The joys of modern vacations!

I did a lot of biz travel and we do Hawaii annually. Airline options are declining in quality and ony a few are like the good old days, e.g. Hawaiian and the internationals. Domestic, I hate it. I do like Alaska.

If you don't have a credit card, a lot of travel is going to be a bitch because a requirement for a credit card is universal now, such as hotels and rental cars. There is no reason not to have a credit card, particularly if you can find a no fee or rewards type. Not having a card is like not having a social; it's the modern era.

We had a six hour delay on Hawaiian due to engine trouble. I am OK with waiting to fix mechanical issues. Cancelled flights, no; they used to move heaven and earth to get you on another fight; now the planes are sold out and you are screwed if you miss the one you booked. You are also screwed if you want to fly to a location served by only one airline, such as United which is horrible with fare gouging.

When airlines were de-regulated, a lot of competition went by-by. Quality went by-by. Service the same. United has the only non-stop to Maui from Denver, which in itself is bizarre in the winter. The shrunk the plane from a 767 to a 757, jacked up the fare, reduced the comfort, and it's packed, sold out, months in advance. Bah humbug.