Hawaii car rentals are going wild again

[Luanne]

Totally agree. I've been to 91 country, pretty much all over the world, but never been to Hawaii, because Philippines and Mexico offer similar weather but much cheaper.

From the West coast it was cheaper to get to Hawaii than to Mexico and definitely to the Philippines. Having a timeshare made it reasonable.

 

[JanB]

I thought car rentals would be easier this year. Last year Maui ended up at $350/week which was ok. I am now looking for our Nov trip and booked weeks through costco in early December for 8 days in Maui @$484 and 8 days on Kauai @ $317. Looking at airfare, I was thinking of going a day earlier to Maui but now the rate is over $1000 for either island. I sure hope they come down as the year moves on.

What rate is everyone else seeing

I always check Costco and then discounthawaiicarrentals.com. Discount Hawaii is most always less. Best thing is no upfront fees, no cancellation fees and I continue to check prices til just before we leave. Our November car rental started out at approx $650. By the time we left, the cost was $435 for the week.

 

[Luanne]

I always check Costco and then discounthawaiicarrentals.com. Discount Hawaii is most always less. Best thing is no upfront fees, no cancellation fees and I continue to check prices til just before we leave. Our November car rental started out at approx $650. By the time we left, the cost was $435 for the week.

And I have never found discounthawaii to be cheaper. I always check everywhere.

 

[lynne]

And another wrinkle:

Lawmakers consider banning peer-to-peer car rentals amid overtourism concerns

But users of car sharing services say it's a great option and can help locals bring in extra income.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

 

[oldmimbler]

From the West coast it was cheaper to get to Hawaii than to Mexico and definitely to the Philippines. Having a timeshare made it reasonable.

I live in Bay Area which is on West Coast as well. Flights to Mexico are generally cheaper than Hawaii, especially if you fly Volaris and is member of v.club - it costs $15/year to join if you use Spanish website and pay in pesos, and will pay off itself when booking the first flights. There are some dates where this is not the case - usually around major Mexican holidays like el día de los muertes - but its the same with Hawaiii. Overall I never paid more than $250 roundtrip for a flight to MEX or GDL.

And the cost of flight is tiny comparing to other expenses. Not just accommodations are crazy; in Philippines you can rent a car with a driver for a week for what it costs to rent a car without a driver for a day in Hawaii.

 

[Luanne]

I live in Bay Area which is on West Coast as well. Flights to Mexico are generally cheaper than Hawaii (if you fly Volaris). There are some dates where this is not the case - usually around major Mexican holidays like el día de los muertes - but overall I never paid more than $250 roundtrip for a flight to MEX or GDL.

And the cost of flight is tiny comparing to other expenses. Not just accommodations are crazy; in Philippines you can rent a car with a driver for a week for what it costs to rent a car without a driver for a day in Hawaii.

Well, the other thing is, I prefer Hawaii to Mexico. And we generally fly there using miles on United.

 

[oldmimbler]

Agree with you about the weather. But one reason to visit is that Hawaii offers a cultural history the others don't.

And of course both Mexico and Philippines (and every other country in the world) offer a lot of cultural history that Hawaii dont. It comes down to personal preferences.

 

[Luanne]

And of course both Mexico and Philippines (and every other country in the world) offer a lot of cultural history that Hawaii dont. It comes down to personal preferences.

Yep. As I said, I prefer Hawaii. And it's stimulating the American economy when we go there.

 

[DaveNV]

And of course both Mexico and Philippines (and every other country in the world) offer a lot of cultural history that Hawaii dont. It comes down to personal preferences.

Of course, you're correct. I wasn't trying to say anything otherwise. But if you've visited 91 countries, it's a bit surprising you haven't visited Hawaii at least once. But as you say, it's your preference.

Dave

 

[ldzierzanowski]

I thought car rentals would be easier this year. Last year Maui ended up at $350/week which was ok. I am now looking for our Nov trip and booked weeks through costco in early December for 8 days in Maui @$484 and 8 days on Kauai @ $317. Looking at airfare, I was thinking of going a day earlier to Maui but now the rate is over $1000 for either island. I sure hope they come down as the year moves on.

What rate is everyone else seeing

$840 with taxes for 8 days in July for a full size car.

 

[oldmimbler]

Of course, you're correct. I wasn't trying to say anything otherwise. But if you've visited 91 countries, it's a bit surprising you haven't visited Hawaii at least once.

Because of the cost/value ratio. What Hawaii offers is of "normal" value, I'm not aware of anything which is truly unique there - speaking of destinations like Bhutan (Tiger's Nest), Italy (Venice, Rome, Siena etc) or Jordan (Petra, Dead Sea) for example. And the cost is sky-high.

 

[slip]

Because of the cost/value ratio. What Hawaii offers is of "normal" value, I'm not aware of anything which is truly unique there - speaking of destinations like Bhutan (Tiger's Nest), Italy (Venice, Rome, Siena etc) or Jordan (Petra, Dead Sea) for example. And the cost is sky-high.

Since this is the Hawaii Forum, there are going to be people who disagree with your cost/value ratio. Many people here return year after year and many multiple times a year. Probably for many different reasons. Different opinions make the world go around.

 

[easyrider]

We love Maui. I would move there if the roads were better.

Bill

 

[Henry M.]

Because of the cost/value ratio. What Hawaii offers is of "normal" value, I'm not aware of anything which is truly unique there - speaking of destinations like Bhutan (Tiger's Nest), Italy (Venice, Rome, Siena etc) or Jordan (Petra, Dead Sea) for example. And the cost is sky-high.

I've been to all those places (except Bhutan), and I still love going to Hawaii. I like going all over the world, but somehow Hawaii feels like a real second home to me. With my timeshare, I don't find the cost/value nearly as high as some other locations, especially if I consider the type of accommodation. I wouldn't want to just go to Hawaii - the other places you've mentioned are pretty cool too. However, if I had to choose just one destination to keep visiting, Hawaii would win hands down since I like mild tropical ocean destinations best.

The Italian cities you mention are way too overrun with tourists to be comfortable, though I like the feeling of standing in 2000+ year old locations. Hawaii is bad enough about tourists, but those particular cities are over the top. Petra is cool, but remote. I was not all that impressed with the Dead Sea. I was on the Israeli side, so maybe there is a difference. 48º C (118º F) air AND water temperatures were a bit extreme. The tiniest drop of water in your eye was painful. Still, floating in that water was interesting. No whales breaching in front of the resort, though! The entire region was a lot different than I expected. No tropical paradise, however. I wouldn't want to miss visiting any of these places.

I haven't been to Bhutan, so I can't comment on places I've never visited. However, there isn't a place I've been to that I haven't found unique in some way. More than cost, it is the experience of being there that drives me. I would not be able to judge the value of a place I've never been to until I went there myself. Even tropical paradises are so different from each other that you need to go to more than one. The Hawaiian islands themselves are different from each other and all deserve a visit.

Ultimately, though, it is what every person prefers that matters to them. Having been to so many places, you might still be surprised by Hawaii if you ever make it there. It is cheap to go from he West Coast. Rent a timeshare on the aftermarket and it won't be so terribly expensive to go, improving your cost to value ratio.

 

[pedro47]

Just ridiculous.

I have an existing reservation for Kona for end of August. Alamo full size car for a week - $397. Today's rate: $833.

Second reservation, the week after the above, but on Maui. Alamo full size car for a week - also $397. Today's rate: $912.

And then at Christmas time on Maui. Enterprise convertible for a week - $451. Today's rate: $1074.

More than just ridiculous. It's outrageously stinking ridiculous.

Dave

In your opinions & experiences, what is the best rental car agency on the Island of Oahu?

I liked Costco. I will probably need a SUV or a van? Family gathering. My Granddaughter is going to be promoted in the Coast Guard.

Hopefully, we will be able to surprise her.

 

[easyrider]

T

In your opinions & experiences, what is the best rental car agency on the Island of Oahu?

I liked Costco. I will probably need a SUV or a van? Family gathering. My Granddaughter is going to be promoted in the Coast Guard.

Hopefully, we will be able to surprise her.

This recent trip I tried autoslash and costco often. I had an autoslash reservation with Hertz that seemed high but it was the lowest reservation until I used Priceline pay now and broke the trip into two parts. I was able to reserve the last half of the trip for $45 a day through Priceline with Budget. Later I was able to reserve the first half of the trip with Priceline for $45 a day with Economy. Economy didn't come through for us and I requested a refund.

So if you use Priceline it seems important to check who the rental company is. Discount Hawaii auto rentals sometimes has a good rate but this year they were a bit high.

Bill

 

[HGVC Lover]

And of course both Mexico and Philippines (and every other country in the world) offer a lot of cultural history that Hawaii dont. It comes down to personal preferences.

Wow......are you suggesting Hawaii is lacking in culture and history.....I doubt you are the world traveler you profess to be because we have been around the world several times and visited 3/4 of the countries and we always find Hawaii to be very unique......it sounds like you go for cheap tourism and not necessarily the culture and history and uniqueness of the experience.

 

[DaveNV]

In your opinions & experiences, what is the best rental car agency on the Island of Oahu?

I liked Costco. I will probably need a SUV or a van? Family gathering. My Granddaughter is going to be promoted in the Coast Guard.

Hopefully, we will be able to surprise her.

Like most other Tuggers, I start with a reservation, (ANY reservation) for the dates and car I need on the island I'm visiting. After I have that starting point reservation, I register it with Autoslash.com. They will start there, and search for you to find a lower rate. I've found they often can find things cheaper than I can find for myself. If they find a lower rate, I reserve that vehicle, cancel the first reservation, and keep moving ahead. I've had a number of times where the autoslash rate continues to drop, so I repeat the reservation process to get the newer, lower rate, and cancel the previous reservation. By the end of the time frame, I've ended up with very good rates with a major company. No surprises, and all is well.

But I also keep checking Costco. I've found they sometimes have sales, or days when rates are lower than expected, without me having to do anything special. I've never had Autoslash tell me they found a lower rate, and have it be with Costco. It's always been with one of the other companies. So keep pinging the Costco Travel car rental site. All the rates I quoted above for my existing reservations are booked through Costco. So far, Autoslash hasn't been able to beat those numbers, even though all three reservations are registered with them.

As to the "best" car rental agency on Oahu? I think they're all about the same. Stick with the brand names you know (Alamo, Budget, Hertz, etc.) and chances are you'll be fine. I'd avoid any sort of "Rent a Wreck" company, because chances are good those cars are truly bad.

Congratulations to your Granddaughter. My Dad was a career mustang Coast Guard officer, (Enlisted --> CPO --> Warrant Officer --> LDO), and I know how difficult it can be to get promoted.

Dave

 

[dyi27308]

I always check Costco and then discounthawaiicarrentals.com. Discount Hawaii is most always less. Best thing is no upfront fees, no cancellation fees and I continue to check prices til just before we leave. Our November car rental started out at approx $650. By the time we left, the cost was $435 for the week.

I too have always used Costco and Discount Hawaii, but has anyone used “Maui Cruisers”? They are offsite, and use much older cars. According to their website, they deliver your car to the parking lot across from the terminal and you walk across the street, get in and go. Their price for 1 week in Aug 2022 was around $295 for a Toyota Camry, compared to Costco and Discount, $850 for a compact? Their reviews are positive, but you can’t totally rely on that.

 

[pedro47]

Like most other Tuggers, I start with a reservation, (ANY reservation) for the dates and car I need on the island I'm visiting. After I have that starting point reservation, I register it with Autoslash.com. They will start there, and search for you to find a lower rate. I've found they often can find things cheaper than I can find for myself. If they find a lower rate, I reserve that vehicle, cancel the first reservation, and keep moving ahead. I've had a number of times where the autoslash rate continues to drop, so I repeat the reservation process to get the newer, lower rate, and cancel the previous reservation. By the end of the time frame, I've ended up with very good rates with a major company. No surprises, and all is well.

But I also keep checking Costco. I've found they sometimes have sales, or days when rates are lower than expected, without me having to do anything special. I've never had Autoslash tell me they found a lower rate, and have it be with Costco. It's always been with one of the other companies. So keep pinging the Costco Travel car rental site. All the rates I quoted above for my existing reservations are booked through Costco. So far, Autoslash hasn't been able to beat those numbers, even though all three reservations are registered with them.

As to the "best" car rental agency on Oahu? I think they're all about the same. Stick with the brand names you know (Alamo, Budget, Hertz, etc.) and chances are you'll be fine. I'd avoid any sort of "Rent a Wreck" company, because chances are good those cars are truly bad.

Congratulations to your Granddaughter. My Dad was a career mustang Coast Guard officer, (Enlisted --> CPO --> Warrant Officer --> LDO), and I know how difficult it can be to get promoted.

Dave

Thanks DaveNV, for all your suggestions and advice.

 

[oldmimbler]

Wow......are you suggesting Hawaii is lacking in culture and history....

No, I do not. Please read the message I replied to.

 

[TheWay.ISeeIt]

I always check Costco and then discounthawaiicarrentals.com. Discount Hawaii is most always less. Best thing is no upfront fees, no cancellation fees and I continue to check prices til just before we leave. Our November car rental started out at approx $650. By the time we left, the cost was $435 for the week.

We’re now at HGVC Kings Land for all of February. Rented through Turo for 30 days for $1420 for a Hyundai Elantra. Autoslash was minimum $1800 through any agency for the same period. Discount Hawaii was similar.

2 years ago, just before COVID escalated, we booked Turo for 28 days for just over $900. Contacted that same fellow for this year and he wanted $1700 for the same car. Apparently, during COVID most of the car rental agencies sold off a lot of their fleets and can’t replenish them quickly enough due to the vehicle chips shortage. They took a beating when Hawaii was closed so now they have to make it up.

 

[chellej]

In your opinions & experiences, what is the best rental car agency on the Island of Oahu?

I liked Costco. I will probably need a SUV or a van? Family gathering. My Granddaughter is going to be promoted in the Coast Guard.

Hopefully, we will be able to surprise her.

I hope you get to surprise her...when my dd was promoted from ensign to ltjg her command did not let her attend ( she was in flight school at the time and under navy command) It was really disappointing.

She just made lieutenant but haven't heard when the ceremony will be .

 

[pedro47]

I hope you get to surprise her...when my dd was promoted from ensign to ltjg her command did not let her attend ( she was in flight school at the time and under navy command) It was really disappointing.

She just made lieutenant but haven't heard when the ceremony will be .

My Granddaughter will also be promoted to Ltjg.

 

[controller1]

I've got a full-size rented for 16 days beginning mid-May for $917 all-in through National on Maui. I'm happy with that rate considering what I'm seeing elsewhere.