Why are there no rental cars available in Hawaii?

The root of the problem is two-fold. When the pandemic hit and Hawaii imposed the nation's strictest travel rules, car rental companies like Hertz and Budget started to sell off portions of their fleet and ship some of their inventory to the U.S. mainland, where they could still make money.



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That is because the shortage of semiconductor chips that has held up auto manufacturing persists, leaving rental car companies to operate with lower inventory after they sold off chunks of their fleets in the early days of the pandemic. Building that stock back up has been more difficult than expected.

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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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The root of the problem is two-fold. When the pandemic hit and Hawaii imposed the nation's strictest travel rules, car rental companies like Hertz and Budget started to sell off portions of their fleet and ship some of their inventory to the U.S. mainland, where they could still make money.

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You can request a ride on any day and at any time with Uber in Honolulu.

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I have found Discover Cars has the cheapest Hawaii Car rentals, as well as the cheapest Hawaii driving insurance at less than $11 per day. The key is to book at least 2-3 weeks in advance for their super low rates. If you book the day before it will be much more expensive.

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On average a rental car in Hawaii costs $350 per week ($50 per day).

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If you do want to sightsee, it will be much easier with a car. One major benefit is you'll be able to do things at your own pace. Oahu isn't big; without stops, you can drive around the island in about two hours. That said, there are things you might want to see and do that aren't accessible by public transportation.

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Through 2023 at least, limited vehicle availability will continue. However, most experts report some recovery on the horizon. There were finally early signs of increased allocation to rental fleet channels in fall 2022. Operators still need to be clever in how they source cars as we inch toward supply recovery, though.

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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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The cheapest time to fly to Hawaii is during February and March. The most expensive month to fly is December when the holiday period falls, with January being very expensive as well. The peak travel months of June and July are surprisingly not the most expensive months for flights, with middle figure prices.

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Buying as flight+car hire at the same time (or actually within 24hrs) will normally provide a better total package price.

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In 2019 we estimated that a comparable mid-range trip to Hawaii would cost $10,100 for a family of four. In 2021 the same trip cost $8,914. The price increased 37 percent in 2022 to $12,239 as demand for Hawaii vacations surged once travel restrictions ended.

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Uber, Lyft and Holoholo are ride-sharing apps that enable you to hail on-demand private drivers. They're used prolifically in Hawai?i's major towns, they tend to be cheaper than Taxis/Cabs and more convenient.

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Do keep in mind that an Uber or a taxi does not included the admission ticket. The one-way fare to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki hotels is approximately $50.

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The city bus would work for you because you wouldn't have any luggage and it's $2.75, so it's one of the cheapest ways to get into Waikiki. Keep in mind it is a city bus, so there are frequent stops. It would take you about an hour to get from the airport to Waikiki.

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