Hawaii Rental Car

Your Hawaii rental car is essential for snorkeling in the islands. This page is full of tips from our experiences.

Reserving Your Hawaii Rental Car

Here is our number one tip for renting a car in Hawaii: unless you NEED a bigger car, always reserve the cheapest, economy car. The fact is, even when you reserve the economy car, they are often all gone, so a good percentage of the time you get a free upgrade. The car rental places are always busy and are just trying to get you out the door. We have been upgraded more often than we haven't.

Hawaii rental car rates are some of the cheapest around, especially in the off season. We have paid, on average, $20/day including all taxes. If you belong to Sam's Club or Costco, or some other professional association, check to see if their corporate rates or discount codes help you out at all. They always remind you to have your membership card available at the time of rental to get your discount and we always do. But we have never been asked for it... Sometimes these association deals get you other things. My professional association includes an additional driver for free, which can cost $25/day!

Check out kayak.com for Hawaii rental car prices. They compare prices for you.

Picking Up Your Rental Car in Hawaii

After getting your baggage, make your way to the shuttle area for rental cars. Your company will have a bus come around at regular intervals to take you to the car lot. For some of the airports the ride is short, for others the lots are some distance off the airport. If you are so inclined bring some small cash bills with you for tips for the drivers lifting your bags on and off the shuttle.

Be prepared to wait in line to pick up your car. Some places have started having self-service kiosks that in our opinion are more confusing and may not save you any time over waiting in line.

You will be asked to purchase additional rental car insurance from them. You probably already have sufficient coverage between what you carry on your own car and credit card supplemental insurance. But be careful because most credit cards don't cover pick up trucks or SUVs. If you're not covered you may need to buy the agency's insurance, which is pricey, but gives you ease of mind at least...

They will probably ask you if you want to pay for a tank of gas at the time of rental or bring back the car full. They will try to convince you that their gas is cheaper. But the catch is you may not need a full tank of gas when you are done with the car. So we always opt to gas it up ourselves. Gas prices are high in Hawaii, so plan that into your budget.

Hawaii Rental Car Driving Conditions

Even though it's paradise, don't think that there isn't traffic. We have been stuck in slow traffic on every island in Hawaii. Just remember to leave plenty of time to get somewhere, be patient and drive with aloha.

Hawaii, as a state, really doesn't seem to believe in road signs. Often directions are given based on roadway mileage signs, so keep your eyes out for those.

Though we have never had a problem with theft or damage, we recommend not leaving valuables in your Hawaii rental car, especially in plain view.

Returning Your Hawaii Rental Car

Remember to fill your gas tank just before returning your car. (Unless you opt otherwise; see above.) We have never had to wait long to return a car in Hawaii. They check it over, write down the mileage, and hand you a receipt. Then you take the shuttle back to the airport.

We hope these tips were helpful to you. Your Hawaii rental car will be indispensible for your snorkeling adventures and full of beach sand when you are done!

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