Have you ever wondered what it’s like flying into the Honolulu Airport? For starters, it’s pretty awesome, because you’re finally in Hawaii. Maybe your flight was even cleared to land on the “reef runway”, which juts out into the Pacific! Aside from that, we have some info and tips that may make your arrival to HNL a little smoother. So stick around as we explore flying into Honolulu…

Flying Into the Honolulu Airport

First things first, let’s discuss the official name of the airport, which is Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. For many years, it was called the Honolulu International Airport, and for many – that’s still how they refer to it. Daniel Inouye was a United States Senator representing Hawaii from 1963 until he passed in 2012. The 3-digit “airport code” is HNL, therefore you may hear people calling it that too.

HNL is the largest airport in Hawaii, and a major stop for transpacific routes. Some, but not all, airlines offering service to HNL are:

American

Delta

United

Hawaiian

Southwest

Alaska

Air Canada

Japan Airlines

Quantas

Asiana Airlines

Korean Air

Mokulele Airlines

Phillipines Airlines

Air New Zealand

Virgin Atlantic

British Airways

What are the Terminals Like?

During the 1970’s architect Vladimir Ossipoff oversaw a terminal modernization project, which carried HNL through the early 2000’s, when significant updates began taking place. Although many areas in HNL have been refreshed, you still may find it less modern than some of its North American counterparts. Nevertheless, it has everything you may need, such as shopping, dining and adequate seating.

What’s more, one of my favorite parts of flying into the Honolulu Airport is the open air aspect. The boarding areas are all indoor, but once you land, you’ll walk through covered, open air breezeways to exit the airport or get to baggage claim. As you walk through the sliding doors from the terminal onto the breezeway, the warm, humid breeze feels like heaven after the canned air from the plane. Two scents always assault my senses as I walk towards baggage claim. First, the smell of flowers. The air smells sweet here, and tinged with the floral headiness of plumeria, pikake and jasmine. Next, though not as enchanting, is the smell of jet fuel from the planes parked at the gates. Although it’s an odd combination, it’s what the Honolulu Airport smells like!

While not numerous, you’ll find a good mix of restaurant and shopping options in most terminals. It’s not really something you’ll need if you’re arriving at HNL, such as when you begin one of our Waikiki Beach All-Inclusive Vacations, but they’re here if you need them. Most people are anxious to get their bags and get to Waikiki, where there’s plenty of dining and entertainment.

Flying Into the Honolulu Airport: Baggage Claim and Rental Cars

Now that you’ve landed, next up is baggage claim. The way to baggage claim is clearly marked with overhead signs. As it’s located below the gates, you’ll need to take an escalator or elevator down a floor.

If you are receiving a flower lei greeting, as are included in our Affordable Oahu All-Inclusive Vacation Package, the lei greeters will be waiting for you in the baggage claim area. Following 9/11, most lei greeters are not able to meet you at the gate as you deplane. Most lei greetings include transportation to your hotel, and they will direct you to the transfer pick-up location.

If you are renting a car, exit baggage claim and cross to the center median for rental car shuttle pick-up. This is also the area where you may get a taxi or ride-share pick-up.

Whether you are taking a shuttle, Uber, taxi or driving, once you are on the way, Waikiki is only 20 minutes from HNL, depending on traffic. The main routes into Waikiki are east by southeast on Nimitz Highway or the H1 Freeway.

If you’re heading to the North Shore or the west side, take the H1 west, until it connects to the H2. From there you can access either side of Oahu.

What About the Inter-Island Terminal?

The vast majority of inter-island flights are on Hawaiian Airlines, and you’ll fly out of Terminal 1, also known as the “Inter-Island Terminal”. For reference, most long-distance flights arrive and depart from Terminal 2.

Mokulele Airlines operates out of Terminal 3.

HNL provides free transportation between these terminals on the Wiki Wiki Shuttle.

Please remember that if you have separate airline reservations, you’ll have to exit the secure portion of HNL, retrieve your bags from baggage claim and then go through TSA security to get to your next gate.

As an example, if you booked a flight from Miami to Honolulu on Delta, and then a separate ticket from Honolulu to Kona on Hawaiian Airlines, you’ll have to take the following steps. Once you arrive in HNL, you’ll get your bags at baggage claim, then you’ll take the Wiki Wiki Shuttle to the Inter-Island Terminal and go through TSA security and check your luggage.

Hopefully this has shed some light on what it’s like flying into the Honolulu Airport. To sum it up, HNL is an easy airport to navigate, and while ongoing improvements are welcome, you’ll find everything you need as it is.

Aloha, and welcome to paradise!