Vacapedia Vacation Rentals Blog

With the recent announcement that both Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines have gone bankrupt and halted all passenger service, the question now is – will a vacation to Hawaii even be possible this year?

Both Aloha and ATA service to and from Hawaii were critical to some parts of the Hawaiian economy (for instance, ATA operated Hilo’s only flight to the mainland U.S.), so in addition to the poor travelers who are holding ATA and Aloha tickets that are now all-but-worthless, these announcements are causing some worry in the tourism offices around Hawaii. They’re concerned that visitor numbers will be down this year as a result of these airline bankruptcies.

Additionally, there are fears that airfare to Hawaii could go up, even beyond the high prices that airlines normally charge for trans-Pacific flights, because of rising fuel costs. The added burden of having to accommodate Aloha and ATA’s stranded passengers isn’t going to make airfare any lower, either.

Of course, there are still airlines which can get you to Hawaii, and you may find that there are bargains to be had on the islands this year as the state’s tourism industry tries to lure visitors. Take advantage of any potential deals by looking into a Hawaii vacation rental today. You could lock in a great rate, and then find discounts on everything from boating tours to surfing lessons once you get there. And with a vacation rental in Hawaii you’ll already be saving money over staying in a hotel.

The bottom line is that if you’ve been thinking about a trip to Hawaii this year, you need to make sure of two things – first, that you shop around for airline tickets and pounce on a good deal as soon as you find one, and second, that you take steps to stretch your travel budget in other ways. Then a vacation in Hawaii doesn’t have to be a luxury, but just a reasonable vacation.