We just spotted a $277 one-way fare from Honolulu to Nadi on Fiji Airways using Google Flights. With a slightly higher return, the round trip came to just $621 per person. This is about half the normal cost and is available August 2025 through March 2026, but the offer could end anytime.
That’s less than some flights between the mainland US. and Hawaii—and it includes meals, checked bags, and reportedly genuine island hospitality. For travelers used to $1,000+ international fares, it’s a fascinating wake-up call.
Los Angeles or Dallas to Fiji roundtrip in the $600’s.
Not only that but you can fly from Los Angeles or Dallas to Fiji for just slightly more – still in the $600’s RT, including all taxes and fees.
These super-reasonable airfares include Fiji’s mandatory international departure tax of approximately $100, which is typically bundled into the return part of the ticket. Stripped of that, the base fare from Honolulu was closer to $521—making it an even better value for a 3,200 international flight. The distance from Los Angeles to Nadi is 5,518 miles and from Dallas it’s 6,625 miles. Get ready for some long flights and significant jet-lag. To the person who commented that it is just a few hours further than Hawaii, well that isn’t exactly true.
Advertisement
Better yet, a similar fare is available from Los Angeles on the wide-body A350 for $696 round-trip, nonstop in 11 hours.
Until now, Fiji has felt far away, even to us closer by in Hawaii—remote, expensive, and out of reach. But with less costly flights from HNL and the mainland, and these eye-opening promotions, Fiji is suddenly back in play. And for some Hawaii travelers, it’s starting to look like more than just a deal—it’s a meaningful destination, either in combination with Hawaii or as an alternative.
First observations after booking with Fiji Airways.
We’re excited to explore Fiji and share what we learn, but we already have some reservations about the journey.
First, the flight from Honolulu isn’t on one of Fiji Airways’ new A350s, which serve longer routes like Los Angeles and Dallas. Instead, it’s a Boeing 737 MAX with a stop: outbound via Samoa, return via Kiribati. While the outbound is a daytime flight, the return is a red-eye, and that combination alone gives BOH editors some pause.
Sitting on the cramped 737 Max for 9 hours is anything but exciting. It would have been 7 hours and a little easier without a stop, had that been available.
Advertisement
Second, booking with Fiji Airways has been… different. There’s no international call center, so you call a local Fiji number directly to make changes or ask any questions. And with the odd time difference, we still haven’t been able to get through. They are only open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Fiji time).
We’re holding our reservations until Monday to talk with someone about adding a third seat, which hold cost us an extra $20 per person. Worse, their entire reservation system left us wanting, and we have never received an email confirmation after making the reservation. Luckily, we saved the reservation screen or we’d be left with nothing. That’s rare—and a bit concerning—in 2025.
We’re still going, and we’re hopeful. But this experience has reminded us that getting to paradise can still have rough edges.
How do the two island destinations compare?
Photo credit Fiji Wildlife Conservation Society
It’s said that you’ll feel the difference in rhythm between Hawaii and Fiji. Depending on the location and island, you sometimes navigate parking, lines, and reservation systems in Hawaii. In Fiji, you’re slowing down—intentionally.
You can still get a Fiji beachfront bure (cottage) for $135–$225 per night, and many include meals. Fiji resorts on smaller islands often bundle activities and transfers, minimizing the surprise costs travelers encounter in Hawaii. The average tourist in Fiji spends under $200 per night total, including lodging, meals, and incidentals. Fresh market food and local beer costs are low, too.
In 2024, Hawaii posted among the highest hotel rates in the U.S., an average of $435 per night. Maui came in at $701; even Oahu averaged $323 before taxes, resort, and other fees. Dining adds up fast, too, with hotel breakfasts reaching $40–$60 per person and standard dinners easily topping $100 for two.
Advertisement
Culture is part of the stay, not a performance.
Fiji’s approach to culture appears refreshingly direct. Visitors are invited into villages, offered kava during welcoming ceremonies, and even stay in homes or traditional-style accommodations. Locals lead village tours, and the money often funds schools or reef restoration. This isn’t a show—it’s daily life, shared openly and with pride.
In Hawaii, culture is undeniably present and highly nuanced, but visitors’ access varies. Luaus, hula shows, and hotel performances sometimes remain the easily accessible entry points for most tourists. More profound experiences exist—cultural hiking tours, taro farm visits, fishpond restorations, concerts, and events—but they require intention and often a bit of planning and digging.
Still, Hawaii has made real progress. Programs like Mālama Hawaiʻi reward visitors who volunteer to help restore natural or cultural sites. Events like the Merrie Monarch Festival, which just occurred, celebrate authentic Hawaiian traditions at world-class levels. However, they are not yet as woven into the everyday visitor experience or as accessible as in Fiji.
With that said, Hawaii has more infrastructure, while Fiji appears to have greater immersion.
Both islands are protecting what matters, just differently.
Hawaii receives around 10 million visitors annually, putting enormous and undeniable pressure on beaches, reefs, roads, and local communities. That impact has led to significant shifts in strategy—reservation systems at popular sites, increasingly steep fees, and proposed green taxes to fund conservation.
Advertisement
Fiji, by comparison, welcomed just over 1 million visitors in 2024—about one-tenth of Hawaii’s annual total. That smaller scale gives it an edge. Rather than reacting to overuse, Fiji proactively shapes how and where tourism grows. Its 10-year National Sustainable Tourism Framework includes daily visitor caps on sensitive islands, reef protection zones run by local communities, and climate adaptation plans for vulnerable coastal areas.
One example is the Namena Marine Reserve, Fiji’s largest no-take reef sanctuary. Visitors must purchase a dive or snorkel tag, and the funds go to reef monitoring and scholarships for local students. It’s a low-volume, high-value model now being adopted and studied in other regions.
In Hawaii and Fiji, travelers are asked to help, not just show up. However, Fiji’s lower volume and community-first strategy give it a different feel: more intentional, less reactive.
Which one should you choose?
If you want easy and varied road trips, nightlife, volcanoes, and historic sites, Hawaii still delivers, and it’s our home that we love, and so to do visitors. You can surf in the morning, hike a crater by lunch, and finish your day with local poke or fine dining, and live slack key guitar. It’s convenient, familiar, easily accessible, and still deeply rewarding.
But Fiji offers something else if you’re craving rest, personal connection, and an exotic, different pace. No mega-resorts. No traffic. No sense that you’re the thousandth person on the same tour that day. What you’ll find instead is island time, coral reefs, and quiet hospitality that still feels rooted in community.
Advertisement
BOH readers have been mentioning Fiji. One wrote, “Instead of going to Hawaii this year, I visited Fiji… which was a stark contrast… much more affordable and best of all the people were friendly, extremely happy and made sure you felt welcomed and invited back.”
Another said, “We thought it over and skipped HI this year, flew a few extra hours to Fiji. What a revelation. Friendly locals, cheap prices, and just as beautiful if not more.”
A longtime visitor added, “Fiji is a fraction of the price and like Hawaii 25 years ago. They actually appreciate you being there.”
Final thought.
Beat of Hawaii editors will report back as we contrast Hawaii with other global tropical tourism destinations. But even before we do, it’s clear that the choice between Hawaii and Fiji isn’t about better or worse—it’s about different kinds of beauty, values, and experiences.
Have you been to both Hawaii and Fiji? Which speaks to you more, and why? Share your thoughts below. And if you’re considering both, we’d love to hear what’s tipping the scale.
The third-ranked Hawaii men’s volleyball team had no problem recording its 11th sweep of the season, handling No. 6 BYU 25-18, 25-21, 25-16 tonight at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
A crowd of 6,493 watched the Rainbow Warriors (14-1) roll right through the Cougars (13-4) for their 11th straight win.
Louis Sakanoko put down a match-high 15 kills and Adrien Roure added 11 kills in 18 attempts. Roure has hit .500 or better in three of his past four matches.
Junior Tread Rosenthal had a match-high 32 assists and guided Hawaii to a .446 hitting percentage.
Advertisement
UH hit .500 in the first set, marking the third time in two matches against BYU it hit .500 or better in a set.
Hawaii has won seven of the past eight meetings against the Cougars (13-4), whose only two losses prior to playing UH were in five sets.
Don’t miss out on what’s happening!
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It’s FREE!
Advertisement
Hawaii has lost six sets all season, with five of those sets going to deuce.
UH returns to the home court next week for matches Wednesday and Friday against No. 7 Pepperdine.
Hawaiian Airlines’ passengers are back in federal court trying to stop something most people assumed was already finished. They are no longer arguing about whether they are allowed to sue. They are now asking a judge to intervene and preserve Hawaiian as a standalone airline before integration advances to a point this spring where it cannot realistically be reversed.
That approach is far more aggressive than what we covered in Can Travelers Really Undo Alaska’s Hawaiian Airlines Takeover?. The earlier round focused on whether passengers had standing and could amend their complaint. This court round focuses on whether harm is already occurring and whether the court should act immediately rather than later. The shift is moving from procedural survival to emergency relief, which makes this filing different for Hawaii travelers.
The post-merger record is now the focus.
When the $1.9 billion acquisition closed in September 2024, the narrative was straightforward. Hawaiian would gain financial stability. Alaska would impose what it described early as “discipline” across routes and costs. Travelers were told they would benefit from broader connectivity, stronger loyalty alignment, and long-term fleet investments that Hawaiian could no longer fund independently.
Eighteen months later, the plaintiffs argue that the outcome has not matched the pitch. They cite reduced nonstop options on some Hawaii mainland routes, redeye-heavy return schedules that many readers openly dislike, and loyalty program changes that longtime Hawaiian flyers say diminished redemption value. They frame these not as routine airline integration but as signs that competitive pressure has weakened in our island state, where airlift determines price and critical access for both visitors and residents.
Advertisement
What is different about this filing compared with earlier debates is that it relies on developments that have already occurred rather than on predictions about what might happen later.
The HA call sign has already been retired. Boston to Honolulu was cut before competitors signaled renewed service. Austin’s nonstop service ended. Multiple mainland departures shifted into overnight red-eyes. And next, the single reservation system transition is targeted for April 2026, a process already well underway.
Atmos replaced both Hawaiian Miles and Alaska’s legacy loyalty programs, and readers immediately reported higher award pricing, fewer cheap seats, no mileage upgrades, and confusion around status alignment and family accounts. Each of those events can be described as aspects of integration mechanics, but together they form the factual record that the plaintiffs are now asking a judge to examine in Yoshimoto v. Alaska Airlines.
The 40% capacity argument.
One of the more interesting claims tied to the court filing is that Alaska now controls more than 40% of Hawaii mainland U.S. capacity. That figure strikes at the core of the entire issue. That percentage does not automatically mean monopoly under antitrust law, but it does raise questions about concentration in a state that depends exclusively on air access for its only industry and its residents.
Hawaii is not a region where travelers have options. Every visitor, every neighbor island resident, and every business traveler depends on our limited air transportation. The plaintiffs contend that consolidation at that scale reduces competitive pressure and gives the dominant carrier far more leverage over pricing and scheduling decisions. Alaska says that competition remains robust from Delta, United, Southwest, and others, and that share shifts seasonally and by route.
Competitors reacted quickly.
While Alaska integrated Hawaiian’s network under its publicly stated discipline strategy, Delta announced its largest Hawaii winter schedule ever, beginning in December 2026. Delta’s Boston to Honolulu is slated to return, Minneapolis to Maui launches, and Detroit and JFK to Honolulu move to daily service. Atlanta also gains additional frequency. Widebodies are appearing where narrowbodies once operated, signaling Delta’s push into higher capacity and premium cabin layouts.
Advertisement
Those moves complicate the monopoly narrative. If Delta is expanding aggressively, one argument is that competition remains active and responsive. At the same time, Delta filling routes Alaska trimmed may reinforce the idea that structural changes created openings competitors believe are profitable, and that markets respond when gaps appear.
What changed since October.
In October, we examined whether the case would survive dismissal and whether passengers could refile. That moment felt more procedural than what’s afoot now. It did not alter flights, fares, or loyalty programs.
This filing is different because it is tied to post-merger developments and seeks emergency relief. The plaintiffs are asking the court to prevent further integration while the merits are evaluated, arguing that each added step toward full consolidation this spring makes reversal less feasible as systems merge, crew scheduling aligns, fleet plans shift, and branding converges.
Airline mergers are designed to become embedded quickly, and once those pieces are fully intertwined, unwinding them becomes exponentially more difficult, which is why the plaintiffs are pressing forward now rather than waiting any longer.
The DOT conditions and the defense.
When the purchase of Hawaiian closed, the Department of Transportation imposed conditions that run for six years. Those conditions addressed maintaining capacity on overlapping routes, preserving certain interline agreements, protecting aspects of loyalty commitments, and safeguarding interisland service levels.
Advertisement
Alaska will point to those commitments as evidence that consumer protections were built into the core approval. The plaintiffs, however, are essentially claiming that those conditions are either insufficient or that subsequent real-world changes undermine the spirit of what travelers were told would remain. That tension between formal commitments and actual experience is at the core of this dispute.
Hawaiian had not produced consistent profits for years.
That is the actual financial situation, without sentiment. Alaska did not spend $1.9 billion to preserve Hawaii nostalgia. It purchased aircraft, an international and trans-Pacific network reach, and a platform it thinks can return to profitability under tighter cost control.
What this means for travelers today.
Nothing about your Hawaiian Airlines ticket changes because of this filing. Flights remain scheduled. Atmos remains the reward program. Integration continues unless a judge intervenes.
However, Alaska now faces a renewed court challenge that points to concrete post-merger developments rather than speculative harm. That scrutiny alone can bring things to light and influence how aggressively future route decisions and loyalty adjustments occur.
Hawaiian Airlines’ travelers have been vocal since the start about pricing, redeyes, lost nonstops, and loyalty devaluation. Others have said very clearly that without Alaska, Hawaiian might not exist in any form at all. Both perspectives exist as background while a federal judge evaluates whether the integration should be impacted.
Advertisement
You tell us: Eighteen months after Alaska took over Hawaiian, are your Hawaii flights better or worse than before, and what changed first for you: price, schedule, routes, interisland flights, or loyalty programs?
