Los Angeles to Honolulu in Economy

The most compelling number on this route comes from a different leg than most travelers expect. British Airways Avios prices Hawaiian Airlines inter-island segments at just 5,000 Avios off-peak, generating a redemption value of roughly 2.6¢ per point against cash fares around $130. That beats our conservative 1.5¢ rewardztravel.com valuation for Avios by a meaningful margin, which is precisely the kind of spread worth chasing. For the LAX-to-HNL mainline flight itself, however, no single Avios sweet spot delivers the same outsized return, so the math changes and your program selection should too.

For the LAX to HNL segment specifically, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and United MileagePlus are the programs to search first. Both access Hawaiian Airlines and United's own metal on this corridor through their respective partner and carrier relationships, and economy saver inventory on a five-hour domestic-adjacent route tends to surface more frequently here than on longer transpacific routes. Aeroplan is worth a secondary search given its broad Star Alliance access to United-operated flights, often with competitive zone-based pricing that avoids fuel surcharges.

Availability in economy between Los Angeles and Honolulu is workable during off-peak windows, but be realistic about the calendar. Summer travel between June and August, the Thanksgiving window, Christmas, and New Year's week all see award inventory compress sharply. Airlines protect their highest-revenue seats on this route aggressively during peak demand, and saver-level economy can disappear weeks or even months before departure. Searching with flexibility across a midweek departure window, and ideally outside of school-holiday blocks, gives you the best realistic shot at finding releasable inventory before committing a transfer.

On transfer paths, Avios is the most flexible currency for the Hawaiian inter-island sweet spot noted above. Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Capital One miles all transfer to British Airways Executive Club, generally at a 1:1 ratio, making any of those three bank currencies a viable on-ramp. For the LAX-HNL mainline segment, Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers 1:1 to United MileagePlus and to Air Canada Aeroplan, both of which can access inventory on this route. If you hold Amex Membership Rewards, the transfer path to Aeroplan at 1:1 is equally direct and keeps your options open across Star Alliance partners.

The CPP math on this route warrants a clear-eyed look before you commit points. Our rewardztravel.com valuations place Chase Ultimate Rewards at 2.0¢ per point and Avios at 1.5¢ per point as conservative baselines. A redemption only clears the bar if the cash fare you are displacing produces a cents-per-point return above those figures. LAX to HNL economy cash fares frequently dip into the $200 to $350 range during off-peak periods, which can make a saver award feel less compelling if the points cost is high relative to that fare. Run the division before you transfer: cash fare divided by points cost should exceed your currency's baseline valuation to justify the redemption over simply paying cash or using a flat-rate card. The inter-island Avios sweet spot at 2.6¢ clears the bar comfortably; the mainline leg requires confirmation that the specific fare and award cost pencil out.

Find space first, then transfer.