Fly to Hawaii for Free With These 3 Credit Cards

A round-trip flight to Hawaii can cost $500 or more — but the right credit card might be able to cover the entire cost. Many travel cards offer big sign-up bonuses, statement credits, and rewards that could save you hundreds (or thousands) on travel.

Here are three credit cards that can help you score a free flight to Honolulu just by getting the welcome offer and making your usual purchases.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $95

Those 60,000 bonus points are worth up to $750 in Chase Travel℠ value. And that’s not including the regular points you’ll rack up through spending.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) earns:

5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
2X points on all other travel
3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
1X points on other purchases

Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel. They can also be transferred to airline partners like Southwest, United, or British Airways. Pro tip: Look for airline transfer deals where your points may go even further.

What are you waiting for? Travel points are waiting. Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card now.

2. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply
Annual fee: $695 (see rates and fees)

If that annual fee looks scary, fear not: This card more than makes up for it.

The welcome offer alone is worth at least $800 (in our estimations) toward travel — and potentially more if you transfer your points to certain airlines. You’ll also enjoy access to more than 1,400 airport lounges, which is easily worth several hundred dollars a year. Terms apply; enrollment may be required.

On top of that, the Amex Platinum Card offers more than $1,500 in statement credits for purchases including:

CLEAR Plus membership
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry enrollment
Digital entertainment (includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+)
Walmart+ membership
Airline fees
Terms apply; enrollment may be required

You’ll earn tons of points for your travel spending, too:

5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year
5X points for prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®
Terms apply

If you take full advantage of the perks, then that annual fee looks like a bargain — and you’ll be enjoying a free flight to Hawaii in no time. Apply for The Platinum Card® from American Express today.

3. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $550

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is the premium sibling of the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The welcome offer is worth up to $900 when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel.

This card earns:

10x total points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
5x total points on air travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
3x points on other travel and dining
1x points on all other purchases

Cardholders also get:

A $300 annual travel credit (automatically applied to travel purchases)
Access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges
A statement credit of up to $120 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry (once every four years)
50% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel

The annual fee is steep, but the travel credit alone covers more than half of it — and the elevated rewards make this card very rewarding for frequent travelers. Apply today and start earning!

Never say no to free flights

Flying to Hawaii (or anywhere!) doesn’t have to bust your budget. With the right travel card, your flight can be 100% covered by rewards — and you might even have points left over for your hotel.

Just make sure you: