how much did YOU pay to Hawaii?

I paid $614 from my local airport (Saginaw, MI) to Honolulu. I had to search Expedia daily for several months to find this rate this low.

I surfed Orbitz and Travelocity and then worked with a travel agent. We're spending 2 nights on Maui, then the meet followed by three nights on the Big Island. Rental cars, all flights and housing is $1,500 each.

Well, thank you SwimGrin and Steve for your input into my question. Judging by the responses, either not alot of people are going out there, or for some reason, it's a sore topic. Seems to me, promisses were not kept or could not be aquired. I'm not sure why I seem to be the only person disturbed by this, at least comming forward, that is. I know several members on our club, including myself, who can't go because it just gets too expensive. We were looking and waiting for the discount airfares the Univerisity gets when hosting athletic events. They never came. What happened? No reply nescessary, just venting. Thanks, Joe Bubel Adirondack Masters Swimming

USMS members are eligible for discounted airfare, hotels, and tourist activities by using the agency's listed in the Travel Info section of the 2002 Short Course Nationals information section on the USMS website. I paid about $614 for a roundtrip ticket from Richmond VA using PANDA Travel. Here is the link for anyone interested: www.usms.org/.../hotels.shtml

I paid $665 pt for a package deal from AAA the included rt on United from San Francisco, airport transfers, lei greeting, and 8 nights at the Ohana Maile Sky Court hotel. Panda quoted $384 on Hawaiian air and the hotel was $52 per night for $416, both pt, total $800. Yes, where are the "great deals"? The dorms required a purchase of at least $10 per day for food at their cafeteria, I didn't care for that requirement as one of the reasons for going to Hawaii is to eat the local food. Poi, lomi salmon, lau lau!

Originally posted by GoRedFoxes Judging by the responses, either not alot of people are going out there, or for some reason, it's a sore topic. I think there's not been a lot of response because many people don't like saying how much they paid for something. I went through Panda Travel and got round trip for $589 from Louisville, Ky. It wasn't as cheap as I'd been led to believe, but my teammates and I decided to offset this by staying in the dorms, so we're getting away with a very affordable trip. Meg Smath

Just a thought for all the swimmers out there concerned about the cost of travel to HI: the masters swimmers who live in HI and want to attend Nationals face this expense each and every year. Now, the greatest good for the greatest number would indicate that Nationals should usually be in the continental U.S. But, is it such a bad thing to have Nationals, even once, in Oahu? Matt

Originally posted by Gail Roper The dorms required a purchase of at least $10 per day for food at their cafeteria, I didn't care for that requirement as one of the reasons for going to Hawaii is to eat the local food. Poi, lomi salmon, lau lau! I'm with you there, Gail! I don't intend to actually eat much in the cafeteria. Maybe breakfast. I just considered it part of the room cost (total per person $35/night, room & board), and will blow that off. Bottom line: it IS more expensive than we were led to believe. I had hoped to bring my husband and son along, but almost $1800 in airfare alone was too much. I had originally decided not to go, but my teammates talked me into going, and my husband encouraged me to go (should I be suspicious?). Meg

Has USMS ever considered seeking "sponsorship" from a large/national Travel Agency? Rather than relay on the host for nationals to do this and considering how much travel officials and members/coaches for USMS do each year, it would seem that we could negotiate pretty decent rates year in/year out? I actually found that hotels/condos were extremally reasonable compared to my trips to Hawaii over the last few years. My wife and I were also able to use airline miles for the flight on the dates we wanted, very rare that that happens!

I agree with Matt when he states that Hawaii swimmers have that expense every year to get to the Nationals. Here in New Zealand we have the same problem, depending on whether it's in the North or South Island. I guess if we're really committed to swimming at the Nationals, we have a whole year to save for it.