Big Island (Kona & Hilo) from Honolulu, Oct 16–18: $995 for two, all in
The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Southwest nonstop, 55 minutes, leaving Honolulu 6:10 AM Friday
- Bears' Place Guest House scores 8.5 from 167 reviews
- Night manta ray snorkel off Kona, with highs of 81–84°F
The catch: Rain chances run 41% to 61% each day, none of the three hotels offers free cancellation, and October brings Kona's Ironman World Championship weekend.
Worth it if the two of you want a quick volcano-and-ocean weekend and don't mind showers; skip it if you need a sure beach day.
Worth it if you don't mind showers: $995 for two covers the round-trip flights at $608, plus 2 nights at Bears' Place Guest House at $334 and its $53 property fee, with taxes and fees included. You'd go Friday, Oct 16 and come back Sunday, Oct 18, 2026, on a 55-minute Southwest nonstop from Honolulu to Kona. A checked bag and spending money aren't in that total.
The total, before you go
$995 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, round trip | $608 |
| Bears' Place Guest House, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | $334 |
| Resort fee, collected at the desk | $53 |
| The total, before you go | $995 |
| A checked bag each, round trip (not in the total) | about $140 |
Not in it: seat picks on basic fares and a checked bag (about $35 each way per bag on Southwest, $140 for two round trip); the resort fee is counted above. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
$304 per person, round trip
$608 for two, taxes and fees included · Southwest · nonstop · 55m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 6:10 AM – Fri, Oct 16, 7:05 AM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | $304 | nonstop | 55m |
| Alaska. Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines | $304 | nonstop | 46m |
| Alaska. Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines | $304 | nonstop | 47m |
Prices checked Oct 14, 2026, 7:36 PM HST. 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
Next weekend, $995 for two gets you there and back plus 2 nights, taxes and fees included. The fare was $304 per person when we checked. The flight is a 55-minute nonstop, so the Friday 6:10 AM departure lands you in Kona at 7:05 AM with a full first day ahead. The forecast is warm, with highs of 84°F, 84°F and 81°F and lows from 71°F to 75°F. It also shows drizzle and showers, with rain chances of 41%, 47% and 61%. That fits a trip built around the volcano, coffee country and a night snorkel better than one built around a beach chair. October is also Ironman World Championship weekend in Kona, so check the race dates before you book. You won't need a passport, deal with a time change or switch currency, which keeps a 2-night getaway simple.
The kind of trip this is
This is a short nature-and-adventure weekend on a road-trip island: volcanoes, black sand, coffee farms and the ocean after dark. It suits a couple or two friends who like early starts, a long driving day and a loose plan when the showers come through. The pace is full but not rushed, since the flight is under an hour and you won't have a time change to recover from.
Weather in Big Island (Kona & Hilo), Oct 16–18
Highs 81–84°F, some rain likely
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 16 | 84 °F | 75 °F | 41% |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 84 °F | 73 °F | 47% |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 81 °F | 71 °F | 61% |
Where to stay in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
All three are in Kailua-Kona, the walkable seaside town with coffee shops, snorkel tours and mid-range hotels. Bears' Place Guest House, in Kalaoa, is the best value and the one in our total. It's $334 for the stay ($167 a night) plus a $53 fee paid at the property, rated 8.5 from 167 reviews, for a Double Room with Private Bathroom. Hale Hualalai, also in Kalaoa, is the top rated at 9.6 from 101 reviews. It's $463 for the stay ($232 a night) plus $73 at the property, for a Deluxe King Studio. The Bamboo House has 9.5 from 206 reviews and costs $432 for the stay ($216 a night) plus $62 at the property, for a Deluxe Double Room. All three are room only, and none offers free cancellation.
Bears' Place Guest House
$334 for 2 nights, two guests · $167 a night
See roomsHale Hualalai
$463 for 2 nights, two guests · $232 a night
See roomsThe Bamboo House
$432 for 2 nights, two guests · $216 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; Volcano Village sits at the park gate
- Snorkel with manta rays at night off Kona
- Kayak and snorkel Kealakekua Bay at the Captain Cook monument
- Tour a Kona coffee farm in the Captain Cook / Kealakekua coffee country
- Walk the black sand of Punaluu Beach
- Stargaze from the Mauna Kea visitor station
Tours and tickets in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Honolulu | Daniel K. Inouye International (HNL) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) | Kona International (KOA), Hilo International (ITO) |
| Flight time | 55m nonstop |
| Distance | 167 miles each way |
| Time difference | same time zone |
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What 2 nights in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $608 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Bears' Place Guest House) | $334 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | $520 |
| Total for two | $1,462 |
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: Honolulu to Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | $304 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $290 (Oct 15, 2026) |
| Price checks | 4 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travelers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Big Island (Kona & Hilo).
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- Ironman World Championship weekend in Kona
- You won't need a passport, prices are in US dollars, and there's no time difference from Honolulu.
- The 167-mile flight is 55 minutes nonstop on Southwest at 6:10 AM; Hawaiian Airlines flights operated by Alaska leave at 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM for the same $304 per person.
- A checked bag is about $140 for two and isn't in the total; for spending money, we'd set aside $130 per person a day, or $520 for two.
- None of the three hotels offers free cancellation, and all are room only.
- The island has two airports, Kona International (KOA) and Hilo International (ITO); these flights land at KOA.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Worth it if you're fine with drizzle. You get a 55-minute nonstop, a guest house rated 8.5 and a weekend of volcano, coffee and night-snorkel options for $995 for two. Rain chances run from 41% to 61%, so skip it if a dry beach day is the whole point.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$995, all in, as we found it: $608 for the flights, $334 for 2 nights at Bears' Place Guest House and its $53 fee paid at the property. A checked bag, about $140 for two, and spending money aren't included. Prices can change after we check.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic flight from Honolulu to Kona, prices are in US dollars, and there's no time difference.
What is the weather like?
Warm and damp. The forecast shows highs of 84°F on Friday and Saturday and 81°F on Sunday, with lows of 71°F to 75°F. It calls for drizzle on Friday, showers on Saturday and drizzle on Sunday, with rain chances of 41%, 47% and 61%.
Is 2 nights enough?
For one side of the island, yes. You land at 7:05 AM on Friday, so you'll have most of three days. Pick a focus: Kona's manta rays, Kealakekua Bay and coffee farms, or a longer day out to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Can we cancel the hotel if plans change?
Not for free. None of the three hotels we picked offers free cancellation: Bears' Place Guest House, Hale Hualalai and The Bamboo House. Book once your dates are settled.
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