Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hawaiian discount car rentals offer?

Who are you guys and how can you offer such low rates?

Why does your site list Brand A or Brand T rather than the name of the rental agency?

What locations do you serve?

What is the cancellation policy?

How do I cancel?

Why can’t I make changes to my reservation?

What is the minimum age to rent a car?

I’m over 21 but under 25, how can I avoid the underage up-charge?

I’m under 25, why does the confirmation say I will still receive the full up-charge even though I reserved through hawaiidrive-o.com?

How many days earns the weekly rate?

Can I depend on an upgrade being available?

Can I upgrade from a full size to a convertible?

Do I make separate reservations for each island visited?

If I rent a car for 3 days on one island and 4 days on another, can I get the weekly rate?

Do all vehicles have air conditioning?

Can I ensure I’ll get an automatic?

Can I get a child safety seat?

Which child safety seat should I reserve?

Are the child seats installed in the car at pickup?

Are your rental vehicles allowed off-road?

How do I pick up my rental?

Is insurance included with the rental price as quoted?

Can I rent a surfboard rack?

Why are the rates on Molokai higher?

Can I choose the color of my car?

Can I drive the northwest coastline of Maui?

Can I drive on Saddle Road on the Big Island of Hawaii?

Do you offer additional discounts for AAA, AARP, Military or Kamaaina?

How do I add my quick service number (bluechip, etc.) into my reservation?

Can I use a debit card to pay for my car rental instead of a credit card?

How are extra hours handled?

What if I do not have a valid driver’s license but my partner does not have a credit card?

Can I pay using cash?

What type of driver’s license do I need to present?

Can I get a no smoking permitted vehicle?

Can I pick up the car at one airport and leave it at another?

Since you do not take credit card information, will my rate remain the same?

When do I pay for the rental?

Are there any hidden charges?

Why do the final rates vary by airport?

What does Hawaiian discount car rentals offer?
We specialize in Hawaiian car rentals. Renting a car in Hawaii is usually a necessity as the public transportation system is generally not adequate for vacation travel. Along with our discounted rates, we also offer additional benefits such as no charge for additional drivers, reduced surcharges for drivers 21-24, and sometimes free upgrades that you normally do not get going direct.

Who are you guys and how can you offer such low rates?
We are simply a wholesaler specializing in travel to Hawaii. The various rental agencies give us corporate contracts which we can then offer to the public.

Why does your site list Brand A or Brand T rather than the name of the rental agency?
We have been asked to do this for contractual reasons. Brand A, Brand B, Brand D, and Brand T are the same national rental agencies we have been offering for years.

What locations do you serve?
We serve Hawaii (Hilo and Kona on the Big Island), Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu. We service all major airport locations on those islands and a few locations outside the major airports as well. Please contact a representative for more information.

What is the cancellation policy?
There is no penalty for cancellation. We do not request credit card information to make the reservation.

The only exception to this is with Budget on specialty cars (convertibles, Jeep Wranglers, and SUVs). When their inventory gets low, they do request a credit card number with expiration date and if the car is cancelled with less than 24 hours notice, they do charge you one days rental.

How do I cancel?
Send a request through our contact line.

Why can’t I make changes to my reservation?
You can. If you log onto the home page of the company your reservation is with, you can simply click on the "Reservations" tab which will take you to a new window. They will prompt you for your last name and reservation number. After you input these, your reservation will show up on screen where you can print out a confirmation or make alterations to your reservation.

What is the minimum age to rent a car?
Minimum rental age is 21 years for renters presenting a major credit card in their own name along with a valid driver’s license. I’m sorry, but I have not found any company which rents to drivers under 21 years of age anywhere in Hawaii.

I’m over 21 but under 25, how can I avoid the underage up-charge?
Historically, we have been able to waive this fee through either Enterprise or Thrifty. However, in 2024 both charge at reduced rates per day for drivers 21-24.

In 2024, Thrifty will charge $10 per day while Enterprise will charge $20 per day for drivers 21-24. The normal rate is $27 per day.

I’m under 25, how do I save money through hawaiidrive-o.com?
You are entitled our special offer and will save significantly.

How many days earns the weekly rate?
Weekly rate is based on 5-7 consecutive days.

Can I depend on an upgrade being available?
Unfortunately, in 2024, most of our vendors have ceased offering the free upgrade program. The only variation on this policy is we can offer a free upgrade from a compact to a full size through our wholesale partner Alamo on a pre-pay basis.

Can I upgrade from a full size to a convertible?
No. Upgrades are only from compact to full size this year.

Do I make separate reservations for each island visited?
Absolutely.

If I rent a car for 3 days on one island and 4 days on another, can I get the weekly rate?
No. Each agency acts as an independent operation. This makes sense when you consider that they still have all of the normal expenses per rental such as cleaning, parking, safety checks, etc.

Do all vehicles have air conditioning?
Yes

Can I ensure I’ll get an automatic?
All of our rental vehicles come with an automatic transmission.

Can I get a child safety seat?
Yes. Child seats are reserved in advance at a cost.

For 2024, Dollar and Thrifty charge $12 per day plus tax for the period of the rental. Avis and Budget charge $12 per day, $60 per week and put a ceiling on it at $60 per rental, Enterprise charges $8.95 per day.

Which child safety seat should I reserve?
Guidelines in Hawaii are as follows:
Infant Safety Seat for children 2-20 lbs. or 2.27-9.07 kilos
Toddler Safety Seat for children 20-40 lbs. or 9.07-18.16 kilos
Booster Safety Seat for children 40-80 lbs. or 18.16-36.32 kilos

Are the child seats installed in the car at pickup?
No. The driver has to install the child seat for liability purposes.

Are your rental vehicles allowed off-road?
It is the policy of the rental agencies not to allow their rental cars, even those with 4-wheel drive, to be driven off road. Too much wear and tear.

How do I pick up my rental?
The rental booth or kiosk will be positioned near baggage claim. Print out and sign your agreement here. Then, you will be provided with a shuttle bus to take you to the actual car lot. You can find maps and directions for each airport under our “resources” tab.

Is insurance included with the rental price as quoted?
No. Insurance comes at an extra cost and is only included if you request it. Most drivers find that they are covered either by their current insurance or their credit card company while traveling. You should check with both prior to departure.

Can I rent a surfboard rack?
Thrifty offers a soft surfboard rack for rent or sale. In 2024, the rental fee is $6 per day or you can just buy it for $36 outright. The soft rack uses tie straps that wrap around the roof and above the window frames. They do not have a locking mechanism.

Why are the rates on Molokai higher?
It's a smaller island with less tourism. They have to charge a little more in order to keep the doors open. Even with the higher rates, Budget and Dollar had to close operations on Molokai in early 2009. Alamo and National took over and now offer a full line of rental vehicles.

Can I choose the color of my car?
You can request a color, but I cannot guarantee you’ll receive it. For those of you who care, there are very few yellow rental cars in the islands.

Can I drive the northwest coastline of Maui?
Avis, Budget, Dollar, and Thrifty consider this road to be too dangerous and thus list it as off limits. The Kahekili Highway which leads to old Kahakuloa Village is very narrow and poorly maintained in places.

Can I drive on Saddle Road on the Big Island of Hawaii?
Travel on Saddle Road is allowed but not recommended. This road is very narrow, has limited pull off or shoulder room and limited cell phone access.

Can I use a debit card to pay for my car rental instead of a credit card?
As a wholesaler, we are working off of the price list that each company has provided us. We do not have the contractual authority or ability to offer additional discounts on top of our already discounted rates.

How do I add my quick service number (bluechip, etc.) into my reservation?
Unfortunately, when reserving through a wholesaler such as ourselves, the rental companies do not offer the traveler their quick check in check out services. You are welcome to email your number into us and we will be glad to call and get them added after the reservation is made.

Can I use a debit card to pay for my car rental instead of a credit card?
Yes you can as long as the debit card carries the logo of a major credit card company on it.

A few things to be aware of:

• All rental agencies will run a quick credit check on your debit card. I cannot tell you what the magic number is (the check is run by a third party and there is no set or firm line where they give the go or no go) but if you fail the credit check, it will show up on your credit rating.
• Payment is made in full at time of drop off, however, as a general rule, the rental agencies will place a $300 or $100 over estimated total hold on your debit card, whichever is greater.

How are extra hours handled?
In general, a rental agency will take a full days rental, let’s say it’s $30 per day. They will then divide that by 3 and in this case get $10. Then, for each hour over 24, they add the $10 until you have reached a full days rental. Using this logic, a traveler wanting to rent a car for 7 days and 4 hours is basically renting the car for 8 days.

What if I do not have a valid driver’s license but my partner does not have a credit card?
The driver of the vehicle (the person with the credit card) has to be the person fiscally responsible for the rental. As such, the driver with the license either needs a credit card, debit car or needs to arrange to pay in cash. We cannot rent to a driver using a second person’s credit card.

Can I pay using cash?
Of the companies that we represent, only Dollar allows for cash payment. Renters must meet the minimum age requirements, present a round trip airline ticket and leave a security cash deposit (varies, but in the neighborhood of $100). Campers do not qualify for cash rentals. If the renter is not a U.S., Canadian or Mexican citizen, they must also have a valid passport to go along with their valid driver’s license.

What type of driver’s license do I need to present?
A driver’s license from the United States or any foreign country is adequate. An International Driver’s license is not enough by itself. They are mostly used as a form of I.D.

Can I get a no smoking permitted vehicle?
Absolutely. This is actually the default for Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, National, and Thrifty.

Can I pick up the car at one airport and leave it at another?
Yes, but this does create additional expense called a one way or drop fee. In 2024, with Dollar and Thrifty, to pick up a car in Waikiki and leave it in Honolulu costs $30. OGG to JHM costs $40. Hilo to Kona costs $85 and Kona to Hilo incurs a $55 drop charge. Alamo has lower drop fee and Budget will waive them in some circumstances.

Since you do not take credit card information, will my rate remain the same?
Prices do not change from those quoted and reserved at. Prices can change if you do not use the car as reserved, i.e., if you keep the car an extra day, you will be charged for the extra day..

When do I pay for the rental?
At the end of your trip when you return the car. The reason for this is that you may have damaged the car or used it for a longer or shorter time than reserved, all of which would change the amount charged.

Are there any hidden charges?
No. In this age of TripAdvisor, etc., word gets around quickly if you do not offer good service or act honestly. We quote you at the appropriate base rate and then the final rate after all taxes and surcharges (4.166% state tax, ~.45 per day license fees, a concession fee of up to 10%, and the $3 per day highway surcharge, and $1 per day for CFC) are added. You are responsible for the cost of fuel on top of this. We rely on repeat customers and word of mouth for continued success.

Why do the final rates vary by airport?
This is mostly due to concession fees. A concession fee is the rate an airport charges a business for doing business on their property. This rate can be slightly different at each airport. Airports with high volumes of traffic tend to have a slightly higher rate. Concession fees can be upwards of 10%. This is why you can find cheaper rates, after all add-ons, for companies located further away from the airport’s main terminal. For instance, at Honolulu International Airport, both Alamo and Thrifty are located at the entrance to the airport (off airport property) so they can waive the charge for concession fees.