Hawaiian Airlines to Sydney, anyone?

Any feedback on flying Hawaiian Airlines to Sydney (from Phoenix). What is the difference between Hawaiian Airlines, Qantas, and Air Tahiti Nui? We are going to Sydney Jan/15 and will be needing returning flights from Sydney on Feb. 28, 2015 (most airlines are not out yet). Looking at different choices.

Also, if we fly Hawaiian Airlines Phoenix to Sydney, there is an overnight stay in Honolulu. I am assuming the airlines keeps our checked luggage, and we would only have to deal with our carry ons? It is all ticketed as one flight, with the overnight (arriving 11:40 AM on day one, and leaving at 11:40AM on day 2).

Are you flying economy or business class? I flew HA via HNL last time I went to SYD because I could not get business award seats on Qantas. I flew Qantas back.

HA has the smallest plane and Qantas and AN are better products IMO.

I thought we took our luggage to our hotel, but perhaps someone else can confirm. We flew ORD to LAX to HNL to SYD.

Thank you for the quick reply. Unfortunately, we will be in Economy. We will be away for almost 6 weeks. This is a dream trip, and we will need to economize on the air to get to Sydney. :eek: This affords us the ability to do 2 cruises and 12 nights while in Sydney and New Zealand.

I would not consider Air Tahiti Nui unless it was significantly cheaper. It's not very pleasant in economy.

I would not consider Air Tahiti Nui unless it was significantly cheaper. It's not very pleasant in economy.

So is Hawaiian Airlines bearable in economy?

So is Hawaiian Airlines bearable in economy?

I have never flown Hawaiian however seatguru indicates they have fairly nice pitch and seat with in Economy on the A330 and 767.

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Hawaiian_Airlines/information.php

I did United to Australia a few year ago and based on the extra seat width and pitch, Hawaiian looks like a nice option.

Thank you for the quick reply. Unfortunately, we will be in Economy. We will be away for almost 6 weeks. This is a dream trip, and we will need to economize on the air to get to Sydney. :eek: This affords us the ability to do 2 cruises and 12 nights while in Sydney and New Zealand.

Are you looking to book with miles or purchasing a ticket?

I would still suggest Qantas as a first choice ,but it is really nice to break up your flight if you have the time.

If you're going to fly economy on Hawaiian HNL-SYD (A330), try to book into rows 11-12-13. This is a very quiet (and small) cabin in the forward economy section (directly behind Business Class). The larger coach section is behind the galley which separates the two economy cabins.

As to baggage, unless things have changed recently, Hawaiian's website claims they do not hold luggage overnight, even in the case of a forced overnight layover in HNL. You might get lucky if PHX will check your bags through to SYD, but plan on claiming/rechecking them in HNL if you fly Hawaiian.

If you're going to fly economy on Hawaiian HNL-SYD (A330), try to book into rows 11-12-13. This is a very quiet (and small) cabin in the forward economy section (directly behind Business Class). The larger coach section is behind the galley which separates the two economy cabins.

 

As to baggage, unless things have changed recently, Hawaiian's website claims they do not hold luggage overnight, even in the case of a forced overnight layover in HNL. You might get lucky if PHX will check your bags through to SYD, but plan on claiming/rechecking them in HNL if you fly Hawaiian.

It would be nice if it was checked all the way through to SYD. Not a problem though if we have to pick it up and take it to a hotel. Seems they "should" keep your checked luggage overnight, when forced to stay overnight.

We will be purchasing our air tickets using money, unless I can accrue enough points on our Capital One we just got. (bonus of 20,000 miles, and 1.25 miles per $1. spent). If not, I will just have to use our money, and save our miles for another trip. I know it would only be part of the miles.

We have been to Hawaii twice before. DH brother lives in Phoenix, and the pricing on Hawaiian Air is a decent price for our departure date. Coming home isn't out yet. Thinking of visiting brother in Phoenix for a couple days, fly to Hawaii, stay one night, enjoy the beach for the afternoon (probably sleep, lol), then continue to Sydney. Will have to see what the pricing is once the return dates come out for Hawaiian Air and also Qantas.

Thank you again for all the input. CC is great!

I have flown LAX-HNL-SYD in the past, with a couple of days in Honolulu between flights, and - at least for me and my wife - the layover in Hawaii didn't help at all with our level of fatigue or whatever on arrival in Oz. In fact, the whole hassle of getting from HNL to a hotel - bag claim, taxi scrum, etc. - time which could have been spent sleeping or watching movies on a nonstop.. well, not sure of the balance. Of course in fairness, Honolulu isn't our first choice of destinations in Hawaii anyway, but this really felt like a stop and expense we really didn't need to incur. Of course YMMV.

I'd look into Qantas and try Premium Econ out of LAX. That is a long flight in regular economy seating.

Though not to SYD we did fly HA to Papeete, and also overnighted in HNL, which we enjoyed.

We fly AA exclusively (million miler), but of course AA doesn't fly to PPT , but we thought HA's 767 economy matched pretty well to AA, and we were satisfided with the seating, also enjoyed the whole "Island's" vibe that HA has ..

Oh and yes you need to claim your luggage, and recheck it the next day

Srpilo

I came to the same conclusion as Gardyloo about overnighting in Honolulu -- more hassle than it's worth and quite costly when adding in transport and hotels etc.

I have booked for next Feb on Air New Zealand to Auckland with a return from Sydney. Some nice preferred seats in economy were available and a very reasonable cost (+$200) for premium economy on the return portion from AKL-LAX. They also have a website called grabaseat that offers cheaper prices but they are limited in scope to mostly regional flights and the odd international one.

Again, thank you all for your replies. I am waiting for Qantas to come out for our return flight. We are looking to originate our flights from Cleveland, OH. (Possibly Pittsburgh) It looks like Qantas probably has the best availability for the shortest time in the air. The more I thought about the Hawaiian Air and the 1 night, it isn't worth the hassle.

Again, thank you all for your replies. I am waiting for Qantas to come out for our return flight. We are looking to originate our flights from Cleveland, OH. (Possibly Pittsburgh) It looks like Qantas probably has the best availability for the shortest time in the air. The more I thought about the Hawaiian Air and the 1 night, it isn't worth the hassle.

My suggestion is to also look at booking on Qantas via AA.com, with AA flight numbers (such as AA7366 being operated by Qantas as QF108). You would then get full AA miles, which you could redeem for flights on American Airlines and its partners at a later time. That's a lot of miles to not claim.

My suggestion is to also look at booking on Qantas via AA.com, with AA flight numbers (such as AA7366 being operated by Qantas as QF108). You would then get full AA miles, which you could redeem for flights on American Airlines and its partners at a later time. That's a lot of miles to not claim.

Thank you! I hadn't even thought of that! :D

Thank you! I hadn't even thought of that! :D

It just gets tricky, because the discount fares on Qantas (booked directly with Qantas, with a Qantas flight number) won't give you full American Airlines miles. Usually only like 25% miles. However if you book the exact same flight with an American Airlines flight number, operated by Qantas, you get miles at the American Airlines rate, and they always give at least 100% (more if you book in business or first, or a completely refundable coach fare...which is just as much money, usually, as business class). When I was a rather rookie business traveler, making my first trip to Australia as a 24 year old back in 2008 (an before my company allowed business class travel), I learned that one the hard way ;)

Just keep in mind that you can still book Qantas flight numbers on AA.com, and thus would be subjected to likely only getting that 25%. So you really need to make sure your flight number is AAxxxx. I believe all longhaul AA codeshares on Qantas are AA7xxx (four numbers total)

My suggestion is to also look at booking on Qantas via AA.com, with AA flight numbers (such as AA7366 being operated by Qantas as QF108). You would then get full AA miles, which you could redeem for flights on American Airlines and its partners at a later time. That's a lot of miles to not claim.

Just be sure to check prices on both sites. I am looking at a London trip (non cruise) in Sept and booking through AA on a BA flight in premium econ is showing over $5,000....the same flight booked direct on BA is only $2,000. Same flight as it is a BA flight direct from IAH-LHR. So just be sure you check the operation carrier's website to make sure of the price. (There is an option to enter your AA freq flier number when booking so you get credit for the miles)

Also, Qantas flies to DFW. It's on a 747-400 and not an A380. The flight to SYD stops in BNE to refuel; the flight from SYD to DFW is nonstop. Just an option that might be advantageous to your plans.

Just be sure to check prices on both sites. I am looking at a London trip (non cruise) in Sept and booking through AA on a BA flight in premium econ is showing over $5,000....the same flight booked direct on BA is only $2,000. Same flight as it is a BA flight direct from IAH-LHR. So just be sure you check the operation carrier's website to make sure of the price. (There is an option to enter your AA freq flier number when booking so you get credit for the miles)

Sure, but I'm talking about miles. It's obvious that most people would rather save the $3k and only get 25% miles, but if prices are the same, or even close, that's a factor to consider. It isn't a factor on AA/BA as their Trans-Atlantic joint venture allows full AA mileage on any (even the lowest) BA fares.

Just be sure to check prices on both sites. I am looking at a London trip (non cruise) in Sept and booking through AA on a BA flight in premium econ is showing over $5,000....the same flight booked direct on BA is only $2,000. Same flight as it is a BA flight direct from IAH-LHR.

On AA's website, it will only sell premium economy using the most expensive booking class and therefore the most expensive fares. BA's website will sell the whole range of fares, right down to the cheapest - subject to availability of course.

In many cases, a good search engine like ITA will allow you to ferret out the cheaper options in such situations.

Hi Virgin Australia also fly LAX to Sydney good solid product non stop is around 13 hours aircraft is a 777-300er Qantas us an A380

Air New Zealand also have some good flights but they are all via NZ their new premium economy product is great

Kind Regards

Tony ( to many hours on planes)

Hi Virgin Australia also fly LAX to Sydney good solid product non stop is around 13 hours aircraft is a 777-300er Qantas us an A380

 

 

 

Air New Zealand also have some good flights but they are all via NZ their new premium economy product is great

 

 

 

Kind Regards

 

 

 

Tony ( to many hours on planes)

Qantas flies both A380 and 747-400 between LAX and SYD. I believe 747 is usually the later flight. Both are fine, but the A380 is ALWAYS my choice, no matter what class you're flying in.