Car Rental at Lihue Airport

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Lihue Airport, Lihue, USA - Hawaii
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Driver's country of residence is United States of America (USA) and age is 30-65
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500+ Trusted Suppliers:

Cheapest Car Rental Rates

Compact
Ford Focus or similar
Ford Focus
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Dollar
$67.57 per day
Intermediate
Mazda 3 or similar
Mazda 3
  • 5
  • 3
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Thrifty
$74.97 per day
Economy
Mitsubishi Mirage or similar
Mitsubishi Mirage
  • 4
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Alamo
$95.00 per day
Premium
Volkswagen Passat or similar
Volkswagen Passat
  • 5
  • 3
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Budget
$96.82 per day

Most Popular Car Rental Deals

Full-size
Chevrolet Malibu or similar
Chevrolet Malibu
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Thrifty
$99.10 / per day
Luxury
Chrysler 300 or similar
Chrysler 300
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Enterprise
$103.73 / per day
Standard
Volkswagen Jetta or similar
Volkswagen Jetta
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
National
$105.93 / per day
Standard Elite
Chevrolet Traverse or similar
Chevrolet Traverse
  • 5
  • 2
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Auto.
Budget
$143.28 / per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 02:01 on 2023-03-20. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
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Travel Information

Language
English
Currency
USD
Drive on
Right-hand side
Country code
1
Average car rental price
$98.30 / per day
Average car rental length
6 days
Speed limit within town
40 - 120 km/h
25 - 75 mph
Speed limit out of town
72 - 120 km/h
45 - 75 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Lihue Airport Car Rental

Airport Car Rental

Lihue Airport is the main airport for the island of Kauai, which is the northernmost island of the state of Hawaii. The majority of its flights are to and from Honolulu, the capital of the state where most from the mainland and abroad arrive in the state.

The island of Kauai is the fourth-most visited island of Hawaii. It is known as the “Garden Island” as it is full of lush vegetation and tropical plants due to the large amount of rainfall the island receives.  The island also has the longest sandy coastline of the islands. Much less crowded than some of the other islands, Kauai is certainly worth exploring and a with a rental car is by far the best way to do so.

Most travelers will transit through Honolulu to reach Kauai. Since there are no ferries from the island of Oahu, travelers must arrive by air and Lihue airport is where they are most likely to land. Rental cars are available at the airport and are all but completely necessary for travelers. 

Though Hawaii’s main gateway from the mainland U.S. is Honolulu International, there are a number of direct flights from the mainland to Kauai’s Lihue Airport. 

Top international routes

  • Vancouver (seasonal)

Main airlines

The largest airline by number of passengers is Hawwian Airlines which serves routes between Lihue and Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, Oakland, and Los Angeles. American, Delta, Alaska, and United are the other major airlines located at the airport together serving mainland destinations including Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, and San Jose. Westjet also has a seasonal route (November through April) from Vancouver. Air Canada also served the route to and from Vancouver but has suspended it due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max. Service on the route is likely to be resumed in the future.

Terminals

There is only one terminal in Lihue Airport which is called the Kawakami Terminal. It has eight gates, each of which is usually, but not always, dedicated to certain airlines. Arrivals and departures both take place on the ground level of the terminal. The only security checkpoint is right in the center of the check-in desks.

Location

Lihue Airport is located directly on the coast about two miles east of the downtown area, if you can call it that, of Lihue, which is itself located on the southeastern coast of the island of Kauai. From Lihue, the main roads of the island run to the south and west side as well as the east and north side. A loop around the island is unfortunately not possible due to the late of roads at Na Pali.

Most popular types of rental car

  • Convertibles - from $111 per day
  • Large cars - from $108 per day
  • Medium cars - from $85 per day
  • Vans - from $172 per day
  • Premium cars - from $105 per day
  • Small cars - from $102 per day
  • SUVs - from $115 per day

Car rental desks

All car rental companies serving Lihue Airport have desks located at the airport. These desks can be found across the street from the center of the terminal. Europcar partners with Advantage to serve all of its U.S. rentals. Therefore, if renting a car with Europcar, you should proceed to the Advantage desk.

Services and facilities

Note that passengers are not allowed to take any fruits (as well as plants, snails, and other agricultural items) from the islands back to the mainland. All baggage, both checked and carry-on are inspected prior to departure. The inspection stations are located at the check-in counters and the security checkpoints. Unfortunately, it won’t be possible to savor your last island fruit while waiting for your flight. Though the unimaginative pun for it may have long ago lost its humor, lei greeting is still a popular, culturally relevant tradition in Hawaii. Visitors can organize, or someone can organize for them, a lei greeting service to welcome them to the islands. Alternatively, there is one flower shop in the airport building where travelers can purchase leis but it is located past security. Sometimes a cart sells them in the baggage claim area. There is only one lounge in the airport. It is a Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club and is located across from Gate 5. The closest hotels to the airport are Motel Lani and Kauai Palms Hotel, both located about a mile south of it near Rice Stree. No shuttle is offered, though. More hotels are located south near the beach of Kalapaki. As the airport is quite small, there is not an overly large selection when it comes to dining and shopping. In the area of the gates, there is only one food kiosk and no shops. In the area near the check-in desk (but past the security checkpoints) there are two bars serving food, a cafe, and a Starbucks. Victor Information centers are located in both baggage claim areas. Both provide information about the airport and the island and can assist you with any questions you may have.

Nearest gas station

A cluster of stations south of the intersection of Ahukini Road and Kuhio Highway are the closest stations to the airport. They are 76, Shell, and Texaco stations. The prices of gas at all three are competitive and similar to that which you will find on the rest of the island (though, it should be noted that the average price on all Hawaiian islands is higher than on the mainland).
This information was written, fact-checked, and/or translated by our content creators. Learn more about our Editorial Policy.

Airport info

Rating
7.6
  • Getting to the airport 6.5
  • Check-in and departures 6.8
  • Terminal facilities 5.1
  • Wi-Fi 2.7
  • Restaurants and car rental services 4.5
  • Lounge 2.6

Lihue Airport (LIH)

  • IATA: LIH
  • ICAO: PHLI
  • Name: Lihue Airport (LIH)
  • Size: Medium Airport
  • Passengers (per year): 2,680,028
  • Distance from city: 2 miles / 3.2 km E of town
  • Working hours:

Top 7 Locations near Lihue Airport

  1. 163.6 km / 101.7 miles away
  2. 174.3 km / 108.3 miles away
  3. 249.3 km / 154.9 miles away
  4. 298.0 km / 185.2 miles away
  5. 324.0 km / 201.3 miles away
  6. 423.0 km / 262.9 miles away
  7. Car Rental at Hilo Airport from $68.38 per day
    511.5 km / 317.8 miles away

Map of Car Rental Locations

When are car rental prices cheapest at Lihue Airport?

The cost of renting a car at Lihue Airport depends on the time of year. This graph compares month-to-month price changes to help you find the best deal.
Average Rental Price at Lihue Airport
$72.34
January
$82.63
February
$80.84
March
$100.46
April
$144.39
May
$157.35
June
$151.38
July
$131.62
August
$97.38
September
$105.61
October
$87.13
November
$100.53
December
The cheapest time of the year to rent a vehicle at Lihue Airport is January when prices for an Economy class start from $72.34. You can see that this is 34% cheaper than the yearly average and 54% cheaper than renting a car in June (when rental prices start at $157.35 for a Compact class). Knowing this can help you find the best price. But remember that these are just average numbers. The exact cost of your rental will depend on your rental length and on how far in advance you book the car. Enter your travel dates at the top of the page to see exact prices and offers!

What’s the most frequent rental length at Lihue Airport?

Travel length differs from one month to another: in May the average rental period is 15 days, while in July, the average rental period is only 5 days.
Average Rental Length
7
January
7
February
7
March
7
April
15
May
6
June
5
July
5
August
6
September
6
October
7
November
6
December

Which is the busiest month for car rental at Lihue Airport?

Travelers are most likely to rent a car at Lihue Airport in August, while they are least likely to to rent in in May.
Popularity by Monthly Searches
119%
January
100%
February
75%
March
44%
April
25%
May
69%
June
119%
July
150%
August
144%
September
110%
October
116%
November
128%
December

Car Rental Information

Popular suppliers Thrifty, Dollar, Payless, Economy rent a car, Hertz
Popular car categories Medium cars, Large cars, Small cars, SUVs
Lowest price $68 per day
Cheapest supplier Dollar

Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers

Rental Supplier Model Doors Luggage Type
Thrifty Ford Focus 3 2 Medium cars
Thrifty Chevrolet Spark 2 1 Small cars
Dollar Ford Focus 4 2 Medium cars
Dollar Chevrolet Spark 4 2 Small cars
Thrifty Mazda 3 5 3 Large cars
Thrifty Nissan Rogue 5 3 SUVs
Dollar Mazda 3 5 3 Large cars
Dollar Ford Focus 3 2 Medium cars
Thrifty Chevrolet Equinox 4 3 SUVs
Thrifty Nissan Pathfinder 4 2 Large cars

Car Rental Statistics

Highest rated company
SIXT
8.67 / 10
Lowest rated company
Economy rent a car
7.69 / 10
Total rental companies
12
Average daily price
$98.30
Lowest daily price
$67.57
Total cars available
93

Top 12 Suppliers at Lihue Airport in 2023

SIXT
SIXT
Excellent 8.7
+18887498827
3156 Oihana Street
Working hours
Mon:06:00-22:30
Tue:06:00-22:30
Wed:06:00-22:30
Thu:06:00-22:30
Fri:06:00-22:30
Sat:06:00-22:30
Sun:06:00-22:30
Enterprise
Excellent 8.6
+18082460204 / +18449141553
3073 Aukele St, Lihue, HI 96766
$97 - $163
Hertz
Hertz
Excellent 8.6 / 2 reviews
8082453356
3250 Hoolimalima Pl
Working hours
Mon:05:00-23:00
Tue:05:00-23:00
Wed:05:00-23:00
Thu:05:00-23:00
Fri:05:00-23:00
Sat:05:00-23:00
Sun:05:00-23:00
Alamo
Excellent 8.6
8449141551
3276 HOOLIMALIMA PL,
$95 - $161
Budget
Budget
Excellent 8.5
+18082459031
3285 Hoolimalima Place
$90 - $190
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
National
Excellent 8.5
+18082455638 / +18449141552
3276 HOOLIMALIMA PL, Lihue
$99 - $165
Payless
Payless
Excellent 8.4 / 1 reviews
8082459395
3285 Hoolimalima Place
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
Avis
Avis
Excellent 8.4 / 2 reviews
+18082457995
3259 Hoolimalima Place
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
Advantage
Advantage
Excellent 8.4
8007775500
3273 Hoolimalima Place
Working hours
Mon:06:00-22:00
Tue:06:00-22:00
Wed:06:00-22:00
Thu:06:00-22:00
Fri:06:00-22:00
Sat:06:00-22:00
Sun:06:00-22:00
Dollar
Excellent 8.3 / 14 reviews
8082453652
3250 Hoolimalima Place
$68 - $94
Working hours
Mon:05:00-23:00
Tue:05:00-23:00
Wed:05:00-23:00
Thu:05:00-23:00
Fri:05:00-23:00
Sat:05:00-23:00
Sun:05:00-23:00
Thrifty
Excellent 8.2 / 12 reviews
+18772830898
3273 Hoolimalima Place
$71 - $133
Working hours
Mon:05:00-23:00
Tue:05:00-23:00
Wed:05:00-23:00
Thu:05:00-23:00
Fri:05:00-23:00
Sat:05:00-23:00
Sun:05:00-23:00
Economy rent a car
Economy rent a car
Very good 7.7 / 1 reviews
+18086521985 / +18773267368
3501 Rice St #1009, Lihue, HI 96766
$213 - $213
Working hours
Mon:09:00-21:00
Tue:09:00-21:00
Wed:09:00-21:00
Thu:09:00-21:00
Fri:09:00-21:00
Sat:09:00-21:00
Sun:09:00-21:00
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