Lots of seats open the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. EXACTLY Thanksgiving and Christmas can be tricky. In general (Xmas or not) PHX gate agents are really good when it comes down to those last few seats. They have seen all the last minute SA3 to SA1 trump card tricks and know how to handle it in a cool manner. Plus they are good about rolling over to the next flight. Same on the back end in HNL and OGG. HA gate agents aren't the friendliest. For example, HA OGG agents will immediately tell you when you check in that they don't know the flight loads or priority (even though they do since they are using QIK-SHARES). Just like in PHX, HNL-PHX and OGG-PHX flights can be really tight if you are going EXACTLY Christmas and Thanksgiving. You'll get the last minute SA3 to SA1 trump card trick AND you will see the seasoned employee "traveling" with buddy pass Auntie or Uncle who will - after Auntie or Uncle are cleared ahead of you since they went from SA7 to SA3 with the employee's hire date - will be unseated as they suddenly "decide" not to fly and leave the gate with roll-on in tow (makes the scene look legit). That said, the HNL and OGG agents are really good about rolling over. Try coming back from HNL or OGG on days when we have 2+ flights leaving. Sometimes first is open in both HNL and OGG and if you just want to avoid the "battle of the back of the plane" (last minute SA3 to SA1, moving Auntie and Uncle to SA3 from SA7, etc), have your $100 upgrade passes available or have the credit card available. I've never gotten a fight from the HA agents in HNL or OGG if the seats are open. They often seemed relieved that you will take the seats up front because that means fewer pax fighting for the few seats in the back of the plane. Yes, 'tis true you can arrive from East Jabip into PHX early in the morning expecting to find those 38 seats on PHX-HNL still open only to now find that the flight is OVERSOLD by 10! !@#@#$@# No panic, US flies to FOUR ISLANDS (HNL, OGG, LIH, KOA) (mostly) daily. Bust open TravelUS on your smartphone, look at the loads and then rebook and go to ANY open island. HA flies hourly between HNL and the other islands and OGG is becoming a mini-hub for HA, too. HA ZED fares between the islands are only $25. Get them BEFORE you land in PHX and get surprised by magically changing flight loads. These ZED tickets also work well for the return. Let's say you woke up in HNL in the morning and now all 4 flights back to PHX are OVERSOLD. Why panic? Check to see if seats (consider $100 for first!) are open OGG-PHX, LIH-PHX or KOA-PHX. If they are, relax and use your $25 HA ZED fare and jump over to the other island. What did you say? HA flights are oversold? Oh, well those HA ZED fares can also be used on go!Mokulele, too (they compete with HA). Plus go!Modulele doesn't charge non-revs for bags. Don't want to fight it out with the other HA non-revs. "Usually" revenue HA tickets don't go above $125 so that is an option, too. (Hint: Have HA flight schedules and non-rev listing number printed out and at the ready -in addition to those life saving ZED fares! - BEFORE you start on your Hawaiian escapade!). In general mid-week travel on US is MUCH better than Sat/Sun. This week on Tue 38 seats were open the first flight from PHX-OGG and 100 seats were open the second flight PHX-OGG. Wed numbers were 20/50 or something like that. (Traveling on days like that, I have walked up to the gate in PHX - with a lowly SA3 and not a great hire date - and found I had already been cleared.) This weekend? Well get ready to play Texas Holdem with your SA1s...Finally, if you ABSOLUTELY JUST HAVE TO GO Christmas or Thanksgiving, go one or two days early, or come back one or two days later. Yes, the kids will miss school, but they will love you for it and you won't lose any hair playing SA3/SA1 roulette at the gate! But since you are going IN BETWEEN Thanksgiving and Christmas you should be fine. Aloha!
