Holiday Air Travelers Encouraged to Get Dropped Off

Maui Now file photo

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is reminding passengers there is limited parking at Hawaiʻi’s airports and encourages people to get dropped off or schedule another method of transportation during the holiday season.

In the days leading up to Christmas there are anticipated to be approximately 50,000 total outbound passengers traveling through Hawaiʻi’s airports statewide every day (including international, domestic and neighbor island passengers).

The total amount of airport public parking stalls is listed below:

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL): 4,850
Kahului Airport, Maui (OGG): 1,200
Līhue Airport, Kauaʻi (LIH): 575
Hilo International Airport (ITO): 475
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA): 1,475

HDOT recommends travelers check their flight status with their airline before leaving for the airport and give yourself plenty of time to clear through security and arrive at your assigned gate.

HDOT has constructed a new TSA checkpoint on the ground level of Terminal 1 between baggage claim carousels 8 and 9 that is available daily between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to provide passengers another TSA screening option during peak travel times. The new ground floor TSA checkpoint accommodates general boarding passengers and does not have a separate Precheck line. It is also not recommended for travelers with strollers, large carry-on baggage, those requiring special assistance or those who are not able to stand on an escalator as passengers using the checkpoint must take an escalator to the second level.

Check-in operations for Hawaiian Airlines international passengers are being transitioned from Lobby 3 in Terminal 1 to Lobby 4 in Terminal 2. For additional details regarding the change click here.

If travelers plan to park at the airport they are advised to arrive early, place their parking ticket stub in a safe place that is not visible from the outside of the vehicle, and take a picture of the sign in their row as a reference to help remember their parking location. Smart phone technology is also capable of remembering your parking location. The maximum parking rate for a 24-hour period at HNL is $18. The maximum parking rate for a 24-hour parking at neighbor island airports is $15.