I flew from Maui to the Big Island of Hawaii for $66. Here's what it was like and why I totally recommend it.

On these short flights, the plane takes off, flight attendants hand out juice, and, by the time they start collecting the trash, you're already starting to come in for a landing.

Many flights from island to island usually cost around $100 and are on Boeing aircrafts with about 30 or so rows of five seats.

But I recently had a different experience when I island-hopped from Maui to the Big Island so I could spend the day at Hapuna Beach.

I had inadvertently booked the flight on a 10-seater commuter plane — and my ticket only cost $66.

Here's what it was like to experience this scenic 40-minute flight:

The time it takes to get from my house to the airport is about 35 minutes, which is only a slightly shorter trip than the flight itself.

While driving along Honoapiilani Highway, which meanders along the west coast of Maui, there were plenty of opportunities to spot whales and other wildlife.

I normally get to the airport a maximum of two hours early but felt I could get away with a shorter time frame since it's a small airport that I know very well.

After being dropped off at departures, I wandered around for about 10 minutes trying to find Mokulele Airlines, which is a Southern Airways company.

Finally, I swallowed my pride and asked an employee for help. I was informed that my terminal was on the other side of the airport. It was also in a completely separate building that I didn't even know existed.

I'd flown on commuter planes before, but only ever out of the even smaller airport in Kapalua, so I just assumed that was the island's hub for those types of flights.

This is because we were required to check all of our bags, since there's nowhere to store them in the passenger area. There aren't overhead bins and there's no extra space under the seats.

We also had to disclose our weight so the airline could ensure the distribution was even throughout the plane.

I wasn't exactly sure how to feel about the lack of security, but it was convenient to not have to go through that step, so I rolled with it.

I found a couple of vending machines with drinks and snacks, but sadly no coffee, so I decided to wait and pick something up after arriving at my destination.

Everyone on the flight then walked out onto the tarmac together and boarded the commuter plane, which doubled as a beautiful Hawaii-themed work of art.

The plane's tail had a gorgeous depiction of Pele, the Hawaiian creation goddess.

I'm 5-foot-3 and had to bend over at what felt like a 90-degree angle in order to get to my seat.

In addition to the lap belt, there was a secondary one that went over our shoulders so we would be extra secure while strapped in.

I have no clue what he was doing, though it looked like he was tightening something.

Better safe than sorry, I suppose, though my anxiety didn't quite agree at the time.

And once we were in the air, the views were spectacular.

The pilots didn't also serve as guides, so it was more of a self-guided tour based on the passengers' collective knowledge of where we were flying over.

This added to the intimate experience since you can't normally see into the cockpit. It gave me an idea of where we were as well as our flight path.

I could see the Road to Hana, one of the most beautiful highways in the world, from my seat.

It runs from Kipahulu to Kaupo on Maui, is about 64 miles long, and is known for being dangerous.

I felt like I was literally on cloud nine — if only it were possible to get out and take a nap on one of them.

This was much harder than I thought it would be from above, as it really just looked like the ocean was covered in white caps.

That said, I can say with the utmost confidence that we did fly over many whales, whether we actually saw them or not.

It was also a little nerve-racking being above the open ocean during the flight, but I tried to stay calm.

My dad has always loved flying on commuter planes and I remember him speaking about the turbulence, saying, "This is more fun than the rides at Disneyland!"

That said, the turbulence wasn't as intense as I expected it to be considering it was a windy day.

It is an affectionate nickname for the miles and miles of lava rock that is especially prominent in Kona, which is on the west side of the Big Island.

I asked them to take the picture — and felt a little awkward doing so — but they were happy to oblige, as was the pilot who snapped the shot.

I discovered more beautiful artwork on the other side of the aircraft, which was a lovely way to end the journey.

The smaller terminal was convenient and the plane was fast and efficient.

The $66 ride is worth it for the views alone — especially since helicopter tours of the same area cost hundreds of dollars. I'd choose to travel on another commuter plane over the standard ones any day.