Hawai'i's robust economy will mean higher fares for many local travelers this holiday season.

As more Hawai'i residents are traveling this year, traditional end-of-the year discounts, or Mele Kalikimaka fares, have become scarce, travel agents said.

"You can still get a flight but it's going to be expensive," said Rachel Shimamoto, vice president of Travel Ways.

"The economy is doing well so more people are traveling."

About this time last year, travelers were able to book round-trip flights to San Francisco or Los Angeles for as little as $275. This holiday season, last-minute travelers will be lucky to find roundtrip fares to the West Coast for less than $400 while most will pay more than $650.

December and January are two of the busiest months of the year for the local visitor industry, as Mainlanders escape to Hawai'i and its warm weather. Airlines offer the discounts to local residents flying to the Mainland to fill seats vacated by Hawai'i-bound tourists.

The primary market for the discounted fares has typically been students returning home on Christmas break or families planning to visit relatives on the Mainland.

In the past, the reduced fares were available well into December. But this year, the carriers that serve Hawai'i began offering the discounts at an earlier date.

According to Shimamoto, the reduced fares, typically available on 20 to 30 seats per flight, were largely booked by mid-November.

Shimamoto noted that ATA Airlines, which offered the $275 roundtrip fare in December 2004, has the lowest fare for travel to Los Angeles between Dec. 15 and 29 at $660. But the departure flight requires a stop in Las Vegas and an additional flight on America Airlines from Los Vegas to Los Angeles, she said.

United Airlines is charging $750 and American Airlines is offering $765 for nonstop, round-trip flights to Los Angeles on those same dates.

The increased ticket prices comes as the nation's airline industry is reeling from the effects of higher fuel prices and steep pension obligations. In September, Northwest and Delta airlines filed for bankruptcy protection.

Higher fares and increased travel will provide a big boost for Hawai'i's two largest airlines, Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Both airlines have been hard hit by the increase in jet fuel prices and have struggled with bankruptcy this year.

Hawaiian emerged from Chapter 11 reorganization in June and Aloha is set to exit bankruptcy protection on Thursday under a new ownership team that includes California billionaire Ron Burke's Yucaipa Companies and former football star Willie Gault.

Consumers may see some relief in late December with the entry of low-cost carrier America West Airlines, which will begin daily flights from Phoenix to Honolulu and Maui. Mesa Air Group also announced that it will start a new interisland airline early next year.

Reach Rick Daysog at rdaysog@honoluluadvertiser.com.