Big Island (Kona & Hilo) from Honolulu, Oct 23–25: $967 for two, all in
The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Nonstop 47-minute hop, leaving Honolulu Friday at 4:34 PM
- $290 per person, $6 under the $296 median we tracked
- Bears' Place Guest House scores 8.5 from 167 reviews
The catch: October is Ironman World Championship weekend in Kona, Bears' Place has no free cancellation, and a checked bag is about $140 for two.
Worth it if you want a quick volcano-and-snorkel weekend from Honolulu; skip it if you need flexible plans or a quiet Kona.
Worth it if you can lock in your plans and travel light: $967 for two, all in, covering the flights at $580 plus Bears' Place Guest House at $334 and its $53 in property fees, with taxes included. That's Oct 23–25, 2026, 2 nights, on a nonstop Alaska flight operated as Hawaiian Airlines, 47 minutes out. Checked bags and spending money aren't in that total.
The total, before you go
$967 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, round trip | $580 |
| Bears' Place Guest House, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | $334 |
| Resort fee, collected at the desk | $53 |
| The total, before you go | $967 |
| 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 Alaska, $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
$290 per person, round trip
$580 for two, taxes and fees included · Alaska. Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines · nonstop · 47m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 4:34 PM – Fri, Oct 23, 5:21 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska. Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines | $290 | nonstop | 47m |
| Southwest | $290 | nonstop | 55m |
| Alaska. Operated by Alaska as Hawaiian Airlines | $290 | nonstop | 47m |
Prices checked Oct 15, 2026, 6:29 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
Tweak this trip
Why now
At $290 per person, the fare is $6 below the $296 median of our 8 earlier checks on this route, about 2% under. It did dip to $240 in the last 30 days, so this isn't the low, but it's a fair price for a nonstop that lands in Kona at 5:21 PM on Friday, Oct 23, with the evening still ahead. The forecast shows highs of 85–86°F and lows of 71–72°F, with rain chances of 6%, 20% and 25% across the three days and fog listed for Saturday and Sunday. October carries a season note, Ironman World Championship weekend in Kona, so expect a busier town if it falls on your dates. There's no time difference and no passport needed, so this getaway barely touches your work week.
The kind of trip this is
This is a nature-and-ocean long weekend: a volcano caldera, a night snorkel, coffee country and black sand, all on one road-trip island. It suits a couple or two friends who like to drive, start early and fill their days. The pace runs busy for 2 nights, so pick two or three things and save the rest for the next trip.
Weather in Big Island (Kona & Hilo), Oct 23–25
Highs 85–86°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 23 | 86 °F | 71 °F | 6% |
| Sat, Oct 24 | 85 °F | 71 °F | 20% |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 86 °F | 72 °F | 25% |
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 is the best value and the one in our total: $334 for the stay ($167 a night) for a Triple Room with Garden View, scored 8.5 from 167 reviews, with $53 in fees at the property and no free cancellation. Stylish Studio Condo Near Magic Sands Beach is the top rated at 9.2, though from only 19 reviews: $355 for the stay, $178 a night, with free cancellation and $45 in property fees. Aeolian Ranch Guest house is the budget pick at $205 for the stay, $103 a night, scored 7.2 from 626 reviews, with free cancellation and $32 in fees. Both guest houses sit in Kalaoa, Kailua-Kona.
Bears' Place Guest House
$334 for 2 nights, two guests · $167 a night
See roomsStylish Studio Condo Near Magic Sands Beach
$355 for 2 nights, two guests · $178 a night
See roomsAeolian Ranch Guest house
$205 for 2 nights, two guests · $103 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) for these dates
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
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, with Volcano Village at the park gate
- Snorkel with manta rays at night off Kona, a good fit for your Friday or Saturday evening
- Stargaze from the Mauna Kea visitor station after dark
- 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 coffee country
Tours and tickets in Big Island (Kona & Hilo)
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
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 | 47m nonstop |
| Distance | 167 miles each way |
| Time difference | same time zone |
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 2 nights in Big Island (Kona & Hilo) costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $580 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Bears' Place Guest House) | $334 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | $520 |
| Total for two | $1,434 |
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 | $290 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $240 (Oct 16, 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | $296 |
| Price checks | 8 |
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
- No passport needed: it's a domestic flight, the currency is the US dollar and there's no time difference.
- The flight covers 167 miles in 47 minutes, Honolulu (HNL) to Kona International (KOA); Hilo International (ITO) also serves the island.
- The $290 per person fare is round trip and all-in as found when we checked; prices can change.
- Checked bags aren't in the total, about $140 for two.
- Bears' Place Guest House has no free cancellation; the other two picks do.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Worth it if your plans are firm. The fare is $290 per person, 2% below the $296 median we tracked, and the nonstop takes 47 minutes. The catches: our value pick has no free cancellation, and October is Ironman World Championship weekend in Kona.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$967 for two, all in: $580 in flights, $334 for 2 nights at Bears' Place Guest House and $53 in property fees, taxes included. Checked bags (about $140 for two) and spending money are extra.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic flight from Honolulu to Kona, you'll pay in US dollars, and there's no time difference.
What is the weather like?
The forecast shows highs of 85–86°F and lows of 71–72°F. Rain chances are 6% on Friday, 20% on Saturday and 25% on Sunday, with fog listed for the weekend days.
Is 2 nights enough?
For a focused trip, yes. You land at 5:21 PM Friday, so you could fit in a night manta ray snorkel, and Saturday is enough for the volcano park or Kealakekua Bay. You won't fit the whole island in.
Which flight did we find?
Alaska, operated as Hawaiian Airlines, nonstop at 4:34 PM on Friday, Oct 23, arriving 5:21 PM. Southwest has a 55-minute nonstop at 8:35 PM for the same $290 per person.
Also found for you
The newest finds from Honolulu.
Just found · from HonoluluWorth it, if
Cancún
Nov 14–23, 2026 · 9 nights
- Aloft by Marriott Cancun, rated 8.1 by 798 guests
- Free cancellation at Aloft by Marriott Cancun
- Typical highs 82–83°F, lows near 73°F this time of year
$3,181 for two · 9 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
Flights $1,867 + hotel $1,092 + resort fee $222, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about $140
AS + F9 · with a stop · 37h 50m
The catch: Not nonstop: 2 stops on the way, 37h 50m in all.
Worth it if you want sun, sand and a pool; skip it if you want a city to walk.
Tweak this trip
Just found · from HonoluluLowest in 30 daysWorth it, if
Phoenix & Scottsdale
Nov 14–21, 2026 · 7 nights
- United fare $561 per person, $69 below the typical fare
- La Quinta: 8.3 from 1,064 reviews, breakfast, free cancellation
- Desert highs of 71–81°F for sunrise hikes on Camelback
$2,241 for two · 7 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
Flights $1,122 + hotel $997 + resort fee $122, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about $160
United · with a stop · 11h 35m
The catch: The $561 fare is an overnight one-stop that takes 11h 35m outbound, the nonstop costs $616 per person, and a checked bag is about $160 for two.
Worth it if you can sleep on a red-eye and want warm desert days; skip it if you need a nonstop or nightlife every night.
Tweak this trip
More trips
Nine nights away · from HonoluluWorth it, if
Miami
Nov 14–23, 2026 · 9 nights
- $658 per person, $383 below the highest fare we saw for these dates
- Byronessa Miami Beach scores 9.7 from 337 reviews, $105 a night
- Typical highs of 78–81°F for beach days at Crandon Park
$2,376 for two · 9 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
Flights $1,316 + hotel $944 + resort fee $116, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about $140
Delta · with a stop · 11h 32m
The catch: It's one stop on Delta, 11h 32m out, the normals show drizzle on several days, and a checked bag is about $140 for two.
Worth it if you want nine warm days of beach and Cuban food and don't mind one stop; skip it if you need a nonstop or dry skies.
Just found · from HonoluluWorth it, if
Cancún
Nov 14–23, 2026 · 9 nights
- Aloft by Marriott Cancun, rated 8.1 by 798 guests
- Free cancellation at Aloft by Marriott Cancun
- Typical highs 82–83°F, lows near 73°F this time of year
$3,181 for two · 9 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
Flights $1,867 + hotel $1,092 + resort fee $222, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about $140
AS + F9 · with a stop · 37h 50m
The catch: Not nonstop: 2 stops on the way, 37h 50m in all.
Worth it if you want sun, sand and a pool; skip it if you want a city to walk.
Just found · from HonoluluLowest in 30 daysWorth it, if
Phoenix & Scottsdale
Nov 14–21, 2026 · 7 nights
- United fare $561 per person, $69 below the typical fare
- La Quinta: 8.3 from 1,064 reviews, breakfast, free cancellation
- Desert highs of 71–81°F for sunrise hikes on Camelback
$2,241 for two · 7 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
Flights $1,122 + hotel $997 + resort fee $122, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about $160
United · with a stop · 11h 35m
The catch: The $561 fare is an overnight one-stop that takes 11h 35m outbound, the nonstop costs $616 per person, and a checked bag is about $160 for two.
Worth it if you can sleep on a red-eye and want warm desert days; skip it if you need a nonstop or nightlife every night.
All trips from Honolulu · Big Island (Kona & Hilo) from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
Big Island (Kona & Hilo) in pictures
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. We use AI tools to draft the text of each page from the data on it; code checks every number in the draft against that data and rejects what does not match, and the team reviews pages and fixes or removes what readers report. How we pick · Report a mistake.
Image credits
- Photo: Ham Chitnupong / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Josh Withers / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Brian Wolf / Pexels, Pexels License