Island Hopping: How to Efficiently Travel Between Hawaii Islands

When is the best time in the day to travel between the Hawaiian Islands?
We preferred to fly in the evening. It gets dark early in Hawaii. When we went in late January/early February, it would get dark between 6:30pm and 7pm. And aside from restaurants, there really wasn't much outdoor activity to do. To maximize outdoor activity, we found traveling in the evening to be most efficient use of our time there.

Below is a table for average sunrise and sunset times in Hawaii across the year.



TIP: Book flights after before 7am or after 7pm to maximize activity time.


Island Hopping: How to travel between Hawaiian Islands?
Location of airport and number of connections for the flight is key. Here are a few tips on both:

 Airports:
On some islands, there are multiple airports. But some airports limit what airlines and what airline routes operate out of that airport. Below you will see an interactive map of all the airports in Maui and where some of the most popular attractions. Click on the locations to see the names and pictures.

TIP: Selecting airports close to attractions or your desired place to stay will minimize both travel time and commute costs.

Here are some facts that can help you decide which airport to go to.


Maui Airports
Maui has three airports: Kahului (OGG), Kapalua in Kanapali (JHM), and Hana (HNM). Some facts. OGG is the international airport on the island. This is where you will most likely fly into if you are flying into Hawaii from outside Hawaii. If you are island hopping, consider flying to the airport closest to where you will be staying.

TIP: If you are island hoping to Maui, are are saying in Kanapali (the resort town in Maui), fly to JHM. If you are planning to go to Kona (the Big Island), there is a direct flight from the Kanapali airport that will save you both time and the cost of commute back to the main airport in Maui.

TIP: Hana has curvy roads and takes over 2 hrs of driving (one way). Consider a flight from OGG to HNA that takes only 20 mins! Majority of the beauty of Hana is mostly beyond the 2 hr curvy drive so may be worth it for those that are limited in time yet want to cover a lot. Extra benefit of flight: you will avoid a lot of curvy road driving that gets some sick.

Kauai Airports
Kauai only has one airport: Lihue Airport (LIH).

TIP: There are some nice resorts close to the airport (we really like the Marriott) but most locations will require 1-2 hrs of driving. Consider staying closer to the area you want explore more. 

TIP: The road DOES NOT connect all around the island. There is no road connection at the north end. Going from Waimea to Haena state Park is a 2 hr drive..

Ohau Airports
O'hau has two airports: Honolulu International Airport (HON) and Kalaeloa Airport (JRF). Unless going to the west coast, you will almost always use HON.

Big Island Airports
The Big Island has three airports: Kona International Airport (KON), Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE), Hilo International Airport (ITO).

TIP: If you are staying on the west side, fly to KON or if you stay on the east side, fly to ITO. 

TIP: There are more resorts closer to KON and more hotels closer to ITO. The volcano viewing is closer to ITO.

Airline Connections:
Many inter-island flights require a connection via Honolulu (HNL). Constructing an itinerary plan that takes a direct flight option versus having to have an island layover will most certainly save you time that you can use to enjoy the Hawaiian islands.

How many airlines operate within Hawaii? What are the airline routes between Hawaiian Islands?

There are three airlines that operate within Hawaii. Below are their names and a link to their route maps.
TIP: When island hopping, don't waste time at the airport waiting for a connection. Use the above links to plan an itinerary that does not any connections. The visuals will help you.

Interactive Map of the Hawaii Islands with Airports and Major Attractions:
Click on each tag below to see name and picture of attraction.








 How to find the best deal on inter-island flights in Hawaii?
Coming

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