Fly to Hawaii for Free With These 3 Credit Cards

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KEY POINTS

  • The right travel credit cards can cover the full cost of a flight to Hawaii through welcome bonuses and rewards.
  • Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Platinum Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer welcome bonuses worth $750 or more toward travel.
  • Other rewards make these cards worth keeping for years.

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

Ratings Methodology
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5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases

5x on Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 2x on all other travel

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 bonus points

  • This card easily justifies the (very reasonable) annual fee with benefits that deliver real value. Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, which we estimate is worth at least $750 in Chase Travel℠ value. Plus, enjoy bonus travel and dining rewards, a $50 annual hotel credit, and 10% anniversary points boost. With added travel protections like rental car insurance and trip reimbursement, we think this card is a game-changer for any traveler.

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    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Travel rewards
    • Dining rewards
    • Flexible travel points
    • Consumer and travel protections
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time perks
    • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
    • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
    • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
    • Member FDIC
  • Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Annual fee: $95

Those 75,000 bonus points are worth at least $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 purchases
  • 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
  • 1X points on all 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

Ratings Methodology
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

Terms apply

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®. 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms apply.

1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points

Annual Fee

$695

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • This luxury travel card has some of the most prestigious perks you'll find — access to over 1,400 airport lounges, elite status with Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required), and spending credits worth over $1,500 in value every year. Just be ready for the hefty annual fee, which can be offset in the first year with a welcome offer. Terms apply.

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    • Big welcome offer
    • Substantial spending credits
    • Airport lounge access
    • Hotel benefits
    • Flexible travel points
    • Annual fee
    • Limited bonus categories
    • Spending credits can be complicated to manage
    • You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
    • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
    • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
    • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
    • Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
    • A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
    • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
    • $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
    • $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
    • Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
    • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
    • Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
    • $695 annual fee.
    • Terms Apply.
  • Welcome offer: Apply and find out if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
  • 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®

Ratings Methodology
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
limited-time offer

Earn 100,000 points + a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit when you spend $5,000 in 3 months — this is Sapphire Reserve’s best-ever bonus!

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases

8x points on Chase Travel℠, 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x points on dining, 1x points on all other purchases

Annual Fee

$795

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit

  • All the perks we've come to expect from a top travel card, including a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and big bonuses on travel and dining. Points are transferable to airline and hotel partners or worth up to 2x if you book through Chase Travel℠. The annual fee is hefty, but if you can use all its features, this card could be well worth the cost.

    Read Full Review
    • Travel credits
    • Airport lounge access
    • Travel and dining rewards
    • Welcome offer
    • Flexible travel points
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time benefits
    • Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
    • Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
    • $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
    • Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
    • Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
    • Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music - all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 - a value of $250 annually
    • Member FDIC
  • Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Annual fee: $795

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is the premium sibling of the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The welcome offer is worth at least $1,000 when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel.

This card earns:

  • 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠
  • 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct
  • 3x points on dining worldwide
  • 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:

  • Can earn the welcome offer without spending way more than you need to.
  • Don't carry a balance. Credit cards have high interest rates.
  • Book early. Your flight to Hawaii could double in price if you wait too long.

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