Airport Guide

History of Honolulu International Airport

Though opened in 1927 as John Rogers Airport, for the first two decades of its existence, services from the base had to be complemented by seaplane landing in a nearby lagoon.

However, once Hawaii's principal airport was ready to expand its operations, the attacks on Pearl Harbour prompted the US Air Force to take over the site for the duration of the war.

Converted back to commercial use and renamed Honolulu International at the close of hostilities, the airport then experienced marked growth as it became a major stopping-off and refueling base for transpacific services, particularly those from the US to Australia.

While passenger numbers fell with the dawn of long-range aircraft, which made such stop-overs unnecessary, the airport has since benefitted from the emergence of package deals and low-cost flights from the mainland USA, with the state becoming a favourite holiday destination among Americans.

Plans are currently in place to invest $12 billion in modernising Honolulu International Airport over the next decade, with improved security and passenger facilities among the first things to be addressed.

Travelling to Honolulu International Airport

Regular public transport services are available to passengers upon arrival in Honolulu, offering links downtown, as well as to the city's suburbs, including Waikiki.

Private buses also take passengers from the terminal building to a number of hotels dotted around the island of Oahu.

Alternatively, taxis are readily available, though obviously more expensive, while many holidaymakers opt to pick up a hire car from the airport and then explore the island and its famous beaches for the duration of their stay.

Airlines flying from Honolulu International Airport

Numerous domestic and international airlines operate out of Honolulu's three terminals, offering flights to all corners of the globe.

At present, Hawaiian Airlines is the dominant carrier at the airport, accounting for almost half of all seats available each day.

The state airline flies to around a dozen US destinations, including Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle, in addition to offering international flights to Manila and Sydney.

Alongside low-cost carriers Mokulele Airlines, Island Air and Pacific Wings, Hawaiian also operates cheap shuttle services connecting the islands of Hawaii, as well as flying to several other islands in the Pacific.

Domestic travel within the rest of the US is also offered by the likes of Northwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, United and Continental.

In terms of international flights, Japan Airlines operates the greatest number of services out of Honolulu, including those to Hiroshima, Niigata, Sendai and Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Qantas competes with low-cost carrier Jet Star on the Hawaii to Australia routes, while China Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Korean Air also fly from the airport.

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