Renting a car in Hawaii can still be one of the most daunting aspects of your trip, following only finding affordable accommodations and flights. Over the years, Beat of Hawaii has offered innumerable tips and insights, which have helped many travelers navigate the challenges of Hawaii car rentals. However, with the ever-changing landscape of travel and tourism, which we find in our own experiences, it’s time to revisit this topic and provide you with the latest.
The current state of car rentals in Hawaii.
Hawaii’s car rental market has fluctuated significantly over the past few years. During the height of the pandemic and thereafter, rental prices skyrocketed partly due to limited inventory when car rental companies reduced availability in Hawaii. Fortunately, prices have stabilized significantly, but they remain a noticeable part of your Hawaii travel budget. Here are some of the current issues with car rentals in Hawaii:
The price range of Hawaii car rentals:
As of now, we expect to pay an average of $50 per day for a standard car rental. Prices can also go much higher during peak seasons, such as holidays and summer although not always) or much lower, like our one-week Maui car rental in July for just $120.
Availability issues with car rentals in Hawaii:
While availability has improved greatly over the past year or more, it’s still wise to book early, especially for high-demand periods. Then, prepare to adjust later in your trip planning as more options may become available.
Competition is largely unchanged:
The market is dominated by three major companies—Enterprise (including National and Alamo), Hertz (including Thrifty and Dollar), and Avis (including Budget). Sixt is also becoming more popular, and there are a variety of independent companies. Despite the appearance of variety, the three major companies are said to control about 95% of the market.
We previously rented almost exclusively from Hertz and Avis.
Following a tip from the owner of AutoSlash, we started renting more from the Enterprise group and found them to be just as good as the other two major companies. One key is to sign up for the company’s frequent renter program to save significant time at pickup. Then, use the online check-in to avoid lines upon your arrival.
How we’re saving on Hawaii car rentals in 2024
Here are our tried-and-true tips, combined with new strategies to help you save money on your Hawaii car rental this year:
Book Early and stay flexible: Reserve your car when you book your flight and accommodations. Use services that allow free cancellation so you can rebook if prices drop. Only pre-pay towards the end and when you feel absolutely certain the price is too good to beat. We did that with our $120 Maui rental which was prepaid several days before pickup.
Use every possible website and don’t assume: Sites like Discount Hawaii Car Rental and AutoSlash sometimes offer better rates, but not always. Also, try checking CostoTravel, Kayak, Priceline, and Expedia. We can’t say the following enough. You will simply never find that the best deal is always from the same source. That is constantly changing. We chuckle when visitors say they only rent through CostoTravel or from Hawaii Discount Car Rental for example.
Sign up for frequent renter programs: We’re repeating this again for emphasis. Sign up for the car rental company’s frequent renter program. This can will save you time at the counter and sometimes offer better rates, upgrades, or perks.
Booking car rentals with accommodations or airfare: Certainly, it’s good to compare prices across different means and platforms, including everything direct to packaged bookings, OTAs, and discount sites.
Another trick: If it works for you, is to check pick-up/drop-off at both airport and city locations.
Consider Turo: Turo, the largest peer-to-peer car rental service, often has competitive prices. It’s worth checking, especially if traditional rentals are sold out or too expensive. Remember to check your insurance coverage for Turo rentals.
Avoid Pre-Payment for Gas: Pre-paying for gas is usually more expensive. Plan to refuel the car yourself before returning it. Oh, by the way, check the gas upon pick-up. We once picked up a car that was on empty!
Watch for hidden fees: Be aware of extra charges such as young driver fees, additional driver fees, and airport surcharges. Always read the fine print to avoid surprises.
Take photos: Document the car’s condition with photos when you pick it up and return it. This can help avoid disputes over damage claims. We find that this has become the new norm. Instead of the old methods of drawing issues on paper and speaking with someone, agencies have been telling us to take photos of the damages we find. So far, we have had no problems with this method.
Use credit card insurance: Many credit cards offer car rental insurance. Check with your provider before purchasing additional coverage from the rental company.
Utilize public transport and ride-sharing: In areas like Waikiki, you might not need a car for your entire stay. Consider using public transportation, ride-sharing, or renting a car only for part of your trip.
Beat of Hawaii readers offer insights and experiences.
Over the years, our readers have shared their experiences in hundreds of comments, providing a wealth of additional insights. Here are a few highlights:
- Patience pays off: Many readers have found that checking prices frequently and being willing to book and rebook until the end can lead to significant savings. We concur!
- Local rentals: Some readers have had success with smaller, local rental agencies. These can sometimes offer more competitive rates and personalized service.
- Be prepared for delays: During peak times, expect longer wait times at rental counters, especially if you haven’t signed up for a frequent renter program. That’s why we re-emphasized doing just that.
A Hawaii car rental doesn’t have to be a stressful or terribly expensive part of your trip. By making it a game, planning ahead, staying flexible, and using the tips and resources provided, you can secure a rental car that fits your budget and needs.
We invite you to share your own Hawaii car rental tips and experiences in the comments below. Your insights can help fellow travelers make the most of their Hawaiian vacation. Mahalo!
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Aloha,
I wanted to thank you for all of your great advice regarding tips on Hawaii. I had booked a car early Spring from Costco for Sept travel to the Big Island. Compared to past prices we’ve paid for Hawaii I was happy with $565 for a SUV for 10 days. Today, I remembered your advice to check back several times prior travel and saved $200 on the exact same compact SUV rental from Costco! Same airport pickup and drop off just a different vendor at the airport. $367 for 10 days versus $565! Money that we will gladly spend on something else. Thank you Jeff and Rob. We deeply appreciate all your insights into everything travel and Hawaii!
Hi Jan.
Thanks so much for sharing that. We’re so please with how that worked out.
Aloha.
All good info for the taking above! My only concern is the nerve wracking worry that when you return the car as you picked it up, the worry that the company will find something wrong and charge you for it. Its just no fun to travel anymore. I dont like worry, needless worry that costs me money from greed. Over It All.
Aloha Rob and Jeff and all BOH followers. Thanks for always providing and sharing up to date travel information. I just received an email from enjoytravel.com advertising very low rental car rates. I’ve never heard of this site. Has anyone ever used it in the past? TIA
Hi Pam.
No we have not. Thank you!
Aloha.
I find car rentals in Hawaii will be a leader in reducing the very tourist/visitors that the Hawaii economy depends on. We just spent two weeks on The Big Island. I did what you suggested and got a two week rental cut in half, from $900+ to $584. But rates on the Mainland are ridiculous as well.
We are planning a return for our full month next summer and I’ve started the “rental reservation shuffle!” Yes it is a year out, but can you believe $3000 for an Economy Car for a month!?!? That will clear the roads quickly and leave the rental lots jammed full of unused cars.
Hi ThomA.
The highest prices we’ve paid aren’t in Hawaii, but rather in Los Angeles. French Polynesia is up there too.
Aloha.
On Maui there’s a family run car rental place in Kihei (hint: which is part of their name) that rents cars, vans and jeeps that are 4-5 years old for lower prices. Free airport shuttle. They have a web site. Good value. If you have an AMex card, they have the best insurance deal. Full coverage and first in line if you have an accident. Fixed cost ($25) for 1 to 30 days. Call the # on your card and set it up before you travel. Just rent the car using the card and you are automatically covered. You’ll see the charge added to your statement.
Good advice about checking the gas gauge. I rented a car on Maui that was brand new, fresh off the boat. I drove the car from the airport to the hotel. The next day I started out around west Maui when the low gas light came on. It was a slightly strange guage that until then I hadn’t quite figured out how to read. At that point I had to find a station fast. I did keep the receipt and when I complained they did reimburse me. The point of this is, even though they expect you to return the car full don’t expect them to do the same for you, even if the car is new and never been off the lot.
Two things —
We used Sixt to rent a car in England and were very happy with them. They were friendly, flexible, and always available by phone. The price was normal.
My travel agent agrees — always sign up for the frequent renter program. Makes a big difference.
cb
Our experience in England with Sixt was a nightmare. Got charged for damage months after we left, via letter from a German bill collector.
When returning the car, we were turned away from the usual dropoff and “directed” to a “new” location. 1 and 1/2 hours later we finally were able to drop off the car and were the last ones to board our flight.
Should have gotten a clue when the rental office was little more than a small pop-up booth.
Never again from Sixt!
If you have an AmEx card, call them and sign up for their insurance. You pay a fixed fee ($25) per rental (up to 30 days) for full coverage and they are first in line to pay. Don’t ever buy the rental agencies’ insurance. Once you’ve signed up, you simply charge the car to your AMEx card and you’re covered. You get a $25 charge from them.
Aloha!Good info Jim O!
There are a few (but very few ) credit cards that provide primary rental car insurance. Most of them are also cards where you can earn travel points for flights, hotel etc. This information is pretty easily found on the web. Cover yourself and make your money work for you!
We just rented cars from Enterprise on Maui and Hawaii and bought pre-paid fuel. The price per gallon was substantially cheaper than the gas stations. Try to check gas prices just believe you are leaving and then will know if the offer from the rental car company is less.
We have found that gas at Costco (Maui’s) has been cheaper than other gas stations. It’s also close enough to the airport for a full tank to still be full at drop off
Some contraversy in this article because it says prices can be higher in summer, but then it says you found a one-week Maui car rental in July for just $120. Is July no longer a summer month? Anyway I agree that Costco is rarwly the cheapest option. I use EconomyBookings which mostly ends up being Thrifty.
Three of the last 4 times we went to Kauai, we used a local agency.
The daily cost was $55 to $60 per day. The other time we used Alamo
and the daily cost was almost $90 per day.