State adjusting parking rates at neighbor island airports, including Lῑhuʻe Airport, effective Feb. 1, 2024

Parking rates at neighbor island airports, including on the Kaua‘i, will change effective Feb. 1, 2024.

Parking rates at Lῑhuʻe Airport, as well as Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport and Hilo International Airport on the Big Island and Kahului Airport on Maui, will be revised as follows:

The 15-minute grace period remains the same to support use of parking for community members dropping off or picking up passengers. Free airport cellphone parking areas also continue to be available for those picking up passengers.

Parking rates for neighbor island airports were previously adjusted in 2015. The parking rate structure at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu was changed in July and will continue adjustments through 2028.

Funding for the operation, maintenance and improvement of the state’s airport system is provided through revenues earned via services such as parking and fees charged to businesses operating at the airports.

The projected revenue from the parking rate increases at the neighbor island facilities will be used for future improvements including:

• Consideration for a new employee parking lot for Kahului Airport.
• Estimated $10 million parking lot expansion for Kona International Airport.
• Estimated $6 million parking lot expansion for Hilo International Airport.
• Estimated $5 million parking lot expansion for Lῑhuʻe Airport.
• New parking equipment and stall counters at Kona International Airport. The parking concessionaire has committed to a $600,000 investment in new parking equipment, exit and entry lane overhead canopies, signage, and stall counters.
• Improvements to parking equipment at Hilo International Airport. The parking concessionaire has committed to investing between $200,000 and $300,000 to install parking revenue control system equipment.
• Improvements to parking equipment at Lῑhuʻe Airport. The parking concessionaire has committed to a minimum investment of $700,000 to add stall counters and the ancillary equipment and software needed to display available stalls online.

Details about parking expansion will be provided as the design progresses.

By pricing parking appropriately, the state also anticipates a reduction in demand at the four neighbor island airports.