Helloworld selling $399 return fares to Hawaii on Air New Zealand as price war with Hawaiian Airlines gets red hot

Travel to Hawaii by Kiwis has soared since airfares started falling six years ago. Photo / Supplied

Return fares to Hawaii have plunged again, with Helloworld selling seats for $399 on Air New Zealand.

The record low fares trump a deal at the weekend where return flights were selling for $499 and reflect intense competition between the carrier and Hawaiian Airlines whose entry on to the Auckland-Honolulu route nearly six years ago have seen prices drop dramatically.

Helloworld's head of marketing David Libeau said the $399 deal was "unbelievable" and showed airlines appeared to have significant surplus capacity.

"Over the last week airlines have tried the $499 level but were keen to support us with a new initiative, so we have grabbed it and are running with it - $399 is unbelievable considering taxes for the USA are quite significant," he said.

Travel periods are for selected dates this month through to April and the agent says there were a ''decent'' number of seats. There is also a $499 fare — the same level as those on sale through Flight Centre at the weekend — are for selected departure dates in May-June.

The deals are on offer for three days part of Helloworld Travel's annual ''mega sale'' which coincides with the chain's third birthday.

Air New Zealand has dropped children's fares to $99 for Fiji and Los Angeles, San Francisco or Houston all from only $899 return, all on Air New Zealand on selected travel dates.

Rarotonga and Samoa holidays include free domestic flights from any Air New Zealand New Zealand domestic airport.

In addition Hong Kong is sale from $699, Tokyo or Singapore for $899, New York or Johannesburg from $1399 flying Qantas and London or Amsterdam from $1599 flying Emirates.

While fares have reached some record lows, Helloworld's executive general manager, Simon McKearney said this may not last.

"Post mid-year travel, we are seeing real indecision in the pricing arising purely out of fuel cost uncertainty for the airlines. This combined with the likes of the insecurity of Brexit is now filtering through to airlines and we are pretty certain pricing will be considerably higher come the end of the year.''

Airlines were rushing to clear the cheaper inventory and then would start the latter part of the year at higher priced seats.

Airlines have flooded into New Zealand during the past few years but the impact of higher fuel prices and cooling demand for New Zealand has seen capacity level off, meaning airlines on some routes have fewer seats to fill.

The International Air Transport Association also says global growth slowed in the second have of last year and Brexit and US-China trade tensions were creating uncertainty.