Kapalua Airport JHM

The island of Maui offers stunning views, wonderful white sand beaches, warm tropical weather and a stunning array of activities.  With so much to offer, Maui is the second most visited island in the Hawaiian chain with an average of 1.3 million visitors per year.  The majority of travelers arriving in Maui land at the airport in Kahului.  Kahului functions like most any other airport so there is not a lot to discuss there that is new.  This article is about the second most used air strip on Maui, Kapalua Airport.

The Kapalua Airport is not large and features only one single runway.  The airport in Kapalua also features limited terminal facilites and is used mostly for inter-island travel by tourists.  Due to it’s limited facilities, the Kapalua Airport only operates during daylight hours.  Access to this airport is achieved by a two-lane road branching off of the Honoapiilani Highway.  The advantage of Kapalua Airport is that it is much closer to the condos located on the North Shore of Maui.

There are no car rental agencies on site at the Kapalua Airport.  National has a rental agency located on the Honoapiilani Highway, Alamo over by the Embassy Suites with the rest being located near the old whaling town of Lahaina.  When you make a reservation, the rental agency will send you a confirmation with a contact phone number.  Upon landing, it is recommended that you call the agency for their complimentary shuttle service prior to picking up your luggage.  The wait can be anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, etc, with the average wait being about 15 minutes.  The shuttle takes you back to their pick up location.

Of the agencies we represent, Avis, Budget, Dollar and Enterprise service the Kapalua Airport.  One of the key limiting factors for rental car service to Kapalua Airport is the hours of operation.  The agencies we represent in Lahaina are only open from 7 am to 5 pm.  While they do offer a complete range of cars, inventory is limited so please make your reservation well in advance.

If you are landing after 5 pm, you will need to consider other alternatives to reach your hotel or condo.  There is no public transportation on Maui.  However, there are several shuttle services running out of Kapalua, which include Executive Shuttle (800)833-2303 and Speedi Shuttle (877)521-2085.  Many of the major hotels also offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport.  Taxi service is also available after hours.