Let's Go to Hawaii! Tips for Saving Money in Oahu

A trip to Hawaii sounds expensive—and it certainly can be.

But Oahu is one of those destinations where a little planning can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

The biggest opportunities are airfare, hotels and activities. If you can use credit card rewards for the first two and something like the Go City Oahu Pass for your activities, suddenly Hawaii becomes much more affordable.

And remember: some of the best things about Oahu—the beaches, sunsets, hiking and scenery—don't cost anything at all.

Start With the Flight

Getting to Hawaii is usually one of the biggest expenses, so this is the first place I'd try to use points or miles.

If Delta serves your home airport well, check the current offer on the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card.

A good welcome bonus can potentially provide enough miles to cover a significant portion of your flight—or possibly the entire flight depending on your departure city, dates and award pricing.

See the current Delta Gold offer here.

You can also compare other airline and general travel cards on our Travel Credit Cards page.

And remember the IDoLetsGo rule:

Never spend extra money just to earn a credit card bonus.

Use expenses you already planned to pay for, earn the bonus, pay off the card and turn those rewards into your vacation.

Hotel Points Can Make an Even Bigger Difference

Hotels in Waikiki can easily become one of the most expensive parts of your vacation.

This is where hotel credit cards and points can be incredibly valuable.

Before paying cash, look at the hotel cards on our Travel Credit Cards page.

Oahu has properties connected to major hotel programs including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG.

A large welcome bonus or free-night certificate could potentially eliminate several nights of hotel costs.

But always check the complete cost before booking.

Watch Those Resort Fees

Hawaii hotels can charge substantial resort or destination fees.

A "free" hotel night isn't nearly as free if you're still paying a large resort fee every day.

Before transferring points or using a free-night certificate, check:

Does the hotel charge a resort fee?

Is that fee waived on award stays?

What does the fee actually include?

Is parking extra?

Always compare the final cost—not just the advertised room rate.

Go City Is One of the First Things I'd Check for Oahu

Oahu is a particularly interesting destination for Go City because individual Hawaiian excursions can get expensive very quickly.

The current Go City Oahu lineup has more than 40 attractions, tours and activities.

Current options include things like:

• Polynesian Cultural Center

• Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkel Cruise

• Makani Catamaran Sail

• Waimea Valley

• Diamond Head Shuttle & Hike

• Pearl Harbor tours

• Battleship Missouri Memorial

• Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum

• Bishop Museum

• Sea Life Park Hawaii

• Kualoa Ranch experiences

• Stand-up paddleboarding

• Kayak rentals

• Surfboard rentals

• Circle Island tours

• Wet'n'Wild Hawaii

• Iolani Palace

• Whale watching during the season

Some activities that would normally cost serious money are included. Go City currently lists the regular price of the Makani Catamaran Sail at up to $143, the Turtle Canyon Snorkel Cruise at up to $94, and its premium Aloha Kai Luau at up to $194.

That makes Oahu a destination where an attraction pass can potentially make a lot of sense.

There's Even a Luau Option

This one caught my attention.

Go City's current All-Inclusive Pass includes one premium attraction, with luau options including the Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park and Ka Moana Luau at Aloha Tower.

Lūʻaus can be one of the more expensive activities on a Hawaiian vacation.

If you're already planning to attend one, including it as part of an attraction pass can change the math considerably.

Go City currently offers several Oahu pass types, including an Essentials Pass, Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass.

Don't automatically buy the biggest one.

Make a list of what you actually want to do, check the individual admission prices, and compare that total with the pass.

That's the only number that matters.

Don't Waste Your Go City Days

If you buy an All-Inclusive Pass, plan those days carefully.

Don't use an expensive pass day to visit one $25 attraction and then sit on Waikiki Beach all afternoon.

Stack expensive activities together when practical.

For example, you might use your pass for a snorkeling excursion, museum and another included activity on one day, then spend the next day enjoying free beaches and hiking.

Also check reservation requirements immediately after buying your pass. Many of the popular Oahu activities require advance reservations.

Pearl Harbor Doesn't Have to Be Expensive

Pearl Harbor is one of Oahu's must-see historical destinations.

But understand what you're buying before purchasing an expensive tour.

The USS Arizona Memorial program itself is free, although advance reservations through Recreation.gov carry a small reservation fee.

Other Pearl Harbor attractions, such as the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, charge admission—and several of those are currently available through Go City.

So decide what you actually want to see before buying a package.

Waikiki Beach Costs $0

This sounds obvious, but people sometimes spend so much time planning paid Hawaiian activities that they forget why they went to Hawaii.

The beach is free.

You don't need a $150 excursion scheduled every day.

Spend a morning swimming.

Walk Waikiki.

Watch the sunset.

Sit under a palm tree.

Take pictures.

People travel thousands of miles to see this scenery. Don't feel like you're wasting vacation time because you aren't buying a ticket to something.

A couple of completely free beach days can dramatically reduce the average daily cost of your vacation.

Don't Automatically Rent a Car for the Entire Trip

Oahu is different from many mainland destinations.

If you're staying in Waikiki for a week, you may not need a rental car sitting in a hotel parking garage for seven days.

Parking at some Waikiki hotels can be expensive.

Instead, consider dividing your vacation into two types of days.

Waikiki days: Walk, use public transportation or rideshare.

Exploration days: Rent a car for a day or two and explore the rest of the island.

That can give you the freedom of having a car when you need one without paying a week's worth of rental and parking charges.

Use TheBus

Oahu has a surprisingly useful public bus system called TheBus.

It can be an inexpensive option for getting around Honolulu and to other parts of the island.

It won't always be the fastest way to reach an attraction, particularly when you're trying to pack several activities into one Go City day, but for travelers with more time than money it is worth investigating.

Compare the bus route with the cost of an Uber before automatically ordering a ride.

Use a Rental Car Strategically

There is one important difference between Oahu and places like New York or Las Vegas:

I wouldn't tell you to completely avoid renting a car.

There's a lot to see outside Waikiki.

The North Shore alone is worth exploring.

Instead of renting a car for your entire vacation, price a rental for one or two days.

Use those days to explore places farther from Waikiki and group them geographically.

You might spend one day driving around the island rather than paying for multiple separate transportation-based tours.

Look at Go City's Transportation Options Before Renting

Before booking your rental car, check the exact Go City attractions you're planning.

Some current offerings include transportation—for example, Go City lists a Diamond Head Shuttle & Hike and organized island tours.

If transportation is already included with several activities you want to do, you may need a rental car even less.

Check Groupon and LivingSocial

Before paying full price for activities, restaurants, rentals or tours, check Groupon and LivingSocial.

Offers change constantly, which is exactly why they're worth checking shortly before your vacation.

We've collected these and other discount resources on our:

Travel Savings page

Compare the deal with the company's own website before buying.

Sometimes Groupon is cheaper.

Sometimes a company is running an even better promotion directly.

Take five minutes and check both.

Bring Your Own Snorkel Gear

If your family plans to snorkel several times, consider bringing inexpensive snorkel gear instead of repeatedly renting it.

It doesn't need to be professional equipment.

For a family, multiple rental days can add up quickly.

The same principle applies to beach gear.

Check whether your hotel already provides beach chairs, towels, umbrellas or other equipment before renting or buying anything.

Eat Away From the Resort

You don't need a waterfront resort restaurant for every meal.

Oahu has fantastic local food outside the major hotels.

Look for local restaurants, food trucks, plate lunches and markets.

One of my favorite vacation strategies is:

Cheap breakfast.

Local inexpensive lunch.

Spend money on the dinner we really want.

You still get memorable meals without paying resort prices three times a day.

Stop at a Grocery Store

If your hotel room has a refrigerator, use it.

Buy bottled water, drinks, fruit, breakfast foods and snacks at a grocery store instead of the hotel gift shop.

If you're traveling with children—or five hungry adults—this can save a surprising amount over a week.

Even replacing restaurant breakfast with something simple in the room can save hundreds of dollars during a family vacation.

Look for Happy Hours

Hawaii restaurants can be expensive, especially around Waikiki.

Check restaurant websites for happy-hour menus.

Some restaurants offer discounted appetizers, food and drinks during afternoon hours.

There's nothing wrong with having an early dinner at happy hour and then walking down Waikiki Beach during sunset.

That's actually a pretty good evening.

Pack What You'll Need

Sunscreen in Hawaii is going to cost more than sunscreen you already have at home.

The same applies to plenty of other vacation necessities.

Before leaving, think about:

• Sunscreen

• Sunglasses

• Reusable water bottles

• Beach bag

• Waterproof phone pouch

• Hat

• Snorkel gear

• Small first-aid kit

• Chargers

Don't spend the first morning of your vacation buying things you already own.

Take Advantage of Oahu's Free Hiking

Some of Oahu's best views don't require an expensive tour.

There are beautiful hikes and scenic areas across the island.

Just research each trail before going because parking, entry reservations or access requirements can change.

Also remember that Hawaii's heat and terrain can make a relatively short hike much harder than it looks on a map.

Bring water and appropriate shoes.

Don't Pay for an Activity Every Day

This may be the single biggest money-saving tip for Hawaii.

Suppose you're staying seven nights.

You don't need seven days of expensive excursions.

You could have:

2 or 3 big activity days

1 island exploration day

3 or 4 beach, hiking and sightseeing days

That gives you an amazing Hawaiian vacation without paying $100-$200 per person every single day.

And if you use Go City for those expensive activity days, the savings can become substantial.

Don't Forget Military Discounts

If you or someone traveling with you is active-duty military, retired military or otherwise eligible for military discounts, ask everywhere.

Hawaii has a major military presence, and many hotels, attractions, rental-car companies and activities offer military pricing.

Also check your installation's Information, Tickets & Travel (ITT) office before purchasing attractions.

The discounted military price can sometimes beat the public promotion you're finding online.

Your Cheap Oahu Strategy

If I were trying to build an Oahu vacation for as little money as possible without making it feel like a cheap vacation, I'd approach it like this:

Use airline miles for the flights.

Use hotel points or free-night certificates for the hotel.

Buy Go City if the attractions you want make the math work.

Pack the expensive Go City attractions into a few well-planned days.

Rent a car for only the days you actually need one.

Use public transportation, walking and rideshare around Waikiki.

Buy breakfast foods, snacks and drinks from a grocery store.

Look for local restaurants and happy hours.

And leave plenty of time for the reason you came to Hawaii in the first place:

The ocean, beaches, mountains and sunsets.

Those are still free.

Start planning here:

✈️ Find Travel Credit Card Offers

💳 See the Delta Gold Card

🏷️ Find More Travel Savings Sites

At IDoLetsGo, the goal isn't to spend more money so you can travel.

It's to turn money you were already going to spend into the vacation you actually want.