Honolulu Airline Crew Layover Guide
Reviewed by Captain AL
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The HNL crew card
| Fastest into town | TheBus W Line from the stop in front of the airport rail station, straight into town. The operator’s current timetable schedules most weekday trips at 19 minutes to Nimitz Highway opposite Bishop Street in downtown Honolulu, 26 minutes to Ala Moana Center, and 35 minutes to Kapahulu Avenue opposite Cartwright Road in Waikiki. A ride is USD 3.25 in cash, or USD 3.00 on a HOLO card, which buys a 2-hour pass rather than one boarding. The stop is a temporary one while a permanent stop is built in front of the station, so follow the signs rather than a landmark |
|---|---|
| First and last | Skyline trains leave the airport station eastbound toward town from 4:08 a.m., and the last one to Kahauiki at the Kalihi Transit Center goes at 10:29 p.m.; westbound the first is 4:00 a.m. TheBus runs later: Route 42 reaches the airport station at 10:54 p.m. on weekdays bound for Waikiki, and the W Line timetable prints airport departures from 4:15 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. Getting to the stop is the catch after midnight, because the free shuttle along the ground level roadway runs 3 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. only, so anything later than that means walking |
| Payments | Skyline takes a HOLO card only, never cash. TheBus takes either. Cash is USD 3.25 a boarding with no transfer, and drivers carry no change, so bring the exact fare. On a HOLO card a 2-hour pass is USD 3.00 and a 24-hour pass is USD 7.50, the card itself costs USD 2.00, and transfers between Skyline and TheBus are free for up to 2 hours from the first paid tap. Ticket machines sell adult HOLO cards on the ground level in front of the airport station entrance |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 911 (City and County of Honolulu and HNL Airport numbers) |
| Solo & at night | Taxis work off a dispatched rank on the center median fronting the terminal baggage claim areas; look for the dispatchers in yellow shirts with black lettering reading TAXI DISPATCHER. Ride app pickup is on Ground Level 1, outside Baggage Claim 6 at Terminal 1 and on the median across from Baggage Claims 19 and 20 and at Baggage Claim 31 at Terminal 2. On airport property the Sheriff answers (808) 836-6606 and Security (808) 836-6641, both around the clock |
| Crew knows | On a HOLO card the cheaper fare is a two-hour pass and not a single ride, so the way back is already paid if you board again inside those two hours, and the same tap carries over to Skyline. Cash does none of that: one boarding, no transfer, no change given, and Skyline will not take cash at all. |
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Every number on this page comes from an official source. Where no official source gives a number, we say so instead of guessing.
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Getting from Honolulu Airport into Waikiki and downtown: TheBus W Line, the Skyline train, or a taxi?
Two City systems meet at the airport, and only one of them goes where a layover wants to go. Skyline rail has a station between the parking garages, but the line runs west and ends at the Kalihi Transit Center on Middle Street, so it does not reach downtown Honolulu or Waikiki on its own. TheBus W Line is the one seat ride into town. The bus stop at the airport Skyline station is closed. Board the W Line and routes 40, 42 and 51 at the temporary stop on Ala Onaona Street.
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| Mode | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus (TheBus W Line, airport to Waikiki) | on most weekday trips, 19 minutes to Nimitz Highway opposite Bishop Street in downtown Honolulu, 26 minutes to Ala Moana Center, and 35 minutes to Kapahulu Avenue opposite Cartwright Road in Waikiki every 10 minutes at weekday peaks, every 15 minutes off peak, and every 30 minutes after 7 p.m.; every 15 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and every 30 minutes after 7 p.m. The printed timetable is tighter than that in the early evening: it schedules a departure every 20 minutes from 7 p.m., dropping to every 30 minutes only from 10 p.m. |
USD 3.25 in cash, or USD 3.00 for a 2-hour pass on a HOLO card | The stop is on the ground level on Ala Onaona Street, by the lei stands, fronting the Lelepaua Skyline station. It is a temporary stop while a permanent one is built in front of the station, so follow the signs rather than a landmark, and expect it to have moved if you have been away a while. Eastbound the route runs by Nimitz Highway to downtown Honolulu, Kakaako, Ala Moana Shopping Center and Waikiki, and westbound it comes back the same way. Coming back is slower and less even than going in: weekday trips from Kapahulu opposite Cartwright to the airport are scheduled between 27 and 45 minutes, most often 40. Cash buys one boarding with no transfer and no change given, so a HOLO card is worth it the moment you make a second trip. |
| Train (Skyline, Lelepaua Station) | 5 minutes east to Kahauiki, the Kalihi Transit Center on Middle Street, and 29 minutes west to Kualakaʻi at East Kapolei every 10 minutes from 4:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., then every 15 minutes until 10:30 p.m., every day including weekends and holidays |
USD 3.00 for a 2-hour pass on a HOLO card; Skyline does not accept cash | Kahauiki is the eastern end of the line, so the train alone will not take you to downtown Honolulu or Waikiki; change there to TheBus, or take the W Line from the airport instead. The station sits between the International Parking Garage and the Terminal 2 Parking Garage, with entrances at ground level and on the 4th floor of both garages, and pedestrian bridges and walkways to Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Every train has dedicated luggage racks. |
| Bus (TheBus Route 42, once Skyline has stopped) | the printed times put the airport station 54 to 63 minutes before the end of the line at Monsarrat Avenue and Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki one eastbound trip to Waikiki on most days, with a second one on Saturdays |
USD 3.25 in cash, or USD 3.00 for a 2-hour pass on a HOLO card | This is the late option and it does have printed times. Eastbound to Waikiki the bus reaches the airport station at 10:54 p.m. on weekdays, at 9:57 p.m. and again at 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays, at 10:58 p.m. on Sundays and at 11:01 p.m. on state holidays. Those trips reach Monsarrat Avenue and Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki at 11:50 p.m., 11:00 p.m. and 11:58 p.m., 11:52 p.m. and 11:55 p.m. respectively. The airport figure is the time the bus reaches the station itself, with the Nimitz Highway stop at Rodgers Boulevard 2 to 3 minutes later. Two more weekday trips reach the station at 11:52 p.m. and 12:52 a.m. and end there, so they are no use for getting into town. Westbound toward Ewa Beach the timetable marks the trips that call at the airport but prints their times against the Nimitz Highway stop instead of the station, so there is no westbound airport time to give. |
| Taxi | metered; the airport operator publishes no fare and no flat rate into town | The airport runs an open taxi system managed by AMPCO Express, which means drivers from every taxi company may pick up there. Taxis wait on the center median fronting the terminal baggage claim areas, and dispatchers in yellow shirts with black lettering reading TAXI DISPATCHER put you in one. AMPCO Express answers on (808) 861-8294. Agree the basis of the fare before you load the bags, because no published rate exists to check it against. | |
| Rideshare (ride app pickup) | app priced; the airport publishes no fare | Pickup is on Ground Level 1, not upstairs: the zones moved down from the second floor. At Terminal 1 it is curbside outside Baggage Claim 6. At Terminal 2 there are two zones on the median, one across from Baggage Claims 19 and 20 and one at Baggage Claim 31. |
Best Areas for Crew Stays in Honolulu, from Waikiki and downtown out to the Skyline stops west of the airport
Waikiki: The hotel strip, the beach and the evening crowd, and the far end of the W Line from the airport.
Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown: The historic core and the market blocks behind it, both on the W Line along Nimitz Highway.
Ala Moana and Kakaako: The big shopping center with the beach park across the road, and the warehouse blocks turned cafes and murals behind it.
Kalihi and Middle Street: Working Honolulu around the Kalihi Transit Center, where Skyline ends and the bus network takes over.
Pearl Harbor and Hālawa: The memorials, the old stadium site and the joint base, two and three Skyline stops west of the airport.
What to Do on a Layover in Honolulu, from a short sit in the terminal to a beach afternoon with room for one more stop
Under 5 hours: Stay close. Neither the bus stop nor the rail station is a walk out of the terminal door, both need the shuttle along the ground level roadway first, and screening on the way back takes the rest. Wi-Fi in Terminals 1 and 2 is free.
5 to 9 hours: One clean move works: the W Line to Ala Moana or Waikiki, a swim and a meal, and the same bus back. Decide which return bus you are catching before you leave the stop, not after.
9 hours plus: Enough for Waikiki plus one more thing, downtown and Chinatown on the way in or out, or a run west on Skyline toward Pearl Harbor. Keep the 10:30 p.m. end of rail service in mind if the evening runs long, and the 11:45 p.m. end of the shuttle that gets you back from the stop.
Crew Tips for Honolulu and HNL Airport: the HOLO card, the bag rules on TheBus, and the ride out to the bus stop
Paying for transit: A HOLO card is required for Skyline; TheBus takes either cash or HOLO. Cash is USD 3.25 a boarding, buys no transfer, and drivers are not allowed to handle cash or carry change, so bring the exact fare. On a HOLO card a 2-hour pass is USD 3.00, a 24-hour pass is USD 7.50, and a day cap of USD 7.50 stops charging you once you have spent that much in one day. The card itself is USD 2.00. Transfers between Skyline and TheBus are free for up to 2 hours from the first paid tap. Adult HOLO cards come out of the ticket machines at the Lelepaua station, on the ground level in front of the entrance.
Getting from the terminal to the bus stop and the train: Nothing city-bound leaves the terminal curb any more. The old bus stops on the airport’s second level roadway are out of use, and buses now go from a temporary stop on the ground level on Ala Onaona Street, by the lei stands, at the Lelepaua Skyline station. A permanent stop is being built in front of the station, so follow the signs on the day rather than a fixed landmark. The free Wiki Wiki bus runs the ground level roadway between Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and the rail station from 3 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. daily, stopping at the center median in front of Terminal 1 and curbside at Terminals 2 and 3. Outside those hours you are walking. Electric courtesy carts cover the station’s 4th level mezzanine from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Build that transfer into your timing.
Crew bags on TheBus: This is the trap on this island. TheBus allows one standard medium suitcase plus one smaller carry-on bag or a carry-on backpack with no metal frame, and you must carry and stow both yourself in a single boarding. They have to fit under or in front of your seat, on the floor between your feet, or on your lap. Anything large or bulky, anything blocking the aisle, and anything taking a second seat is refused. Skyline is the easier ride with a full crew bag, because every train has dedicated luggage racks.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi in Terminals 1 and 2 is free and unlimited, paid for by advertisers, with faster one-day or monthly Boingo subscriptions sold on top. The airport publishes no network name, so pick the airport network on the spot and expect the ad-supported tier rather than planning a crew call or a large upload around it.
Storing bags for the day: There is an attended baggage storage counter at the airport, operated as Baggage Storage by SmarteCarte. The airport names the service but publishes no opening hours and no prices of its own, so confirm both at the counter before you build a tight turn around it.
If something goes wrong: Dial 911 anywhere on Oʻahu for police, fire or an ambulance. On airport property you have more than one route: dial 711 from any airport courtesy phone, since HNL keeps paramedics on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or from a mobile phone call the Airport Sheriff on (808) 836-6606 or Airport Security on (808) 836-6641, both staffed around the clock. A medical clinic on the ground floor of Terminal 2, next to the Japanese Garden, assesses and treats minor, acute and significant problems for a fee, on (808) 836-6643, also 24 hours. Defibrillators are mounted about 90 seconds apart on foot through the public areas.
Emergency Numbers for Honolulu, Oʻahu, and the United States
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| Emergency (police, fire, ambulance) | 911 |
| Honolulu Police Department main line; from outside Oʻahu dial this and press 0 for a police operator | (808) 529-3111 |
| HNL airport paramedics, from an airport courtesy phone only | 711 |
| HNL Airport Sheriff, 24 hours | (808) 836-6606 |
| HNL Airport Security, 24 hours | (808) 836-6641 |
| HNL airport medical clinic, ground floor Terminal 2, 24 hours | (808) 836-6643 |
| United States country code (calling from abroad) | +1 |
Save these before you fly; numbers work from any phone.
How do I get from Honolulu airport to Waikiki?
Take TheBus W Line from the stop on Ala Onaona Street, on the ground level by the lei stands, at the Lelepaua Skyline station. It is a temporary stop while a permanent one is built in front of the station, so follow the signs on the day. The operator’s current timetable schedules most weekday trips at 35 minutes from the airport to Kapahulu Avenue opposite Cartwright Road in Waikiki, and 26 minutes to Ala Moana Center on the way. The airport puts it at every 10 minutes at weekday peaks, every 15 minutes off peak, and every 30 minutes after 7 p.m., and the timetable itself prints a departure every 20 minutes between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. A ride is USD 3.25 in cash, or USD 3.00 on a HOLO card, which buys a 2-hour pass rather than one boarding.
Does the Skyline train go from the airport to Waikiki?
No. Skyline has a station at the airport, but the line runs west and its eastern end is Kahauiki, the Kalihi Transit Center on Middle Street, 5 minutes from the airport. Downtown Honolulu and Waikiki are beyond it, so you either change to TheBus at Kahauiki or, more simply, take the W Line from the airport in the first place.
How much is the bus from Honolulu airport into town?
A cash ride on TheBus is USD 3.25, paid at each boarding, with no transfer and no change given. On a HOLO card USD 3.00 buys a 2-hour pass rather than a single boarding, and a 24-hour pass is USD 7.50, with a day cap of USD 7.50 that stops charging once you have spent that much in a day. The card costs USD 2.00. Skyline will not take cash at all, only a HOLO card, and transfers between the two are free for up to 2 hours from the first paid tap.
What time do the last train and the last bus leave Honolulu airport?
Skyline runs 4:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. At the airport station the first eastbound train is 4:08 a.m. and the last one to Kahauiki is 10:29 p.m. TheBus keeps going after that. Route 42 is the one with printed airport times: it reaches the station at 10:54 p.m. on weekdays, at 9:57 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays, at 10:58 p.m. on Sundays and at 11:01 p.m. on state holidays, and carries on to Waikiki. The W Line timetable prints airport departures out to 1:30 a.m. on top of that. One thing to plan for: the free shuttle between the terminals and the stop runs 3 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. only, so a departure after 11:45 p.m. means walking to the stop with your bags. Check live arrivals before you rely on the last printed trip.
Is tap water safe to drink in Honolulu?
Yes. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply, which runs the municipal system for the whole of Oʻahu, states that the island’s water must exceed the most demanding regulations governing drinking water quality, not merely meet Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. It and the state Department of Health test for 91 chemical contaminants, and the utility runs about 30,000 tests a year, including roughly 9,000 samples for bacteria, with chlorine added continuously before delivery.
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