The Guide to Main Cabin Basic on Hawaiian Airlines

If you're looking for a low-priced option that puts a tropical vacation in easier reach, consider flying Hawaiian Airlines' Main Cabin Basic fare.

The no-frills option means passengers will be able to save, but at the expense of other perks that come with a higher fare, such as free advance seat selection and upgrade eligibility.

These lower fares vary slightly by airline, but the one thing they have in common is that they all exclude free advanced seat selection. Passengers traveling on Hawaiian Airlines Main Cabin Basic fares can select their seats at check-in or receive their assignment at the gate. That’s unfortunate, because sometimes by the time you’re checking in, there are nothing but middle seats left.

There are other downsides, too. For example, if you decide later that you want to upgrade to an "extra comfort" seat or to first class, you can’t. Nor can you change your flight or earn Hawaiian miles.

In return for accepting all these disadvantages, you get a reduced fare. And the reduction is significant. For example, we found a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu in November for $418 in Hawaiian’s Main Cabin. That same flight in Main Cabin Basic costs just $358. That’s $60 less per ticket, or 14% off the regular economy fare.

» Learn more: Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles: The complete guide

If you collect Hawaiian Miles, this discount probably isn’t as valuable to you.

Consider that you’d normally earn about 5,000 Hawaiian miles on a round-trip flight between Los Angeles and Honolulu. If that's worth more than $60 to you, you're better off buying up to the regular Main Cabin fare.

Don’t expect to find Main Cabin Basic deals at peak times. A recent search for travel during Christmas week showed no Main Cabin Basic option for Los Angeles to Honolulu. Main Cabin fares start around $618 round-trip at that time.

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Hawaiian’s low-fare product is a little more generous with perks than some of its competitors. Hawaiian Airlines is following American and Delta in allowing basic fare passengers a free carry-on bag on all routes, but Main Cabin Basic travelers on Hawaiian will also enjoy one of the rarest perks in domestic travel: a free hot meal.

If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii and are willing to give up the ability to choose your seat in exchange for a cheaper fare, Hawaiian Airlines’ Main Cabin Basic fares are worth looking into.