I have been to Honolulu Hawaii (HNL) a few times, most recently on an epic 41 hour birthday trip. HNL airport is not as far away from the city as some airports, but it’s a bit far away from tourist areas like Waikiki Beach. Since we were staying at the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach, we did a bit of research to help find the best way from Waikiki to HNL airport. So I thought I would share with you some of my information to help you figure out the best way to get from Waikiki Beach to the airport.
Getting from Waikiki Beach to HNL airport by taxi
You can take a classic  from Waikiki to Honolulu Airport, but it will be fairly expensive. It will cost between $45 to $70, depending on the time of day, traffic, and where you’re coming from Waikiki
Waikiki to HNL airport by Uber or Lyft
Uber has an estimated price of $25-35 to get to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) from Waikiki Beach, though obviously that depends on your exact destination and probably time of day (how long it takes). Lyft is similarly priced from Waikiki to HNL though both Uber and Lyft often are running promotions so be sure to check with them before you go
[The time my Lyft driver went the wrong way down a one-way street]
If you do sign up for Uber or Lyft, signing up through my referral code may get you $10 off on your first ride.
The cheapest and best way From Waikiki to HNL – W Bus
While you can take an Uber or Lyft if you want, and renting a car is another option (especially if you are also planning on visiting other destinations on Oahu like the North Shore), if you’re just going to be in Waikiki, I think the cheapest and best way from Waikiki to Honolulu Airport is by public transportation, specifically the W Bus. Honolulu’s bus service is literally called “The Bus”, and fares are $3 per person one way. There is a stop right at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, and you can get there all the way from Waikiki. It runs every 15 minutes throughout most of the day.
There is also Honolulu’s Skyline Rail, which has a stop at the airport, and can be a good option if you are going to Pearl Harbor or other parts of Honolulu, but the Skyline Rail light metro rail system does not go all the way to Waikiki.
Step by step instructions for riding the W Line Bus from Waikiki to HNL
While taxi, car rental, Uber, and even other ride share services or limos are all options to get from HNL airport to Waikiki, in my opinion, just like the best way to get from HNL airport to Waikiki, the absolute best way to get from Waikiki to HNL airport is by the W Line bus.
There is a stop for the W Line Bus right at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, and various stops all around the Waikiki Beach area. There was a stop only a few blocks away from our hotel at the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach
If you already bought a Holo card at the airport, you can reload it at a 7-11 or FoodLand supermarket, or you can pay cash to ride The Bus from Waikiki to HNL Airport. You can also reload it online, which is what we did. Note that ABC stores sell Holo cards, but they ONLY sell preloaded cards, like a day pass or a 7-day pass. You can also pay cash to ride The Bus – it’s $3 per person.
We actually took 2 different W Line buses (one from the airport and one to the airport), and they were different types of buses. Our bus from HNL to Waikiki did not have much room for luggage at all – just 2 small racks in the middle of the bus. Thankfully it wasn’t too full and we only had rollaboard luggage, so it wasn’t too bad
(SEE ALSO: Is It Rollaboard Or Roller Board? Or Roll-Aboard?)
It’s about 10 stops from Waikiki to HNL (depending on where exactly you’re at in Waikiki), and takes 30-35 minutes. The bus stop at Daniel K. Inouye HNL airport is in between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (Terminal 3 requires riding an intra-airport shuttle). It’s pretty easy to follow the signs and is about a 5-10 minute walk into the terminal.
In our case, we were headed to Terminal 1 for a quick flight to Maui before taking our United Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner Premium Economy Class flight from OGG-ORD
The Bottom Line – the W Line Bus is the cheapest and best way From Waikiki to HNL
While you might consider Uber or renting a car, especially if you have lots of luggage or a larger group, I think the best and cheapest way for 1 or 2 people to get from Waikiki to Honolulu Airport is by the W bus. I hope this guide has helped you travel from Waikiki to HNL airport – if you need to make it a roundtrip, make sure to check out my guide to the best and cheapest way from HNL airport to Waikiki
What are your tips for the cheapest and best way from Waikiki to Honolulu airport?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at
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