Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the commercial airport that serves Honolulu and the island of Oahu. The airport is a hub for go!, Hawaiian Airlines, Island Air and Mokulele Airlines.
From Honolulu, travelers can fly to other Hawaiian islands, as well as destinations in the continental United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Asia. The top domestic destinations are Los Angeles, Kahului, Kona, Lihue and Hilo. The top international destinations are Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Sydney and Auckland.
Several low-cost carriers fly from Honolulu, which helps travelers on a budget find cheap airfares. Allegiant Air flies to Bellingham, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, with seasonal service to other cities. Jetstar Airways flies to Melbourne and Sydney. And WestJet flies to Vancouver, with seasonal service to other cities. If inexpensive flights are a priority, start your search at least a couple months prior to your date of travel. You’ll also have a better chance of finding low airfares if your travel dates are flexible and you’re willing to consider all possible airline and airport options.
Many travelers from Honolulu are headed to other Hawaiian islands. When planning your trip, here are several things to keep in mind.
For a one week trip, experts recommend that you stay on no more than two islands so you can get comfortable and see all of the sights. For a longer trip, three to four islands can be manageable. Flying time between Honolulu and most other islands is relatively short. Flights to Kauai, for example, are 35 minutes, and flights to Kailua-Kona, on the Big Island, are 45 minutes. You may decide it’s easier to plan a day trip to another island, rather than packing your luggage and moving hotels.