SPG --> Hawaiian vs. using straight AA

[LAXtraveler]

Okay, so I am in a little dilemma that I thought maybe some people on the forums could share their thoughts. Right now I have an itinerary on hold from LAX-HNL for 37,500 miles/pp OW in First on AA where I will subsequently purchase an add-on to get to LIH on March 13.

My other option is to transfer SPG --> Hawaiian Miles where it will cost me 20,000 miles/pp OW to get all the way from LAX-LIH with a short stopover in HNL.

I was wondering what people thought in terms of whether it is worth it to save the transfer hassle and the waiting period of the transfer to go through and just take a "nice" flight (its on an old 757-200) in First rather than do the whole SPG --> Hawaiian ordeal. Thoughts are appreciated.

Sabbatical Salutations!

[mordys]

Why not just add on the hawaiin HNL-LIH leg to the AA ticket-they are partners and such changes are free while a ticket is on hold pre-booking.

[LAXtraveler]

Why not just add on the hawaiin HNL-LIH leg to the AA ticket-they are partners and such changes are free while a ticket is on hold pre-booking.

AA didn't have availability for the inter-island award on HA when I booked the ticket to HNL. I have called back everyday since, but still nothing has opened up. So, if I keep my current itinerary, I have to just pay for the HNL-LIH leg.

[mordys]

Also, if you can, when you come back, you should use an AA reward ticket, because for as low as only 2500 extra miles you can add on a leg for a (direct flight only) from LAX-europe.

[mordys]

AA didn't have availability for the inter-island award on HA when I booked the ticket to HNL. I have called back everyday since, but still nothing has opened up. So, if I keep my current itinerary, I have to just pay for the HNL-LIH leg.

That's interesting: so Hawaiin had the same seat as award available but American did not?

[LAXtraveler]

Also, if you can, when you come back, you should use an AA reward ticket, because for as low as only 2500 extra miles you can add on a leg for a (direct flight only) from LAX-europe.

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean here?

That's interesting: so Hawaiin had the same seat as award available but American did not?

Ya, I thought it was weird too. Maybe HA only gives AA limited seats on those flights for award travel and others already got them.

[mordys]

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean here?

Go to AA. com, pick muti-city to redeem a ticket and do HNL-LAX then LAX-random city in europe.  Check out what milage it is charging and you'lll see what I mean.

Q: Do one-way awards include any stopovers?
A: Awards between North America and Europe, India, Asia, and Central / South America allow a stopover at the North American gateway. However, other one-way awards do not allow stopovers.
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/disclaimers/flexaward_faqs.jsp

[LAXtraveler]

Go to AA. com, pick muti-city to redeem a ticket and do HNL-LAX then LAX-random city in europe.  Check out what milage it is charging and you'lll see what I mean.

Q: Do one-way awards include any stopovers?
A: Awards between North America and Europe, India, Asia, and Central / South America allow a stopover at the North American gateway. However, other one-way awards do not allow stopovers.
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/disclaimers/flexaward_faqs.jsp

Checked it out and see what you mean. Thanks for the tip.

[LAXtraveler]

But going back to my original question, the basic math comes down to is it worth to spend the AA 75,000 miles OW (in F) + $140 to get from LAX-HNL-LIH vs. SPG 35,000 points transfer to HA (in Y) + $0 to get from LAX-HNL-LIH?

The second option would seem to be better, but I guess some of it would depend on transfer time from SPG to HA and not sitting in F.