Baja Upgrade Buzz: How Los Cabos First Class Stacks Up Against Maui
Cabo Sees Maui and Raises the Bar with First Class for the Price of Coach in Some Cases, Low-Cost Upgrades in Others
Is Hawaii on your radar for an upcoming vacation?
Hold that thought. You might want to turn your attention instead to another beautiful, beachy, relaxing tropical locale: the Mexican resort region of Los Cabos.
They’re both staple vacation destinations, and have been for decades. But how do these vacation veterans stack up against each other in an FCF-style, head-to-head match-up?
There’s plenty to love about either one, but right now, we think Los Cabos is swinging harder.
Found at the southern end of the Baja Peninsula where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, Los Cabos (also known as “Cabo”) is comprised of two major towns: San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.
When you compare this region to Hawaii, you might be swayed like a palm tree to choose it over Hawaii.
Premium Class to Cabo for the Price of Coach to Maui
Cabo vs. Maui in coach: The cost to fly to Maui in coach from Los Angeles typically ranges between $600 and $800 with American, Delta, or United. Meanwhile, fares from Los Angeles to Cabo in Business Class with American Airlines range from $598 to $799. That’s a free upgrade.
Cabo vs. Maui in Business Class: The cost to fly to Maui in Business Class is almost double what it costs to fly Business Class to Cabo, generally speaking. For example, fares range from $1,130 to $1,633 for Los Angeles-Maui in Business Class with American, Delta, or United. Fares from Los Angeles to Cabo in Business Class with American range from $598 to $799.
Low-Cost Upgrades from Coach
The cost to fly to Maui in coach from New York typically ranges between $750 and $950 with American, Delta, or United. Fares from New York to Cabo in Business Class range from $1,230 to $1,360, most often with American, Delta, or United. So the cost difference is only ~$280 to $610 more to fly in Business Class to Cabo.
Premium Class to Cabo: Low Cost Upgrades from Coach
| U.S. Departure City | Average Range for Cabo Business Class Fare | Average Range for Maui Economy Fare | Range Difference for the Cost to Upgrade Round-trip |
| Chicago | $1,000 to $1,180 | $600 to $850 | $150 to $580 |
| Houston | $730 to $1,270 | $600 to $850 | free to $670 |
| Kansas City | $820 to $1,150 | $600 to $950 | free to $550 |
| New York | $1,230 to $1,360 | $750 and $950 | $280 to $610 |
| Orlando | $940 to $1,300 | $750 and $950 | free to $550 |
| San Jose | $690 to $1,050 | $600 and $800 | $90 to $450 |
| Seattle | $630 to $1,100 | $500 and $800 | $130 to $600 |
| Washington, DC | $1,100 to $1,400 | $750 and $950 | $150 to $650 |
Why Cabo?
Cabo is a beautiful beachtown with spectacular resorts and a buzzing nightlife. It also boasts top-rated golf courses, great restaurants, and all the vacation shopping you could ever need.
On top of all that, you can find water sports, whale watching, fishing, and The Arch (aka, “El Arco”) — a stunning natural rock formation at the southernmost tip of the peninsula.
RESORTS & More
Sure, you can save plenty of money on flights, but Cabo has another benefit: cheaper resort rates!
