ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE: The Frugal Tourist is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Additionally, the content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Hawaii is a bucket-list destination that is popular with both local and foreign tourists alike. However, there is no doubt that embarking on a grand Hawaiian vacation carries the risk of instantly wiping out anyone’s hard-earned savings.
Thankfully, it is possible to reduce a significant amount of travel expenses by using miles and points whenever we travel. In this blog post, I will do a deep dive on Capital One points and walk you through several options to fly to Hawaii for nearly free.
Capital One miles are some of the most versatile and valuable points out there. They can be redeemed for a wide variety of travel expenses, including flights, hotels, and car rentals. And while there are many ways to use Capital One miles, redeeming them for flights to Hawaii is one of the best deals available out there.
How To Earn Capital One Miles
Capital One Miles can be earned through the following credit cards:
How To Redeem Capital One Miles to Hawaii
| a. Using the Capital One Travel Portal b. Transfering Capital One Points to Travel Partners |
Capital One has two methods for redeeming their points currency to fly to Hawaii. The first option is to book Hawaii travel through the Capital One Travel Portal, which is widely regarded as a much easier and more convenient option.
The great thing about using the Capital One travel portal when booking flights to Hawaii is that there are no blackout dates or restrictions. This means you can use your points to book any flight to the Hawaiian Islands, regardless of when you plan to travel.
Despite this, the portal may not always provide the greatest value. Flights may require more points since the value of each Capital One mile is a mere 1 cent when redeemed at the portal.
Therefore, when airfare is expensive, the points needed to book your flights can potentially wipe out your entire stash of Capital One points. Hence, this is not always a recommended pathway.
In this post, I will go over the second method for redeeming Capital One points with the ultimate goal of getting the most bang for your buck. This other process involves transferring your hard-earned points to Capital One’s various travel partners.
Capital One Travel Partners
Capital One has several airline and hotel partners where you can transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio unless noted. In this article, I will feature Capital One transfer partners that offer notable flight redemptions to the Hawaiian Islands.
I have added a ★ next to specific airline programs included in this Hawaii-focused blog post. Please check periodically for more updates.
Heads Up: Do not transfer your Capital One Points to a travel partner unless you are sure that award space is available. Make sure you run your award searches first and verify that the seats are available to be redeemed using points. Some airline programs may show “phantom” space availability, which are not bookable. Transfering to an airline partner is a one-way street, and therefore, irreversible. You can not transfer back to Capital One once the transfer has been processed.
| Aeromexico Club Premier Air Canada Aeroplan ★ Air France-KLM Flying Blue ★ Avianca LifeMiles British Airways Executive Club ★ Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Emirates Skywards Etihad Guest EVA Infinity MileageLands Finnair Plus Qantas Frequent Flyer Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer ★ TAP Portugal Miles&Go Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles ★ |
Best Ways to Fly to Hawaii Using Capital One Miles from Anywhere in the United States
1. Capital One Transfer Partner: Turkish Miles and Smiles
Airline: United
Transfer Capital One Points to the Turkish Miles and Smiles Program. Since Turkish Airlines is a member of Star Alliance, you can use Turkish Miles and Smiles to book on any Star Alliance partner, including United which flies to Hawaii.
7,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the United States.
12,500 miles one-way in business from anywhere in the United States.
In the examples below, I was able to transfer 30,000 points to Turkish Miles and Smiles in order to purchase four tickets in economy (7,500 miles X 4 = 30,000 miles) to fly from San Francisco to the Big Island.
2. Capital One Transfer Partner: Singapore KrisFlyer
Airline: United
Transfer Capital One Points to the Singapore KrisFlyer Program. Since Singapore KrisFlyer is a member of Star Alliance, you can use Singapore KrisFlyer Miles to book on any Star Alliance partner, including United which flies to Hawaii.
17,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the United States.
30,000 miles one-way in business class from anywhere in the United States.
3. Capital One Transfer Partner: Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
Airline: Delta
Transfer Capital One Points to the Flying Blue Program (Air France/KLM). Since Air France/KLM is a member of Sky Team, you can use Flying Blue Miles to book on any Sky Team alliance partner, including Delta which flies to Hawaii.
17,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the U.S.
30,000 miles one-way in business class from anywhere in the United States.
4. Capital One Transfer Partner: Aeroplan (Air Canada)
Airline: United
Transfer Capital One Points to the Aeroplan (Air Canada) Program. Since Air Canada is a member of Star Alliance, you can use Aeroplan (Air Canada) miles to book on any Star Alliance partner, including United which flies to Hawaii.
12,500 – 22,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the U.S.
25,000 – 35,000 miles one-way in business class from anywhere in the U.S.
Aeroplan’s award chart is distance-based, so West Coast flights leaving from United hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles will require 12,500 each way, as are routes that fly no more than 2,750 miles. Destinations that clock in at 2,751+ miles will cost 22,500 Aeroplan points each way. Check out Aeroplan’s North America chart below.
Best Ways to Fly to Hawaii Using Capital One Miles from the West Coast
1. Capital One Transfer Partner: Turkish Miles and Smiles
Airline: United
Transfer Capital One Points to the Turkish Miles and Smiles Program. Since Turkish Airlines is a member of Star Alliance, you can use Turkish Miles and Smiles to book on any Star Alliance partner, including United which flies to Hawaii.
7,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the United States.
12,500 miles one-way in business from anywhere in the United States.
2. Capital One Transfer Partner: Singapore KrisFlyer Miles
Airline: Alaska
Transfer Capital One Points to the Singapore KrisFlyer Program. Since Singapore KrisFlyer has a partnership with Alaska Airlines, you can use Singapore KrisFlyer miles to book on any Alaska Airlines flights, including their routes to/from Hawaii.
11,500 – 12,500 miles one-way in economy from Alaska Airlines hubs.
42,000 – 47,000 miles one-way in first-class from Alaska Airline hubs.
In the example above, I paid 12,000 Singapore Krisflyer miles and $5.60 for the flight between Kona and San Jose. Check out Singapore Krisflyer’s redemption award chart for Alaska Airlines below to determine how many miles are required to fly to Hawaii (Zone 5) from other zones.
Some notable examples:
- Zone 2 states, such as Nevada and Arizona, only require 11,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles to fly to Hawaii, which is in Zone 5.
- Zone 3 states such as Texas and Illinois will require 12,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles to fly to Hawaii.
- Passengers departing from Alaska, the only other Zone 5 state, will require 12,500 miles to fly to Hawaii.
- States and countries in Zone 4 will have to take positioning flights located in other zones to redeem for flights to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines when using Singapore KrisFlyer miles.
3. Capital One Transfer Partner: Aeroplan (Air Canada)
Airline: United or Air Canada
Transfer Capital One Points to the Aeroplan (Air Canada) Program. Since Air Canada is a member of Star Alliance, you can use Aeroplan Miles to book on any Star Alliance partner, including United which flies to Hawaii.
12,500 miles one-way in economy from the West Coast of the U.S. & Canada.
25,000 miles one-way in business class from West Coast of the U.S. & Canada.
4. Capital One Transfer Partner: British Airways Executive Club
Airline: American Airlines or Alaska Airlines
Transfer Capital One Points to the British Airways Executive Club Program. Since British Airways is a member of One World, you can use British Airways Avios to book on any One World alliance partner, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines which both fly to Hawaii.
13,000 miles one-way in economy from the West Coast. Direct flights only. Flights with stop-over will require additional points.
37,500 miles one-way in business class from the West Coast. Direct flights only. Flights with stop-over will require additional points.
5. Capital One Transfer Partner: Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
Airline: Delta
Transfer Capital One Points to the Flying Blue Program (Air France/KLM). Since Air France/KLM is a member of Sky Team, you can use Flying Blue Miles to book on any Sky Team alliance partner, including Delta which flies to Hawaii.
17,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the U.S.
30,000 miles one-way in business class from anywhere in the United States.
6. Capital One Transfer Partner: Singapore KrisFlyer
Airline: United
Transfer Capital One Points to the Singapore KrisFlyer Program. Since Singapore KrisFlyer is a member of Star Alliance, you can use Singapore KrisFlyer Miles to book on any Star Alliance partner, including United which flies to Hawaii.
17,500 miles one-way in economy from anywhere in the United States.
30,000 one-way in business class from anywhere in the United States.
Summary of Steps
a. Create an account on each of the frequent flier loyalty programs listed above. It is free to sign up.
b. Search for award availability on each program and select the best option, taking into account the number of miles required, the flight schedule, the number & length of connections, and the amount of taxes and fees you need to pay.
c. Confirm that the award space is bookable before transferring your Capital One points to the transfer partner that generated the best flight.
d. Only transfer the exact amount of points required for your flights as the transfer process is irreversible. Once your points are transferred to a travel partner, you cannot move them back to your Capital One account.
e. Enjoy your bucket-list Hawaiian vacation.
Credit Cards That Earn Capital One Points
Capital One Venture X Card
CAPITAL ONE VENTURE X REWARDS– Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend 4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Unlimited free access to Capital One Lounges
- Complimentary Priority Pass™ membership
- Up to $300 Capital One Travel credit
- 10,000 miles anniversary bonus
- $395 Annual Fee
Capital One Venture Rewards Card
CAPITAL ONE VENTURE REWARDS CARD: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, redeeming Capital One points to fly to Hawaii is a fantastic deal, and it provides multiple options on how you can do it. You can transfer your points to airline partners, or you can use them to book flights directly through the Capital One travel portal. Either way, you’re guaranteed to get to Hawaii without spending a lot of money.
Not only are Capital One points a great currency to redeem when flying to the Hawaiian Islands, but with its increasing number of transfer partners, finding the best redemption has just gotten much easier. This blog post has outlined some of the best ways to redeem those valuable points. Whether you want to fly economy or business class, Capital One travel partners will help you travel affordably.
I hope the examples provided in this article have helped show you that redeeming your Capital One points can truly get you closer to your next Hawaiian island vacation without breaking the bank. So, what are you waiting for? Start racking up those Capital One points and get ready for the trip of a lifetime!
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
DO NOT TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE. GET A QUOTE HERE.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks