When To Go 

Many travelers planning a trip to Hawaii or, more specifically, Maui wonder when is the best time to visit Maui?  The answer in a nutshell is ANYTIME! The weather in Hawaii and Maui is basically the same year round.  Just about 80 degrees F.  While the winter months are considered the "rainy season" this really depends on your perspective.  For the most part, the rain only lasts a few hours at most.  After the storm, the clouds clear away and the sun comes out at full force.  And, if it does happen to start raining where you are hop in the car and drive a few miles down the road.  Chances are it won't be raining there.  Unlike some resort areas you will be hard pressed to run into days of straight rain on Maui.

Aside from your own schedule, the only other factor in determining when to go is when everyone else is going.  Typically Maui is packed in the summer months of June, July, & early August and from December 15 through the first week of January.

Ironically, some of the best times to go to Hawaii are when no one else is there.  The winter months of late January, Feburary, & March are some of the easiest times to find discounts on airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and activities on Maui.

From Mid-December to Mid-May humpback whales can be seen just off shore in the West Maui areas including Lahaina and Kaanapali.  Many times it is possible to see the whales with the naked eye.  During these months, many tour operators offer whale watching boat tours of the heavily populated whale areas.  For more Maui whale info, visit the Island Marine Institue. (http://www.whalewatchmaui.com)

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  Getting to Maui 

  Maui has two main airports, one at Kapalua (JHM), and one at Kahului (OGG).  (There is also an   airport in the tiny and remote town of Hana, however this is not somewhere the general travel will fly into.)  If you are flying from the US Mainland you will be flying into Kahului.  The Kahului airport is a full-service commercial airport with quite a nice terminal.  While not particularly large, the airport does feauture Jetways to all flights (something not to be found at Kona's airport (KOA) on the Big Island of Hawaii).

   At the airport in Kahului, you will find rental cars available from Alamo, Hertz, National, Budget, Enterprise, & Thrifty.

            Unless you are being picked up by your resort and plan to stay at your resort for your entire   trip, you will save money by renting a car at the Kahului airport.  Shuttle service is available from  SpeediShuttle to all the major resorts for an approximate average of $25.00/ person.  More on getting around Maui in the "Getting Around Maui" section.

 Getting a Good Deal on Airfare

Getting a good price on airfare to Hawaii, especially Maui can be a difficult task, but there are some recommendations which can save you quite a bit of money on your ticket to paradise. 

Using Frequent Flier Miles

            If you are lucky enough to have Frequent Flier Miles available for your Hawaiian trip, use them if possible.  (If you're not blessed with ample miles, get started with a Rewards Credit Card) Given the ticket prices to Hawaii, it is far more sensible to use your miles for a ticket to Hawaii over a shorter destination.  Many times though, travelers wanting to fly to Hawaii, or Maui in particular, get discouraged because they can't seem to find available frequent flier tickets. 

           Most of these obstacles can be overcome with a little creativity.  One of the easiest ways to use your frequent flier miles to Maui is to consider an alternate airport.  While the islands are certainly not swimming distance from each other, there are flights between islands scheduled nearly like bus service.  The flights between islands last only 30 or so minutes, so there are many flights between the islands each day.  The two main carriers for interisland flights in Hawaii are Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines.  Many travelers ask which airline is better.  Truthfully, between the islands, you're not on the plane long enough to even notice.  Aloha flies a bit older Boeing 737 while Hawaiian has an entirely new fleet of Boeing 717's for interisland trips.

           For example,  book your flight on American Airlines from Chicago(ORD) to Honolulu(HNL),  using your frequent flier miles.  Then you simply purchase a flight from Honolulu to Maui (OGG) on Hawaiian or Aloha.  You’ve used your miles for the part of the trip which would usually cost $800.00 and you just pay about $100.00 for a round trip interisland ticket.  One caveat to this method is that you will have to change between the "mainland" and the "interisland" terminals in Honolulu.  This is a bit of a walk, but there is a free shuttle between terminals.  The Wiki-Wiki shuttle will make the trip easier on the feet.  However, either way it will take you no less than 15 minutes to switch terminals, so be sure to allow for this time in your plans.  Visit alohaairlines.com or hawaiianair.com to purchase your interisland tickets. 

           Some of the smaller islands do have flights from Aloha's subsidiary, Island Air.  These Island Air flights are all on those tiny little propeller planes.  These are also the planes which usually fly into the small Kapalua (JHM) airport on the West side of Maui.

            If you do use your frequent flier miles to purchase a ticket to Honolulu, skip the urge to use 10,000 miles for an interisland connection, the math doesn't add up.  Buy a ticket on your main carrier if you wish, but don't use your miles.

            What if you are just shy of enough miles for the trip? Consider purchasing enough miles to put you over the top at www.miles4sale.com (use Promotional Code: 6897).  Miles are available for purchase from American Airlines, America West Airlines, and Delta Airlines. 

Consider Purchasing a Package

            One other great way to get a deal on your trip to Hawaii is to purchase your airfare as part of a package.  Companies like Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz offer packages to Maui which often cost less than purchasing separately.

            Vacation packages to Maui become an even better discount when you consider the cost of hotels in Hawaii.  Also, keep in mind that there are no "all inclusive" hotels in Hawaii, so you'll be paying "a la carte" prices for your meals, and that can add up quickly.

Last Minute Deals / Airfare Discounters 

            Of course, the internet has made it possible to get a great last minute deal to Maui.  Companies like Hotwire and Priceline can offer significant discounts on flights.  With Priceline’s “Name Your Own Price” technology, you can get a real deal to Hawaii, especially in the winter!  Priceline also offers some of the lowest rates on airfare, so be sure to check them out.