Why are rental cars so expensive in Kauai right now?

With much of the Aloha State easing its travel restrictions, visitor numbers — and rental car prices — are skyrocketing. During the pandemic, rental car companies were forced to sell vehicles and thin out their fleets when a lack of visitors left them with nowhere to park all of the unused cars.



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Low Supply of Vehicles Due to Sell-Off Hawai?i's remote location makes the problem even more challenging here. This sell-off is one reason why rental cars from Hertz, Enterprise, and other big companies are so expensive in Hawai?i and throughout the US right now.

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Renting a car is an important part of the budget for a trip to Hawaii. The Covid-19 crisis has caused prices to rise dramatically in 2021 and 2022, although there has been a significant drop in prices since the summer of 2022, which is expected to continue in 2023 to reach pre-Covid prices again.

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Rental car prices have been surging because demand is high and supply is low, both due to the coronavirus crisis and the chip shortage. To mitigate it, I should book as soon as I'm even *thinking* about traveling somewhere. I should also avoid certain locations (especially those near nature destinations).

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Renting a car can be expensive, but there are various ways to save money on your next rental. You can significantly reduce your expenses by using corporate, AAA, or university codes, renting during off-peak times and avoiding additional fees for gas and tolls.

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The supply has improved slightly for 2023. We have been fortunate to have an ample supply for most travel dates. However, we recommend securing a car rental before getting lodging and airline tickets.

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The nation's largest car rental corporations sold too many cars in 2020 to cushion the financial blows amid widespread COVID-19 travel restrictions. Now they can't buy enough replacements principally due to car production delays.

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Most car rental agencies vary their prices and rates during the week are usually higher. Book during the weekend if you want a cheaper car rental rate.

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On average a rental car in Hawaii costs $59 per day.

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Top 10 Most Expensive U.S. Cities To Rent A Car
  • Anchorage, Alaska (ANC) – $949 Avg. ...
  • Spokane, Washington (GEG) – $765 Avg. ...
  • Portland, Maine (PWM) – $737 Avg. ...
  • Little Rock, Arkansas (LIT) – $627 Avg. ...
  • Fayetteville, Arkansas (XNA) – $626 Avg. ...
  • Charleston, South Carolina (CHS) – $616 Avg.


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Taxis and ride share options from the airport are the most direct options for those without a rental car, but they can often be expensive. Don't forget that there are shared airport shuttles on Kaua?i that can get you from the airport to your hotel for a reasonable price.

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In short, the answer to whether you need a rental car in Kauai is yes! The areas of population on the island are geographically distant from each other, so unless you're planning on staying in the same place for your entire vacation, you'll need a car to travel from town to town.

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Having a car at your fingertips on Kauai makes all the difference in your island experience. Kaui has one major thoroughfare — the Kuhio Highway — and it takes just under 3 hours to travel from the North Shore's Haena to the West Side's Polihale.

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For most islands you can also get around by shuttle, taxi, ride-sharing app such as Uber or Lyft, or public transportation.

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In most cases, the daily rate goes down the longer you rent. To investigate the cost of a rental, submit some rental dates in the form above, and you'll see what car options are available and their rates.

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Research the rental car company by searching for the name of the company and words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review” to check if other people have had a bad experience. Verify deals with the company directly. If you need customer support, look for contact info on the company's official website.

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