[fredr123]

My inlaws have decided that the whole family (8 adults and 4 kids 5 years old and under) are going to Hawaii on vacation next January. They're paying for accommodations, but we need to find our own way there.

I'm far from an experienced world traveller and am virtually clueless when it comes to finding good deals on flights. I don't think it's been decided which island we'll be headed to, but our family will be departing from Calgary.

1. What's a good price for a return flight between Calgary and Hawaii (with or without connections, I don't really have a preference)? My wife found a flight right now with WJ through Vancouver for just under $1000 per person, return, all in.

2. Who should we be flying with? I've been burned by Air Canada before on short trips...

3. When is the best time to book the flight? I have an aunt and uncle that fly all over the place on vacation but they leave last minute. Basically, they pick a week or two to go on vacation and don't decide where they're going until they find the best deal at the last minute. Because we need to coordinate our trip with a bunch of other people, I'm really uncomfortable waiting until the last minute to make a booking like that.

4. Is there a time of day or part of the week when airlines make deals available? I've heard that Thursday nights at 2am (or something stupid like that) Air Canada dumps a bunch of cheap fares online that are usually only available for a few minutes. Is this true?

5. Should I be making all of these arrangements myself or is it better/easier to involve a travel agent? Are travel agents able to get better deals than the Average Joe? Would a group our size be eligible for any kind of group rate discounts?

Thanks in advance for the advice!