American Airlines
American Airlines offers daily flights to Lihue Airport, Honolulu International, Kahului and Kona from every major U.S. city. Many flights connect through Los Angeles or San Francisco International airports. Passengers may check one golf bag with up to 14 clubs, 12 balls and one pair of golf shoes weighing up to 70 lbs. for the same fees as a regular checked bag.
American Airlines
(800) 433-7300
http://www.aa.com
America West (US Airways)
American West flies nonstop from Phoenix to Honolulu, Lihue, Kona and Kahului. It considers a golf bag a normal item of baggage as long as the bag is enclosed and contains fewer than 14 clubs, 12 golf balls and one pair of golf shoes. As of October 2009, it costs $20 for the first bag and $30 for the second, with a $5 extra fee tacked on if you pay at the airport instead of online.
America West (US Airways)
(800) 428-4322
http://www.usairways.com
Continental Airlines
Flights on Continental Airlines directly to Honolulu are available from Los Angeles, Houston and New York. Passengers may bring one item of golf equipment, defined as one golf bag containing one set of clubs, golf balls and a pair of shoes, enclosed in a suitable rigid container. Regular baggage fees apply.
Continental Airlines
(800) 523-3273
http://www.continental.com
Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines offers many daily flights to Honolulu from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Atlanta and Milwaukee. It also has direct flights to Lihue and Kona from L.A. and Salt Lake City and to Kahului from L.A., Salt Lake City, Seattle and Atlanta. Delta will allow you to check one golf bag in a hardshell or soft-sided case weighing up to 50 lbs. However, if you use a soft golf club travel bag, you must sign a limited-release form.
Delta Airlines
(800) 221-1212
http://www.delta.com
Hawaiian Airlines
The biggest Hawaii-based airline flies between the Hawaiian Islands and other Pacific Islands as well as the Western U.S. mainland, Australia and the Philippines. Flights are available to and from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle. On inter-island flights, no fees apply if your golf bag is your only checked piece of luggage within the weight and size allowance.
Hawaiian Airlines
(800) 367-5320
http://www.hawaiianair.com
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines has direct flights to Honolulu from Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis/St Paul, Milwaukee, Detroit, Atlanta, San Francisco and Memphis. It also flies directly from Oakland to Kona and Kahului, and from Seattle to Kahului. Pay baggage fees online in advance to avoid an extra $5 charge at check-in. Northwest will accept a golf bag weighing up to 100 lbs. as a regular item of luggage, but it must have a cover.
Northwest Airlines
(800) 692-6955
http://www.nwa.com
United Airlines
United Airlines flies to Honolulu from Denver, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco; to Lihue from L.A., Denver and San Francisco; to Kahului from Chicago, Denver and L.A.; and to Kona from Chicago, Denver, L.A. and San Francisco. As a substitute for one checked bag, it allows one standard-sized golf bag with clubs and shoes, which must be contained in a full-length cover.
United Airlines
(800) 864-8331
http://www.united.com
About The Author
Joanne Lewis is a freelance writer who has written for newspapers since 2005. She is currently the editor of a weekly community newspaper in Los Angeles, Calif. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Science in politics from the University of Bristol, England.
