Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) is connected to Honolulu and the surrounding region by a layered network of ground transportation. The right choice depends on how many people are traveling, how much luggage you have, what time of day it is, and whether your destination is downtown or the suburbs.
Uber & Lyft
Uber and Lyft pick up on the second floor of the parking garages — both Overseas and Interisland. Pickup surcharge $2.50.
On-airport facility
The Consolidated Rental Car Facility is a short Wiki Wiki Shuttle ride from each terminal.
Rail & bus to Honolulu
TheBus Routes 19 and 20 connect HNL with Waikiki for $3.00.
Hotel & intercity
Roberts Hawaii, SpeediShuttle, and several hotel-specific shuttles operate from the Ground Transportation island outside baggage claim.
Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) at HNL
Uber and Lyft pick up on the second floor of the parking garages — both Overseas and Interisland. Pickup surcharge $2.50.
Surge pricing is common during weather delays and immediately after large arrival banks. If your phone shows surge pricing of 1.8x or higher, the rental-car shuttle for a same-day return is often a faster total-cost path than waiting for surge to drop.
Rental cars
The Consolidated Rental Car Facility is a short Wiki Wiki Shuttle ride from each terminal. Loyalty members of National (Emerald Club), Hertz (Gold Plus Rewards), Avis (Preferred), and Enterprise (Plus) usually skip the counter entirely. National's choose-any-car-on-the-aisle model is the fastest path through the facility for travelers who do not need a specific vehicle class.
Public transit to and from HNL
TheBus Routes 19 and 20 connect HNL with Waikiki for $3.00. For more on US airport transit options, see the ground transport overview.
Hotel and parking shuttles
Roberts Hawaii, SpeediShuttle, and several hotel-specific shuttles operate from the Ground Transportation island outside baggage claim. Free shuttles run on each operator's own loop, typically every 10 to 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes overnight. If you do not see your hotel's shuttle, call the front desk before assuming you have missed it — schedules vary on weekends and holidays.
Cell phone waiting area
If somebody is picking you up in a private vehicle, ask them to wait at the cell phone waiting lot until you have your luggage and are at the curb. Pulling to the arrivals curb early at HNL forces the driver into the recirculation loop, which can add 15 to 25 minutes on a busy day.
Accessibility
All ground transportation options at HNL are required to provide equivalent service for travelers with disabilities. Accessible taxis are dispatched on request from the taxi stand. Public transit is wheelchair accessible. Hotel shuttles are required to provide wheelchair accommodation — call the hotel ahead to confirm a lift-equipped vehicle is on your departure-window schedule.
Parking is the alternative
If you are driving yourself, see the HNL parking guide for on-site garages, off-site lots, and a comparison of every published rate.