United offers
discount fares
for holidays
The 'Mele Kalikimaka'
By Russ Lynch
prices are about 20 percent
less than competitors' rates
Star-Bulletin
United Airlines today announced its "Mele Kalikimaka" fares, offering discounts of about 20 percent off the lowest fares currently posted for travel from Honolulu to the mainland in December, returning in January.
While the holiday fares to some MidWest and East Coast destinations are higher than those posted for travel now, they are better than those posted by other airlines for December-January travel.
The exception is the highly competitive Hawaii--West Coast business, where the Christmas fares are about the same as those currently posted for December-January travel.
United is offering a Honolulu-New York round-trip Mele Kalikimaka fare of $675, including fees and taxes. The nearest competing fare, on Continental Airlines, is currently listed on the Travelocity Web site at $872 for the same dates.
United's holiday fare to Chicago is $595, compared with Continental's lowest of $935. However, most airline's already match United's $373 West Coast fare.
Usually airlines quickly match each other's fares, but as of this morning the others had not matched United.
To qualify for the discounts, travelers must start their trips from Honolulu between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31 and make the flight home between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31. There are other restrictions, such as a 14-day advance purchase requirement, and not all seats on all aircraft will be available at the discount prices.
This year's travel period is longer. In the past, travel was restricted to between mid-December and early January. United is also offering discount fares to Europe, using its alliances with other airlines. They include a Honolulu-Paris round trip for $868, plus taxes, and from Honolulu to cities in Germany for $908, plus taxes.
