select airports and eligible for Companion Pass! Now fares have settled in higher, but still cheaper than plenty of mainline carriers. Southwest’s Companion Pass only requires that you pay taxes, so it can be a really great deal. The fastest way to earn your companion pass is by opening a Southwest credit card – even faster if you open a personal card and a business card.

The catch is that they don’t have an extensive route map if you live outside of the West Coast: currently they only offer non-stop service from California, Phoenix and Las Vegas to Hawaii, with the most extensive service to Oahu in Maui . Some US cities also get flights to Kauai and Big Island . There are also inter-island flights, but it’s definitely worth comparing prices versus local carrier Mokulele Airlines to find the cheapest option.

Still and all, the Companion Pass is such an amazing value that I recently opened two Southwest credit cards in anticipation of a return visit to Hawaii. I only have to pay $5.60 to bring another family member with me! See the latest Southwest credit card promotions to get your Companion Pass.

❗ Learn more: How to get the Southwest companion pass

Many frequent flyers have heard of Southwest’s Companion Pass that you can earn through credit card sign up bonuses , but did you know that Alaska Airlines offers a similar one too? Alaska’s is a little different (only one per year and generally $99 per companion ticket plus taxes, but the base fare is often waived in the first year with promotions) but Alaska Airlines has tons of flights to Hawaii ! You can earn one with an Alaska Airlines credit card .

And it’s not one of those gimmicks where you have to pay an exorbitant price for the first ticket in order to use a companion fare on the second one (as with some old Amex promotions), you can just buy any regular ticket on the website. Especially for west coasters who already have access to bargain plane tickets to the Aloha State, this might be one the cheapest way to travel to Hawaii.

Book with frequent flyer miles

Obviously the cheapest way to go to Hawaii is not to pay for it! When your friends ask you how to go do Hawaii on a budget, this is usually the first trick you’ll want to tell them about. “Free” is the cheapest way to get to Hawaii and one we’ve taken advantage of many times.

We recommend targeting at least 2 cents per mile, but sometimes it makes sense to redeem for as little as 1.5 cents per mile if you really don’t want to spend the money out of pocket (after all, if you’re buying four plane tickets to pretty much anywhere you’re looking at a minimum of a thousand dollars). While many airlines now offer dynamic (= more expensive) point redemptions, here are the major airline baseline award redemptions for from the continental US to Hawaii as of October 2022 (economy class for us, folks):

American Airlines – 45,000 peak; 40,000 off-peak

United Airlines – 45,000

Delta Airlines – 45,000

Alaska Airlines – 40,000

British Airways – 26,000 from west coast , 51,500 from east coast (operated by AA)

From the chart above, it’s clear where the value in frequent flyer tickets to Hawaii lies. Alaska Airlines and sometimes British Airways can offer far better value than the mainline US carriers. British Airways offers a distance-based award chart, so passengers coming from the west coast only need 26,000 miles for a round trip, while east coasters would need a whopping 51,500 miles!

Ok, so how can you earn enough British Airways Avios points as an American? Simple: open up a Chase Sapphire Preferred , Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Ink Business Preferred card and once your sign-up bonus hits, do an instant transfer to your Executive Club account! Then redeem here through your account BA account. As of August 2023, the Sapphire Preferred sign up bonus is 60,000 points as is the Chase Sapphire Reserve sign up bonus , while small business owners get a 100,000 point sign up bonus with the Ink Business Preferred. That’s almost enough to get a family to Hawaii and back from the West Coast. You can also follow our lead and get both personal and business cards for each adult in the family cards to really juice up your award travel options.

Southwest’s frequent flyer redemption is fare-based so it varies a ton, but you can combine it with your Companion Pass discussed above to get two tickets to Hawaii for just the miles you’d need for one ticket. If you can find an affordable time of year using their low fare calendar, it’s a dynamite option to fly to Hawaii for cheap. Apply for a Southwest credit card here to start earning your Companion Pass. If you also have the Chase cards I mentioned above, know that you can transfer those Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest as well if you’re a little short.

If you’re in a city with lots of United flights, the most straightforward option might be to grab a United Mileage Plus Explorer credit card . The usual fee is $95 per year (though sometimes the first year fee is waived) and it comes with 50,000 bonus miles – enough to cover your ticket. We love that it includes free checked baggage when you use the card, even if you’re just covering taxes on an award ticket redemption, and you’ll get two passes to the United Club lounge. We carry this card and use it whenever we’re booking United flights.

Redeem Chase Ultimate Reward Points

Wondering how to go to Hawaii on the cheap? The final way to save money on plane tickets to Hawaii is actually how we picked up three of our four tickets on one trip to Hawaii. Since we’ve accumulated a ton of Chase Ultimate Rewards points through our Sapphire Preferred , Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred cards, we’ve sometimes taken advantage of their flexibility to buy our tickets.

One of our favorite features of Ultimate Rewards points is that you can redeem them for almost any travel expense through the portal; your redemption rate is 1-1.25 cents per point with most Chase cards and 1.5 cents per point if you have the Sapphire Reserve card (even if the points were earned on a different Chase card and transferred or pooled).

In our case tickets on Alaska were $445 each if purchased with cash, so we redeemed almost exactly 30,000 points for each. Ultimate Rewards points do not transfer to Alaska Airlines, but by purchasing through the portal we had no out of pocket expense – not even taxes. Pretty sweet!

Want to plan the ultimate Hawaii vacation? Click here for step-by-step Hawaii travel planning help!

Save money by going carry-on only!  Check out our full (but minimalist) women’s packing list for Hawaii .

Hopefully we’ve gotten you to Hawaii without putting too big of a dent in your wallet. The other huge chunk of the cost of a Hawaii vacation is accommodation. If you really want to plan a budget trip to Hawaii, consider a home exchange.

Check out this map to find (slightly) more budget-friendly options:

Vacation Rentals in Hawaii

Vacation rentals can be a great option in Hawaii, but it’s important to know what you’re getting in to. In June 2019, the mayor of Honolulu enacted strict limits on unhosted short-term vacation rentals on Oahu – essentially stifling the market for Airbnb on Oahu outside of designated tourist zones like Waikiki, Ko Olina and Turtle Bay. Newer restrictions are even tougher.

Other areas will still have some vacation rentals available, but limited in number and they have to be licensed. Likewise, other parts of Hawaii have limits on short-term rentals. Vacation rentals can be one of the best options for how to do Hawaii on the cheap, but check listings carefully!

If you find an awesome legal rental in Hawaii, that can be a great way to stay! You’ll be able to save money on groceries, parking and more while also enjoying a different kind of feel.

Here are some great options to consider for each island (though “cheap” is a relative term and varies somewhat by island):

• Cheap vacation rentals on Oahu
• Cheap vacation rentals on Maui
• Cheap vacation rentals on the Big Island
• Cheap vacation rentals on Kauai

Hotels in Hawaii

Would you rather just stay in a hotel in Hawaii? There are so many to choose from, even if you’re planning a trip to Hawaii on a budget!

The cheapest way to stay at a hotel in Hawaii is for free, obviously. We recently grabbed a World of Hyatt credit card so that we can use the sign-up bonus for an upcoming trip to Kauai and Maui! While there are tons of hotel loyalty programs out there, Hyatt has the most generous award chart and often requires only half as many points per night as competitors like Marriott and Hilton. In addition, award stays pay no resort fee and still count toward achieving elite status. We really love the Hyatt program!

If that all sounds great, I have even better news for you. The Chase Sapphire Preferred , Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Ink Business Preferred cards credit cards that our family uses can transfer their points to Hyatt as well! Obviously you need to use your credit cards responsibly and pay the balances every month, but if you’re strategic about your sign up bonuses you can land a mostly free trip to paradise by combining one of the airline programs I mentioned above with the Hyatt hotel program.

Another budget-friendly hotel option for Hawaii is to try to look for ones that offer a kitchen and laundry to avoid pricey meals out and laundry services. You’ll still get the resort amenities like beautiful pools, on-site restaurants and quality staffing. Check out these great options on each island:

Oahu : – Beach Villas at Ko Olina – Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club (also check here for deals ) >>> Check out this area-by-area guide to where to stay on Oahu

Maui : – Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas (this is where we stayed during our first trip to Hawaii with a baby and it was wonderful!) – Honua Kai resort

Kauai : – Plantation Hale Suites (***bargain alert!) – Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club – Marriott’s Kauai Lagoons – Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas – Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu We haven’t visited Kauai yet, but check out this detailed guide to the best of kid-friendly Kauai !

Big Island : – Inn At Kulaniapia – Orchid Tree B&B – Hilo Bay Oceanfront Bed & Breakfast – Kilauea Lodge & Restaurant – Hilton Waikoloa Village – Waikoloa Village vacation rentals (we stayed in one of these on our last visit and it was wonderful) – Mauna Lani Point Villas – The Islands At Mauna Lani – Mauna Lani Resort (I felt so pampered when I stayed here many years ago!) – Westin Hapuna Beach Resort – Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (we love the beach here, arguably one of the Big Island’s best)

Read more: Check out these simple tips for saving more on your reservations!

If you or a loved one is a member of the US military, make sure to check out the Hale Koa Hotel on Waikiki Beach. As a “thank you” to service members, this fairly basic hotel offers a world-class location and comfortable amenities as prices that can be half or even a third of the price of surrounding resorts. Find more details here about this wonderful option for service members wondering how to visit Hawaii on a budget.

Home Exchange in Hawaii

There are so many reasons why we love home exchange, and a few that are extremely relevant to planning a Hawaii family vacation on a budget.

First, your cash expense to do a home exchange in Hawaii will be less than one night in a hotel .

Second, having a real home with a kitchen means you can avoid pricey restaurant meals – and they sure are pricey in Hawaii!

Third, being away from the main tourist areas means almost everything will be less expensive (not to mention less crowded) – groceries are cheaper, our long-term Home Exchange house on Oahu had its own parking and the house even came stocked with boogie boards and snorkel gear so that we didn’t have to rent.

Beyond the economics, doing a home exchange in Hawaii had other amazing benefits. Everyone had plenty of space to stretch out. We had our own laundry facilities. We hung out at “locals only” spots rather than the crowded tourist beaches. There was a second fridge for all our Costco supplies. Oh, and we even had enough space that both grandmas came to join us for a few weeks during our slow travel on Oahu! Want more tips for planning a multigenerational vacation ?

Camping in Hawaii and RV in Hawaii

Another option for the truly budget-minded is camping on Hawaii. Every island has some wonderful, gorgeous places to pitch your tent though the amenities vary tremendously by site. Check out this helpful roundup of where to camp on Kauai .

If you want to combine your accommodations and your transportation, consider renting an RV in Hawaii . There are tons of beautiful campgrounds on every island and you’ll save money overall compared with renting a car and a hotel room.

Renting a car in Hawaii seems, like many things, to be more expensive than on the mainland. In some places like Honolulu and Waikiki you can stay amidst the tourist throngs and get by without a car – walk to popular beaches, walk to mini marts, walk to tourist restaurants, and rely on hotel concierges to book activities on other parts of the island that include transportation. You can take buses to some places on Oahu, but they can be very time consuming.

Read more: 10 things you NEED to know before renting a car in Hawaii

If you are a solo traveler in Hawaii, it might make sense to go stay in one of the cities the car-free route since all of those small (or large) premia are only impacting one traveler. For couples or families, though, you’ll more than make up the cost of a rental car by saving money on pretty much everything else . You’ll also gain the freedom to explore beautiful, peaceful spots that most tourists don’t get to see. Moreover, in many parts of Hawaii you absolutely need a car to get around.

Bringing the kids? Save money on your rental by bringing your own travel car seats . Click to read all the best tips.

We have a few favorites for finding deals on car rentals in Hawaii (and everywhere else). The most straightforward is good old RentalCars.com . You can quickly search for the type of car you want across tons of providers of all sizes and reserve without any upfront payment . Nearly every reservation can be cancelled, so we often check back weekly leading up to our travels and rebook if we see a better rate.

A great local option is Discount Hawaii Car Rental . They work with all of the major Hawaii car rental companies and have Hawaii-based customer service in case an issue comes up. That can be especially helpful if you’re arriving when it’s late in the day on the mainland.

Another option to consider is joining AARP . The membership costs about as much as a Starbucks run but can save you up to 30% on rental car rates (in addition to discounts on some hotels)! Surprisingly, you don’t have to be a senior or retired to join AARP.

Our rental car ended up being by far the most expensive component of our 5 week trip to Hawaii. We needed a minivan for part of our trip, but it would have been the same price as renting one compact car for five weeks and a second compact car for a week and a half in the middle when we were joined by a few grandmas.

Though the minivan was pricey at $1600 for five weeks, it was handy to have for hauling around a big stack of boogie boards, beach towels and cases of food from Costco (more on that below). If you plan to shop at Costco and haul around lots of beach gear, you may want to consider sizing up from the smaller options. For reference, the quote we received for an intermediate car for 10 days was just shy of $500. Thanks to rental car shortages after the pandemic, rates may be significantly higher if you’re booking a shorter rental period.

What’s the best place to get gas in Hawaii? It’s often Costco. Seriously, folks. On average gas was 70 cents cheaper per gallon at Costco than at other local gas stations during our last visit. That’s more than $10 saved every time you fill up! That said, other local gas sellers have upped their game by lowering their prices so it’s worth peeking at Safeway and Sam’s Club prices when you drive by, as the Costco gas lines can be long. My favorite tip for comparing gas prices in Hawaii is that on the store detail page for each Costco warehouse you can expand the “Gas Station” section to see hours and the current price! (Note that Hawaii Kai does not have gas, but all other Costco warehouses in Hawaii do.)

Not sure which island to pick? Find the best Hawaiian island for your family vacation.

If you prefer simplicity in your travel arrangements, one option to consider for Hawaii vacations on a budget is a package deal. That’s how we went on our first Hawaii vacation!

Before booking a package deal, you need to carefully consider the value of everything that’s included to make sure it’s actually the cheapest way to vacation in Hawaii for the dates you want. We booked ours as a Black Friday special, so it was deeply discounted.

Here are some great places to look for discount Hawaii vacation packages:

• Expedia (that’s where we booked ours)
• TravelZoo (we’ve gotten great deals for other destinations)
• Costco Travel

If you’re planning a budget Hawaii vacation, you’ll need to think carefully about how and where you’ll eat. Many items have to be transported to Hawaii by ship, so food prices in Hawaii can be anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars more than on the mainland. Having a plan for food is one of the keys to how to travel to Hawaii on a budget.

Of course the best way to save money on food in Hawaii is to book a vacation rental with a kitchen and prepare food yourself. But even if you plan to make all your meals at your home away from home, you’ll have to be judicious in you grocery purchases. But we’ve done some scouting for you and have a few suggestions to help you through since grocery prices in Hawaii can be quite daunting.

First, let’s discuss Costco. If you already have a membership and you’ll be visiting Hawaii with a few other people, Costco in Hawaii can be a great value ! Prices are nearly the same as at Costco on the mainland, and prices are much cheaper than local grocery stores for items like dairy, eggs and meat. There are seven Costco locations in Hawaii, including four on Oahu.

In addition to food and pantry staples, you’ll find some beach gear, Hawaiian shirts and other handy items. While you’re there, grab a meal at Costco – it doesn’t require membership and the whole family can eat for less than $10! It’s not a nutritious choice to make every day, but if you’re going to Costco in Hawaii once every week or two it’s a great way to save a little money without cooking at home.

Pro tip: If you don’t have a Costco membership but know someone who does, have them buy you some Costco Cash cards (gift cards). You can use these without a membership!

All that said, before you dive in on a Costco membership for your cheap trip to Hawaii consider whether or not you’ll actually make it through a 20 pound bag of rice during your vacation. And where will you store all that food? What should you do if you’ll only be in Hawaii for a short time or you aren’t bringing an entire football team? Head to Target!

That’s right, the big red bullseye of value has made it to paradise! You’ll find locations on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island and the stores are full of all your favorites from the mainland – plus some local specialties in the “Aloha Shop”. Since Target carries groceries – both house brand and national brands, it might just be the best place to do your grocery shopping in Hawaii. Similarly, if you prefer to shop at Walmart you’ll find tons of stores on Oahu and one or two on the other islands.

You may notice that prices in those stores are a little higher than what you’d find on the mainland, but fear not: both stores offer price match guarantees . Just pull up the item you want on your phone from the store’s website – or another major website – and they’ll give you the lower price right there at the register! I saved 20% on our sunscreen that way. Target will definitely be your friend when you travel to Hawaii on the cheap.

Another local option is Foodland. We found many items there that were only a little more expensive than at our local grocery stores on the mainland, though some things (like dairy and eggs) were much more expensive than we found at Costco. Sign up for their Maika’i card for extra discounts and make sure to check out the poke counter in the back of the store – we got an inside tip that many locals hit Foodland for their own poke fixes.

One of the great things about a vacation in Hawaii is that there are so many amazing things to do for free that take full advantage of what makes the Aloha State special. You can relax on the beach, hike to a waterfall , go on a scenic drive and even attend a hula performance – all for free! It’s one of the best places to travel to without a passport if you’re American.

We’ve had plenty of days in Hawaii when we didn’t spend a dime (except on shave ice, but that’s a different story). But what about big ticket paid activities? Can you still do them even if you’re visiting Hawaii on a budget? Here are a few ideas for how to have those special experiences without busting your budget.

Read more: 10 things to do on Oahu under $10

Go Oahu Card

The Go Oahu Card by Smart Destinations bundles multiple activities together to save you money. There are two different options to choose from: All-Inclusive or Build Your Own.

With their All-Inclusive pass you pay a fixed rate based on the number of days you’d like to use the card (which can be spread over a two week period) and then you can do as many of those activities as you can squeeze in! There are options ranging from luaus to catamaran snorkeling trips to hikes to movie tours, and many activities offer free transportation from Waikiki in case you don’t have a car.

You can choose cards for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days – cards for 3 days or more include your choice of one “premium” activity like a luau, a sunset dinner sail, snorkeling with wild sea turtles or even a semi-private surfing lesson.

If you’re visiting Oahu for a week, we think the 3 day card is the sweet spot for value at $219 per adult and $189 per child. Why? In addition to great activities like the Polynesian Cultural Center, you’ll get to choose one premium activity like a snorkel boat tour. There are plenty of other high-value activities included for the other two days so that you’d easily get plenty of value from the 3-day card .

Read all about the Go Oahu card and how to make the most of it when you’re traveling to Hawaii on a budget.

Check out just a few activities you can do with your Go Oahu card :

Shaka Gold Card

The Shaka Gold Card only came on my radar after our family’s 2024 trip to Hawaii, and I’m bummed that I didn’t know about it sooner! For just a $30 membership, you gain access to meaningful discounts on some top activities. I learned about it directly from the company we sailed with on Kauai so it’s absolutely a legitimate way to get discounts.

How big are the discounts? We would have saved almost $180 on just a single activity. There are boat tours, luaus, horseback riding, zip lines and more.

>>> Get your Shaka Gold card

Entertainment Book

Remember the Entertainment Book that our families all used to buy during fundraisers in the 1980s? They’re still around. And they actually offer some pretty good deals in Hawaii on several islands!

As with most deals in the Entertainment Book , you’ll generally find 2-for-1 type coupons. You’ll find coupons for plenty of restaurants, but also coupons for wonderful attractions like the helicopter tours, snorkel rentals, Twogood Kayaks, the Bishop Museum, the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor and more. If you use it for even one or two activities in Hawaii, it’ll pay for itself. You can even choose a digital book to have all the deals at your fingertips!

>>> See all the deals available in the Hawaii Entertainment Book.

Check out more awesome things to do on Oahu with kids

Admission to National Parks in Hawaii

If you plan to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island or Haleakalā on Maui, you can get in  FREE with your America the Beautiful annual pass . For just $80 per year, you can get into nearly all federal government-run recreational lands. It will generally pay for itself in just three or four uses (or even two if you’re visiting some of the popular/expensive parks). Pick up your pass today.

Shopping for someone else? Consider these great National Park themed gifts !

Groupon and Living Social

Other great resources for saving money in Hawaii are daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social. You can find discounts on sailing trips, helicopter rides, parasailing and more. If you’re looking for things to do in Hawaii on a budget, make Groupon your first stop! Check out the deals here.

Use your memberships

You might have the key to cheap and free activities right in your wallet! If you’re a AAA member, always ask when booking hotels or activities if they offer a special rate.

And if you are a member of a science center back home that participates in the ASTC Passport program, bring your card to the wonderful Maui Ocean Center to receive free admission. It’s the perfect free activity if you’re trying to visit Hawaii with kids on a budget!

Note: The Bishop Museum on Oahu previously participated in the ASTC Passport program but appears to have left as of 2024.

Military discounts

There are almost 50,000 US military personnel and their dependents living in Hawaii (population around 1.5 million). Military families vacationing in Hawaii will find discounts almost everywhere on admission to attractions. You’ll also benefit from lower hotel rates and access to four commissaries on Oahu, plus an exchange where you can buy discounted gifts. Thank you for your service!

There are two schools of thought about “island hopping” in Hawaii as it relates to the cheapest way to visit Hawaii.

First, the “pro island hopping camp”: Flights from mainland US to Hawaii are generally long and expensive. It’s cheaper to fly to Hawaii once and visit several islands while you’re there than it is to pay for separate roundtrip airfares. This is especially true if you’re coming from the east coast or if Hawaii is a once-in-a-lifetime splurge for you! The cheapest way to travel between Hawaiian islands is to look for a deal on Southwest and use companion pass if you have it, especially if you’ll need to check a bag.

Second, the “anti island hopping camp”: If you’re trying to plan a trip to Hawaii on a budget, you’ll economize more by staying in one place. Many vacation rentals offer a weekly rate. Rental cars are much cheaper by the week – often 5 days cost more than 7 days ( see the difference here ).

If you visit two islands (or more!) you’ll have to either eat out all the time or buy small, expensive quantities of food – and then buy them again on your next stop.

Plus you have to pay to get from one island to another, often around $75 each way. You can limit that to one segment if you book an “open jaw” into one island and out of another, but check that pricing versus a regular roundtrip plus an inter-island roundtrip.

Where do we fall? We suggest that you sit back and enjoy the aloha on one island at a time! Hawaii will always be waiting for you to return. The exception is if you’ve already been to some of the islands and want to visit a new on, but flight availability isn’t great. Now that we live in the Midwest it might work out better for us to stop on Oahu or Maui en route to Kauai since it has fewer inbound flights from the mainland.

If you’re planning a family vacation to Hawaii on a budget, some of the tips we’ve already mentioned will be extremely helpful! Here’s a quick roundup:

• Look for companion pass deals for airfare
• Grab an Airbnb with a kitchen – make sure it has a decent sized fridge if you plan to shop at Costco in Hawaii
• Encourage your kids to eat fresh, local food rather than food that’s packaged and sent from the mainland (you can bring a box of cereal in your luggage if that’s a must-have)
• Bring your own car seat to avoid paying for one with your rental car
• Use your science museum membership from home for free admission to the Bishop Museum
• If possible, avoid major school break times

Obviously prices vary a ton depending on where you’re coming from and style of travel. As a baseline, domestic plane tickets to Hawaii cost $400-1200 per person in 2022. Hotel or Airbnb accommodations cost $150-600 per night. The cost of food varies tremendously, but budget at least $40 per person per day if you’ll be eating all your meals at restaurants. Even “cheap trips to Hawaii” aren’t really cheap by true budget travel standards unfortunately.

Oahu can be very inexpensive thanks to abundant choices for lodging and food, and staying in Waikiki can remove the need for a rental car. The Hilo side of the Big Island also offers good value for the money, as it’s one of the less popular tourist areas. All things considered, the Big Island is probably the cheapest island in Hawaii.

We’ve found great deals almost anytime outside of school breaks! Fall is the quietest (and thus, cheapest) time for tourism in Hawaii. January and February can also be inexpensive times for flights as long as you avoid the end of winter break and the long weekends during the season.

If you’re flying at an off-peak time of year, you can often snag deals just a week or two in advance from the west coast. For flights over holiday periods or from the east coast, you’ll want to buy your tickets several months in advance for the best deals.

Prefer a visual version? Check out our Hawaii on a budget web story !

See all of our Hawaii travel planning resources in one place Travel planning resources: Compare rental car prices for Hawaii Buy a top-rated travel insurance policy 5 simple money-saving tips for booking.com General Hawaii resources: How to visit Hawaii on a budget Renting a car in Hawaii: 10 things you NEED to know What to pack for Hawaii Is a cheap GoPro knock-off worth it? Hawaii with kids: What’s the best Hawaiian island for families? Is it worth visiting Hawaii with a baby? Ultimate packing list for Hawaii with kids Top 10 things to do with kids on Oahu The best snorkel gear for kids of all ages Oahu resources: Best Oahu travel guide book Perfect 7 day Oahu itinerary Where to stay on Oahu Family-friendly Oahu vacation rentals Cheap Places To Stay On Oahu 10 Fun Things to do on Oahu for $10 or less Getting the most bang for your buck on your Go Oahu discount card Insider tips for visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center The best beaches on Oahu (and why to visit them) Where to find the best shave ice on Oahu The best easy hikes on Oahu North Shore Oahu complete visitors guide Kayaking to the Mokes with Twogood Kayaks Family-friendly kayaking with Holokai Adventures Visiting Pearl Harbor Maui resources: Best Maui travel guide book Family Activities in Maui We Absolutely Love Perfect 3 day Maui itinerary 5 Things You NEED To Do Before You Visit Maui Cheap Places To Stay On Maui Big Island resources: Best Big Island travel guide book Perfect 5 day Big Island itinerary Cheap Places To Stay On the Big Island Kauai resources: Best Kauai travel guide book Best Things to Do with Kids on Kauai Perfect 3 day Kauai itinerary Cheap Places To Stay On Kauai

What are your secrets for how to do Hawaii on a budget?

Many thanks to our awesome partners in paradise, including Home Exchange, Smart Destinations, Polynesian Cultural Center and Twogood Kayaks; all opinions are my own.

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13 thoughts on “visiting hawaii on a budget (2024): all the tricks and tips you need to know”.

Yayyyyyyy!!! We went for our honeymoon, so I’m loving this! Now I know we can actually go back with the kids one day and not break the bank… so cool that you were able to be there for so long!

Out of all the states I have visited the only state I still have to go to is Hawaii. I always thought it is super mega expensive. Your post proves the opposite and I think it’s the time to start planning a trip. Can’t wait to go!

This is such a great post. We live in Aus and spent a month in Hawaii on our honeymoon back in 2016. Your photos took me right back. We did find accomodation so expensive, even through Airbnb- I wish we’d known about the house exchange back then! Thats such a good way to save some money while seeing the world.

I hope to visit it one day! great post #fearlessfamtrav

I’d love to visit Hawaii, but have always been turned off by the potential price! This post was awesome for me. Saving it for the future. ##fearlessfamtrav

Great tips! We loved Hawaii but not the cheapest #fearlessfamtrav

I love posts like this! Showing how seemingly expensive places are accessible for budget travellers. Good call on the Costco card, although great tips all round. Thanks for linking up to #fearlessfamtrav

Amazing tips, we are going to Hawaii on a home exchange so will already save a bit of money but these tips will be really helpful.

That’s so exciting! Which island are you visiting?

Thank you for these budget tips you shared to us. Hawaii is the best place for vacation lots of delicious foods and shopping center their. I hope i can go their next year.

I was under the impression that Hawaii is very expensive but your article proved me wrong.I would love to visit Hawaii soon

This is a great page. It’s very engaging and well written. I’ll come back from time to time for more posts like this one.

This is a really cool page. One of the best posts I’ve come across in quite a while. I hope to see more.

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How Much Does a 2024 Hawaii Trip Cost? (+ Budget Saving Tips)

What family doesn’t dream of a visit to Hawaii? The Hawaiian Islands hold incredible appeal and intrigue for families as a vacation destination. With spectacular beaches, incredible landscapes, and kid-friendly resorts, it seems easy enough to pack your bags and head across the Pacific for a Hawaii vacation. But how much does a Hawaii trip cost? We’ve crunched the numbers to come up with guidelines for a Hawaiian vacation budget.

Below is an outline of travel costs that families can use when visiting Hawaii for the first time . This includes the approximate cost of flights and accommodations, how much to pay when renting a car in Hawaii, what time of year to travel in order to save money, and how to plan for the cost of special experiences like a helicopter tour of Mauna Kea or surf lessons.

With the right planning, your family can determine how best to allocate your precious travel savings to design the Hawaii vacation package of your dreams. If you want to cut this budget down, check out these 105 tips for doing Hawaii on a budget . These are also some great tips for saving money to travel .

Hawaii Budget Assumptions

For calculating Hawaii trip costs, this post will outline pricing for two adults and two children between the ages of 6-11 , traveling from the east coast of the United States in the summer months , and spending 5 nights each on Oahu and the Big Island of Hawaii , for a total of 10 nights, 11 days.

These islands were chosen because they offer the common introductory Hawaiian experiences: Oahu is home to Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, and the North Shore, while the Big Island of Hawaii has a laid-back vibe perfect for relaxing, and is home to six of Hawaii’s nine national parks including the best options for volcano viewing and hiking. You can use this guide to pick the best Hawaiian island for your family.

I have organized the costs of a trip to Hawaii by airfare, car rental/transportation, accommodations, food, and activities , including tips and ideas for savings in each category. If you want to skip to the bottom line, a summer trip to Hawaii for a family of four for 10 nights costs approximately $16,690, or about $417.25 per person, per day. But read on to see how this breaks down and where you can save money.!

Cost of Airfare to Hawaii

Note that this post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.

The biggest cost differentiator when purchasing flights is whether your family is flying from the west coast of the U.S. or somewhere else (midwest, east coast, etc.) Expect to pay around $865-1,300 per person traveling from one of the east coast hubs in the summer months, while flights from California may be $700-900 in the summer.

Honolulu on Oahu has more flight connections to and from mainland U.S. airports than any other Hawaiian airport, so that is typically the point of arrival or departure. To maximize your vacation time, be sure to price out flying into Oahu and out of the Big Island (Kona is the largest airport on the Big Island) or vice versa.

This will save you another inter-island flight back to your initial destination for your return flight. If you choose Maui as your second island, you can often find direct flights from Maui to many U.S. cities.

Another huge cost savings can be gained by flying mid-week if at all possible. Flights in and out of Hawaii jump up in price on Saturdays and Sundays since it is primarily a leisure travel destination, not a business location.

Flight prices are also dependent on the time of year. The festive period, Thanksgiving week, and popular spring break weeks will price out similarly to summer dates, if not more. January and February are typically the cheapest time to fly to Hawaii if you have the flexibility to get away then.

For inter-island flights (like connections between the Big Island and Oahu), Hawaiian Airlines and Mokulele are your best bets. Hawaiian Airlines will feel similar to a full-service airline, and importantly, you can use or earn points on most of the major U.S. airlines like Delta and United when booking flights on this airline because of their mutual affiliation.

Mokulele is a typical low-budget airline. Expect limited service and no frills, but it certainly works and there can be significant cost savings, given that it is a very short flight time.

Prices for an inter-island flight are usually under $60 per person for a one-way flight and most flights are less than one hour in length. Do take note of flight departure times, though. It’s always best to schedule these inter-island flights for mid-day, so that your family is in the air between check-out time at one hotel and check-in time at the next hotel. Early morning departures may be a little cheaper, but then you’re stuck filling several hours before you can check into your next accommodation.

Be aware that Southwest Airlines does offer direct flights from several California airports to all the major Hawaiian Islands. Remember that Southwest prices aren’t published on flight comparison sites, so you must book directly with the airline.

For this post, I assumed that families would spend $900 per person to get to and from Hawaii, and then another $60 per person on a one-way inter-island flight. You’d want to budget for an additional inter-island flight if you need to get back to your island of arrival for your return flight to the mainland U.S., however.

I’d highly recommend signing up for Going to get alerts on flight sales to your dream destinations.

Total airfare cost: $3,840

Cost of Accommodations in Hawaii

Basic rooms that sleep four at full-service luxury resorts, like Disney’s Aulani on Oahu or Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island, price out around $700 per night in the summer months. You can easily spend $1,000 a night or more for more spacious accommodation, like larger suites or condos with kitchens at these properties.

For budget travelers, even three-star hotels in Hawaii price out at around $250-400 per night in the summer months. Often these properties sacrifice beach access or beautiful locations and expect rooms to be quite basic. But most will have that sought-after amenity of a great pool so they certainly work for families who don’t require a lot of frills.

For those who veer away from resorts and toward quieter, self-catering accommodations, expect vacation rentals to range from $250-1,500 per night in the summer. Prices on the Big Island tend to be a little lower and a better value overall than Oahu.

Keep in mind that having a kitchen may bring down your food costs, especially if you choose to cook some meals yourself, or simply prepare basic breakfasts and sandwiches and keep drinks and snacks cold. Resorts are not known for inexpensive food, after all.

Also, take note of what’s included when booking resort vacation packages in Hawaii. Some include the cost of all the on-site amenities, while others do not. Complimentary breakfast is not always a given here, either. Other properties have a big markup when it comes to daily resort fees ($30 per person per day is not uncommon). Reading the fine print is important for this style of accommodation.

Another cost-saving strategy is to book early, especially for peak summer dates. Many of the popular resorts are fully booked for July and August by February. So booking accommodation in the fall for summer travel makes a lot of sense just so you have access to all the room category options. Plus, many properties offer pay-in-advance discounts, though you’ll definitely want to invest in travel insurance should you decide to take advantage of those lower rates.

See the 9 best Maui resorts for families and the 7 best Oahu hotels for families .

I used the $700 average nightly rate for a lower category room at full-service resorts as my price calculation for accommodation costs.

Total Accommodation Cost: $7,000 for 10 nights

Transportation costs in Hawaii

Of course, if you want to get off the property of the resort and explore some of the natural beauty of the Hawaiian islands, you are going to need a way to get around. The cost to rent a midsize SUV is typically around $400 for 5 days, including taxes and fees.

Be sure to book early if you’re traveling to Hawaii during busy periods; rental cars often sell out a few weeks prior to peak travel weeks. When calculating total transportation costs, I assumed families would rent a car on both Oahu and the Big Island for the duration of their trip, plus another $150 in gas and parking fees.

Check car rental prices on Kayak

While both islands have public transportation by way of bus routes, most families find this method of travel prohibitively time-consuming to get to the various spots that interest them. For families that envision not leaving the resort much, but still want a taste of both islands, you can book a driver to take you around for the day for around $600 per day.

If you opt not to rent a car, you’ll also need to account for airport transfers. Private transfers price out around $70-150 for one-way service to various accommodations within a reasonable drive of the airport.

Total Car Rental/Transportation Cost: $950

Food Costs in Hawaii

There’s no way around it: eating in Hawaii is expensive. Many families who don’t plan ahead and take this into account have serious sticker shock when they arrive. Remember, a lot of the food has traveled by boat for over a week to get to the Hawaiian Islands.

One great rule to keep in mind, both when grocery shopping and dining out, is to look for food that is sourced locally. Not only will it be cheaper, but it will taste fresher and reduce your carbon footprint. For example, stop at markets and roadside stands for produce. It’ll be a fraction of the cost of what fruits and vegetables cost at the grocery stores and it makes for a great cultural immersion experience.

This is another example of why renting a car ultimately often saves money: because resort mini-markets are very overpriced. If you can get to a big box store to stock up on snacks or simple meal ingredients, there will be cost savings. That said, even grocery shopping is expensive. If you’re on a very tight budget, consider doing a little research in advance. Most of Hawaii’s grocery store chains are affiliated with a mainland counterpart. You may be able to use your loyalty card from home for discounts.

Naturally, dining out is also pricey. Look for accommodations that provide complimentary breakfast; this will be a huge cost saver up front. Next, aim for more reasonably priced lunches, like roadside stands or packed picnic fixings while you’re out exploring. This way, lunch will cost about $12 per person, instead of $25, which you can expect to pay at resort restaurants. Then you can indulge in lovely dinners with a little less guilt about the price tag. Expect dinner to cost around $50 or more per person, younger children who order off a kid’s menu will be significantly less.

Given that, we can assume that families of four will spend around $250 per day on food costs.

Total Food Cost: $2,500

Tours and Activity Costs

Undoubtedly the top reason families love coming to Hawaii is the natural beauty: gorgeous views, incredible beaches, and diverse landscapes. Fortunately, this is all completely free to enjoy once you arrive.

It’s quite easy to spend days exploring the islands without spending a dime other than on food and gas. Add in a few days of leisurely enjoying resort amenities, and it means activities don’t have to break the bank compared to other travel expenses.

That said, a trip here is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so families tend to want to do and see it all while here. A favorite bucket list activity can include surf lessons, which can cost around $100-200 per person for an hour or two. You may also want to visit Pearl Harbor. See more suggestions on things to do in Oahu with kids .

Most of the national parks in Hawaii are free to enter, but the three that do charge entrance fees are around $30 per car. Check to see if your resort will host a luau dinner during your stay, or plan to arrange to attend one off-site one evening. The cost is around $120 per adult and kids are usually half off (but this includes dinner).

The big ticket item is usually a helicopter tour. Costs can differ drastically based on where you go, how long, and your departure point. Generally, a tour that originates in Hilo, the rainier side of the Big Island, is a cheaper location yet offers incredible views of the volcanoes that dot the island. The cost for this for a family of four is around $1556.

Total Activity Cost: $2,400

Of course, for a vacation this expensive, you want to make sure you purchase travel insurance .

Total Cost for a 10-day Trip to Hawaii

The total cost for a 10-day trip to Hawaii for a family of four is about $16,690. This assumes nice, four-star accommodations and a few splurges on activities and meals. Of course, you may also want to budget for some souvenirs from Hawaii , we were very tempted by some beautiful paintings when we visited!

As we discussed above, families can save money on more budget accommodations, vacation rentals, preparing their own meals, staying at a resort to use the pool and beach and not renting a car or doing other activities. For West Coast families, it is also easy to visit for just a week or even five days. But if you are traveling from the East Coast and taking a 10-hour flight, you probably want to stay at least 10 days.

One of the best ways to save is to use airline, hotel, or credit card points to offset some of those expenses. If it is going to be a trip of a lifetime, save those points to make it happen!

Let’s recap the Hawaii budget breakdown:

There are cheaper locations to travel to, especially if your family merely wants sunny weather and sandy beaches. But Hawaii is one of the most unique locations in the world, with its indigenous culture, lush landscapes and rugged mountains, and incredibly luxurious yet kid-friendly resorts.

It has a correspondingly hefty price tag, but families unanimously consider a trip here money well spent, and many return year after year. Here are some tips for planning a budget trip to Hawaii .

PIN THIS FOR LATER

This guest post was written by Nicole Wiltrout. Nicole is a freelance writer and travel expert based in Indiana. She has traveled throughout North America and Europe with her children for the past nine years, including three years spent living abroad in England. She has written for a variety of websites and publications and is the author of “Dispatches from England,” available on Amazon, which chronicles her family’s time as expats. You can follow Nicole’s travels on  Arrows Sent Forth .

Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

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Publish Date: November 27, 2023

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• First Time to Hawaii
• Rental Car Advice
• Saving Money

How much for a trip to Hawaii in 2024? (Hawaii vacation budget calculator)

• 8 minute read

52 comments

You’ve seen ads for Hawaii featuring photos of beautiful beaches lined with palm trees and the bluest of blue water. Now you want to go, but you have no idea how much a trip to Hawaii costs. Where do you start? Good news, you’ve found the right place to help you estimate a Hawaii vacation budget!

In this article, I’m providing you with the easy-to-use estimates to calculate your personal Hawaii trip budget. It can’t be exact, but it will give you a rough idea of how much to start budgeting for a Hawaii vacation.

Before we jump to the calculator, it’s worthwhile to discuss why there’s not an easy answer when it comes to determining a Hawaii vacation budget. The challenges are that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer since multiple factors influence the budget.

Let’s look at some of the main factors that influence a Hawaii vacation budget:

• When you go to Hawaii. Some dates/times are cheaper than others. When demand is down, so are the price of flights and hotels. See my post on the best time to go to Hawaii for tips.
• How far you’re flying. For example, West Coast flights are usually cheaper than Midwest or East Coast flights because there is less distance, i.e. less fuel and cost.
• Whether you typically prefer budget, mid-range or luxury hotels
• The length of your stay
• Whether you prefer fine dining or eating on the cheap.
• Whether you want to go on guided tours or you’re willing to sightsee on your own.

Though we can’t wave a magic want to determine your perfect budget for a Hawaii trip, you can review the following numbers to generate your budget to Hawaii. Just remember, these are rough numbers that can vary from city to city, island to island, etc.

I recommend that you print out this page to follow along for estimating your cost to visit Hawaii. At the bottom of this post, you will see an icon to generate a printer-friendly version of this page.

Hawaii Vacation Flight Budget 

• East Coast to Hawaii – $900 per person (Note: we fly from the East Coast to Hawaii. Over our many trips to Hawaii, we’ve spent as little as $575 and as much as $1250 per person.)
• Midwest – $750 per person
• West Coast – $475 per person (We’ve seen round-trip fares as low as $124 on a fare sale, but those are rare to find.)

To estimate your flight costs:

______ cost per person   x  ______ number of travelers   = ______ estimated cost of flights

Hawaii Vacation Accommodation Budget

The cost of accommodations mostly vary based on the type of property – budget to luxury. (In our many trips to Hawaii, we’ve paid as little as $150 per night to as much as $525 and up.) In 2023, the average daily hotel rate was $378 per night per data reported by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

You can find hotels and condos that are fairly nice and clean for less than the average — especially if you are willing to book a room or condo without an ocean view. (See our article for advice on saving money on Hawaii accommodations .) You can also spend significantly more if you’re aiming for a luxury Hawaii vacation.

In addition to the hotel rate, there are more accommodation costs to add, unfortunately. Those costs are taxes and resort fees. You can’t avoid taxes, but you might be able to avoid resort fees for your Hawaii hotel .

Let’s start with taxes. Though taxes can vary slightly by island, as for 2023, plan on spending roughly 18% in taxes.

The next cost to include in your budget is resort fees. We hate these fees, but unfortunately, they’ve become the norm rather than the exception in Hawaii. Resort fees can vary significantly from resort to resort and statewide data is not tracked for these fees. Our best estimate based on our knowledge and experience would be a nightly rate of $35.

So, if we tack on taxes (18%) and resort fees (approximately $35) to the average daily rate of $378, the total comes to $481 per night. To estimate your cost for lodging using the statewide average follow this formula:

$481 (avg cost/night)   x  ______ number of nights   x ______number of rooms you need = _______ estimated cost of accommodations

(Of course you can spend more or less than $481 per night, but that gives you a starting point to estimate the cost to stay in Hawaii.)

Hawaii Vacation Rental Car Budget

You will most likely want a rental car for Hawaii sightseeing adventures. If you are staying on Lanai or in Waikiki, you might not need a rental car, but for all other Hawaii destinations, I highly recommend getting a rental car. (See more about where we advise renting a car in Hawaii .)

Depending on what you rent and which method of booking, rental car rates will vary. See our tips for saving money on rental cars in Hawaii .

Prior to the 2021 rental car shortage, including taxes, you could have expected to use a rough number of $40 per day for an economy or mid-sized car. When the demand for rental cars bottomed out in 2020, rental car companies sold off much of their fleets. Then in 2021, when more people started traveling, rental cars became difficult to find and extremely expensive in Hawaii . Though the rental car companies have increased their fleets since the 2021 shortage, prices are still much higher than before. If you can get a rate for under $75 per day with taxes, you’ve probably found a good deal. Pricing varies significantly by island and by demand. For our budgeting calculations, let’s estimate $75 per day with taxes.

To estimate your cost for renting a car, use this formula:

$75 per day   x  _______ number of days =  _______ estimated cost of rental car

Hawaii Vacation Dining Budget 

Estimating the cost to dine in Hawaii is yet another one of those factors that can range from a little to a lot.  As a rough round number, I think estimating $80 per person per day is doable without skimping too much or overdoing it. (See our tips for saving money on dining and meals in Hawaii .) That would be $20 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $40 for dinner. (By the way, it’s not unheard of to drop $45 or more for breakfast or lunch at high-end Hawaii resorts.)

To estimate your budget for meals, use this formula:

$80 per person per day x _______ number of people x _______ number of nights =   ________ estimated cost for meals

National and State Park Entrance Fees

Up until 2020, very few Hawaii state and national parks charged an entrance fee. Unfortunately, new fees have gone into effect across the islands in 2021. As such, we recommend planning some of your vacation budget spends. Each park has a different fee structure, so, again, there’s not a one-size-fits-all estimate. Some have a per-car entry fee while others have a reservation fee, plus parking fee, plus a per person entrance fee. For budgeting purposes, we recommend an estimate of $50 per person for the entire trip.

$50 per person per trip x _______ number of people = ________ estimated cost for entry fees

Total Budget for Your Hawaii Vacation

Now, add up each of the four estimates to get your budget.

Estimated cost of flights _______

Estimated cost of accommodations _______

Estimated cost of rental car _______

Estimated cost for meals ________

Estimated cost for park entry fees _________

==================================

______________ = Your rough budget to vacation in Hawaii

Example Budget for a Couple Traveling to Hawaii from the East Coast for a Week

Now, using the numbers above, I calculated the following for a 7-night Hawaii vacation for two people flying from the East Coast.

Flights = $900 per person x 2 people = $1,800

Accommodations = $481 per night  x 7 nights = $3,367

Rental car = $75 per day x 8 days = $600 (I use eight days instead of seven since most times the return hour is later than pick up.)

Dining = $80 per person per day x 2 people x 7 days = $1,120

Park entry fees = $50 per person per trip x 2 people = $100

The grand total for this example is $6,987 .

Other Expenses to Consider

These estimates do not include:

• Guided tours, such as helicopter tours, guided hikes, snorkeling excursions, etc. Hawaii offers many free and inexpensive things to see and do. Check out our post with advice on saving money on Hawaii vacation tours and activities .
• Parking fees which some hotels charge while others don’t. Be sure to determine parking costs as you consider your accommodation options.   Parking fees in Waikiki and Ko Olina on Oahu and Kaanapali and Wailea on Maui can be particularly expensive. If you choose a VRBO condo option, you are less likely to pay a parking fee. For an estimate on parking fees, plan for an average of $30 per night.
• Rental car refueling costs. Gas costs depend on the length of your stay and how much you plan to explore by car. Just one word of caution, Hawaii’s gas prices are higher than the US Mainland.
• Island hopping in Hawaii via ferry or plane

Final Thoughts

I want to reiterate that your exact costs depend on your preferences and a bit of luck. You might catch an airfare sale and save $100 to $300 per person. You might find a hotel deal that includes breakfast. I could go on and on.

If you have a Costco membership, look at their vacation packages that include hotel and car. We have often found deals through Costco Travel that include room, breakfast, resort fees and car that are significantly less than what we find anywhere else.

You can definitely spend less in each of the main categories. On the flip side, you can certainly spend more – a lot more. It’s all up to you. I just wanted to provide rough numbers that are, in my opinion, realistic, middle of the road costs.

How much money do you budget when you go to Hawaii? What is your length of stay with that budget?

When we find extraordinary deals, we let our readers know. If you’re not already receiving our free email subscriptions, carefully enter your email address at this link .

Sheila Beal

Sheila Beal is the founder and editor of Go Visit Hawaii. You can connect with Sheila Beal on Twitter , Go Visit Hawaii on Facebook , or Instagram .

Thanks! This was helpful!!

Glad to hear it’s helpful, Dawne. Thanks for the kind feedback.

Informative post, Sheila! I would also add gratuity to the list of expenses. That can add up depending on how generous you want to be for housekeeping and the wait staff when dining out.

For my upcoming Hawaii trip, I actually factored in my award miles that I’ve accrued over the last couple years. Luckily, I was able to use my miles to book my roundtrip airfare…saving up to $650 if I had paid for it.

Thanks for your comment, Michael.

I did have gratuities in mind for the dining estimates.

Very helpful, thanks for this. I think people underestimate how much things will cost and it’s important to sit down and go through a detailed list – including the little things you mention that they might not originally think of like souvenirs, tours, etc.

True, Josh. As I started to calculate the expenses for flights, hotel, car, and dining, I was surprised at how quickly it added up.

its really helpful. Will let my friends know about it.

Hey for the airfare cost the estimated flying cost you came up with is that for a round trip? or only to Hawii? I would love to know a how much I need for in a couple years Im planning to flyout there with my boyfriend!

The airfare cost is for round trip tickets.

Very useful post, thanks!

I just booked a trip to Kauai, HI for April, 2013 for 8 nights and 9 days. Roundtrip airfair, hotel and rental car, i even included resort fees, rental car taxes, and parking at the airport in my home state (Colorado). There are two of us going and NOT including meals,gas for rental car and souviners. Total was $3415.00. That is only $1707.74 a person. SO you can do alot cheaper if you look. My advice is find a reputable travel agent. They know of discounts that we cant find.. Have fun.!!

Random. We live in Colorado and are planning our first trip to Hawaii in September of this year. I’d love to know who you worked with to get you those great prices!

U did awesome. I need a lesson . did u look this up or did u have a travel agent?

Hi thank you for the great information. Will you happen to know if Nov is a good time to go to Hawaii? I know flights look like they go for cheaper, but I have no idea on the weather. Most likely to visit Maui. Thank you

Alex – See this post that provides more details on the best times to visit Hawaii – https://govisithawaii.com/2007/10/15/the-best-times-to-visit-hawaii/

Just starting our “three 50 year old gals” trip to Hawaii planning. Need all the advice we can get! this site is helpful for sure. Thanks so much.

Hello everyone, I NEED HELP!!!! My cousin has invited me to visit her in Honolulu. I always thought I would visit her in the fall so I would always check for airfare flying from san diego to honolulu in the fall, but it looks like i wont be able to visit her until March 2015…. I had not researched tickets during sprink break in Hawaii and have no idea what the average decent price to pay is. Right now im looking at Hawaiian airlines $634 per person ..is this a good price to pay as they were as cheap as $350 during fall season just last year

Laura – there’s no way to know if airfare will increase or decrease. Our guess is that it will most likely decrease. Read this article that provides strategies for finding the lowest airfare to Hawaii: https://govisithawaii.com/2010/05/10/strategies-for-finding-lowest-airfare-to-hawaii/

Sheila thank you for responding sooo quickly. I understand prices can go up or down, another family member went to honolulu from san diego for $900 last March and I really didnt believe it but then again he got his tickets 2 weeks before so I guess you never know right?

Firstly…for first timers to Hawaii found this site superb. My better I/2 and I leave next week for 7 days on Oahu (Waikiki) followed by a week on Maui (Lahania). With business class flights there and back using airmiles ($7500 Cdn for $380 round trip). Hotel in Waikki with breakfast, $1248 taxes in, and Maui same price no breakfast. Airport transfers are the $23 (Oahu) bucks and 58 (Maui). Inter island flight 55 bucks. Plan travelling on bus tours/trolley bus etc…no plans to rent a car this time around. I have just retired at 52…and hope to get to know the islands well in the years ahead. Including via a cruise. Thanks again for putting the site together. It’s solidly bookmarked!

Kev – thanks for the kind words and for sharing the costs for your upcoming trip to Oahu and Maui. Enjoy!

Dear Shelia, I have a question. I need to find three airlines that match 3600 dollars, as there are 4 people in my family. Your post was very helpful, and so I thought maybe you were the person who could find hotels that match 3600 dollars. Can you please do this for me? Thanks, Lily.

Hi Lily – a travel agent would be glad to assist you with that. (We aren’t travel agents.)

Just finished planning and budgeting our first trip to Hawaii. It’ll only be a few days, and I’m going to take the cheapest route possible, if only to serve as a reference point for our next trip.

With the flight/ hotel package, we’re paying 600 a person, leaving from California. Including meals, that brings us to about 1650. ( I don’t plan on skimping the meal budget, there has to be a limit to my frugality) I may rent a scooter to sight see or necessary travel, but I’m really hoping to not drive around too much, thus negating the rental car cost. This keeps us under 2,000 dollars. I’m still going to budget for 3,000, as I don’t want this trip to sour in the interest of saving money.

Rick – hope you beat your budget. Come back and tell us how it works out after your trip to Hawaii.

Thanks for this post! I think this is a really good starting point when planning for a Hawaii trip. These are pretty typical middle of the road budgets. My husband and I just got back from a trip this month and saved significantly by using points for flights, renting a well equipped guest house in Kona (Big Island) for $110 a night and cooking all but 3 of our dinners over 10 days (2 travel days). Our actual amount spent for the full 10 days (including travel days) was: Flights: $20 House Rental 8 nights (with cleaning and taxes): $1150 Rental Car: $241 Other Travel (airport parking + rental car gas): $180 Food: $463 Activities and Shopping (fishing charter, manta ray snorkel, tour, spa, tips, gifts: $1153 Grand Total: $3207

We intentionally saved significantly by getting groceries (and gas) at Costco and cooking our own dinners primary as well as staying in a rental guest house instead of a resort so we could splurge more on activities. I like the idea of using the numbers above to plan as a baseline with the idea that you can save if you are intentionally thrifty in some areas. I agree $50-$70 per person per day is very typical if you plan to eat every meal out. We spent $60 one night that we want out for sushi (without drinks) and even the really casual places like Pizza Hut are more expensive there (around $35 for 2 people including sodas).

Tiffany – thanks for adding your actually Hawaii trip cost numbers.

My husband and I took our honeymoon in Hawaii about a year ago and ended up spending over 7100$ between everything for 8 days. Your calculator is a great tool for a base estimate with the exception of excursion costs. If you plan on doing any excursions/sightseeing/surf lessons/pearl harbor/luaus… those can add up as quickly as food, especially if you do any helicopter rides (which avg 60$ per 10min). We split our time in Honolulu exploring Ohau and in Maui and spent probably and avg of 275$ (between us) a day on excursions alone, although I would estimate that 150-200$ a day is a more normal estimate for a couple, or 75-100$ per day per person.

Rebecca – yes, excursions do quickly add up! Thanks for adding your estimate for what you spent on tours. We do note in the article that tours are an extra expense to consider when budgeting a trip to Hawaii. However, many people don’t like going on guided tours, so including tour costs is not a Hawaii trip requirement/necessity. There are a ton of amazing things to see and do in Hawaii without ever going on paid tours. For example, seeing Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial is absolutely free, so there’s no need to pay a tour company to go to Pearl Harbor.

Regarding luaus, it’s worth noting that a luau includes dinner, so in budgeting, either budget in a dinner or a luau, but not both.

Sheila, I would like your input on a matter. I have never been to Hawaii, but have always longed to since a child. I would like to plan a trip there in the future, but I am not sure where to go. You see I am more interested in the more primitive parts of the land, as opposed to the more “touristy” part. I love the idea of the volcanos and wonderful hiking trails and being close to the naturalistic aspect of the country. But I still would like to be near some nice beaches. If you’ve seen enough of Hawaii maybe you can give me some input. Thanks!

Jasmine – check out our article that’s designed to pick the perfect island(s) for your Hawaii vacation: https://govisithawaii.com/2010/06/28/how-to-pick-the-best-hawaiian-islands-for-your-vacation/ You can download free guides and there are lots of resources. Almost every island suits your interests, but if you review the resources, it should help you hone in on the islands that seem to resonate with you the most. I will add that our favorite island for hiking is Kauai.

Thanks, for the value information.

Thanks for this information! We are travelling from New Zealand to Hawaii early 2016 and have absolutely no idea how much to expect to pay in terms of food, accommodation etc. Are all islands similar in price? We are looking at heading to Oahu and Big Island for 7 days each. I am amazed at how realistic traveling to Hawaii is for us – flights are only $1000NZD return(approx. $690USD) the biggest cost seems to be accommodation

Leah – that’s an amazing deal on flights! It costs many folks on the US mainland more than that!

The average accommodation price on Maui is higher than the other islands. Restaurant prices on Oahu seem to be a tad lower compared to the other islands. Also, you can usually get a better deal on a luau on Oahu.

My boyfriend and I went to Kauai this last October for a week and are planning for another trip in a year or two. We saved significantly on flights by using frequent flyer points. Our costs were: flight: free (would be around $800-$900 per person from the mid-west), hotel: $800 (“garden” facing room and a discount after switching from another hotel), rental car: $250, food: (estimate) $100 per day, we did spend a significant amount at Walmart on things like snacks, cases of water, and beach towels (which were nowhere to be found in Kansas in October). We did a lot of free activities, but did pay $60 to Kayak Kauai for a really stellar kayak trip and bought a lot of souvenirs (tshirts, rum, coffee, etc). We spent somewhere around $2,000 for the week. We saved huge on flights and are pretty darn cheap in most other aspects. That being said, we had a great time and plan to again! You don’t have to spend a lot to really enjoy yourself 🙂

Our daughter is serving as a camp counselor in Oahu North Shore this summer, so we (five of us) are planning to visit in late June for her birthday. Does anyone know the cost to visit the Big Island from Oahu? This might be my closest shot at seeing the Mauna Kea summit.

Brett –

You can find guided day tours to the Big Island from Oahu. They include everything like flights, ground transportation and guided tour.

A cheaper method is to plan your own trip. Use the resources on this post to price out the cost of inter-island flights: https://govisithawaii.com/2009/03/24/a-guide-to-inter-island-travel-in-hawaii/ You’d need a rental car as well. See our page on saving money on rental cars: https://govisithawaii.com/2011/01/19/7-hawaii-car-rental-money-saving-ideas/

This is very informative. We will be taking our first trip in May 2017 and this helped me a lot in knowing what to expect financially speaking.

I am planning a trip to Hawaii around jan,Feb of 2018, approximately 8 people. I’m wondering how much it might cost to fly round trip?

Look at the Flights section of the above article. It has all the resources for you to estimate your own costs.

My husband and I are planning our honeymoon to Maui in the first week of December. We would love to stay at a nice resort like the Sheraton/ Westin/ grand wailea and I’ve found good deals for this time of year but I’ve read that these get really crowded. Being that it’s an off season time do you think the beach and pools will be more quiet?

See this post about a December vacation in Hawaii: https://govisithawaii.com/2014/11/05/is-december-a-good-month-for-vacation-in-hawaii/ which indicates that early December is a very quiet time to visit Hawaii. If the hotels are busy depends on if there is a convention going on. Call the hotels directly to find out.

We are planning our first trip to Hawaii in Jun of 2018. The wife and I turn 50, it’s our 20th Anniversary, and it’s our son’s HS graduation. It’s our “Once in a Lifetime” trip! I’ve been saving for about 3 years and we’ve saved about $10K for our family of four. Our dates are just now opening up to book for June of ’18 and it’s been a bit of a shock! Looks like I’m gonna need to save at least another $3-4K before next year. The one option we may decide to use is AirBNB rather than staying in hotel/restorts. I hate the idea of my kids having to sleep on a sleeper sofa when they can sleep in an actual bed. I also hate the idea of all those resort fees and parking fees. Anyways, thanks for some great articles and tips. As much as I hate “procrastinating”, we might need to wait a little bit to see if the airfares drop more since the sweet spot recommendation for lower prices is about 5-6 months out.

Yay! I am so glad I found this article because when it comes to planning for a trip… my mind is all over the place! This made it so simpler! Like really easy and small and really the only thing I’ll have to figure costs for is the places I want to check out which should be easy to book online. Hawaii will be my second oversees trip and it is going to be with significant other and it will be our first trip so I wanted it to be fun and he wants to go too. Thank you for this article because it made it so more easier for me!

sheila your calculator is very helpful you do a great job my wife &i are planing a trip to celebrate our 54th wed aniv. oct 2018 i belive most estim. are spot on but do not forget travel insur. unless you are a big gambler many thanks for all you do

Great article! I’m planning a 10 day trip to Oahu and Big Island in May 2018. From my research and bookings this seems like pretty good estimates except for the rental car estimates. I think this was posted a few years ago. I’m finding the lowest prices on rental cars run about 75.00 per day for economy and then up into the 80.00’s for midsize and full size.

thank you so much so helpful I’m levying to night

Love this thank u so much it is helping me buget for 4 people when we go next year

The two of us just did 8 nights (4 in Kauai, 4 in Maui) for $3002 (or $1501 each) for just the flights, lodging and rental car. However, if we had just stayed in Maui, rather than flying to Kauai too, it would have only been $2502… but I was dead set on hopping over to Kauai, and it was more than worth it!. After including all other expenses like food, parking, gas, and activities (sunset catamaran, doors-off helicopter, a luau, and snorkeling), it came to $4432, or $2216 each. It helped that our flights to Maui from Austin were only $247 round trip since we purchased during the Southwest deal. Our round trip inter-island flights from Maui to Kauai actually cost more than getting to Hawaii in the first place! We also used Hotwire to get our lodging at the last minute (2 days before for each location), so we were able to get condos that are normally $300/nt for less than $150/nt. For the rental cars we used Discount Hawaii Car Rental to book them and kept checking prices up until the date of the trip to rebook if prices declined (which they did more than once, including just 2 days beforehand, so keep checking!). We booked a jeep for both locations so we could have the top down and have 4 wheel drive, but if you rent a smaller car, your rental car would be half what ours was (ours was about $475 total, both islands). Our food total was less than $200 for the entire trip, but two of our activities also provided food (dinner catamaran and luau). We only ate at sit down restaurants twice, and most of our meals (including the very best ones!) were from small markets and food trucks. The best poke we had was from Ishihara market and cost only $5 bucks for a container plus a side of rice! Our activities total was $1257. We got a military discount on many of the activities so if you are military/veteran always ask if they have one! We splurged for a private doors-off helicopter (which i absolutely recommend over doors-on, its totally worth it!) @ $310 each. $112 each for the Old Lahaina Luau, and $148 each for sunset Na Pali catamaran w/surf & turf dinner and open bar included. For snorkeling, we just rented snorkeling gear in each location and went at our leisure to various spots on the islands. We did some free activities which were just as exciting and memorable, if not more than, some of the expensive ones. These included hiking the Awa’awapuhi, Pihea & Alakai swamp trails, seeing Waimea canyon, and driving the Road to Hana (and all the fun stops along the way of course). The views on the Kauai trails and swimming in the waterfalls/beaches along the Road to Hana were unforgettable and absolute highlights of our trip, so it’s definitely possible to spend $0 on activities in Hawaii and not regret it.

Hope this info helps. We loved it so much there, we are already tentatively planning our next trip!

Been to Hawaii 5 times, recent as August this year. Probably not any more. The Australian dollar is crap, the hotel prices, drinks and costs are going through the roof. Shame as we love it.

Is there any all inclusive resorts in Hawaii? I maybe Maui

Not really — see this article about the lack of all-inclusive resorts in Hawaii: https://govisithawaii.com/2012/03/28/should-you-look-for-an-all-inclusive-hawaii-vacation/ As you will read, Hawaii doesn’t really need all-inclusive resorts.

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Hawaii is expensive, but these budget tips can make your money go a bit further © Getty Images / iStockphoto

There’s a saying in Hawaii : there’s a cost to paradise. Among the US states, Hawaii had the highest cost of living in 2022, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. The median price of a single-family home on Oʻahu is more than $1 million. And gas costs around $5 a gallon.

There are, however, plenty of low-cost (and even free) ways to enjoy the best of the islands  –  pristine beaches , local flavors, stunning natural beauty  – which will allow you to stay for longer and experience more. This guide to daily costs in Hawaii, along with top tips for budget travelers, can help you save your dollars.

As of Nov 1, 2023, all areas of Maui (except Lahaina) affected by the devastating wildfires in August are open for tourism. Respectful travel is encouraged to support Hawaii’s local businesses that rely so heavily on tourism.

Plan a fall or spring vacation

Hawaii is a year-round destination, and that’s good news for budget travelers. You can find deals on airfare and accommodations during the slower shoulder months  – September and October, January and February, April and May – avoiding peak travel times like summer, winter and spring break.

Be smart about island-hopping...

Why fly all the way to Hawaii and stay on one island? If you’re set on seeing more than one island on your vacation, you should take advantage of cheaper options on interisland airfares.

Southwest Airlines offers one-way rates that are sometimes as low as $39 with no-frills service and no assigned seating. Mokulele Airlines operates Cessna 208EX Grand Caravans that seat up to nine passengers and fly into smaller airports, offering round-trip fares for less than $200 per person.

Planning tip: If you’re on Maui and want to visit Lanaʻi , you can book a ride on the Expeditions Maui-Lanaʻi Passenger Ferry , but be aware this business was severely impacted by the wildfires and is still rebuilding. Tickets start at $30 one way and take about an hour. Bonus: if you’re traveling between islands from January to April, you may see humpback whales along the way.

...Or simply stay on one island

Island-hopping can be pricey – you’re paying for additional airfares and accommodations, and if you’re not on Oʻahu , you’ll likely have to rent a car, the price of which fluctuates with demand. 

By staying on one island , you can really explore everything it has to offer. Oʻahu is bustling, with tons of restaurants, shopping, beaches, museums and hiking trails. Maui is just as vibrant, with more country charm and quaint towns like Hana and Makawao.

Kauaʻi is the most laid-back of all the islands, with verdant landscapes, breathtaking beaches and a quieter pace. Hawaiʻi Island, aka the Big Island , boasts active volcanoes, rolling ranchland and old-Hawaii charm.

Keep your car-rental period short

While opting out of renting a car during your entire vacation may be the most cost-effective, it’s also very limiting – even on Oʻahu, which boasts a great public bus system. You’ll want to get out of resort areas and venture into different neighborhoods, find hole-in-the-wall eateries and experience the islands the way locals do.

Instead of renting a car for the duration of your stay, consider a car hire for just a few days, optimally keeping your costs under $100.

Use local ridesharing services and rentals

All of the main islands have ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, with O‘ahu featuring the best coverage. But there are new local services as well.

In June 2021,  Holoholo , a new rideshare company, launched on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Island and Lanaʻi with a wider selection of rides – hybrid, electric and luxury vehicles, rides with vaccinated drivers and drivers pre-approved to enter US military bases and options for those requiring additional mobility assistance.

Fares are based on distance and calculated up front, and rides can be scheduled in advance. Turo also recently entered the Hawaii market, offering the more affordable option of renting vehicles directly from local owners.

Hui Care Share is a round-trip, station-based car-share program on Oʻahu only, where you can book a vehicle by the hour or day, now or in the future. The service includes 170 vehicles parked at 65 stations throughout urban Honolulu  – downtown, Waikiki , Kakaʻako, Ala Moana, Mānoa, Kaimukī – and Ko Olina. The best part? Gas, insurance and roadside assistance are all included.

Take public transportation

You can also ditch the cars entirely – no worries about parking! – by using public transportation.

On Oʻahu, there's TheBus , a public bus service with a fleet of 542 buses providing daily services on 101 routes across the island. Adult fares are $3 (one way), to be paid in cash upon boarding, with discounts for seniors aged 65 and up and youth ages 6 to 17. TheBus conveniently stops at some of the island’s most popular visitor destinations, including Waikiki, Ala Moana Center, Bishop Museum , Kualoa Ranch, Polynesian Cultural Center , Pearl Harbor , Waimea Valley and Hanauma Bay.

Maui also operates a public bus system  with service in various parts of the islands, from Kaʻanapali to Upcountry .

Get around by bike

Another option is to ride around Oʻahu on a bike using the island’s only bikeshare program, Biki , which has 1300 bikes at more than 130 self-service Biki Stops throughout Honolulu.

It’s a great option for short jaunts to the beach or to grab lunch nearby. Rides cost $4.50 per bike for a single ride for up to 30 minutes, $12 for unlimited rides within 24 hours or $30 for 300 minutes to use in any increment for one year (the best option to use over an entire vacation stay).

There are fees for some of Hawaii's beaches, hiking trails and gardens

Enjoy the best parts of Hawaii – its beaches, gardens, parks and hiking trails  – without spending much.

Most beaches in Hawaii are free and accessible year-round. Some – like Hanauma Bay on Oʻahu and Hāʻena State Park on Kauaʻi – require reservations with a small fee for visitors. Pristine nature reserve Hanauma Bay has an online reservation system , limiting the number of visitors to fewer than 800 a day. It costs $25 per person to enter (free for Hawaii residents and children aged 12 and under) and another $3 for parking ($1 for residents).

To visit Hāʻena State Park  – which includes Kēʻē Beach and the start of the Kalalau Trail along the famed Nāpali Coast – you’ll need to secure a reservation and pay a $5 entry fee and $10 for parking (free for residents).

While state-run hiking trails are normally free to access, some have small fees. For non-residents, it costs $5 to hike to the top of Diamond Head (Lēʻahi in Hawaiian) on Oʻahu, plus $10 for parking (both payable by credit card only), or to visit the popular ʻIao Valley State Monument on Maui. Reserve your place in advance online .

Most botanical gardens charge a nominal entrance fee, though some, including the popular city-run Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden on Oʻahu, are free to explore.

Eat affordable local dishes: bento boxes and poke bowls 

While each island boasts upscale farm-to-table restaurants that will break your food budget, Hawaii is also known for its homestyle local cuisine. Plate lunches, bento (Japanese box meals) and poke bowls (cubed ahi, raw and seasoned, and served atop rice) are plentiful – and affordable.

Get loaded plates of teriyaki beef, shoyu chicken or hamburger steak and gravy at popular drive-ins, such as  Rainbow Drive-In on Oʻahu, Hawaiian Style Cafe on Hawaii Island and Tin Roof on Maui.

Seek out okazu-ya (Japanese deli-type eateries), which serve à la carte portions of local favorites – shoyu pork, chow fun noodles, shrimp tempura and  musubi (rice balls). Some popular ones are Kawamoto Store on Hawaiʻi Island, Fukuya Deli on Oʻahu, Honokowai Okazuya & Deli on Maui and Po’s Kitchen on Kauaʻi. And poke bowls are everywhere – affordable and filling meals you can grab even from convenience stores.

Planning tip: If your short-term rental has a kitchen, you may want to save money by cooking in. Hit up one of the many farmers markets run by the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau Federation or FarmLovers Markets . You can meet local farmers, buy fresh and local produce and even pick up artisan-made gifts, such as jams, hot sauces, cookies, vinegars and honey. Many serve prepared foods too.

Find free and low-cost activities and tours

You can still immerse yourself in Hawaii and its rich culture without a pricey lūʻau or helicopter tour through free (or cheap) classes around town .

Many hotels and malls offer free entertainment and classes in cultural practices, such as lei-making , ukulele-playing and hula. The Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki offers all that, plus lauhala-weaving and free Hawaiian entertainment.  Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel  by Outrigger on Maui provides complimentary cultural classes to its guests at its Hale Hoʻokipa; learn to hula, make tapa cloth, restring kukui-nut leis, speak short words and phrases in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and even find your way around with pānānā , or traditional navigational techniques.

On Oʻahu you can rent surfboards at stands along Waikiki Beach for about $20, or pay a little more for a lesson from a beach attendant. You can also rent surfboards, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, boogieboards with fins, snorkel gear and more from Surf in the City Waikiki .

Opt for self-guided tours to save some money. Hōlualoa Kona Coffee Company on Hawaiʻi Island offers free coffee-roasting tours and samplings for a small fee. Stroll the grounds of the state’s largest coffee grower, Kauaʻi Coffee Co , at your leisure to learn about coffee and its history in the islands.

For about $35 you can go on a walking tour of Oʻahu’s historic Chinatown district with the Hawaiʻi Heritage Center , where you learn about the rich history of the neighborhood, Chinese immigration to Hawaii and architecture. The fee includes gallery entry, visits to sites with cultural and historical significance, and food from neighborhood shops and restaurants.

Planning tip: Download the Shaka Guide app for self-guided GPS audio tours of popular attractions across the islands. Featured tours include Road to Hana on Maui, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island and Waimea Canyon on Kauaʻi. Each tour costs $20 and works offline.

A guide to daily costs in Hawaii

Hostel room: $40 to $150 a night Basic room for two: $150 to $300 a night Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): $80 (for a private room) to $6000 a night (where President Obama stayed in Kailua) Public transport ticket: Adult fares on TheBus on Oʻahu are $3 (one way), with discounts for seniors aged 65 and up and youth aged 6 to 17. Coffee: $2.25 (hot coffee at Starbucks) to $12.50 (Kona Estate coffee brewed fresh, using the Chemex pour-over brewer at Honolulu Coffee) Sandwich: $7 (Andy’s Sandwiches & Smoothies) to $13 (at Sprout Sandwich Shop) Dinner for two: $50 to $500 Beer/pint at the bar: $7 to $12

This article was first published Apr 1, 2016 and updated Nov 11, 2023.

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What does it cost to visit Hawaii?

We are all about planning, but a budget comes first. In fact, your Hawaiian vacation budget will actually dictate a lot of your planning. So, there’s no planning without a budget. 

But the costs of a Hawaiian vacation remain shrouded in mystery. There are rumors floating around that say the cost of food is sky high, that a drink will run you as much as a mainland meal and that there are surprise fees waiting for you at the check-in desk of those Hawaiian resorts. 

Some of these rumors are based in reality and are partially true, but we’re here to dispel the myths to set the record straight. Once you have a clear picture of the costs associated with your dream Hawaiian vacation, then you can begin to plan. And planning is half the fun. It gives you something to look forward to as you endure cold weather on the mainland. 

Round-trip Airfare $300-$900 

To put Hawaii’s distance into perspective, Tokyo is only eight hours from Honolulu and Sydney, Australia is 10 hours away. That puts the Asian and Australian continents closer to Hawaii than cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. 

This distance explains Hawaii’s steep airfare. Plus, airlines flying to Hawaii are under increased scrutiny from the federal government. The planes must be inspected on a regular basis, and the airlines are subjected to further licensing due to the over-water nature of the flights. There are no airports for emergency landings between the west coast of the mainland and Hawaii, so pilots have to be specially trained and the planes have to be in tip-top shape. These regulations cost the airlines extra money, and those costs are passed on to you.

A good price for a round-trip flight from the east coast runs from $600 to $900. Flights from the west coast are a bit cheaper at $300 to $600. But there are a few tricks that can help you save big on your flights to Hawaii.

How to Save on Airfare

You’ll want to block off this period of time at least two months out into the future, and you should start scanning the internet for deals at least 70 days beforehand. 

You’ll notice that flights are generally cheaper on off-days, such as Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so you might want to look at booking a Tuesday-to-Tuesday vacation. Let the rest of the world pay sky-high airfare for the more crowded Friday, Sunday and Monday flights.

Choosing when to visit the islands will also have a big impact on airfare. Hawaii is busiest during school breaks which include Christmas, New Year’s, Easter and the entire summer. But flights tend to be much cheaper in the low season and during the winter or “rainy” season. If you’re looking for cheap airfare, book flights in September, October, the end of January or February. You might also find good fares in April or May.

And don’t be afraid of the “ rainy” season . It’s only a few degrees cooler than summertime, and the rains can be quite refreshing. The mornings are usually beautiful during the rainy season, and then the humidity builds throughout the day. The humidity breaks in the afternoon with a quick rain shower, which usually creates a rainbow, and then Hawaii’s beautiful weather returns soon after. 

The most noticeable difference between Hawaii’s two seasons -- dry summer and “rainy” winter -- is the surf. The waves tend to get pretty big during the wintertime, but there are many protected beaches to enjoy, and it’s always a thrill to watch the surfers challenge the big waves. Plus, you get to enjoy the humpback whales breaching in the ocean for the breeding season between January and March.

How To Take Advantage of the 24-hour Free-cancellation Window

If you find a better flight within 24 hours, then book the new flight. After booking the new flight, cancel your previously booked flight for a full refund. Airlines usually allow you to manage your bookings online, or you can simply call your airline to cancel your flight over the phone. Then the 24-hour window starts again on your new booking. Continue hunting for the best price until your 24-hour window closes and you’re locked in.

This applies to all airlines operating in the United States except for Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines operates on much more customer-friendly terms.

The Southwest Game-changer

You’re able to fly to Lihue (Kauai), Honolulu (Oahu), Kahului (Maui) and Kona (Hawaii) from the California cities of Oakland, San Diego, Sacramento and San Jose on the low-cost carrier. The airline’s entry into the market is a game-changer for vacation planners because Southwest offers unparalleled flexibility, and a fare war has begun.

Southwest is a customer-friendly airline that offers each flier two free checked bags, and no change or cancels fees. Here’s how to use the customer-friendly airline to your advantage.

How to Use Southwest to Save on Airfare

Simply enter your origin and destination, then click “Low Fare Calendar” underneath the search matrix. You’ll be able to pick a month, and a calendar listing the cheapest fares on each day will pop up. It makes planning a dream, but the customer-friendly policies don’t stop there.

You can feel confident when you book Southwest because there is no change or cancel fees, so you can continue shopping for airfare long after you’ve booked your Southwest flights. If you find a better price, even if it’s on the same flight through Southwest, you can cancel your old flights, book the new ones and you’ll get your money back. They're just two caveats.

You can get a full refund for any flight so long as it’s within 24 hours of booking. If it’s outside that window, you’ll still get your money back, but it will be in the form of flight credit for future Southwest flights. You must use this credit within one year. After that, it expires. 

You’re also on the hook for any fare difference. There are no change fees, but if you change your flight to a more expensive fare, you’ll have to pay the difference. The good news is that if you change your flight to a cheaper fare, then you’ll be refunded the difference in either reimbursement to your credit card or with Southwest flight credit.

This credit is as good as money if you fly frequently, but it may not be desirable for those who don’t fly very often, and it’s certainly not desirable if Southwest doesn’t serve your local airport. But, if you don’t mind getting refunded in Southwest credit, then using Southwest can find you the cheapest flights to Hawaii.

You must also factor in the savings that Southwest offers with its free two-checked-bags policy. Other major American Airlines charge at least $25 per checked bag, so it may be worth it to book a slightly more expensive Southwest flight for the checked bag savings to reduce the overall flight costs. 

Inter-island Flights

Inter-island flights work much like flights on the mainland. You want to book as early as possible to get the best prices. But for years, the market has been dominated by only two airlines -- Hawaiian and Mokulele -- with Hawaiian taking more than 90% of the market share. This duopoly has created some artificially inflated flight prices in the past, but Southwest is set to change all of that.

Southwest plans on running inter-island flights, and the airline only operates one type of aircraft fleet-wide: the full-sized Boeing 737. Hawaiian and Mokulele have been operating much smaller, less comfortable planes between islands for years. 

This will open up a lot more seats for island hopping which will dramatically reduce the price. And, again, you won’t pay checked bag, change or cancel fees with the low-cost carrier, so you’ll have much more flexibility for your inter-island vacation when booking through Southwest. Just remember that you’ll have to pay fare difference if you change to a more expensive flight on Southwest, but there will be no extra fee for the change. Most American carriers charge anywhere from $75 to $150 for the privilege of changing your flight, and you’ll also be on the hook for any fare difference. 

Rental Car - $60 per day

Some rental car companies will allow you to use a debit card to rent a vehicle, but you’ll need a few extra documents. First, you’ll need to show the representative that you have a departing flight booked that coincides with your rental car return. Secondly, you’ll have to produce two forms of photo identification. And you should expect the hold amount to be larger when using a debit card.

We recommend that you get insurance for your Hawaiian rental car. Some of the roads are a bit rough on the islands, and you might need to park or drive on rather rough surfaces. Many credit cards offer very good insurance, so you should call your credit card company to inquire about coverage. Some cards, like the Chase Sapphire Card, offer primary insurance for any damage to the vehicle so long as you turn down all of the rental car company’s optional insurance packages. If your credit card offers inadequate insurance, then it’s best to pay a little extra for the rental car company’s insurance.

You can expect to pay about $60 per day for a rental car with insurance for your Hawaiian vacation. But a rental car can save you money during your trip. Most of Hawaii’s amazing activities are free so long as you can get to that beach, trailhead or waterfall. Without a car, you’ll be relying on tours, Uber or taxis. And those rideshare charges really add up.

How to Save Money on a Rental Car

You’ll just have to factor in transportation costs. These local companies do not operate at the airports, so you’ll need to get a shuttle, Uber or taxi to their office. Add this extra cost when considering an island beater.

You can also choose to forgo a rental car for a scooter for as low as $20 per day. You do not need a motorcycle driver's license to rent a 50cc scooter in Hawaii, and these low-powered bikes get incredible gas mileage to save you money at the pump. Unfortunately, 50cc engines are not very big. The bikes won’t go much over 30 mph. 

You can still get just about anywhere on the islands, but it may take you more time, and you’ll have to drive off to the right side as traffic passes you on high-speed roads. But you can park anywhere, you get 360-degree views of the drive and it’s really fun to ride a scooter. You’ll just have to get yourself to the scooter office from the airport, and that’s an extra charge in an Uber or Taxi.

Accommodation - $18 to $1,000 per night

There is a wide range of accommodations on the islands. You can choose to pitch your own tent at a campsite for $18 per night, stay at a homeshare, choose a mid-range hotel for $100 to $200 per night or rock a luxury resort for up to $1,000 per night. Generally, the further away from the beach, the cheaper the nightly rate no matter the accommodation.

How to Save Money on Accommodation

If you don’t want to rough it, but you still want to save money, then you have two options. You can look for a homeshare where prices can vary wildly, or you can choose a budget hotel. If you’re traveling with other adults, then you should definitely look at a homeshare to split the costs and save money. But, if you’re traveling alone, as a couple or as a family, then your best bet may be a budget or mid-range hotel.

We recommend that vacationers book a hotel with air conditioning as Hawaii’s humidity can be a shock. This amenity is usually included on the mainland. But in Hawaii, electricity is rather expensive, so air conditioning isn’t a standard amenity. It’s more of a luxury. So, to save money, simply book the cheapest hotel with the air conditioning on the island, and it doesn’t matter where it is because you can always drive yourself to the island’s main attractions. It’s essentially a box where you keep your stuff while you adventure.

And you can even indulge in resort amenities while staying at a budget hotel. Most of Hawaii’s best resorts offer day passes that grant you access to pools, hot tubs, saunas, and gyms. And many resorts offer free day passes with the purchase of a spa treatment. So you can still live like royalty even when traveling on a budget in Hawaii.

Hawaii Hotel’s Dubious Resort Fees

Eating and Drinking - $10 to $50 per meal

Don’t worry because you can still save a lot of money on food if you know where to go. Some islands have Costco, so, if you’re a member, you can load up on bulk items at the outset of your vacation to save some coin. And nearly all islands have Walmart where you’ll find amenable prices. And these big box stores should be your first stop after you pick up your rental car for things like water, snacks and energy bars. 

If you have a kitchen and a fridge at your accommodation, then you may want to pick up some ingredients to make a few meals. You’ll have to do a bit of math, however, because some of your staple ingredients may be a bit expensive, so you might be better off eating out. But you can always save money on breakfast. Ingredients like eggs, toast, and cheese are affordable and make for a tasty, quick meal. 

But the biggest food savings happen at local stores and at farmer’s markets. The food you’re used to on the mainland is expensive because of the shipping costs, but food grown on the island is rather cheap. You’ll find an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables at your local farmer’s market, and any store selling locally prepared foods will have the best prices. You can usually find a schedule of farmer’s markets online. Just make sure to get there early because the best producers usually sell out quickly.

If you’re looking to eat out, you can expect to pay higher prices than you’ll find on the mainland. If you’re coming from an expensive city like Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco, then the prices won’t be too much of a shock. But, if you’re coming in from any other part of the mainland, then $15-$20 for breakfast, $15-$25 for lunch and $30-$50 for dinner may sound steep.

Drinks are on par with the mainland’s expensive cities. You can expect to pay between $5 and $10 for a beer or wine, and at least $10 for a cocktail. You may want to think about buying a few six-packs at Walmart at the outset of your trip if you want to save on booze during your Hawaiian vacation.

Parking, National Park Fees and Fuel - $45 per day

You can cut down on fuel costs by planning your day trips efficiently. For example, if you visit the west side of Kauai, make sure to see Waimea Canyon , Kalalau Lookout, and Polihale Beach all in the same day to avoid another drive out west. And if you’re torn between one activity or another, then choose the closest one.

But these fees are unavoidable. After all, is said and done, you can expect to pay about $45 day for fees and fuel.

Activities - $0 to $1,000 per person

Day 1 “Active” -- Challenge your favorite hike. Day 2 “Semi-active” -- Join a guided tour to see a part of the island otherwise inaccessible. Day 3 “Rest” -- Lounge on your favorite beach, get a spa treatment or enjoy your hotel’s pool.

Using this cycle, you’ll join two guided tours per week. Most tours cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per person. But some tours, like helicopter rides or skydiving, can run you a few hundred dollars.

Of course, tours are absolutely optional. You can simply lounge on the beach all week to spend $0 on activities during your Hawaiian vacation, but tours are highly recommended. An experienced guide can take you to otherwise inaccessible parts of the island for a truly unforgettable experience, and there’s simply no other way to access places like Molokini Crater on Maui.

And feel free to sprinkle luaus and nightlife on top of this cycle. A good luau will cost $100, or more, and nightlife is rather expensive on the islands, so you may want to “pre-game” in your hotel with store-bought drinks before heading out for the night. 

Most of these costs are unavoidable but don’t confuse value for the price. Do your research , find the highest rated tours and book with confidence. Just expect to spend about $100 per tour day.

Optional -- Shopping, Spa Treatments, and Supplies

Spa treatments in Hawaii are highly recommended. You can enjoy an incredibly relaxing lomi lomi massage on the beach, receive tropical fruit skin therapies or enjoy a Japanese soaking tub while tranquil music plays in a world-class resort. Spa treatments will run you about $120, but they are totally worth it, especially if the purchase gets you to get a free day pass to the resort.

And you’re likely to need something when you’re in Hawaii. You might run out of sunscreen, need a hat or you may want to purchase some bug spray during your stay. Something will inevitably pop up but just prepare for high prices. Most supplies are shipped in from the mainland, and that transportation cost is rolled into the price. And there’s simply no avoiding the steep prices unless you want to buy in bulk at Costco.

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How Much Does a Trip to Hawaii Cost?

Hawaii is a dream destination for many travelers, offering stunning beaches, lush landscapes, and a rich cultural heritage. However, planning a trip to the Hawaiian Islands can be daunting, especially when it comes to budgeting.

In this cost guide, we’ll explore the various expenses you can expect during your dream Hawaii vacation, and provide tips to help you plan an unforgettable experience without breaking the bank.

For a 3-week trip to Hawaii for a couple staying in a mid-range condo rental, flights, domestic flights, car rental for each island, and meals, the estimated cost is between $4,000 to $5,000 per person .

NerdWallet writes that a typical 10-night trip for a family of four during the peak summer travel season is approximately $12,296 for a four-star beachfront resort, with a 10-day rental car. During the shoulder season, the cost drops to $7,602 for a three-star hotel with a 7-day rental car.

Budget Your Trip notes that a two-week trip to Hawaii for one person costs around $4,782 , and for two people, it costs around $9,565 . This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and some activities.

According to The Hawaii Vacation Guide , a 10-day trip to Hawaii in June 2023 for a family of four is quoted to cost $13,493 . This includes airfare, hotel, rental car, food, and activities.

Flight Costs to Hawaii

Airfare is often the biggest expense when traveling to Hawaii. Prices can vary greatly depending on the time of year, airline, and departure city. On average, round-trip flights from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii can range from $500 to $1,200 per person . However, it’s possible to find deals, especially during shoulder seasons or by booking well in advance. Flexibility with travel dates and airlines can also help you secure more affordable fares.

Accommodation Options and Prices

Hawaii offers a wide range of accommodation options, from luxurious beachfront resorts to budget-friendly hostels. The cost of your stay can vary significantly based on the type of accommodation, location, and amenities you choose.

• Luxury Resorts : Expect to pay  $400 to $1,500 per night  for a luxury resort in prime locations like Waikiki Beach in Honolulu or Wailea on Maui.
• Mid-Range Hotels and Condos : For a comfortable condo or hotel in Hawaii, you can expect to pay $200 to $500 per night , depending on the island and location.
• Budget Accommodations : Hostels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds offer more affordable options, with prices ranging from  $50 to $200 per night .

Daily Food and Dining Expenses

Dining in Hawaii can be relatively expensive, especially if you opt for high-end restaurants or eat at resort establishments. However, there are also plenty of budget-friendly options available.

• Resort Dining : Expect to pay  $20 to $50 per person  for a casual meal at a resort restaurant.
• Mid-Range Restaurants : A sit-down meal at a mid-range restaurant will typically cost  $15 to $30 per person .
• Local Eateries and Food Trucks : For a more budget-friendly option, consider local eateries and food trucks, where you can enjoy delicious meals for  $8 to $15 per person .
• Groceries : Stocking up on groceries and preparing some meals yourself can also help reduce food costs. Expect to spend around  $50 to $100 per person per week  on groceries.

Transportation Within Hawaii

Getting around the Hawaiian Islands can be an additional expense to consider. While some areas are walkable, you’ll likely need some form of transportation to fully explore each island.

• Rental Cars : Renting a car can cost  $50 to $100 per day , depending on the type of vehicle and rental company.
• Public Transportation : Some islands, like Oahu, have decent public transportation systems, where a daily pass can cost around  $5 to $10 .
• Taxis and Rideshares : For shorter distances or occasional use, taxis and rideshares like Uber or Lyft can be an option, with fares ranging from  $10 to $50  or more for longer trips.

Activity and Entertainment Costs

Popular attractions and their entry fees.

Hawaii offers a wealth of attractions and activities, many of which require entry fees or tour costs. Here are some popular options and their approximate costs:

• Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona Memorial :  Free , but reservations are required for the boat tour.
• Dole Pineapple Plantation :  $8 to $20  for various tours and activities.
• Volcanoes National Park :  $30 per vehicle  for a 7-day pass.
• Luau :  $80 to $150 per person , depending on the luau and package inclusions.

You might also like our articles about the cost of a trip to the Bahamas, Jamaica , or Thailand .

Adventure and Cultural Activity Prices

If you’re seeking adventure or want to immerse yourself in Hawaiian culture, there are numerous options to consider:

• Snorkeling or Scuba Diving :  $50 to $200  for equipment rentals, boat tours, and guided experiences.
• Surfing Lessons :  $60 to $150  for a group or private lesson.
• Hiking Tours :  $80 to $200  for guided hikes, such as the Road to Hana on Maui.
• Cultural Workshops :  $50 to $150  for activities like hula dancing, ukulele lessons, or traditional Hawaiian crafts.

Free and Low-Cost Activities in Hawaii

• Beaches : Hawaii boasts numerous stunning beaches that are free to visit and enjoy.
• Hiking Trails : Explore scenic hiking trails in state parks and natural areas, often at no cost.
• Art and Cultural Festivals : Attend local festivals and events that showcase Hawaiian art, music, and culture, with minimal or no admission fees.
• Farmer’s Markets : Visit local farmer’s markets to sample fresh produce, enjoy live music, and soak up the local atmosphere, often for free or a small fee.

Additional Expenses to Consider

Travel insurance.

While not mandatory, travel insurance can provide peace of mind and protect you from unexpected expenses during your trip. The cost of travel insurance typically ranges from 4% to 8% of your total trip cost .

Shopping and Souvenirs

Bringing home souvenirs and mementos from your Hawaii vacation is a common practice, but it can add to your overall expenses. Allocate a reasonable budget for shopping, depending on your interests and preferences.

Unexpected Costs

Always budget for unexpected costs, such as medical emergencies, lost luggage, or other unforeseen circumstances. Setting aside an emergency fund of $500 to $1,000 can help cover any unplanned expenses.

Tips for Saving on Your Hawaii Trip

Traveling during off-peak seasons.

Visiting Hawaii during the shoulder seasons (April-May or September-October) or the off-peak season (late fall through early spring) can result in significant savings on flights and accommodations. Prices can be 20% to 50% lower compared to peak travel times.

Finding Deals and Vacation Packages

Keep an eye out for special deals and vacation packages offered by airlines, hotels, and travel companies. These bundled offers can provide substantial discounts on flights, accommodations, and sometimes even activities or discount Hawaii car rentals.

Budgeting for Your Trip

Careful budgeting and advance planning are crucial to ensuring an affordable Hawaii vacation. Create a detailed budget that covers all potential expenses, including flights to Hawaii, accommodations, food, activities, transportation, and miscellaneous costs. Stick to your budget, and consider setting aside a dedicated travel fund to save up for your dream trip gradually.

Final Words

With proper planning and budgeting, a Hawaii vacation can be an incredible and affordable experience. By understanding the various costs involved, prioritizing your expenses, and taking advantage of deals and discounts, you can create memories that will last a lifetime.

Start planning your Hawaii trip today, and get ready to experience the beauty, culture, and hospitality of these remarkable islands.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to go to hawaii for a week for one person.

Based on averages, a one-week trip to Hawaii for one person can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $3,500 , depending on your travel style and preferences.

This estimate includes round-trip airfare ( $500 to $1,200 ), mid-range hotel or vacation rental ( $700 to $1,400 for 7 nights ), daily expenses for food in Hawaii ( $50 to $100 per day ), rental car ( $300 to $500 ), and some activities and entertainment ( $200 to $500 ). However, costs can be higher or lower based on your specific choices and travel dates.

What is the cheapest time of year to visit Hawaii?

The cheapest time to visit Hawaii is generally during the shoulder seasons (April-May or September-October) or the off-peak season (late fall through early spring). During these periods, airfares, hotel rates, and activity prices tend to be 20% to 50% lower than during the peak summer and holiday seasons.

By traveling during these times, you can often find significant discounts and enjoy fewer crowds.

Is Hawaii expensive to eat out?

Eating out in Hawaii can be expensive, especially if you primarily dine at resort restaurants or high-end establishments. However, there are also plenty of budget-friendly options available.

• Resort Dining: Expect to pay  $20 to $50 per person  for a casual meal at a resort restaurant.
• Mid-Range Restaurants: A sit-down meal at a mid-range restaurant will typically cost  $15 to $30 per person .
• Local Eateries and Food Trucks: For a more budget-friendly option, consider local eateries and food trucks, where you can enjoy delicious meals for  $8 to $15 per person .

To save money on food, consider stocking up on groceries and preparing some meals yourself, which can cost around $50 to $100 per person per week . Additionally, take advantage of happy hour specials, and early bird discounts, and seek out local recommendations for affordable dining options.

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This is How Much Your Trip to Maui Will Cost (And Ways to Save)

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You’ve seen the pictures on Instagram. Your best friend came back tan and with approximately 847 pictures to show you. You finally decide that a trip to Maui is in the cards for you, and you’re ready to go now. 

But how much does a trip to Maui cost?

Stop searching, and stop guessing. We have the best estimate to start planning with right here. 

A trip can be as expensive or as cheap as you like. From our calculations, a one-week vacation to Maui for two people will cost an average of $5,120.

Of course, there are other variables to consider. Let’s dive into the details so you can put together a better estimate of how much your dream trip to Hawaii will cost.

How much does it cost to fly to Maui?

Airline prices fluctuate wildly depending on where you’re coming from.

Flying from the west coast, you’ll be able to snag some well-priced flights for $350+ round trip.

Flying from the midwest or east coast, and you’re looking at closer to $700+ per flight.

Planning ahead and flying during quieter periods can bring your costs down significantly, so if you’re just starting your Maui planning, try not to set a date until you’ve found flights.

If you’re flying from anywhere other than the west coast, you’ll likely find the cheapest flights have a layover in California (either San Francisco or LAX) or on Oahu, or both! Pick your flight based on your tolerance level with layovers.

The average cost for two? We’ll estimate that you’re coming from Chicago in May, with prices currently right around $600 round trip.

Average round-trip ticket cost: $1,200 per couple

How much does a rental car in Maui cost?

When you first look at rental car prices you might be tempted to not rent a car. Don’t do it!

Relying on public transportation on Maui is not a great idea. There are so many things to do on Maui that you don’t want to be stuck at your hotel for the duration of your trip.

If you want to stay at your resort for an entire vacation there are plenty of cheaper vacation destinations where you can do that. 

Rental car prices range from $20 – $90 per day, plus applicable taxes and fees.

If you don’t want to rent a car for the duration of your trip, there might be rental car offices closer to your hotel or condo that you could rent for a day or two. But most visitors choose to get a rental car for their stay so they can explore and enjoy all that the island has to offer.

Average rental car cost: $400 for the week (including gas)

Related article:  Should You Rent a Car on Maui? This is How to Decide

How much do hotels cost in Maui?

Here is where you can really control your costs. Prices for accommodations vary wildly on the island and you can find budget rentals starting around $120 per night all the way to luxe accommodations like the Grand Wailea for $500+ per night.

If you’re looking for budget-friendly options, you can find some of the best prices by booking a rental home rather than a hotel. Vacation rental homes averaged  10% less than hotel rates  in 2019. 

Not only does this help you save on your per night cost, but your food bill goes down rather significantly when you rent a home.

Another budget-friendly option is renting a cabin or a canvas tent (aka, glamping) at Olowalu. 

If you’re coming for a hotel experience and you’d like to be in a nice, mid-range hotel close to the beach, you’ll spend $250 – $400 a night. 

Booking some of the nicest properties on the island will be $500 and up. 

For this average, we’ll say that you’re staying in a mid-range resort for $350 a night for six nights. 

Average hotel cost: $2,100 for six-nights

Related article:  Hotel vs Airbnb: How to Decide What is Best for Your Vacation

How much should you budget for food on Maui?

Food on Maui, like pretty much everything else, isn’t cheap.

But just like hotel costs, you can adjust your spending to fit your budget. 

If you plan to stay at a resort and eat the majority of your meals in or near the resort, plan on spending top dollar (and possibly not getting the best quality).

You can plan on paying $20 per person for breakfast, $25 per person for lunch, and $50 per person for dinner — and the costs can go up depending on the type of restaurant and your beverages of choice. 

That would bring your food total to $1,400 for two people for the week. 

If that’s not in your budget, don’t worry.

You can significantly reduce the amount of money you spend on food by eating away from the resort and making a stop at Costco/Walmart/Target. Pick up breakfast food to keep in your room and plan on skipping that cost daily. 

And head outside of the resorts and the touristy areas to get excellent food at much more reasonable prices.

Fish tastes just as great (maybe better?) not eaten at a beachfront restaurant.

Plus, there are food trucks galore on this island, serving up food that is just as good as what you’ll get in any restaurant on the island. We eat at least one meal each week at a food truck and they’ve been some of our best meals. 

Rental homes rates aren’t necessarily much cheaper than resorts, but the real cost savings can come from using the kitchen.

If you plan to eat two of your three meals at home and go out to eat once a day on your week-long vacation, you’re looking at huge cost-savings. 

If you go for a mid-range option — eating at resort restaurant occasionally while hitting up food trucks and grocery stores, you’re looking at an average cost of $55 per person, per day for food. 

Average food cost: $770 for seven days of food

How much is recommended for spending money on Maui?

When visiting Maui you can have a great vacation spending $0 or $1,000 on activities.

There is so much to do on this island that is free or inexpensive, but there are also some pretty magical activities that you might want to spring for.

Here are some Maui activities, with average pricing, to help you plan:

• Luau: $120 per person
• Snorkel trip to Molokini: $110 per person
• Surf lessons: $65 per person
• Sunset cruise: $75 per person
• Whale watching: $50 per person
• Snorkel rental: $10 per day
• Surfboard rental: $25 per day
• Stand Up Paddle rental: $35 per day
• Haleakala biking: $225 per person
• Helicopter ride: $285 per person

Combine those with some of the great, less expensive (or free) things you can do on this island, and you’ll have a trip full of adventure. 

As you can see this can really range, but for this calculation, we’ll say you’re going to go to a luau, go on a snorkel trip, rent snorkel gear for three days, and take a surf lesson. That’s a total activity cost of $325 per person.

Average activities cost: $650 for a week of activities

Related articles: 

• 10 Best Lahaina Happy Hours
• The 14 Things to Do on Maui on a Budget

Grand total: how much is a week vacation to Maui?

So how much will seven days in the Valley Isle cost you? 

Using the basic assumptions above, the total cost for a week vacation to Maui is $5,120. 

As we mentioned, there are plenty of ways to bring down this cost:

• Book with airline miles
• Use points at a hotel
• Find cheap or free activities
• Rent a house to cook most of your meals in. 

You can make your dream trip to Maui as cheap or as expensive as you want. No matter how much you spend, you’ll still have a great time.

To save money on your Hawaii vacation, we  share our favorite  and tested Hawaii discount sites, activities, travel gear, and deals on accommodations in our  Hawaii Recommendations section . Take a look, your Hawaii vacation will thank you.

I'm the co-founder, with my husband Jordan, of The Hawaii Vacation Guide. We have lived on Maui and Oahu and continue to travel, experience, and learn about the Hawaiian Islands. We travel with our kids, Henry and Edith. I am a planner! I love to plan trips from the mainland and island-hopping adventures, excursion days, and everything in-between. I spend a lot of my time in Hawai'i on a SUP and my favorite time of year in Hawai'i is whale season!

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How much does a trip to Hawaii cost?

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• Hawaii travel budget

If you’re planning on travelling to Hawaii, you’re probably wondering how much you need to budget for your trip. While your travel costs will depend on your travel style, generally speaking Hawaii is best for travellers with some spending money.

Accommodation costs are generally on the high side and food and drinks are relatively expensive. Many of Hawaii’s best attractions are rather expensive to visit and, while some activities could set you back a fair amount, there’s plenty to do at lower price points too.

How much should I budget for a trip to Hawaii?

A reasonable budget for two for a week in Hawaii is around $3,273 .

The above cost is based on staying in good, mid-range accommodation and having a few meals out per week, while preparing some yourself . It makes allowances for a couple of sightseeing activities, but doesn’t take into account expensive activities like adventure sports or private tours.

Generally speaking, the longer you travel, the cheaper it costs per day, while fly-in, fly-out trips can be more expensive.

How much does accommodation cost?

You can expect to spend between $200-$300 a night, per couple, on accommodation in Hawaii. This will get you a private room with your own bathroom in a 3-4-star hotel or apartment rental.

Hostels are, of course, cheaper, but a private room with a shared bathroom will still cost around $85 per night. A bed in a dorm room also averages around $35 per night, per person, although there are definitely cheaper options out there.

Accommodation costs in Hawaii do vary depending which island you are visiting. Maui tends to be the most expensive island to visit in Hawaii, although it's also home to many luxury resorts, followed closely by Kauai. Staying on the Big Island or Oahu, on the other hand, is much cheaper.

How much should I budget for food and drinks in Hawaii?

Budget to spend around $725 for two for a week in Hawaii. This assumes you’re cooking some of the time and drinking some alcohol.

If you enjoy eating out, you can expect to pay around $84 for a nice dinner for two, including an alcoholic drink. A meal at a pub is likely to be around $58 for two, with cheaper meals available (especially for lunch) for around $17 each.

Assuming that you’ll be eating out some of the time, budget at least $80 a week for groceries. If you enjoy a few drinks, you’ll need to increase this amount – beer costs around $3.65 for a 500ml bottle and good bottle of wine is around $15 , from a shop, although there are cheaper options available. Milk typically costs around $1.65 for a two-litre bottle and you can expect to pay around $5 for a cappuccino from a local café.

If you're on a budget, consider heading to the grocery store rather than eating out. Going out for breakfast tends to be cheaper than lunch or dinner, and mall food courts or food trucks can be a good options for cheaper meals.

How much does it cost to get around Hawaii?

Getting around Hawaii is easiest with a bus. Transport costs fluctuate depending how much you travel, but budgeting around $140 for two per week is a good starting point. This should allow you to take a couple of longer bus trips. If you’re planning on doing any tours or using hop-on hop-off buses, you’ll need to up your budget a bit.

If you want more flexibility, you can, of course, hire a car . Driving on Hawaii is relatively straightforward and rideshare apps such as Uber are a more affordable alternative.

If you want to travel between islands, the best way is to fly. Flights are usually reasonably affordable, however, we haven't included internal flights in this budget. You can also take a ferry between Maui and Lana’i for about US$30 per person.

What should I expect to spend on activities?

A lot of the best things to do in Hawaii are free. However, there definitely are some attractions that cost money – entry fees to a museum or an art gallery are usually around $40 - $180 per person. If you want to do organised day trips or join smaller tour groups to learn more about some of the sites, budget around $175 per activity per person.

Water sports and adventure activities can easily drive up the costs of your trip. Here are some prices for popular activities and day trips in Hawaii:

Traditional luau - USD 125 - 200

Snorkelling with turtles - USD 85

Half-day snorkelling and dolphin watching tour - USD 150

Pearl Harbour tour - USD 150

Helicopter tour - from USD 280

Hawaii is a beautiful destination to visit and although it’s not cheap, it’s definitely possible to travel there for less. Cooking your own meals, carefully selecting accommodation or limiting meals out will definitely help you to reduce your travel costs. Slow travel is another great way to help your budget to stretch further, while exploring a place in more depth.

Travelling through Hawaii is definitely possible on a budget – just pick your priorities and compromise on the rest or consider travelling in the off-season and avoiding school holidays to cut down on costs. And, if you’re on the luxury end of the scale or wanting to treat yourself, the sky’s the limit.

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Last Updated 10 November 2022

What is the Cheapest Hawaiian Island to Visit?

Do you dream about visiting hawaii but don’t have a huge travel budget keep scrolling to find out what is the cheapest hawaiian island to visit, this post about what is the cheapest hawaiian island to visit was written by marcie cheung (a hawaii travel expert) and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, i may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog..

Aloha, travelers! Hawaii, with its golden beaches and shimmering waters, is a dream vacation spot for many.

It’s a place where you can listen to the sound of ukuleles, watch hula dancers, and relax under a palm tree.

But let’s be real, vacationing in paradise can sometimes tug at our wallets. That’s why budgeting is key.

Why should you take my advice? I’ve visited Hawaii more than 40 times and bring a depth of firsthand Hawaii expertise unmatched in the travel sphere.

Ever wondered which Hawaiian island lets you enjoy all the magic without emptying your bank account?

Let’s dive into finding out the most affordable Hawaiian island to visit.

Want to skip all the planning and just access my detailed Hawaii itineraries complete with daily schedules, fun activities, and travel hacks? Click the button below.

Factors Influencing Cost of a Hawaiian Vacation

When dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway, it’s easy to picture yourself in a luxurious resort, sipping a tropical drink, and listening to the waves.

But, like any other vacation spot, the cost of a trip to Hawaii can vary. Several things can influence how much you spend.

Time of Year: Peak vs. Off-Peak Seasons

Just like there are times when ice cream shops are super crowded, Hawaii has its own busy and quiet periods.

Visiting during peak seasons like summer and winter holidays might mean higher prices. But if you come during the off-peak times, you could catch some cool discounts.

Transportation: Flights and Getting Around Hawaii

Plane tickets can sometimes be as unpredictable as the weather. Prices can shoot up during popular travel times.

And once you’re in Hawaii, hopping between islands isn’t free. Always check for deals and consider if you really want to visit multiple islands or just stick to one.

Accommodation: Sleeping in Style or Saving Pennies

Hawaii boasts breathtaking luxury resorts, but they come with a price tag. On the brighter side, there are plenty of budget-friendly options like motels, hostels, and vacation rentals that won’t break the bank.

Activities: Fun Times on a Dime

Sure, there are super famous tourist spots that everyone talks about. And some of them might be a bit pricey.

But guess what? Hawaii is filled with incredible activities that are absolutely free! Think of beach days, hikes with mind-blowing views, and local festivals.

When planning your trip, it’s smart to think about these factors. They can help you figure out how to get the most aloha for your dollar!

Overview of Each Island’s Cost Factors

Hawaii is a true paradise, with each island offering unique experiences. While some islands are buzzing hubs of activity, others offer a serene escape.

But which one will give you the best bang for your buck? Let’s dive into the cost factors of each.

The Gathering Place , Oahu is Hawaii’s most populous island and home to the capital city, Honolulu.

Direct International Flights

If you’re coming from afar, Oahu is a primary entry point, which means competitive flight prices.

Affordable Public Transport

TheBus system in Oahu is both efficient and budget-friendly, making it easier to explore the island without a car.

Touristy Spots Can Be Pricey

Places like Waikiki can be expensive, from dining to activities.

With popularity comes crowds, which could lead to higher prices and less personal experiences.

Known as The Valley Isle , Maui offers a blend of stunning beaches and lush mountains.

Mix of Accommodations

Whether you’re looking for a beachfront resort or a cozy bed & breakfast, Maui has you covered.

Diverse Activities

From the Road to Hana to whale watching, there’s a range of experiences that cater to different budgets.

Entrance Fees

Attractions like the Haleakalā National Park come with fees.

Rental Car Necessity

To truly explore the island’s beauty, you might need to rent a car.

Big Island (Hawaii)

The Island of Adventure , Big Island boasts everything from volcanoes to rainforests.

Diversity in Accommodations

From luxury resorts in Kona to affordable stays in Hilo, there’s something for every pocket.

Free Natural Attractions

Visit places like the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and many beaches without spending a dime.

Size of the Island

Its vastness means you’ll likely need to rent a car to explore fully.

Variable Weather

Different regions can have contrasting climates, so you might end up spending on unexpected gear or clothing.

The Garden Isle is a haven for nature lovers, boasting dramatic cliffs and verdant landscapes.

Nature-based Activities

Many of Kauai’s best experiences, like hiking the Na Pali Coast or visiting Waimea Canyon, are free.

Less Commercial

Fewer tourists mean a more laid-back vibe and sometimes better prices.

Fewer Flight Options

Kauai isn’t as big a hub as Oahu or Maui, potentially meaning pricier flights.

Limited Nightlife

If you’re looking for bustling nightlife, Kauai might not be your first pick.

Lana’i & Moloka’i

These lesser-visited islands provide a more authentic Hawaiian experience.

Less Touristy

Fewer visitors mean you’re likely to find untouched beauty and solitude.

Potentially Cheaper Accommodations

While choices are limited, you might find some great deals, especially outside the peak seasons.

Less Developed

These islands aren’t as commercialized, so expect fewer amenities.

Fewer Budget Dining Options

With fewer restaurants, prices might be higher, and choices might be limited.

In the end, the “cheapest” island hinges on what kind of experience you’re looking for. Each Hawaiian island offers its own unique charm and attractions.

With a bit of planning, you can find the perfect balance between adventure and budget, ensuring memories that’ll last a lifetime.

Whether it’s the bustling streets of Waikiki or the serene landscapes of Lanai, Hawaii awaits with its spirit of Aloha!

7 Tips to Save on Your Hawaiian Vacation

With a little bit of smart planning and some insider tips, you can enjoy paradise without emptying your bank account. Here are some essential money-saving tips for your Hawaiian getaway:

To Book in Advance or to Hunt for Last-Minute Hawaii Deals?

Booking in advance.

This is the safest bet for travelers. Planning your trip several months ahead can save you a good chunk of money, especially during peak seasons.

Airlines and hotels often offer early-bird discounts. Plus, it’s nice to have everything set and not worry about availability.

Last-Minute Deals

If you’re flexible with your dates and a bit adventurous, this option can be a goldmine. Some airlines drop their prices if they have unsold seats, and hotels might reduce rates to fill vacant rooms.

The risk? You might not get your first choice of dates or accommodations. But if you’re open to surprises, you can snag some incredible deals.

Dine Like a Local

Skip the fancy restaurants with views (at least, not every day!) and head to where the locals eat.

From roadside food trucks serving mouth-watering shrimp to mom-and-pop diners dishing out traditional Hawaiian meals, you’ll not only save money but also get a genuine taste of Hawaii.

And don’t forget the local farmers’ markets, where you can sample fresh fruits , poke bowls, and homemade treats at wallet-friendly prices. Check out the best cheap eats on Oahu , Maui , Kauai , and the Big Island .

Search for Local Deals and Discounts

Just like any other tourist destination, Hawaii offers numerous deals for visitors.

Look for coupon books at the airport, or ask your hotel concierge. These often have discounts for popular tourist attractions, restaurants, and activities.

Group Tours = Bigger Savings

Want to go snorkeling, hiking, or embark on a scenic island tour? Consider joining a group tour. Not only will you save money compared to a private tour, but you’ll also meet fellow travelers.

Companies often offer discounts for larger groups, so if you make friends along the way, you can join forces and book together.

Plus, these tours often include extras like lunch or gear rentals, saving you even more.

Use Public Transportation or Rideshares

While renting a car gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace, it’s not always budget-friendly, especially when you add in parking fees and fuel.

Islands like Oahu have decent public transportation. TheBus in Honolulu, for example, covers most major attractions and is super affordable.

Rideshare apps, like Uber and Lyft, can also be cost-effective, especially if you’re traveling short distances.

Free Activities Are Everywhere

Hawaii is nature’s playground, and guess what? Nature is free. Public beaches, hikes, waterfalls, and even some historical sites don’t cost a dime.

Do a little research, pack a picnic, and set out on an adventure without touching your wallet.

Stay Connected for Deals

Sign up for newsletters from Hawaiian travel sites, airlines, and accommodations. They often send out special promotions and codes that aren’t available to the general public.

Plus, following these companies on social media can also alert you to flash sales.

A Hawaiian vacation doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With the right strategies and an open mind, you can enjoy all the islands have to offer without stressing about expenses.

After all, the best things in Hawaii – the sunsets, the Aloha spirit, the feeling of sand between your toes – are priceless.

So, pack those bags and get ready for a memorable, budget-friendly Hawaiian escape!

Cheapest Hawaiian Island to Visit FAQs

What is the least expensive island of hawaii.

Often, Oahu is considered the least expensive Hawaiian island to visit, primarily due to the availability of more flight options to Honolulu, a wide range of accommodations, and numerous affordable eateries. However, costs can vary depending on your specific travel choices.

What is the cheapest island to fly into Hawaii?

Oahu, specifically Honolulu International Airport (HNL), is typically the cheapest island to fly into, as it’s the major hub for international and inter-island flights. This results in more competitive flight prices compared to the smaller islands.

What is the best part of Hawaii to visit on a budget?

If you’re traveling to Hawaii on a budget, the Waikiki area in Oahu offers a range of affordable accommodations, and the island itself has numerous free or low-cost attractions like Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head , and various public beaches. Additionally, Oahu’s public transportation system can help save on transport costs.

Is Kauai or Maui more expensive?

Both islands offer a range of accommodations and dining options, from budget to luxury. However, Maui tends to have more high-end resorts, especially in areas like Wailea, which might push the average cost slightly higher than Kauai.

That said, the specific expenses will depend on travel choices. It’s possible to visit either island on a budget with careful planning.

Does it cost a lot to travel between the Hawaiian islands?

Inter-island travel can be pricey. It’s recommended to stick to one or two islands if you’re on a tight budget.

Is it cheaper to book flights to Hawaii last minute?

While there are occasional last-minute deals, it’s generally cheaper and more reliable to book flights in advance.

Are there affordable accommodations outside of hotels and resorts in Hawaii?

Yes! Consider vacation rental homes, hostels, or even camping as budget-friendly alternatives.

Which Hawaiian island has the most free or low-cost attractions?

The Big Island offers many natural attractions like volcanoes, beaches, and hiking trails which are free or low-cost. Each island, however, has its own set of affordable attractions.

Is dining in Hawaii expensive?

While there are upscale dining options, travelers can save by eating at local eateries, food trucks, or buying fresh produce from local markets.

What’s the best way to get around the islands on a budget?

Oahu has a reliable public transport system. For other islands, consider renting a car, especially if you’re traveling in a group, to save on costs and have flexibility.

Are there any off-peak seasons where traveling to Hawaii is cheaper?

Yes, the shoulder seasons (mid-April to early June or September to mid-December) usually offer better deals on flights and accommodations.

Do all the islands have similar costs for activities and attractions?

Not necessarily. More touristy areas might have higher prices, but each island has a mix of paid and free attractions.

Is it free to visit Pearl Harbor?

Yes, it is free to visit the Pearl Harbor National Memorial , but there is a charge for some of the on-site museums and attractions.

What are the cheapest West Coast airports to fly to Hawaii?

The cheapest West Coast airports to fly to Hawaii typically include Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA).

Where can I find the cheapest airfare to Hawaii?

You can find the cheapest airfare to Hawaii by using online comparison tools and flight deal websites.

What’s the most expensive island to visit?

Often, Maui is considered the most expensive island to visit due to its high-end resorts and attractions.

Are Hawaii botanical gardens free?

While some Hawaiian botanical gardens have an entrance fee or recommended donation, others are free to the public.

Is Oahu’s North Shore cheaper than Waikiki Beach?

Generally, Oahu’s North Shore tends to be less touristy and can be cheaper in certain aspects than Waikiki Beach , but costs vary based on specific accommodations and activities.

How can I ensure I’m getting the best deals for my trip?

Research thoroughly, compare prices, consider package deals, and stay updated on any special promotions or discounts for the period you plan to travel.

Cheapest Hawaiian Island to Visit Wrap-Up

Choosing the cheapest Hawaiian island to visit depends on many things, like when you travel and where you stay. Remember, it’s not just about saving money.

The memories and experiences you’ll get from any island are priceless. Every island has its own magic and adventures to offer.

So, whether you’re on a tight budget or not, Hawaii’s beauty and Aloha spirit await you. Dive in and explore all the amazing things these islands have to share!

Looking for more tips for visiting Hawaii on a budget? Find out where to stay , things to do , where to eat , and what to pack !

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The 21 Best Beaches in Hawaii

These gorgeous Hawaii beaches are perfect whether you love surfing, snorkeling or tropical views.

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The islands that make up Hawaii's archipelago are known for their unique culture, their stunning tropical foliage and their laid-back vibe. Hawaiian beaches are also some of the most beautiful in the world thanks to the tall, swaying palm trees and the dramatic mountain scenery that surrounds them.

Which beaches in Hawaii are worth a visit? Practically all of them, but some feature better scenery or waters for surfing or snorkeling than others. As you start planning your next trip to the gorgeous Hawaiian islands , consider adding a stop to these Hawaiian beaches for a few hours … or a few days.

Poipu Beach: Kauai

The island of Kauai is popular due to its mountainous terrain, its verdant and lush landscapes, and its accessible waterfalls. However, the golden sand beaches are also a sight to behold. Once named "America's Best Beach" by the Travel Channel, Poipu Beach is located on the south shore of the island and features a natural ocean wading pool perfect for snorkeling and swimming.

Big Beach (Makena Beach): Maui

Maui 's Big Beach (also called Makena Beach ) is long, beautiful and wide, with rough waters and stunning mountain views. Visitors can spread out and enjoy plenty of space thanks to the sheer size of the beach, and its shorebreak brings huge swells perfect for surfing, extreme boogie boarding and other water sports.

Read: The Best Maui Helicopter Tours

Hanauma Bay: Oahu

Located within the city of Honolulu , Hanauma Bay is home to an array of tropical fish and other marine life, making it an ideal place for learning about the area's delicate underwater ecosystem via a snorkeling excursion. This nature preserve is so important to locals that tour buses are no longer permitted inside. However, individual travelers can still make the journey to admire this gorgeous stretch of coastline.

Hulopoe Beach: Lanai

Hulopoe Beach is located in front of the Four Seasons Resort Lanai , one of the premier luxury resorts in all of Hawaii . In addition to its incredible scenery, this beach offers some of the best snorkeling and swimming waters off the coast of Lanai. Large tidal pools on the eastern side of the bay also create ideal swimming and exploring opportunities for children.

Polihale Beach: Kauai

Polihale Beach is located within Kauai's Polihale State Park, and it's known for its amazing sunsets and jaw-dropping views of the famous Napali Coast . This stretch of coastline is perfect for families who want to enjoy a picnic or relax in a remarkably natural setting. Plus, swimming is possible when ocean conditions are calm.

Kahalu'u Beach: Big Island

Located on the Kona coast near the town center of Kailua-Kona, Kahalu'u Beach boasts an array of marine animals that range from sea turtles to tropical fish. This makes the beach ideal for snorkeling and learning about the ocean, although rocks near the shore necessitate water shoes. Rougher waters not far from the shore also make this beach a popular spot for surfers.

Ko Olina Beach: Oahu

Ko Olina Beach is home to several resorts, including the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina and Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, and is made up of four different lagoons that are ideal for swimming and snorkeling. While the beaches here are privately owned, travelers can visit and daily parking is available. Many activities like scuba diving and surfing are prohibited, but the beach is worth a visit thanks to its ample ocean wildlife and clear waters.

Pa'iloa Beach: Maui

Maui's Pa'iloa Beach (also known as Honokalani Beach) is located along the Road to Hana within Waianapanapa State Park , and is only accessible with park reservations. However, the trip will be worth it thanks to the beach's startling black sand and clear turquoise waters. This stretch of sand even boasts a natural lava arch in the water, which creates the perfect backdrop for your Instagram-worthy photos.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Maui

Polihua Beach: Lanai

Located on the northern shore of Lanai, secluded Polihua Beach is harder to reach than some of the other top beaches in Hawaii (accessing it requires a four-wheel drive vehicle or a professional guide). However, this beach is 2 miles long and blissfully empty, making it perfect for sunbathing or enjoying the views without any crowds. Strong ocean currents make the waters along Polihua Beach too dangerous for swimming, but it's still a great place to get away from it all.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Lanai

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach: Big Island

If you're eager to see a unique black sand beach, the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach on the island of Hawaii should be on your radar. This beach is located between the towns of Pahala and Naalehu in Kau, so it's easily accessible. While not ideal for swimming, the stark contrast of the black sand and clear waters makes this beach unforgettable. You may even see protected sea turtles relaxing on the shores or swimming directly off the coast.

Hanalei Bay: Kauai

Kauai's Hanalei Bay is known for its incredible surf and proximity to the gorgeous Napali Coast, as well as the many luxury resorts located in nearby Princeville, including The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas . There are actually three different beaches within Hanalei – Waioli Beach Park, Hanalei Beach Park and Black Pot Beach. Each one is dotted with lifeguards, and swimming is possible when the waters are calm.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Kauai

Wailea Beach: Maui

Wailea Beach features soft white sand and calm waters that beg visitors to jump right in. Known for drawing in lots of tourists, this stretch of coastline boasts many upscale eateries featuring gourmet cuisine and fresh seafood. This beach is also home to an array of popular resorts, from the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort to the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea .

Waimanalo Beach: Oahu

Waimanalo Beach is not very popular with tourists, but it's not due to a lack of beauty. This beach on the island's southeastern shore is a sight to behold thanks to its powder white sand, mountainous backdrop and azure ocean waters. There aren't any amenities here, but what the beach lacks in facilities it more than makes up for in its peaceful atmosphere.

Makalawena Beach: Big Island

The Big Island's Makalawena Beach is popular with hikers, and it's easy to see why. As part of Kekaha Kai State Park, this beach is not accessible by car, meaning it's less frequented by tourists. If you do decide to make the 4.5-mile trek to the beach along the Ala Kahakai Trail, you'll be rewarded with a palm-lined shoreline, plenty of shade trees and astonishing natural beauty in every direction.

Read: The Best Things to Do on the Big Island

Lanikai Beach: Oahu

Oahu's Lanikai Beach is located 15 miles northeast of downtown Honolulu, so it's not that difficult to reach. Travelers who make the journey will find a tranquil beach that's a mile long with lighter crowds than nearby Waikiki Beach . While parking can be limited, the calm waters found here make this beach a family-friendly gem.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Honolulu - Oahu

Kalapaki Beach: Kauai

Kalapaki Beach sits behind a protected break wall directly next to Marriott's Kaua'i Beach Club , making it convenient for hotel guests who don't want to drive. This beach is ideal for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and learning to surf, yet you'll also find visitors sunbathing and playing beach volleyball.

Sunset Beach: Oahu

Oahu's Sunset Beach is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it's perfect for active vacationers who want to take part in water sports like surfing and boogie boarding. This North Shore beach is also easy to visit by car thanks to its location near the town of Haleiwa south of Waimea Bay. Parking is available across the street from the beach, as well as basic facilities like restrooms and showers.

Hapuna Beach: Big Island

Hapuna Beach is located within Hapuna Beach State Park on the Big Island, and it's one of the area's largest white sand treasures. This postcard-perfect beach tends to offer excellent conditions for swimming, as well as calm water activities like stand-up paddleboarding and snorkeling. You can even see whales migrating along the coast during part of the year (most often from January to March), and amenities like food vendors, restrooms and showers will make your visit more comfortable.

Papohaku Beach: Molokai

Papohaku Beach is located on the island of Molokai, and it's one of the longest and widest white sand beaches in all of Hawaii. Families love to camp along the broad expanse of this beach year-round, and picnic and restroom facilities are found on-site. While swimming is safe for part of the year, visitors should avoid getting in the water here from October through March.

Papakolea Beach: Big Island

After you've visited a few of Hawaii's black sand beaches Papakolea Beach, also known as Green Sand Beach, should be next on your list. While this unique shore on Hawaii's Big Island offers no amenities and often experiences a strong surf that makes for dangerous swimming conditions, it's worth a visit just to view the stark contrast of the green sand, which is made that way by a common mineral called olivine. Note that reaching the shoreline requires a hike from the parking lot and that there is little to no shade along the way.

Waikiki Beach: Oahu

Waikiki Beach is located along the south shore of Honolulu, which boasts many of Oahu's most fabulous hotels and resorts, including Halekulani and The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki . This means you'll share the sand with thousands of tourists in the area, but that you'll also be able to find dining and entertainment with ease. Not only does Waikiki Beach stand in the shadows of the beautiful Diamond Head landmark, but it's also an ideal spot for swimming, snorkeling and surfing lessons for beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hawaii has more than 100 beaches across all of its different islands. Some of the best beaches in Hawaii include:

• Poipu Beach
• Makena Beach
• Hulopoe Beach
• Wailea Beach
• Polihua Beach

See more of the best beaches in Hawaii .

The Big Island and Maui both have several black sand beaches. Some of the top black sand beaches in Hawaii are:

• Punaluu Beach (Big Island)
• Kehena Beach (Big Island)
• Kaimu Beach (Big Island)
• Honokalani Beach at Pailoa Bay, located in Waianapanapa State Park (Maui)
• Oneuli Beach (Maui)

See more great beaches in Hawaii, plus photos .

Waikiki Beach is in Honolulu, about 9 miles east of Honolulu International Airport. It's situated on the southeastern coast of the island of Oahu.

Learn more about Waikiki Beach .

Hapuna Beach is on the Big Island. It's located on the western coast of the island, about 30 miles north of Kailua-Kona and 25 miles north of Kona International Airport.

Find out more about Hapuna Beach .

You might also be interested in:

• The Best Hawaii Tours
• All-Inclusive Resorts in Hawaii: Hotels With Awesome Amenities
• The Top Beach Resorts Around the World
• The Top Overwater Bungalows Around the World
• The Best Beach Bags

Tags: Travel , Hawaii Vacations , Beach Vacations , US Vacations

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

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Kauai Guide

Big island guide, essential travel tips.

• Which Island to Visit? →
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Lodging by island.

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Hawaii Fees & Reservations for Each Island

Fees & reservations to expect in hawaii.

Discount Hawaii Car Rentals

The state of Hawaii has been overhauling much of its existing approach to tourism. One of the significant changes this entails will be a host of new fees and required reservations for visitors to expect across the islands. While progress on much of the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s elaborate six-year “strategic plan” remains slow, some fees and reservations are already being imposed at specific locations.

Distribution so far is not even, and, in all honesty, it is also reasonably unpredictable. Some fees on this list are many months old, others much younger, and there are many unlisted that indeed will appear in the near future. It has yet to be determined (at least publicly) the specifics regarding the timeline.

Given those disclaimers, what follows is an island-by-island list of the new or updated fees and reservations you can expect to encounter if you are to visit Hawaii in the coming months. Found one we've missed? Let us know here .

Oahu Fees & Reservations

Reservations for diamond head state monument, including leahi hiking trail.

As of May 2022, reservations are required for out-of-state visitors.

Entry fee (non-resident): $5 per person. Parking fee (non-resident): $10 per vehicle.

Visitor entrance fees are available at  Hawaii DLNR .

Diamond Head (Leahi) Hiking Trail

Admission to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

$25 entry fee for non-residents over 13. There is a $3 parking fee for non-residents.

Mandatory viewing of an educational video before entry, even if you’ve previously visited and already seen the video before.

The beach opens at 6:45 am and closes at 4 pm daily,  except Mondays and Tuesdays  when it is closed.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

Camping in Any State Park

$20/campsite for residents (currently only 6 per site), $30/campsite for visitors (currently only 6 per site).

Na Pali Coastline Kauai

Kauai Fees & Reservations

Admission & parking to waimea canyon .

$5/non-resident, free for residents. $10/non-resident vehicle, free for residents 

Fees paid for Waimea Canyon State Park also apply to Koke'e State Park. You do not need to pay twice.

Waimea Canyon

Admission & Parking to Koke'e State Park

$5/non-resident, free for residents. $10/non-resident vehicle, free for residents.

Fees paid for Koke'e State Park also apply to Waimea Canyon State Park. You do not need to pay twice.

Kokee State Park and Museum

Reservations, Admission & Parking to Haena State Park

Including the kalalau trail & ke'e beach.

Reservations are required; reserve  here .  $5/non-resident, free for residents.  $10/non-resident vehicle, free for residents.

Haena State Park

Camping at Napali Coast State Wilderness Park

$25/night per resident, $35/night for non-resident 

Camping in Any Other State Park

$20/campsite for residents (limit ten people), $30/campsite for visitors (limit ten people)

Wailua Falls on Maui

Maui Fees & Reservations

3-day admission to haleakala national park.

$30/vehicle, $25/motorcycle, or $15/pedestrian or bicycle.  

***Admission fees for Haleakala National Park in 2024 are waived on certain days  (see below).

2024 Fee-free Days

No entrance pass is required on these days:

• Monday, January 15 —  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, April 20 —  First Day of National Park Week
• Wednesday, June 19 —  Juneteenth
• Sunday, August 4 —  The Great American Outdoors Act
• Saturday, September 28 —  National Public Lands Day
• Monday, November 11 —  Veterans Day

For sunrise, a reservation is required for each vehicle entering the park from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. There's a $1.00 non-refundable reservation fee for sunrise visits. You may book a reservation up to 60 days in advance and 2 days before the start date. 

Haleakala National Park

Reservations, Admission & Parking at Waianapanapa State Park

$5/non-resident over the age of 4.

$10/non-resident vehicle.

***Reservations are also required for Waianapanapa State Park. Reserve  here . 

Waianapanapa State Park

Reservations, Admission & Iao Valley State Park

Advanced reservations to enter ‘Iao Valley State Monument are now available online.

All Hawaii State Parks day-use reservations can be made at  https://gostateparks.hawaii.gov/iao-valley .

The parking fee is $10 per vehicle. The additional non-resident entrance fee is $5 per person, with no charge for children under three.

Iao Valley State Park

Camping in Maui State Parks

Kilauea Caldera on the Big Island of Hawaii

Big Island Hawaii Fees & Reservations

7-day admission to hawaii volcanoes national park.

$30/vehicle, $25/motorcycle, or $15/pedestrian or bicycle - entrance fees only apply to visitors age 16 or older. 

Camping in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

$10/night at Kulanaokuaiki ($5 for Golden Age and Golden Access passes), $15/night at Namakanipaio.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Admission to Akaka Falls State Park

$5/non-resident over the age of 3, credit card only. Fees are outlined here .

Akaka Falls State Park

Admission to Hapuna Beach State Park

$5/non-resident over the age of three, credit card only. Fees are outlined here .

Hapuna Beach State Park

Camping in Big Island (Hawaii County) Parks

$6/adult resident, $21/adult non-resident, $3/junior resident, $21/junior non-resident, $1/child resident, $20/child non-resident. Reservations are required; reserve here . Adults = 18+. Juniors = 13 - 17. Children = 12 and under.

Camping in Hawaii State Parks

$20/campsite for residents (limit ten people, currently 6 per site). $30/campsite for non-residents (limit ten people, now 6 per site). Reservations are required; reserve  here . 

The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s sweeping plan is currently rolling out and has goals stretching into 2025. Fees and reservations like those listed here will continue to be added and updated in the coming months and years.

While we hope this list is a useful starting point, given the ongoing nature of the rollout, we strongly recommend assuming there may be a fee and reservation requirements at whichever place you intend to visit. Online resources like the Department of Land and Natural Resources , the  National Park Service , and the Hawaii Tourism Authority are good places to check out current requirements for entry to a specific location.  

For example, at the time of writing, many state parks in the Big Island (listed above) are imposing entry fees and reservation requirements - but other locations, such as Kohala Historical Sites State Monument, are still free to enter. It is unclear if or when that will change. 

Keep in mind, of course, that these specific fees and changing requirements are all part of a more significant trend that all available evidence suggests we should come to expect as the new norm. While they may look random and unpredictable now, in the grand scheme of things, they are not. The State of Hawaii will add and increase fees and entry requirements, not remove or reduce them.

They say change is the only constant; it is coming to Hawaii and its millions of annual visitors. All we can do is stay current and try our best to be prepared.

Recommended Hawaii Tours

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Hawaii deal alert: Fly nonstop to the Big Island, Oahu and Maui from $191 round-trip

For many people, a vacation in Hawaii is near the top of the travel list. A new fare sale offers flights to the Big Island, Oahu and Maui at a big discount.

With this sale, you'll find some round-trip flights from U.S. cities like Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and San Francisco for less than $200. The deal is mostly for itineraries with layovers, but there are several nonstop routes available.

The travel window is September through December 2024, and we found good availability for flights in November and December 2024 — a great time to visit the islands. You also may find some additional availability from January to May 2025.

As is typical for these deals, the discounts apply to economy fares. A free carry-on is available on each airline in the sale except for United Airlines. Checked baggage will cost roughly $35 to $40 each way, but remember that Southwest Airlines fares come with two free checked bags.

Some of the lowest fares spotlighted in this deal come from booking through an online travel agency .

Deal basics

Airlines : Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines

Routes : Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other U.S. cities to the Big Island, Oahu and Maui

How to book : Use Google Flights to browse flights, then book directly with the airline

Travel dates : Primarily September through December 2024; select routes available between January and May 2025

This deal was originally sent out by the deal alert company Going. Sign up for Going to get up to 90% off select flights via its Premium membership , which users can try for free for 14 days and then $69 per year. You can also upgrade to the Elite tier for $199 per year for access to all the Premium deals, plus premium economy, business-class and first-class alerts.

You can also sign up for a free trial through this link .

Related: The best time to visit Hawaii for good weather, smaller crowds, deals and more

Sample flights

Departure airports in this deal include:

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, D.C.
• Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C.

Arrival airports in the Hawaiian Islands include:

• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Oahu
• Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) on the Big Island
• Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui

Some of the best sales we found were for itineraries originating from the West Coast. For example, in December, you can fly United nonstop from SFO to KOA for only $191 round-trip.

According to Google Flights, this price is less than half of what this itinerary usually costs during a very busy month for travel to Hawaii.

Travelers in the Bay Area also have decent offers for travel to Maui in December. United has nonstop fares from SFO to OGG from $217 round-trip.

There is solid availability for nonstop flights from LA to the Big Island, too. For example, American Airlines has a route from LAX to KOA in mid-December for $257 round-trip.

You can also fly to HNL from LAX in November via Alaska Airlines for just $232 round-trip.

If you live in Denver and have a flexible schedule, you can get a good deal on flights in September. United has round-trip fares from DEN to OGG that start from $347 round-trip. This itinerary has a layover each way in San Francisco.

You can also find flights from SEA to KOA during the holiday season. Those are available for as low as $210 round-trip.

Maximize your purchase

When you book this deal or any flights, be sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : 2 points per dollar spent on travel
• American Express® Gold Card : 3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : 5 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : 3 points per dollar spent on travel
• Citi Strata Premier ℠ Card (see rates and fees ): 3 points per dollar spent on air travel

Bottom line

The best availability and prices in this deal are for travel in December, which is during whale watching season. If you want to catch sightings of the majestic marine mammals, this sale may be the way to make that happen.

As TPG has reported, Maui is open for business after last year's wildfires. The island welcomes tourism, but please remember to be respectful of your surroundings.

Related reading:

• Here are the best credit card welcome offers
• 7 things to understand about credit before applying for a new card
• How to apply for a credit card
• What is APR on a credit card?
• How to check your credit score for free

Single people in Hawaii need to make an average of $112,411 to get by, a study has found. Here's how US living wages compare in the most expensive states.

• Hawaii is the most expensive place for single people to live in the US, an analysis found. 
• Single people need an annual paycheck of $112,411 to make a living wage in the state, per the data.
• The cost of living for single people is often higher than for couples. 

The cost of living for single people is often dramatically higher than their coupled-up counterparts. But while the so-called "singles tax" is nothing new, single people in some US states may be faring better than others.

An analysis from GoBankingRates , a personal finance website, found that Hawaii was the most expensive place for single people to live in the US. They need around $112,000 to make a living wage in the state, which is more than double the US median salary of $57,200, data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.

Mississippi was ranked the cheapest state in the US, where single people only needed to make $45,906 a year to earn a living wage, per the analysis.

The study used survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate the cost of annual necessities for a single person state by state. The researchers then doubled the cost of necessities to factor in discretionary spending and savings.

Here's how the cost of living varies per state in five of the most expensive states.

Living wage for a single person: $112,411

Kā‘anapali Beach in Hawaii. ejs9/Getty Images

2. massachusetts.

Living wage for a single person: $87,909

Massachusetts. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images 3. California

Living wage for a single person: $80,013

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Coyright Roy Prasad/Getty Images

4. new york.

Living wage for a single person: $73,226

Living wage for a single person: $71,570

Watch: Why it's so hard for millennials to buy homes

• Main content

• Share full article

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

Why Tipping Is Everywhere

In the united states, many say tipping is expected in more places these days. here’s how tipping culture exploded..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

Hello. Excuse me?

My name is Sabrina. This is Claire. We’re journalists. Could we ask you a question?

You just did.

[LAUGHS]: Another one. [UPBEAT MUSIC]

What is your view of tipping?

I think it’s become excessive. Whatever they do, they got that jar and they’re wanting you to put a tip in there.

They have the iPad. And it’s like, all right, how much you want to tip? And it’s like you bought a $5 coffee. It’s like, all right, well, tip $3.

There’s a lot of pressure. You feel like you have to tip. And I feel like people are watching you at that moment.

Yeah, yeah. I feel a lot more pressure to tip more. Wages haven’t kept up, so I feel like I should be tipping more. And it’s annoying because my wages haven’t gone up either, so it’s annoying.

The other day I just bought a loaf of bread, and the tip thing came up, gave me the option of 15 percent or 20 percent. Do I really have to tip somebody to buy a loaf of bread?

I went to the self-service machine. And it was like, add a tip. And it’s like add a tip for what? I’m the one that did the work, you know what I’m saying?

You’re like, I should be tipping myself.

I actually am a tip worker. We’re literally paid less wages in order for the customers to pay us.

What do tips mean for you and your work?

It’s how I feed my family.

Yes. 100 percent.

Unless you work in the service industry, you don’t really understand how crucial tipping is.

Tips mean a lot. They are 60 percent, 50 percent of my paycheck. And my hourly is pretty low to begin with.

Whatever I get at the end of the night goes towards dinner. Or for example, I didn’t have money for sanitary pads one time. And then that tip, grabbed it.

I feel like a lot of people feel like you did nothing for me. You just put a cup on the counter and I took it. Like, why should I pay you extra for that?

What do you say to someone who says that? You didn’t do anything, you just put my food in a bag.

If you knew what my paycheck looked every week, you would think different. Or maybe not, maybe you don’t feel bad for me and you’re like, get a different job. But like, this is a job I’m good at and the job I like. And I’d like to be able to make a living off of it. That extra dollar or two really makes a difference.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise and this is “The Daily.”

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst and now even becoming an issue in the presidential campaign. Today, economics reporter, Ben Casselman, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping.

It’s Thursday, August 29.

So Sabrina.

Can I ask you a personal question?

What is your philosophy on tipping?

[LAUGHS]: Exactly.

Sabrina, I think I’m a sucker. Look, I’ve always tried to be a good tipper in restaurants. It feels like part of the deal.

I worked as a waitress for many years. That was the only way I actually made money. If there’s no tip, there’s no salary. Restaurants, it’s a rule.

Absolutely. But now tipping is everywhere. You see these tip screens in places you never would have tipped before. I mean, never mind the coffee shop, you see it at the fast food place. You see it at the oil change place. I’ve heard stories of people seeing it at the self-checkout line. Who’s even getting that tip?

And every time a tip screen pops up, I always tip.

Oh, my god, Ben, so do I.

It’s totally irrational. I hate it. But there’s some part of me, and I don’t love this about myself, that is just convinced somebody is going to be sitting there judging me or I’m terrified that they’re going to. And, oh, my god, if I click No Tip, am I a bad person?

And someone behind me in line might see that.

I can’t click that No Tip button.

I am exactly the same. Every single time I’m presented with this iPad screen thingy, the tips come up. I press max, 30 percent. My husband, an economist, thinks this is ridiculous.

He says, you’re tipping 30 percent on a bottle of water someone just handed you. Don’t do that. That is crazy. But I keep doing it because I can, so I should. I don’t know, I have guilt about it.

Your husband is objectively correct. This is crazy. But tipping is not about objective cold economic logic. It’s emotional. It’s cultural.

There are norms around it. And right now, we have no idea what those norms are. And so we’re all stuck in this panicked moment of trying to decide which button you press and whether you should be expected to tip in this circumstance.

OK, so we are both suckers. We’ve established that. What we need to do now is figure out this panicked moment. I want you to explain this to me, Ben. Why has tipping exploded?

I think there are three reasons. The first of these is just technology. Several years ago, we started to see these tablet-based checkout systems everywhere. And it’s very easy to just add a tip screen onto there, that little, do you want to add a tip, 10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent.

Right. And as I had less cash and then no cash in my wallet, this was always the way I paid for things.

Yeah, so it became very easy technologically to add tipping. But then the real shift came in the pandemic.

If you think back to that moment, many of us were lucky enough to be able to work from home and to be relatively safe. And we felt a lot of gratitude for the people who weren’t able to do that, who were bringing us food and delivering groceries. And so there was an explosion in tipping. And an explosion in tipping, even in places where we didn’t used to tip.

If you go and pick up takeout at a restaurant, you probably always tip your delivery driver. But if you went to the restaurant and you picked it up, you didn’t tip there. But now in the pandemic moment, they add a tip screen saying, would you like to tip? And yeah, of course, I’d like to tip. These people are risking their lives out there to make my chicken tikka masala.

Right. You basically wanted to tip the UPS guy.

Yes. And so we were tipping everybody. And so that allowed tipping to spread into these new areas. It got a beachhead in places where it didn’t used to be.

And maybe if the story ended there, it would have been this moment in time and then it all would have gone back to the way it always used to be. But that didn’t happen because we had this intense worker shortage when things started to reopen.

And how does that fit into this?

Businesses start to reopen. They need workers. They’re having a hard time finding them. Workers are reluctant to come back for all sorts of reasons. And tipping became a way of attracting workers.

Businesses were paying more, but they were also looking for other ways to get workers. And saying, we’ll add a tip screen that’ll boost your pay further. And if there’s one coffee shop where there’s a tip screen and there’s another coffee shop where there isn’t, you can be pretty sure which one you’re going to go work at.

Completely. I mean, we were talking to workers yesterday, and they were very specific about which chain stores allowed tips and which ones didn’t. And they much preferred working for the ones that allowed tips. I mean, it makes sense.

And I asked them, as a proportion of your earnings, how much are tips? Tips are a lot. Does that mean you make less in the place that doesn’t have the screen that allows it? Absolutely.

We saw workers demanding this. In fact, when some Starbucks stores were unionizing, one of the things they demand is, we want to be able to take tips on credit card payments.

Interesting, yeah.

This became a source of negotiation between businesses and their workers. And the thing is, once that happens, it’s really hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

But why? I mean, this all sprung up into our lives in the matter of a couple of years. So why can’t it go back to the way it was just as quickly?

Imagine that coffee shop worker that you were talking to yesterday, who’s now making, in many cases, 20 percent, 30 percent, even 40 percent of their earnings in tips. The business can’t just say, never mind, we’re going to get rid of the tip screen. Maybe, we’ll put out a tip jar and people can leave $1 or $2 when they want to. That’s a huge pay cut for that worker.

OK, they could instead say we’re going to get rid of tipping and we’re going to raise your pay. Instead of paying you $15 an hour and $5 in tips, we’ll give you $20 an hour. But now the business is going have to raise prices as a result.

And you, Sabrina, the coffee-drinking public are going to say, no way, I’m not going there and paying $8 for my latte or whatever the price may be. And so for the business, they can’t just get rid of the tip, because they can’t just cut off the pay and they can’t raise prices enough to raise pay accordingly.

Right. Nonstarter for the business.

Can’t work for them. And the worker is certainly not going to stick around if they try to do that.

So has there been some experimentation with this? I mean, have restaurants actually tried to go tipless?

Yeah, so we’ve seen an example of exactly this. A few years back, Danny Meyer, a big New York restaurateur, and a bunch of other restaurants as well tried getting rid of tipping completely. They said, this system is unfair, it’s unequal. We’re going to raise wages for everybody, for waiters, but also for cooks.

We’re going to raise our prices, accordingly, to pay for that. And customers will understand. They’ll understand that they’re paying the same amount at the end of the day, it just is in the form of a direct cost instead of a cost plus a tip. And it didn’t work.

For a bunch of reasons. But mostly because customers looked at the price on the menu and people didn’t want to pay it. I also think, look, we all complain about tipping. But customers also kind of like the tip. They kind of like looking generous.

You get to show off to your date or to your father-in-law. And, of course, you can, at least in theory, express your dissatisfaction by withholding a tip or by tipping less. Not you and me, we apparently don’t do that. But some people do, I hear.

The restaurant’s like, suckers, OK, great. Yeah, we don’t even have to worry about them.

Customers rebelled against the idea of not tipping. And most of those restaurants eventually went back to the old model.

Interesting. So we do have this love-hate relationship with tipping.

Yes. We hate being asked, but we like the control. And I think that is part of why all these changes feel so difficult for so many people, because it doesn’t necessarily feel like you have the control anymore.

That screen in front of you with the barista watching you, with the person in line behind watching you —

Oh, my gosh, I’m sweating already.

— you don’t feel like can press the No Tip button. Or at least suckers like you and me don’t.

Exactly. The choice is gone.

The choice is gone. Or the choice, at least, is sort of psychologically more taxing.

Right. [LAUGHS]

You feel pressured to do it.

OK, so that’s the customer experience. But with this new uptick in tipping, one question I always have is, is the worker on the other side of the screen getting this tip or will the business owner pocket it?

The worker is getting the tip with some caveats. By law, the business owner or the managers, they can’t take the tips. If you click a Tip button or you leave $1 in the tip jar or you tip in any way, if that ends up in the pockets of the business owner or the general manager or what have you, that is wage theft. It happens. We certainly hear stories about it happening, but it’s certainly not legal and it’s certainly not the norm.

That doesn’t mean that the worker, the person who hands you your latte, is the person getting your dollar. It often gets pooled across all of the workers who are working that shift or even all of the workers who work over an entire week. But it’s going to the workers.

People like us can rest assured that the workers are getting the full benefit of that tip that you’re pushing.

In many ways, what you are doing as the customer is you are subsidizing the wage. If you, you coffee shop worker, want to get $25 an hour, you don’t care whether that’s $20 in pay and $5 in tip or $25 in pay or any breakdown of that.

$25 is $25.

$25 is $25. When I leave a tip of $1, on some level, that’s $1 less that coffee shop has to pay you, the barista. Tips are helping the business pay their workers. They’re shifting. The business is shifting some of the burden for paying its workers off of its revenue onto its customers.

In other words, you and I, Ben, we are kind of helping foot the bill for these wages.

Absolutely. And from the businesses’ perspective, that’s a pretty great deal, because they basically get to charge, say, $4 for the latte and then for the customers who are willing to pay more, they’re basically charging more. Those people throw on the tip.

It’s a way of the business getting the maximum dollars that it can out of the maximum number of customers that it can attract.

But for workers, this system where they’re increasingly reliant on customer tips carries some real risks.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

We’ll be right back.

Tell me about these risks of our tipping system.

Look, tipping has always had a lot of problems associated with it. If you think in restaurants, they’re often really big pay disparities where the servers at the front of the house, who are getting tipped, often make a lot more money, especially at a nice restaurant, than the cooks and dishwashers and all of the people at the back of the house.

You hear these stories of people going to cooking school and then basically bailing on the cooking career and becoming waitresses and waiters because it’s just more money.

Yeah. And then within tipped occupations, there’s a lot of inequity here. There have been studies that have shown that a pretty young woman gets tipped better than other people, that white people often get tipped better. There are tons of problems around sexual harassment, because if your earnings are dependent on the table that you’re serving liking you, then maybe you put up with things that workers shouldn’t have to put up with.

Those are the problems that have always existed in this system. But then as tipping spreads, the risk is, first, just more workers have to deal with this, but also that more workers become more dependent on tips for their earnings.

In the short term, this has all worked out pretty well for workers. This has been a period where they’ve been in hot demand, and so their wages have been rising. And at the same time, they’ve gotten all these tips on top of that. And that’s been really great.

But it’s not clear that that’s true over the longer term. Over the long run, you could imagine that all of these businesses get to just raise wages more slowly, that tips sort of eat away at wages over time. And then if we ever see customers pull back a little bit, tip less, then all of a sudden, all of these workers could really suffer.

Basically, you’re describing a system in which the earnings are just more vulnerable, more dependent on the kindness of strangers.

Yeah. And more at risk if those strangers become a little less kind.

Yes. And this issue has become so much a part of the national conversation that it’s actually entered the presidential race. Both former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have announced policy plans to help service workers. And essentially, they’re calling for no tax on tips.

Yeah, that’s right. So President Trump announced this several weeks ago as his big new “no taxes on tips” proposal. Kamala Harris followed up and basically endorsed that proposal, again, a little while later. We don’t have a lot of details on how this would work. But essentially, it would mean that if you earn tips, those tips are exempt at least from federal income tax.

What would that mean?

Let me tell you, economists hate this idea. Left-wing economists and right-wing economists, this is one point they can kind of all agree on.

And why do they hate it?

Because they say it’s unfair. It singles out this one group of workers for special treatment. The person who works at McDonald’s who doesn’t get tipped, they don’t benefit from this. The retail worker doesn’t benefit from this. It’s just this one group of workers who get this special treatment where they don’t have to pay taxes.

Right. Right.

But there’s also maybe an even more fundamental issue, which is that if you think you hate tipping now, if these proposals go through, you’re going to see so much more tipping.

Uh-oh, I’m holding on to my hat.

Because it’s basically a subsidy for tips.

As a worker, we said before, you don’t care whether you make, $25 an hour or $20 plus $5 an hour in tips, except that if some of that money isn’t taxed, you want more of that. You want more tips.

Basically, you want your entire salary to be a tip.

Ideally, right? And so that works great for the business perspective. Great, I don’t need to pay my workers.

[LAUGHS]: Wee!

It’s all tips now. Workers happy about that. What that means is you’re going to see more businesses looking for ways to have their workers count as tipped. Maybe you start to see tips in places that we’re not seeing them at all. Maybe you really do start to pay tips at a retail outlet, at a gas station.

Grocery store?

At a grocery store, why not? And the issue there, beyond just it being annoying for you and me, is that it further ingrains this system. All those problems that we were talking about in tipping now involves even more workers across the economy. And they’re even more vulnerable to that possibility that you and I start tipping a little bit less.

Ben, how would you describe where we are in this tipping moment? Is this just the new normal?

I think we’re still in a period of transition here. The fact that we’re having this conversation on some level tells you that we’re not totally in a new normal yet. You don’t leave a restaurant and say to yourself, man, I can’t believe I was asked to tip. But we’re still all the time having this conversation about, you wouldn’t believe I got asked to tip at the self-checkout.

Right. The bakery, for god’s sake.

It’s still a transition. It’s still happening. Over time, norms will develop. We’ll figure out the places where we tip and the places where we don’t, and how much and all of that.

But the dust hasn’t quite settled yet.

It hasn’t settled. But I think what we do know is that we’re not going back. We’re now going back to a world where we only tip in those set of circumstances where we used to. And remember, this whole transition has happened during a period of relative economic strength, when people have had money to go out and spend and to tip. The question is, what happens when that’s no longer true?

Right. When there’s a recession, people are going to be nervous about their pocketbooks and probably won’t be as generous.

Whenever we get to the next recession, it will be the first one in this new era of tipping.

And there’s a whole new group of workers who are going to lose out when that happens, who are dependent on tips and will suffer when customers start pulling those tips back.

Ben, thank you.

Sabrina, thank you so much. And the screen is just going to ask you a couple of questions at the end here.

[LAUGHS]: Ben, 30 percent.

Here’s what else you should know today. On Wednesday, at least 10 Palestinians were killed when hundreds of Israeli troops launched major raids overnight in the occupied West Bank, targeting Palestinian militants, after what Israel said was months of rising attacks. The operation, the largest since 2023, followed months of escalating Israeli raids in the occupied territory, where nearly three million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule.

And the Supreme Court maintained a temporary pause on a new plan by President Biden to wipe out tens of millions of dollars of student debt. The plan was part of the president’s approach to forgiving debt after the Supreme Court rejected a more ambitious proposal last year that would have canceled more than $400 billion in loans. The scaled-down plan was directed at certain types of borrowers, including people on disability and public service workers. The court’s decision leaves millions of borrowers enrolled in the new plan in limbo.

Today’s episode was produced by Mooj Zadie, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Eric Krupke, and Clare Toeniskoetter. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Brendan Klinkenberg, contains original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, and Rowan Niemisto, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

[THEME MUSIC]

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• August 30, 2024   •   36:09 What Phil Donahue Meant to Me
• August 29, 2024   •   26:43 Why Tipping Is Everywhere
• August 28, 2024   •   28:30 The War That Won’t End
• August 27, 2024   •   31:28 The First Major Cyberattack of the 2024 Election
• August 26, 2024   •   39:30 Trump vs. Harris on the Economy
• August 23, 2024   •   37:44 At the Democratic Convention, a Historic Nomination
• August 22, 2024   •   29:42 The Republican Plan to Challenge a Harris Victory
• August 21, 2024   •   27:54 Inside Ukraine’s Invasion of Russia
• August 20, 2024   •   36:54 Biden Leaves the Stage
• August 19, 2024   •   44:28 The Story of Kamala Harris
• August 18, 2024 The Sunday Read: ‘The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Going to College’
• August 16, 2024   •   29:47 How Air-Conditioning Conquered America

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Ben Casselman

Produced by Mooj Zadie Asthaa Chaturvedi Eric Krupke and Clare Toeniskoetter

Edited by Lisa Chow and Brendan Klinkenberg

Original music by Dan Powell Marion Lozano and Rowan Niemisto

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow ‘The Daily’ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst. Now, it is even becoming an issue in the U.S. presidential campaign.

Ben Casselman, who covers the U.S. economy for The New York Times, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping.

On today’s episode

Ben Casselman , a reporter covering the U.S. economy for The New York Times.

Background reading

How to deal with the many requests for tips .

Former President Donald J. Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris a “copycat” over her “no tax on tips” plan.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Michael Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

Ben Casselman writes about economics with a particular focus on stories involving data. He has covered the economy for nearly 20 years, and his recent work has focused on how trends in labor, politics, technology and demographics have shaped the way we live and work. More about Ben Casselman

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