Maui · Honolulu · American Samoa

Trip Itinerary — Dec 19–31, 2026

Darin & Amanda · 13 days across three legs. Each day lists flights, drives, activities, dive-safety notes, and where you sleep.

✈️Flight 🚗Drive 🤿Dive 🥾Activity 🛟Dive safety 🏨Lodging

The trip at a glance

Sat
19
 
Sun
20
 
Mon
21
🥾
Tue
22
🤿
Wed
23
 
Thu
24
✈️
Fri
25
 
Sat
26
🤿
Sun
27
 
Mon
28
✈️
Tue
29
🤿
Wed
30
 
Thu
31
🏠
Sat
19
Dec
Maui
Fly Des Moines → Maui
✈️9:00a DSM → DEN 10:12a UA2820
✈️12:05p DEN → HNL 4:46p UA0384
✈️6:27p HNL → OGG 7:08p AS1206
🚗Pick up Hertz car (~7:30p) → Wailuku · ~10–15 min
🏨Howzit Hostels, Wailuku (Dec 19–22) · $375.55 due at check-in · bring ID + onward-travel proof
Sun
20
Dec
Maui
Easy day — Haleakalā or snorkel
☀️Sleep in after the long travel day.
🥾Haleakalā summit — ~2 h each way; sunrise needs an NPS vehicle reservation (or go for sunset)
🤽Molokini snorkel option — Māʻalaea ~25 min drive + ~1 h boat (not booked)
🛟Snorkelling has no no-fly limit. Not diving on Maui.
🏨Howzit Hostels, Wailuku
Mon
21
Dec
Maui
Epic Waterfall Adventure
🥾9:00a Epic Waterfall Adventure (Epic Maui Hikes) — booked, $312.02 paid
🚗Meet at 88 Pulehu Pl, Kahului · ~10 min from Howzit
🐠Afternoon free — snorkel or explore
🏨Howzit Hostels, Wailuku
Tue
22
Dec
Maui → Honolulu
Fly to Oahu · 2-tank reef dive 🤿
🚗Return Hertz car by 6:30a (OGG)
✈️8:15a OGG → HNL 8:54a AS1035
🤿1:45–5:45p Waikiki Dive Center 2-tank reef dive — booked, $497 paid · boat from Waikiki (walkable)
🛟Ends ~5:45p — ~46 h before the Dec 24 flight. Clear. ⚠️ Do the pre-arrival waiver first.
🏨Waikiki Beachside Hostel (Dec 22–24) · Visa/MC only · ID + onward-travel proof
Wed
23
Dec
Honolulu
Open day on Oahu
🤿Possible 2nd dive — "something more interesting" (not booked)
🛟Morning only — a dive must finish by ~4:20p to stay 24 h ahead of the Dec 24 flight. No afternoon dive.
🌴Otherwise: Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, or the island — no car needed
🏨Waikiki Beachside Hostel
Thu
24
Dec
Honolulu → Samoa
Fly to American Samoa · Christmas Eve
🎒Check out Waikiki by 11a — free luggage storage until the flight
✈️4:20p HNL → PPG 9:15p AS0865
🚗Pick up SUV (Worldwide) → Tradewinds · ~5 min · bring $506 cash
🛟No diving — flight day.
🏨Tradewinds Hotel, Tafuna (arrival night) · almost nothing open this late — have provisions
Fri
25
Dec
Samoa · Tutuila
Christmas Day → move to Tisa's
🚗Tradewinds → Tisa's, Alega · ~30–40 min (Route 1 east)
🎄Christmas — dive ops & the National Park Visitor Center closed. Low-key day.
🏨Tisa's Eco Fales, Alega (Dec 25–28) · paid
Sat
26
Dec
Samoa · Tutuila
Samoa dive day 🤿
🤿Pago Pago Marine Charters — the one workable dive day (Christmas + Sunday bracket it)
🚗Tisa's → Pago Pago harbor · ~15–20 min
🛟Clears the Dec 28 flight by ~2 days. Clear.
🏞️Visitor Center closed Saturdays → do the park Mon 28 instead
🏨Tisa's Eco Fales
Sun
27
Dec
Samoa · Tutuila
Sunday — rest day
🌺Almost nothing open on Sundays — beach & rest at Tisa's
🚗Optional island loop drive · 3–4 h round the island
🏨Tisa's Eco Fales
Mon
28
Dec
Samoa → Honolulu
National Park · late red-eye out
🎒Check out of Tisa's in the morning
🏞️NP Visitor Center, Fagatogo · open Mon 8a–3p · 🚗 ~18 min from Tisa's
🚗Drop the SUV before the flight · sort a day-room / bag storage (open item)
✈️11:20p PPG → HNL 5:55a (Dec 29) AS0866
🛟No diving — late flight day.
🏨Overnight on the red-eye ✈️
Tue
29
Dec
Honolulu
Back on Oahu · return-layover dive 🤿
✈️Arrive 5:55a HNL — crosses the date line, gains a day
🤿Best return-window dive (not booked)
🛟Clears the Dec 30 10:45p flight home with a full day to spare. Clear.
🏨Dec 29→30 night — NOT booked (last Honolulu night, open item)
Wed
30
Dec
Honolulu → home
Last Honolulu day
🌴Free day in Honolulu — Honolulu car likely skipped (Waikiki walkable)
✈️10:45p HNL → DEN 8:33a (Dec 31) UA1806
🛟No same-day dive — too tight against the 10:45p departure. Dive Dec 29 instead.
🏨Overnight on the red-eye ✈️
Thu
31
Dec
Home
Travel home · New Year's Eve 🏠
✈️Arrive 8:33a DEN
✈️9:41a DEN → DSM 12:40p UA5278
🏡Home in Des Moines

Dive safety — the no-fly rule

Wait ~18 h after a single dive / ~24 h after multiple dives before flying. That's why the Dec 22 & 26 & 29 dives are clear, a Dec 23 second dive is morning-only, and Dec 24/28/30 are diving-off. Snorkelling has no no-fly limit.

Still to sort

• Dec 29→30 Honolulu night (unbooked) · Dec 28 day-room for the late flight · Haleakalā tickets · Waikiki Dive Center waiver · confirm Samoa car pickup time · decide the Honolulu car (likely skip).

Drive times approximate — verify day-of. Flight times confirmed 2026-08-15 (mainland revised by United Jul 10). Source: trip wiki itinerary.md.