HONOLULU AIRPORT review : 24 June 2008 : by M Saunders

Customer Rating : 2/5

In the 1980s, Honolulu Airport was appalling, and I was sorry to discover that it still is. Poor design has put courtesy phones half a mile (it seems) from baggage collection, so ring your hotel or shuttle -- Reliable shuttle bus is great -- before collecting bags, or you'll have to drag them back a long way to the phones.

HONOLULU AIRPORT review : 24 May 2008 : by W Van den Haas

Customer Rating : 3/5

I have been travelling thru the Honolulu airport for over 15 years, and many of the comments here are very true. Poor decor, very poor signage, uneven staff regarding knowledge and "aloha spirit". But many are just fine, helpful. Fortunately, its not a large airport, which makes it easier to have patience. The food choices and shopping you see at other international airports just does not exist. Most taxis are honest and the rates are approx $3.00 per mile to the Waikiki area 12 miles away. But some are not. I had one airport taxi charge me $49 to Waikiki. Thats not even close, even in bad traffic. I have found its easiest to make arrangements with one of the flat rate "car service" companies. Its less than full meter rates and most dont charge for regular baggage. They will have someone waiting for you. Its nice to know you'll be on your way when your ready. Security checkpoints can often be long, and curbside for departures can also get congested. Because of Hawaii's location and the time differences to Asia and US Mainland many flight arrive and depart within the same time "window" to accommodate with the mainland schedules. Its unavoidable. Overall, its not the best airport, but not the worst either.

Honolulu Airport by David Gallant

10 January 2008   Customer Rating :

Checking in at HNL airport is like waiting in line at a busy subway station. Very dark, poorly lit and totally colorless. One commentator likened it to a cement parkade. Once past the security area it does get better. The open area is very nice. Though small in size there is a lovely garden area in a V shape where one can walk and watch the planes dock and depart. On my last arrival I found it a long walk from our gate to the baggage pick up. Some of the staff could perhaps do well by treating people to the Aloha Spirit that permeates throughout the islands. Improvements are being made at this airport.

Honolulu Airport by Peter Harrison

12 November 2007   Customer Rating :

This is a busy but relatively small airport. Some improvements currently being made in the departure area - but catering and shopping is limited. The best thing about the airport are the wonderfully manicured lush gardens with water features and ponds with koi carp. Not a bad place to wait for a delayed flight!

Honolulu Airport by D Walker

18 October 2007   Customer Rating :

I have flown in and out of Honolulu a few times and it reminds me of arriving in a car park in a 80's shopping centre. Its true it has a laid back Hawaiian feel about it. But I do think the state gov could spend money on a refurb. It is an international gateway from Asia, South Pcific. Restaurants, cafes,duty free, internet etc! The check in area at the inter island terminal is a mess with 2 security check points, both for mainland and international flights. So if your on a Hawaiian flight you must stay in the queue which ends outside the door of the terminal at peak times with no signage. Make it a true aloha welcome!

Honolulu Airport by Hakan Ersoy

21 August 2007   Customer Rating :

Waiting 2 hours to get your passport to be stamped by the US Immigration is unacceptable. Our flight is arrived at the same time with 3 Asian Jumbos. The immigration was crowded and they couldn't cope with the high number of pax. Thanks to a ground staff who directed us "Australian passengers arrived with Hawaiian Airlines" to the US citizen entry point, then we were out in 10 minutes. We almost missed our connection flight to Kahului. On the way back to Sydney, all was OK. We were warned by a friendly domestic terminal staff if wanted to eat something before we caught the shuttle bus to international terminal, we should eat at domestic terminal as the international terminal has very limited to offer to eat or to shop anything. Very basic international terminal. The airport looks tired like Kahului Airport.

Honolulu Airport by Samantha Healey

28 August 2006   Customer Rating : n/a

I may have an answer to Pam Frank's query. I would have to give the Supreme Order of the Jobsworths Award to the staff who operate the USDA machine at Honolulu airport for American Airlines. This is a joint award given also to the person who refused to let us put our hold bags through the other USDA machine being used not more than 30 feet away as we were not travelling with "her" airline!. When we arrived at this airport for our flight back to LAX there was a sign near this machine informing pax that this machine operated at 5.30 am and 10am. There was nothing else there indicating where pax should line up to get their hold luggage x-rayed so of course when said staff arrived at 10am (and not a minute beforehand) to start work there were three lines of pax and total chaos. So what do said staff do - they started to shout at the pax because of the disorderly lines!. Very helpful not. Please do us all a favour and operate a proper queueeing system by having some poles set out and a sign saying "line starts here". That is not hard to do now is it?! Anyhow once hold bags had a sticker placed on them we made our way with our hold luggage over to the American airlines check in desk. Fortunately the woman we saw had some common sense and readily assisted us. After receiving our boarding passes we stood in line for the security checkpoint to open (they werent quite ready for us yet!). Once through there you are airside. I like Honolulu airport overall (its far better than practically all the other US airports I have visited) as its open to the elements and it has plenty of shops and restaurants catering to passengers needs. One last point - we flew at a time when the no liquids on planes rule had been introduced a few days prior. Two pax boarded our AA flight with drinks from the food court and no-one said anything at the gate! Makes a mockery of the whole exercise!

Honolulu Airport by Pam Frank

1 June 2006

I can't understand why Honolulu airport security would not let our clients in the airport 4 hours earlier than their flight. When they arrived they were told they could not go in until 2 hours before, this is strange because all the airlines tell you , you must check in 3 hours prior to return to the mainland. They wanted to get a bite to eat first and be at the airport. Then when they asked about a rental car they were told to go stand in the middle of the highway and flag down one of the car rental companies. How rude and inconsiderate! I have never had anyone be turned away from an airport because they showed up earlier for their flight home, I have been selling tickets for 30 years. This has put a x in the box for places I do not want to send my clients. Now we have to call all the people we have going on a group cruise and let them know just how inconvenient the Honolulu airport will be when they go to return home.

Honolulu Airport by Stephen Knight

26 March 2006

I'm originally from Hawaii, live in Japan, and fly the Narita-Honolulu route at least once a month, usually on JAL. My comments about Honolulu's airport: except for the international departure terminal, which has undergone a lot of renovation and has plenty of shops (though not much in the way of restaurant choices), the airport is definitely showing its age. While it's nice to have the open-air lobbies and terminals, and the greenery that should characterize Hawaii's gateway, stepping inside presents a gloomy, poorly lit, run-down, plain-old dusty interior. Much of the airport looks as though people seldom use it. With the state budget in surplus and tourism up, the local government really needs to look at making improvements beyond the duty-free shops catering to the Japanese visitor. Domestic (Hawaii-Mainland) terminals and gates are certainly far behind the clean, bright mall-like atmosphere of many newer airports elsewhere. There were a lot of comments about immigration and customs. I have never had a problem (though Immigration booths are often understaffed) - usually getting from arrival gate through immigration and customs in no more than 10-15 minutes. It pains me to see people talking about rude staff in Honolulu especially - the very place the Aloha spirit is most needed.

Honolulu Airport by Christian Rocha

16 November 2005

The first problem, as already explained by previous poster, is the lack of adequate signals around the airport, which prompts for common mistakes. Following our arrival, the entire group of passengers got lost in its way to the baggage claim areas. Perhaps we made the mistake of not taking the "Wik-Wiki" transports, but those vehicles were so slow. Security can be an issue, especially with all the laws that protect the ecological environment of the island, which is quite understandable. Still, the achille's point of the airport is that is so far away from the city. The transport system from/and to the airport is frankly pathetic, and don't be surprised if you wait 15 minutes for an overpriced cab.

Honolulu Airport by M Hackner

12 November 2005

After living in Honolulu for the better part of two years and making about a dozen trips to/from the mainland US, I've conluded that HNL is one of the most antiquated "major" airports in the US. Check-in lines are often lengthy as most domestic flight departures are bunched n the early morning, mid afternoon or late evening and are jumbo jets full with tourists. Security generally moves well but once inside, you'll find nothing but a couple of sundries shops, an archaic bookstore, two dirty fast food restaurants and a dilapidated bar. Gate areas are straight out of the early 70s and are in bad need of a makeover/refurbishment. Like to chew gum on an airplane? Bring it ahead of time as it's not sold in the airport because it "makes a mess". Amazingly, cigarettes are available wherever you turn presumably because they don't make a mess! When arriving domestically, avoid the wiki-wiki ("express" in Hawaiian) buses and opt for the three minute walk to baggage claim. Be patient if you choose to take a taxi - a wait upwards of 20-30 minutes is not uncommon. In short, HNL has a long way to go to catch up to other mainland and Asian airports.

Honolulu Airport by T Bornstein

4 August 2005

I arrived from Tokyo at Honolulu in the early morning (7/18/05) for a 5 or 6-hour layover. When I emerged from customs I couldn't figure out where to go - no signage. The place looked seedy and in need of a good renovation. I eventually took an elevator up and found myself outdoors in a fairly deserted area. Some workers were sitting around outside so I was able to get directions to the United counter and walked for (it seemed like) blocks. I found an agent who called the Business Class lounge to see if I could wait there (I could). I was so disappointed that there were only a couple of small shops open. There is one that has a nice selection of live Hawaiian plants so I did buy 3 different gingers (that sort of made it worth it!). I didn't see any food to speak of. The Lounge was large but dreary - for food it had only yoghurt (which had disappeard by the time I decided I wanted some), and an unappealing pastry snack. No refrigerator with bottled juices, water, cokes, or beer. It had a bar that sold drinks. Luckily earlier I had snagged a cup of instant noodles at a previous lounge. A sign informed me that outside food was not allowed. I filled my noodles cup with hot water and went outside to eat it. Too bad the airport is so far away from town, with no subway or train so basically you are stuck there even when you have several hours.

Honolulu Airport by Mark Waters

4 July 2005

Honolulu Airport is my opinion one the easiest and care free entry points into USA. We arrived on a very full HA flight at 10.30am. Baggage and customs were quick and efficient. Must say the transfer procedure to the connecting HA flight to LAX was a little drawn out by having to transfer - walk - between terminals. Although being an International airport, I would suggest that the facilities are a little dated and in need of an upgrade. All in all though - it was very nice to not be "cooped" up as in all major other terminals and to be able to have fresh air!

Honolulu Airport by G Eto

15 February 2005

Honolulu Airport has two features largely unheard of at major international airports. Open-air halls and departure areas which provide for stunning (non glass-impeded) views of airlines and an Asian garden area complete with koi-ponds and serenity. Beyond these two redeeming features though, HNL is in need of a major renovation with much of the gate and arrivals areas showing its age. Beyond the shopping which primarily serves Japanese tourists, the airport offers limited services and dining. All in all an above-average airport but nothing to write home about.

Honolulu Airport by Peter Dowling

28 September 2004

I must admit that I found the Immigration officials at HNL to be the smartest I have come across anywhere in the USA. I arrived at 7 am one morning on a UA flight from NRT, bound for LAX. The Immigration official was quite courteous and studied my (Australian) passport a some length. Then he said, I must be a dual EU national. He was spot on, and then let me through. No one has ever spotted that before (not that it's illegal). Full marks to the people at HNL! Otherwise, the airport terminal was indeed a building site.

Honolulu Airport by Andrew Owens

17 September 2004

I went through HNL from Auckland (Air NZ) on 24 Aug and to Vancouver (Air Canada) on 26 Aug. Oddly enough, I had no problems with immigration or customs officials, who were as courteous and friendly as those anywhere. Maybe this was because our flight was late and we arrived in at 1:25am. On the way out though, I noticed most of the airport was under construction and the bits that were not were very open. I could in fact see my plane with no windows separating me from it - quite bizarre! No shops were open at 10pm other than a small Filipino icecream shop.

Honolulu Airport by Elise Breazeale

30 August 2004

I have to agree with T Scudiere's comments about immigration officials in Honolulu, they're awful! I went there on a visa run so I could live in Australia, and after a 6 hour flight from Fiji, I just wanted to get out and get some sleep. But no, they looked at my landing card, saw that I had been outside of the US for *gasp* 5 months, and pulled me aside for a "random baggage search". Then they grilled me heavily about my ticket, which originated in Australia. At the rate they were going, I didn't want to say I was moving there, or they probably would've gotten even more aggressive. So I said that I'm getting a visa so I can return to Oz and study, their response, "Why don't you study here? It's better and cheaper." I felt like saying what I truly thought of Bush at that point, but then I probably would've gotten the rubber glove and been thrown in jail as someone who defected to Al-Quaeda! Eventually, I was cleared, but this experience is making me dread having to clear immigration at any airport when I go back to the States to visit family, especially once I have an Australian Permanent Residency Visa in my passport.

Honolulu Airport by Anil Kaushik

30 August 2004

I arrived at HNL from Sydney on a weekday midmorning and found that there was no currency exchange booth open in the airport at all. This is not what I expected of an international airport of this size. When departing to return to Sydney security was just a confused jumble and no one seemed sure of the correct procedure.

Honolulu Airport by Neil Ramsay

9 March 2004

Arrived in HNL domestically thru United's terminal. Bus transfer to baggage area was efficient and pickup was quick enough. Access to ground transport was easy and well signed. The inter-island terminal was a little chaotic with a huge number of travellers but self check in (Aloha) was quick. The security line was long but moved quickly. Security staff seemed in good humor and were helpful. Once inside, departure lounges were comfortable and food outlets acceptable. Departure announcements were clear and concise. Boarding without the normal seat allocation was well organised. Departure back to mainland was just as seamless as we had booked baggage through from Lihue. It's a long walk from the inter-island terminal to United's gates within the security area but the wiki wiki bus is available for the less mobile or lazy. Late evening departures present the problem of closed concessions and food outlets. While there are limited food outlets open, it's just a matter of finding them without having to retrace your steps.

Honolulu Airport by T Scudiere

26 January 2004

I entered HNL from Tokyo just last week...the first time since 1992 that I entered the US into HNL. Unfortunately, I had the same miserable experience. My flight landed at 7am. A woman barked at us to get onto the Wiki Wiki shuttle bus to go to immigration. She was very rude to everyone. Then we waited for bags from an Philippine Airlines flight and mine (NW) to arrive. It was completely disorganized. Then - the final insult - an extremely rude and condescending female US Customs agent treated me like I was guilty of something awful for having spent my college winter vacation in Japan. She was treating everyone with contempt and barked at us in a militaristic and unfriendly manner. Fortunately, the gentleman who finally took my customs form as I left smiled and said "welcome home". I understand that US Customs agents have a very important job to do - but treating passengers with complete disrespect is not necessary. I agree completely with Mr. Miller that the "Aloha spirit" is lacking at US Customs in HNL.

Honolulu Airport by Gary Cheung

29 August 2002

This is the second time I came into Honolulu and it completely reversed my good impression about the airport, especially the domestic one. I came through the International (from Tokyo); custom was slightly slow. Then I went to the Inter-island terminal for Maui, and the chaos began. It took roughly one hour and half to get through the check-in (I was changing airline and hence no checking through) and the security check. The security officer manning the line was pathetic, letting people who claimed their flights were leaving jump the queue. The body-checker was another indifferent guy, asking for the boarding pass time after time for different purposes. I eventually missed by flight, although I had 2 hours for the transit. That happened on August 3, 2003. I would never want to make such a connection again!

Honolulu Airport by M Devor

30 July 2002

Honolulu has a beautiful and a practical airport. Staff are friendly, the terminal is large, spacious, open, and very tropical, which I love. There is an attractive Japanese garden, airside, at the overseas terminal. Lounges are good and the gate areas are comfortable. The Inter-Island terminal is nice but could stand some improvement. With the 'pax only beyond security' rule since 9/11, there is very little to do landside if you are just a visitor, especially at the Inter-Island Terminal. I am hoping that rule will be repealed eventually. Anyone can buy a ticket. As for US Customs at HNL, it is one of my least favorites of any entry point into the US. I think I had the same officer as Mr. Miller - rude, military type, and unsmiling. Most of the flights come from Asia and they are suspicious if you don't enter a high amount of money spent in Asia. Stupid. Left a sour taste in my mouth all the way to Maui. I avoid arriving at HNL internationally accordingly. Domestic and all outbound is fine. They need better transportation into Honolulu and they definitely need some nicer hotels on the airport grounds. Holiday Inn is old and stuffy. Aloha spirit abounds at this great airport, just not at US Customs, which is a separate entity.

Honolulu Airport by Lisa Cooper

22 September 2002

Always found Honolulu easy to navigate. Although, often you need to get a connecting flight in the middle of the night and nothing is open - no food, drinks or books! Occasionally I have been able to buy a Hawaiian sticker or floral shirt, but when you are hungry and tired after a SYD/HNL flight you won't want a sticker!! Staff look great and I have found them always pleasant in my 5 trips via HNL airport.

Honolulu Airport by Barry D E Miller

09 August 2002

The terminal at Honolulu Airport is modern and convenient although a bit spread out. Clearing US Customs can sometimes be an ordeal when several flights arrive at the same time resulting in long lines. The Customs agents should show some courtesy when dealing with travelers. I always seem to deal with the same, surly female agent who scoffs at my customs form and 'barks' that my bags be opened and searched. Maybe I fit a certain criminal profile, I don't know. The friendly "aloha spirit" is rudely lacking at Honolulu Airport customs!





 

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