Tovin Lapan

The sticker shock is real. With insufficient vehicle inventory available to meet the rapidly returning tourist demand in Hawaii, rental car prices in the state of Aloha have skyrocketed.

In 2019, rental car prices were common near $ 50 per day, but as visitor numbers steadily increased through early 2021, tourists are finding that daily rates have risen to over $ 300, and in some cases reported Travel Advisor to have received offers for up to $ 600 per day.

At the start of the pandemic, tourism saw an unprecedented decline and car rental companies responded by dropping vehicles to keep costs down. Now that vaccination is in full swing in the US and all types of travel are returning, car rental companies are struggling to replenish their fleets and keep up with demand. A decline in new car production has only exacerbated the problem, and the shortage could persist through the summer.

This is bad news for those planning a Hawaiian vacation. Experts say the islands are in high demand: vacation bookings have been strong for the spring break and look promising for the summer and beyond as well.

“More travelers are coming and Waikiki is getting full again,” said Keiko Mori, travel consultant at Kittle Travel on Oahu. “But a lot of travelers are looking for very discounted packages right now, and rental car prices are quite a shock.”

Travel Weekly spoke to several travel consultants who know Hawaii well or live on the islands themselves for their tips and advice on managing the car rental crisis and making sure an exorbitant transportation bill doesn’t affect a customer’s experience.

The best time to book? Yesterday

Many Hawaii specialists have said that in the past they paid little attention to the timing of a rental car booking and felt comfortable leaving it until the last minute. The current situation has resulted in a complete reversal.

“I tell my customers as soon as they have their plane ticket to look at rental cars,” said Jasper Stevens of Island Time Travel in California. “Really, if you think you need a rental car, make reservations as soon as you have your dates set. It is the most important piece of the puzzle right now; Flights and hotels aren’t that hard to come by. “

While many Hawaii visitors experienced high daily prices, others who waited too long found that some car rental companies were sold out.

“Right now you have to look at least two, three, four months in advance to get something sensible,” said Laura Lukasik of Viking Travel in Illinois. “The prices are outrageous, and if you’re looking a week or days in advance, good luck.”

For travelers heading to Hawaii during the busy summer months or the end of the year holiday season, the scenery could be even more competitive for rental cars.

Consider alternatives

It was national news when a U-Haul operator in Hawaii issued a statement saying tourists were booking the moving company’s smaller vehicles to explore the islands. The white and orange trucks on the beach parking lots were just one indicator that tourists and consultants were getting creative when it came to transportation.

Commonly referred to as the “Airbnb of Cars,” several travel agents said they turned to the online service Turo, which enables private vehicle rental and operates in more than 50 countries. A recent search on Turo for vehicles available for a week in Honolulu in mid-June found more than a dozen options for less than $ 75 a day. The service offers a wide range of vehicles, from Ford sedans and compact, easy-to-park Fiats to Teslas and exotic Italian sports cars.

“Just anecdotally, I’ve heard that a lot of people in Hawaii, where we had very high unemployment during the pandemic, which is fortunately getting better now, are turning to things like Turo for extra cash,” said Debbie Misajon, owner of Coconut Traveler on Oahu said. “It will be added to the inventory of available cars at Turo when service gets some attention.”

Other travel advisors said they turned to online portals and services outside of the nationwide car rental companies that are typically the first point of contact for consumers, such as Enterprise, Hertz, or Avis.

“For car rentals, I regularly check the Funjet Vacations website,” said Mori. “Until now there were still rental cars available for booking.”

Choose wisely when booking a hotel

For those who want to avoid the headache of finding an affordable rental car altogether, it is worth paying attention to the location of your hotel or accommodation.

Resort areas such as Wailea and Kaanapali on Maui, Kona on the Island of Hawaii, and Poipu on Kauai offer an array of real estate, restaurants, and other amenities and services in carefully planned and maintained communities. Walkways make it easy to move between accommodations, and many holiday areas or individual accommodations offer shuttles to cover the immediate area. Finding out the shuttle situation at a resort is now a smart thing.

Some small towns like Haleiwa on the north coast of Oahu, Lahaina on Maui, and Hanalei on Kauai are also within easy walking distance and pack many tourist activities into a small area. On the flip side, travelers booking vacation rentals or hotels in more remote, less urban areas may find themselves stranded without a vehicle.

“It really depends on what the customer wants,” said Alan Cordera, an independent travel consultant based in Portland, Oregon. “If you want some beach time, high-end shopping and great food without a hassle, I recommend keeping it simple and focusing on one of the vacation areas. If you have a ton of hiking or staying in remote areas, this is a Car may be a necessity. “

Waikiki, the state’s largest resort corridor, is just 10 miles from the Honolulu Airport and offers a wealth of activities in a three square mile area. Without ever getting behind a wheel, Waikiki visitors can surf, snorkel, dine at award-winning restaurants, visit the Honolulu Zoo, and choose from a variety of shows and luaus. With the city’s bike sharing program Biki, travelers also have easy access to the shops and parks of Ala Moana to the west and Diamond Head State Monument to the east.

“The [rental car prices] created a situation where you have to dig a little deeper and find out what the person wants from their trip, “said Stevens.” If they have to leave the hotel every day to do something new and unique, transportation might be required be. But maybe they can get whatever they want by staying in a certain area and they will thank you for saving them $ 2,000 on a week’s car rental. “