Cheap flights to
Hawaii

While all beautiful, each of Hawaii’s islands offers something unique that might attract different travelers in different ways. You’ll want to factor in all your needs, including budget, schedules, and personal interests, before deciding where to land.

Each of Hawaii’s five most populated islands offers its own particular charms.

With nearly 5.7 million recorded visitors in 2017, Oahu is by far Hawaii’s largest tourist destination. Honolulu, the state capital and chief air travel hub, is teeming with big city draws like nightlife, restaurants, shopping, and cultural attractions including top-tier museums and historical monuments like Pearl Harbor. Waikiki is packed with beachgoers from all over the world, while the North Shore, with its many sprawling resorts and surf-friendly shores at Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, is more relaxed.

The Big Island also attracts its fair share of vacationers with black sand beaches, crashing waves, dense tropical jungles, and towering active volcanoes. Kona and Hilo are smaller than Honolulu but both are well-stocked with restaurants, shops, nightlife, and other amenities. Cultural attractions like museums and historical sites can also be found throughout the island, as well as tourist-friendly farms and busy farmers’ markets.

A favorite among outdoor enthusiasts, Maui is famous for its serene beaches and lush, diverse landscape. Kaanapali and Wailea are prime surfing, swimming, and snorkeling locales and there’s plenty of hiking paths and winding roads to explore, including the famed Road to Hana, and Haleakala National Park, home to the world’s largest dormant volcano.

Kauai and Lanai are quieter and more remote than their neighbors, the perfect getaways for nature lovers in search of off-the-grid fun in a gorgeous setting. Rainforests, green gardens, sweeping canyons, picturesque beaches, and hiking trails culminating in epic views dominate these laid-back islands.

Surfing is one of Hawaii’s most popular activities, and the prime season for catching waves runs between November and March each year. Consisting of the Hawaiian Pro, Vans World Cup of Surfing, and Billabong Pipe Masters, the Van's Triple Crown is one of the world’s top surfing competitions and takes place on Oahu’s North Shore during November and December.

Whale watching, another extremely popular tourist draw, is at its best between the months of December and April, with peak season falling from February to the first few weeks of March. Prime stargazing, including frequent meteor showers, happens over the summer.

January welcomes the Ka Molokai Makahiki Festival, a statewide cultural event with festivities scheduled throughout the month. Once known as Aloha Week, the Amazing Aloha Festivals are now a two month affair spanning over 300 cultural events across all the islands beginning in September. Dubbed the “hula olympics,” the Merrie Monarch Festival takes over Hilo every April with dance performances and competitions. The Big Island’s 10-day Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (November) and the massive, three-weekend-long Hawaii Food & Wine Festival in Maui (October), cater to foodie crowds.

On June 11th, the state celebrates King Kamehameha Day, a public holiday paying tribute to Hawaii’s founding monarch, Kamehameha the Great. Chinese New Year (February) is also a popular holiday, with many events occurring in Honolulu’s vibrant Chinatown. And, US national holidays like Independence Day (July 4th) are recognized, as are most Christian traditions like Christmas and Easter.