You step out of baggage claim at Honolulu with a lei still fresh around your neck, a suitcase in tow, and the first real question of the trip: how do you reach the hotel? On Oahu the answer can be a bus or a train for a few dollars, while on the other islands a taxi or a rental car does most of the work. Each airport has its own habits, and they are easy to learn before you land.
How to get from Honolulu airport to Waikiki
The budget choice is TheBus W Line, which runs from the airport through Downtown Honolulu, Kakaako and Ala Moana Center and ends in Waikiki. Taxis are the easy alternative when you want to go straight to the hotel door.
Finding the bus stop
The stop sits east of the lei stands on Ala Onaona Street, right in front of Lelepaua Station, the Skyline station at the airport. It lies between the International Parking Garage and the Terminal 2 garage, so you cross out of the terminal and walk a short way along the street.
The ticket machine at the station sells HOLO cards, the reloadable fare card that works on both TheBus and Skyline. Buses come often during the day, and the wait is short for most of it. After 7 p.m. they space out noticeably, so a late arrival means a longer wait on the curb.
| Day | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Weekdays, peak hours | Every 10 minutes |
| Weekdays, off-peak | Every 15 minutes |
| Weekends and holidays | Every 15 minutes |
| Any day after 7 p.m. | Every 30 minutes |
What the ride costs
Paying cash, an adult fare is $3.25 per ride, with exact change only because drivers carry none. A HOLO card (the card itself costs $2.00) brings the ride down to $3.00 as a two-hour pass that also counts on Skyline.
If you plan to ride a lot, the 24-hour pass and the daily cap are both $7.50, and once you hit that amount the rest of the day’s rides are free. Longer stays can use a 3-day pass at $20.00 or a 7-day pass at $45.00.
Can you take luggage on TheBus?
Yes, but only a modest amount: each rider may bring one standard medium suitcase and one smaller carry-on bag, or a carry-on backpack without a metal frame. Everything has to board in one trip and stay under or in front of your seat, between your feet or on your lap.
Luggage may not block the aisle or take a seat. A couple traveling light fits easily, while a family with several big cases will find a taxi far more comfortable.
Children are covered too. One child aged 5 or under rides free with a fare-paying rider, as long as the child does not take a seat. Youth from 6 to 17 pay $1.75 in cash, or $1.50 for a two-hour pass on a Youth HOLO card, with a daily cap of $3.75. That makes the bus a reasonable choice for a family with light bags.
Skyline at Honolulu airport
Skyline is Honolulu’s rail line, and its airport stop is Lelepaua Station, a short walk from the terminals. The trains have dedicated luggage racks, which makes them friendlier to bags than the bus.
Service runs from 4:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., counted as the start of the last full trip. Trains come every 10 minutes until 8:30 p.m. and every 15 minutes after that. A HOLO card is required to ride, since Skyline takes no cash, so buy one at the station’s ticket machine before you board.
Transfers between Skyline and TheBus are free for 2 hours from the first paid tap. The same luggage allowance applies as on the bus: one medium suitcase and one smaller carry-on per rider.
Honolulu airport taxi and late arrivals
Taxis wait on the center median in front of the baggage claim areas, and the dispatchers there wear yellow shirts marked TAXI DISPATCHER. Because the airport runs an open taxi system, drivers from every company can pick up passengers at the same spot.
For a late flight, remember that public transit thins out. Skyline stops running after 10:00 p.m. Route 42 serves the airport only after 10:30 p.m., and it heads west to Ewa Beach, with just one eastbound trip a day going to Waikiki. If you land in the middle of the night and your hotel is in Waikiki, a taxi is the simple answer.
Kahului airport to Kaanapali and Wailea
From Kahului, most visitors head to the resort coasts by rental car or taxi, since the Maui Bus routes at the airport go to Upcountry and Haiku rather than to the beach resorts. Taxis wait in front of baggage claim, and the airport publishes estimated fares as a guide, not a guarantee.
| Destination | Estimated taxi fare |
|---|---|
| Kahului town | $13 |
| Wailuku | $20 |
| Kihei | $33-$55 |
| Maalaea | $33 |
| Wailea | $57 |
| Makena | $65 |
| Kaanapali | $87 |
| Kapalua | $105 |
The metered rate is $3.00 per mile. Wailea sits on the dry south side and Kaanapali on the west side, so the fares show how far apart the two resort areas are.
The two bus routes at the airport
Route 40 (Upcountry Islander) runs every 90 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 10:11 p.m., and Route 35 (Haiku Islander) every 90 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. Both stop in front of the terminal, and there are no transfers between them.
Luggage is limited to one medium bag no larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches, kept under the seat or on your lap. That rules out most large suitcases, so these routes suit people traveling light and heading toward Upcountry or Haiku.
Kona airport to Waikoloa and Kailua-Kona
At Kona, taxis wait curbside at baggage claim A and B, and they are the usual way to reach the resorts if you are not renting a car. The airport publishes estimated fares as a guide and not a guarantee.
| Destination | Estimated taxi fare |
|---|---|
| Kailua-Kona town | $25 |
| Four Seasons Hualalai / Kona Village | $25 |
| Keauhou | $35 |
| Hilton Waikoloa Village / Waikoloa Marriott | $50 |
| Mauna Kea Beach Hotel / Hapuna | $68 |
| Waimea | $100 |
| Volcano / Hilo | $300 |
Kailua-Kona and the nearby resorts are close, while Waikoloa and the Hapuna coast take you well up the shore. The last fare on the list shows how big the island is: Volcano and Hilo lie across the island, which is why most visitors to the Big Island end up renting a car.
Lihue airport to Poipu and Princeville
From Lihue, taxis cover both the sunny south shore at Poipu and the green north shore at Princeville, and the airport publishes approximate fares for each stretch.
| Destination | Approximate taxi fare |
|---|---|
| Lihue to Kukui Grove | $9.00-$12.75 |
| Wailua to Waipouli | $22.00-$27.60 |
| Poipu | $42.00-$52.50 |
| Princeville to Haena | $88.50-$118.50 |
Two Kauai Bus routes stop at the airport every day, in the median in front of the terminal. The county bus runs from Kekaha to Hanalei, so it reaches the north shore, though it is sparse and slow compared with a car.
On Maui, the Big Island and Kauai, sights are spread out and county buses are few, which is why most visitors rent a car. A taxi works well for the first ride to the hotel, and a rental can come after.
Good to know before you go
Carry a few dollar bills for the bus, since the drivers cannot make change. On Oahu you can happily skip the car in Honolulu and Waikiki, thanks to TheBus and Skyline. On the other islands, a rental car is the norm, and the state adds a daily surcharge tax of $7.50 on rentals, which is levied on the rental company. The Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
Sources
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « The Bus and Skyline » at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, airports.hawaii.gov/hnl, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « Taxicab » at l'aeroport Daniel K. Inouye International (HNL), airports.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- TheBus, « Rules, Regulations and Rider Tips » (Baggage Rules), thebus.org, and Honolulu DTS, Skyline « Rules, Regulations, and Rider Tips », honolulu.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- TheBus (City and County of Honolulu), « Fares and Passes », thebus.org, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « Taxicab » at l'aeroport Kahului (OGG), airports.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « Maui Bus » at l'aeroport Kahului (OGG), airports.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « Taxicab » at l'aeroport Kona (KOA), airports.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « Taxicab » at l'aeroport Lihue (LIH), airports.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division, « Kaua'i Bus » at l'aeroport Lihue (LIH), airports.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Taxation, Form RV-3 Instructions (Rev. 2025), Rental Motor Vehicle, Tour Vehicle and Car-Sharing Vehicle Surcharge Tax, files.hawaii.gov, checked September 25, 2026
- NWS Honolulu / Central Pacific Hurricane Center, « 2026 Central Pacific Hurricane Season Outlook », weather.gov/hfo/hurricaneOutlook2026, checked September 24, 2026
To plan your stay
- Best Time to Visit Hawaii: Seasons, Weather by Island, Whales and Crowds
- Things to Do in Hawaii: Volcano Sunrises, Snorkeling Bays, Pearl Harbor and What to Eat
- Where to Stay in Hawaii: Choosing an Island, Oahu to Kauai Bases and the Hotel Tax
- Know Before You Go to Hawaii: Agriculture Form, Sunscreen Law, Reservations and Taxes