Big Island (Kona & Hilo) from San Francisco, 19 – 24 Nov: £1,502 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- £21 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Lowest in 30 days on this route
- Kalani Kai#104, rated 9 by 6 guests
The catch: Not nonstop: 2 stops on the way, 11h in all.
Worth it if you want sun, sand and a pool; skip it if you want a city to walk.
Round-trip flights from San Francisco to the Big Island were $497 per person ($994 for two) for Nov 19–24, 2026, a 5-night trip on Southwest with 2 stops each way, so not nonstop. Typical highs are 80–81°F with lows near 70°F. The best-value stay, Kalani Kai#104 in Kailua-Kona, came to $999 for all 5 nights.
The total, before you go
£1,502 for two · 5 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £749 |
| Kalani Kai#104, 5 nights, two guests, taxes in | £753 |
| The total, before you go | £1,502 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £106 |
£21 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £26 each way per bag on Southwest, £106 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£375 per person, return
£749 for two, taxes and fees included · Southwest · 2 stops · 11h
Out Thu, Nov 19, 12:25 PM – Thu, Nov 19, 9:25 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | £375 | 2 stops | 11h |
| Alaska | £428 | nonstop | 10h 42m |
| Alaska. Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines + Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines | £418 | 1 stop | 9h 48m |
Prices checked 14 Oct 2026, 03:25 GMT-7. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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Why now
The fare is $497 per person round trip, $28 below the typical fare on this route. That typical fare is $525, the median of our earlier checks, so this one is 5% under, and it carries a Lowest in 30 days badge. We saw 12 offers, and fares ran from $497 to $651 per person. For two, flights come to $994. Add the best-value stay at $999 and $1,300 for spending, and the trip budgets at $3,293 for two. Late November comes after October's Ironman weekend in Kona and before humpback whale season and the Kohala Coast peak start in December. Expect highs of 80–81°F and lows near 70°F, mostly overcast. That's comfortable weather for volcano hikes, snorkeling and stargazing. Prices are all-in, taxes and fees included, as found when we checked, and they can change.
The kind of trip this is
This is a nature and adventure island trip with beach time mixed in: volcano craters, night snorkels, black sand and coffee farms, all connected by road. It suits couples or a pair of friends who like to rent a car and keep moving. Plan for a medium pace, with early starts on park days and slow afternoons by the water in Kailua-Kona. Five nights covers both sides of the island without rushing.
Weather in Big Island (Kona & Hilo), 19 – 24 Nov
Typical highs 80–81°F, lows near 70°F this time of year
| Day | Typical high | Typical low | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 19 Nov | 81 °F | 70 °F | Overcast |
| Fri 20 Nov | 80 °F | 69 °F | Overcast |
| Sat 21 Nov | 80 °F | 69 °F | Partly cloudy |
| Sun 22 Nov | 81 °F | 70 °F | Overcast |
| Mon 23 Nov | 80 °F | 70 °F | Overcast |
| Tue 24 Nov | 81 °F | 70 °F | Overcast |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · averages, not a forecast
Where to stay in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
All three picks are in Kailua-Kona, a walkable seaside town with coffee shops, snorkel tours and mid-range hotels. It's close to the KOA airport. Kalani Kai#104 is the best value: a vacation home at $999 for the 5 nights, or $200 a night, with a review score of 9 from 6 reviews. It doesn't offer free cancellation. Kona Mansions is the budget pick and the only one with free cancellation: a one-bedroom apartment at $1,050 total, or $210 a night, rated 8.6 from 26 reviews. Aston Kona By The Sea is the top-rated choice, a 4-star hotel with a one-bedroom suite and partial ocean view at $2,173, or $435 a night, rated 8.2 from 326 reviews. If you want to be near the volcano, Volcano Village has rainforest B&Bs right at the park gate.
Kalani Kai#104
£753 for 5 nights, two guests · £151 a night
See roomsAston Kona By The Sea
£1,638 for 5 nights, two guests · £328 a night
See roomsKona Mansions
£791 for 5 nights, two guests · £158 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) for these dates
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Where in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
- Kohala Coast (Waikoloa, Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea): The island's sunniest resort strip with golden beaches and golf.
- Kailua-Kona: Walkable seaside town with coffee shops, snorkel tours and mid-range hotels.
- Volcano Village: Rainforest B&Bs at the gate of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
- Hilo: Rainy east-side town near waterfalls and the volcano, at budget rates.
- Captain Cook / Kealakekua: Coffee-farm country above the best snorkelling bay.
What to do in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
- See the Kilauea caldera at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Snorkel with manta rays at night off Kona
- Stargaze from the Mauna Kea visitor station
- Kayak and snorkel Kealakekua Bay at the Captain Cook monument
- Walk the black sand of Punaluu Beach
- Tour a Kona coffee farm in Captain Cook / Kealakekua country
Tours and tickets in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
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Getting there and around
| Airports in San Francisco | San Francisco International (SFO), Oakland San Francisco Bay (OAK), San Jose Mineta International (SJC) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) | Kona International (KOA), Hilo International (ITO) |
| Flight time | 11h (2 stops) |
| Distance | 2,370 miles each way |
| Time difference | -2 hours |
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
What 5 nights in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £749 |
| Hotel, 5 nights (Kalani Kai#104) | £753 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 5 days for two | £980 |
| Total for two | £2,482 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: San Francisco to Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £375 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £375 (14 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £396 |
| Price checks | 9 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Big Island (Kona & Hilo).
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- No passport needed, and the currency is the US dollar.
- Hawaii is 2 hours behind San Francisco.
- The Southwest flight leaves SFO at 12:25 PM on Thursday, Nov 19 and lands in Kona at 9:25 PM local time, 11h total with 2 stops.
- Kona Mansions is the only one of the three stays with free cancellation, and all three are room only.
- The island has two airports, Kona International (KOA) and Hilo International (ITO). This fare flies into KOA.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
We found $497 per person round trip on Southwest, or $994 for two, all-in with taxes and fees. That's $28 below the typical fare of $525 on this route. Fares can change after we check.
Is there a nonstop option?
The $497 fare has 2 stops. We also saw an Alaska nonstop at $568 per person, leaving at 7:00 AM, so it costs $71 more per person to skip the connections.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic US trip, so you won't need a passport, and you'll pay in US dollars.
What is the weather like?
Typical highs for Nov 19–24 are 80–81°F, with lows near 70°F. The normals show mostly overcast days and one partly cloudy day.
Is 5 nights enough?
It's enough for the highlights: a day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a night manta snorkel, Kealakekua Bay, Mauna Kea stargazing and a coffee farm. Note that the outbound flight lands at 9:25 PM, so the first evening is mostly travel.
What does the whole trip cost for two?
Our budget comes to $3,293 for two: $994 for flights, $999 for the best-value stay and $1,300 for spending, which works out to $130 per person per day.
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Big Island (Kona & Hilo) in pictures
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: Ham Chitnupong / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Josh Withers / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Brian Wolf / Pexels, Pexels License