Hawaiian Reward seats

[albyd]

hi,

I’m currently researching an intended rewards redemption during school holidays of all times. I understand the odds of snaring rewards seats during this time are slim but will give it a go before seeking other avenues.

I called the Velocity rewards center over the weekend. The operator I spoke with reckoned there were regularly 7 J Reward seats available on Hawaiian & could see that many for the most recently released date.

While I don’t doubt that sometimes you can get accurate information from a call center was (pleasantly) surprised at how many J seats were potentially available as my understanding was its usually rare to find much more than 2 in J for many airlines when travel dates are first released.

Have I been given good information which marries up to others’ experiences or am I being led up the garden path?

 

[drron]

I have been watching HA awards on Aadvantage.I just need to wait until the 330 days out arrives.Always 2 J awards on route I want.Out of interest I looked to see if 6 J awards-max online with AA.A lot of days you could get it.So I think VA are on the mark.

 

[mlob]

i have been able to jag 4 for my family, but i have found very limited availability during the australian school holidays. at least in the April holidays which is when we go. i always book just either side of the hols by a day or so. this is with me checking very regularly as they are released.

 

[deva22]

I booked 2 J seats with relative ease (searched for with AAdvantage as mentioned by drron) in early January '18 just recently.
Just do the AAdvantage search as they're also just a 'partner' not part of an alliance.

 

[CPMaverick]

Is it possible to book Velocity reward HA seats on any HA route? Or does it have to be a route that VA codeshares on?

HA flies to American Samoa, could be an interesting itinerary to fly VA metal to Samoa, a short hop to American Samoa and a HA award onwards.

 

[Mattg]

Is it possible to book Velocity reward HA seats on any HA route? Or does it have to be a route that VA codeshares on?

HA flies to American Samoa, could be an interesting itinerary to fly VA metal to Samoa, a short hop to American Samoa and a HA award onwards.

I believe that any HA route should be possible. But I strongly suspect that you'll be up against a lack of award availability. (I have seen FJ awards using QF points from APW-HNL direct, though.)

 

[albyd]

Hi guys, thanks for your feedback. That’s surprisingly great. I’ll know for sure once I snag the seats for my family of 4. Was starting to think I was going to have to use all my Velocity points for SQ bookings so glad this might be an option and I wasn’t being told promise pies.

The co tact center wasn’t able to give me guidance on this. Whilst the contact center opens at 730am, when would they have viability on newly released partner rewards? Eg if sears were being released today, would that be midnight US pacific time for Hawaiian or some other time? I don’t want to call up too late in the day as assuming they might be gone by the time I get home from work to call.

 

[WeeWillyWonka]

slightly OT, but have HA upgraded their business class seats now?

 

[mlob]

Yes they have

 

[n7of9]

Yes they have

Are they comfortable? They look oddly shaped when flat

 

[mlob]

They are not generous in size but they are flat.

 

[unfunkable]

Hi
Just a quick question regarding this thread, some posters said to check AAdvantage, which I did.
I ran some dummy dates and it's showing me QF flights only? Is there a way to see Hawwaiian airlines so I can use velocity points?
cheers

 

[albyd]

I appreciate all the pointers from the contributors to this thread. I’m at the point where I’m trying to lock in some flights. The release date for both the outbound and the return flights I’m looking for has recently passed.

Hawaiian hasn’t released any business rewards but some economy reward seats about 2 weeks out from my intended outbound travel date (7 business rewards seats available on that flight). This hasn’t changed for the last week that I’ve been checking.

Return flights are close to available for the date I want so was planning to book return flights and keep checking for outbound flight and book that later or incur change fees if I have to then re book my return flight (I want to be in Hawaii for a week only).

This is a little different to how I’ve found redeeming with other airlines (albeit bookin on their own metal). Is this availability for HNL to SYD flights and not for SYD to HNL) normal (particularly given VA is a ‘partner’ So Hawaiian ought to show inventory to their own members first?

 

[mlob]

the last few years ive been looking for my J award flights the way the seats have been released has changed each year. the first couple of times i found they released 2 J awards initially to be followed up some month or so later by ecomomy and also 2 more J seats that i was able to also pick up for my family of 4. This year i found it difficult to find any awards at all during the April school holidays and both J and Y seemed to be released at the same time. to answer your question Ive yet to find a consistent pattern to the way they release their seats.

 

[Mattg]

I believe Hawaiian may release seats in blocks (i.e. a few weeks/months at a time). If this theory is correct, you should eventually be able to get the seats. You'll just have to keep checking.

 

[CPMaverick]

Just a quick related question since the AA site seems to be having problems with HA flights for awhile now.

You can also search award inventory on HA's site if you create an account. They have three award levels:

Book Award Flights

There are two 'saver' award levels for coach/economy. Anyone with experience know if both are available to VA, or just the cheapest?

Cheers

 

[albyd]

I’ve been searching without having created an account. Seems to be bearing out what the velocity call center is telling me about availability. I booked my outbound J seats over a month ago. Return seats not showing available until 2 weeks after my intended return date which happens to be 2 weeks after end of school Holidays.

I’m trying to book for mid October 2018 so booking window for those travel dates has well and truly opened up. Keen for guidance from members with previous experience, when school holidays are involved, how long after have these seats appeared?

Based on previous feedback in this thread, I’m prepared to give it a while longer though tempted to bite the billet and book return flights with QF in Y in case they’re significantly more expensive down the track if I give up on J redemption for return trip so I can book my accommodation. Was going to book these on Amex travel service to use up my travel credits. They’re about $200 more expensive than booking with QF direct. Means my $400 travel credits are really worth $200 better than nothing but was hoping for a bigger saving.

 

[drron]

The problem with the AA site is often the date.Check if you input any date after the 12th of the month-it is often putting in English fashion so defaults.I have generally been able to get the result by say putting in say the 9th of the month I want and then showing full calendar.But right now no availability mid october to BNE or SYD in J and very limited availability for 2 Y awards.

 

[CPMaverick]

I’ve been searching without having created an account. Seems to be bearing out what the velocity call center is telling me about availability.

On the AA site or HA site? As far as I can tell you need an account on the HA site.

I just checked some availability with Velocity, and it seems only the lowest awards on the HA chart ("super saver" for economy awards) will be available for Velocity members.

The problem with the AA site on routes that don't operate every day, is it tends to error out. The monthly chart shows '0K' miles but if you click on a date it fails.

 

[drron]

On the AA site or HA site? As far as I can tell you need an account on the HA site.

I just checked some availability with Velocity, and it seems only the lowest awards on the HA chart ("super saver" for economy awards) will be available for Velocity members.

The problem with the AA site on routes that don't operate every day, is it tends to error out. The monthly chart shows '0K' miles but if you click on a date it fails.

That is so but I am seeing dates with points and clicking through the flights come up.