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 HNL Airport to Waikiki. So I thought I would share with you some of my information to help you figure out the best way to get from HNL to Waikiki Beach.
Getting from HNL airport to Waikiki Beach by taxi
You can take a classic  from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki, but it will be fairly expensive. It will cost between $45 to $70, depending on the time of day, traffic, and where you’re going in Waikiki
HNL airport to Waikiki by Uber or Lyft
Uber has an estimated price of $25-35 to get from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to Waikiki Beach, though obviously that depends on your exact destination and probably time of day (how long it takes). Lyft is similarly priced from HNL to Waikiki 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 HNL to Waikiki – W Bus
While you can take an Uber or Lyft if you want, and renting a car is another option (especially if you have destinations on Oahu like the North Shore), if you’re just going to be in Waikiki, I think the cheapest and best way from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki 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 it goes all the way to Waikiki, running 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 HNL to Waikiki
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 Waikiki to HNL airport, the absolute best way to get from HNL airport to Waikiki is by the W Line bus.
There is a stop for the W Line Bus right at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Follow the signs for the City Bus. We had arrived into Terminal 2 (which is generally the International Terminal), and it was a bit confusing at first to figure out where to go, since there wasn’t anything on the big airport signs. The signs for the W Line buses are the orange signs (you can see it in the background).
Once you exit the airport building, continuing following the orange signs for City Buses.
You’ll next come to the Skyline Rail station, which has fare boxes. You can buy a Holo card here, which has a $2 one-time charge. Both the Skyline rail and “The Bus” have a flat fare of $3. So if you’re buying a card here, you’ll pay $5 the first time.
TWO IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE HERE. First – if you zoom in on the fine print on the orange sign, you’ll see that the W Line Bus does NOT take Apple Pay or credit card, and it does not give change. If you want to pay cash, you’ll need to pay the exact $3 fare.
Also, the entrance here next to these fare boxes is NOT for the W Line City bus. It’s for the Skyline Rail, which does not go to Waikiki. Instead, follow the left arrow on the orange sign.
The W Line City Bus stop is underneath the elevated Skyline Rail. People line up here – the bus comes about every 15 minutes.
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 to Waikiki (depending on where you’re going), and takes 30-35 minutes.
The Bottom Line – the W Line Bus is the cheapest and best way From HNL to Waikiki
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 Honolulu Airport to Waikiki is by the W bus. I hope this guide has helped you travel from HNL airport to Waikiki – if you need to make it a roundtrip, make sure to check out my guide to the best and cheapest way from Waikiki to HNL airport
What are your tips for the cheapest and best way from HNL Airport to Waikiki?
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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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