The Big Island is roughly the size of Connecticut, and public bus service runs on a sparse schedule built for commuters rather than tourist stops. Without a car you either stay within a small radius of your hotel or pay far more for tours and transfers to cover the same ground. For most visitors, a rental car is not optional.
Rates are predictable now, a shift from the 2021 and 2022 shortage that pushed prices up sharply. Book early with a local agency that charges no cancellation fee, then check the price again six weeks out: rates bottom out one to two weeks before arrival, and rebooking at that point routinely takes $100 or more off the total.
Table of contents
- Rental car FAQ / tips
- Do You Need a 4WD or SUV?
- How to get the best deals for your rental car:
- Use a local car rental agency
- Book early and monitor for lower prices
- Rent your car for a longer period
- Rental car pickup locations:
- in Hilo
- on the Kona coast
The best way to find a good deal on a rental car here is to book early, preferably through a local agency (like this one).
Frequently asked questions about renting a car on the Big Island
These are the questions we get asked most about renting a car on the Big Island.
Q: How can you get the best rental cars deals?
Local rental agencies are our secret to getting good deals. These agencies negotiate guaranteed discounts with the biggest rental car companies (Alamo, Budget, Enterprise, and the other major brands), and some pass part of these discounts on to their customers. You can get especially good rates if you are willing to be flexible about the make and model of your car.
Our current favorite is Discount Hawaii Car Rentals.
Q: Should you get an SUV, Jeep, 4WD, or regular rental car?
The roads on the Big Island are well-maintained, and a standard compact or mid-size car will get you to nearly every destination on this site but important exceptions are Green Sand Beach, the Maunakea summit and Waipiʻo Valley. Off-roading with a rental car is not allowed, so unless you have a strong personal preference for a 4WD, Jeep or an SUV, we recommend that you save yourself money and rent a standard car.
Q: Can you take a rental car to Maunakea?
All rental car companies allow their cars to be taken up as far as the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy (a.k.a. the visitor center), but Big Island Jeep Rentals (4 day minimum, book via their website) is the only company that allows you to take their 4WD rentals all the way up to the Maunakea summit.
A good way to go to the summit without renting a 4WD is by joining a stargazing tour. For most visitors, the visitor center is enough. See our Maunakea guide for a self-guided visit.
Q: Do you need a rental car on the Big Island?
In general, yes. The island is big, and our public transport isn’t built for tourists. Taxis and rideshares are expensive. A car also lets you change plans without waiting on a tour schedule.
If you plan to spend a significant part of your stay at one place (the beach) and don’t mind relying on (and paying for) tours to see our island highlights you can do without a rental car, but keep in mind that this will add considerable cost to your vacation.
To get good deals on rental cars we refer you to our current local favorite car rental company.
Q: Can you take a rental car to Green Sand Beach (Papakōlea)?
All car rental companies on the Big Island prohibit you from taking your rental car on the road to Green Sand Beach. You can take the car as far as the end of South Point road, from there it is a 2.7 mile (4.3 km) hike to the beach. Note that the rides offered from the parking lot to the beach are operating illegally, without the consent of the landowner.
Q: When should you book your rental car?
It is best to book as far in advance as possible, for example directly after you buy your flights. There is a hard limit on the number of cars that can be rented, and this scarcity can drive prices up especially close in time to our most popular events such as the Ironman Triathlon (mid October) and the Merrie Monarch festival (mid to late April).
Make sure to book a fully refundable fare and check again about six weeks before your trip to make sure you got the best deal.
Please drop us a line if you have another question about renting a car on the Big Island that is currently not answered on this page.
Do You Need a 4WD or SUV on the Big Island?
Most of the Big Island’s paved road network is in good condition, and a standard compact or mid-size car gets you to the vast majority of destinations without any issue. Three places are the exception:
Destination: Green Sand Beach (Papakōlea)
- What you need: Any car (hike from South Point)
- Notes: All rental companies prohibit driving the unpaved track to the beach itself. Park at the end of South Point Road and hike 2.7 miles each way.
See our green sand beach guide for the hike details.
Destination: Maunakea summit (13,796 ft)
- What you need: 4WD required above the visitor center.
- Notes: All rental cars can reach the Onizuka Visitor Center (9,200 ft). The road above it requires 4WD, and Big Island Jeep Rentals is currently the only rental company that permits summit access, on a Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator (4-day minimum rental).
If the Maunakea summit is on your list and you want to drive yourself, book Big Island Jeep Rentals and plan your stay around their 4-day minimum. If the minimum doesn’t work for your schedule, a stargazing tour is the practical alternative.
Destination: Waipiʻo Valley floor
- What you need: Not open to visitors by car
- Notes: Hawaiʻi County has closed the road, which averages a 25% grade, to non-resident vehicles, and walking down is not permitted either. An authorized commercial 4WD tour is the only way for visitors to reach the valley floor.
How to Find a Cheap Car Rental on the Big Island
A rental’s price depends on how many cars are available and how soon you need one.
Book early if your trip overlaps one of the island’s popular events: the Ironman triathlon (mid-October) or the Merrie Monarch Festival (mid-April). Christmas week is another stretch when cars get scarce and prices climb.
We recommend the following strategies to get the best price:
- Our best tip: book at a local car rental agency (lower prices for almost everyone)
- Book early and update your booking when prices drop (also good results but more work)
- Rent your car for an extended period (only for rentals of 30 days or more)
- Car insurance on the Big Island
1: Go local for the best price (no prepayment, no cancellation fees)
Start with the bigger local booking sites: they pre-negotiate discounts with the major brands that serve Hawaiʻi (Alamo, Budget, Enterprise, and the rest) and pass some of the savings on. You get especially good rates if you are flexible on the exact make and model.
We love the following local booking site for their discount rates on car rentals in the state of Hawaiʻi.
Discount Hawaii Car Rentals: No Prepayment, No Fees
The Discount Hawaii Car Rentals website is our first stop for a quote when we need an extra car and any time we go island-hopping. We like them because they require no prepayment and charge no cancellation fees, and because they offer additional benefits such as free extra drivers and reduced young driver rates.
They always get back to us quickly with good rates.
2: Book early and wait for lower prices
Book early with the local agency above, then check back for a lower price about six weeks before departure. For this to work, your first reservation has to be with an agency that allows free cancellation.
For example, a mid-size 8-day rental might run $450 booked four months out, then drift down to around $240 one to two weeks before arrival. In the final days it can spike: we have seen a car sitting at $240 jump to $900 within 48 hours of arrival.
This can save a couple hundred dollars, but it takes extra time to book and rebook. It works best if you like to plan ahead.
3: Better prices for long term car rentals
For stays over 30 days, Island Discount Rentals in Hilo rents used cars at long-term rates well below any daily deal.
4: Car rental insurance on the Big Island
Most major credit cards offer some form of rental car insurance when you decline the rental company’s CDW and pay for the rental in full with that card. Coverage details vary widely: Visa and Mastercard cards commonly provide secondary coverage (it kicks in after your personal auto insurance), while cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve provide primary coverage, so your own policy is not touched.
The CDW sold at the counter runs about $15 to $30 a day, which adds up fast on a week-long rental. Check your credit card’s benefits guide before you arrive, not at the counter when the clock is running. If your card offers primary coverage, declining the CDW is usually the right call. If it is secondary, it depends on your own auto deductible.
Note: credit card rental coverage usually excludes certain vehicle types (large SUVs, trucks, and some 4WDs) and off-road damage, which lines up with the rental-contract restrictions that already apply on the Big Island.
Rental Car Pickup Locations: Hilo and Kona
A pickup point close to where you land saves time at both ends of your trip.
Where to pick up your car in Hilo
Getting to your rental car in Hilo is straightforward whether you arrive by airplane or by cruise ship. These rental companies all have on-airport counters at the Hilo Airport (last checked September 2026 from source):
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget/Payless
- Dollar
- Hertz
- National
- Thrifty
- Enterprise
Pickup locations: all counters sit on the ground level, across the street from the terminal.
There is no public bus service to or from Hilo airport. Without a rental car, you will need a taxi or a personal pickup. Hilo International Airport (ITO) sits on the edge of Hilo, about 3 miles east of downtown.
Where to pick up your car on the Kona coast
Getting your rental car near Kailua-Kona is easiest at the airport, where shuttles to every major rental company board across the street from baggage claim.
More rental offices sit in Kona town, at the King Kamehameha hotel (handy for cruise passengers), and out at the north Kona and Kohala coast resorts (handy if you are staying at a resort and only want a car for part of your trip).
Rental car agencies at the Kona International Airport (KOA)
Kona International Airport sits about 8 miles north of Kailua-Kona and 19 miles south of the Kohala resorts. The rental companies serving the Kona airport are (last checked September 2026 from source):
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget/Payless
- Dollar
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- National
- Thrifty
The rental car facility at KOA is not attached to the terminal. After collecting your bags, cross the street toward the center median between baggage claim areas A and B. Shuttles for all rental companies stop there. Expect a 5 to 10 minute wait during peak arrival times.
Rental car agencies in Kailua Kona
The rental car offices in Kona are within a short walk of the Kailua pier on Aliʻi Drive, handy for cruise passengers. Enterprise sits slightly further out at 74-5583 Luhia Street, about a 20-minute walk (1 mile) from the pier.
Rental car agencies at the Kona and Waikoloa resorts
North of Kona, the Waikoloa resorts sit about 19 miles up the coast from the airport. If you are staying there, picking up at a resort office saves the drive back to KOA and the shuttle wait, though resort rates run a little higher, so compare first.
The following rentals car agencies have an office in one or more of the resorts:
- Alamo
- Hertz
- National
- Go rentals has an office at the Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, just north of the Kona airport.
At 27 miles from the airport (32 from Kona) there is an Enterprise office that services the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
South of Kona, there is a Hertz office at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa (formerly the Sheraton) at Keauhou Bay.
Driving etiquette on the Big Island
“Drive with aloha” is the best advice we can give people when they ask if driving on Hawaiʻi is different. Be considerate, drive slowly in residential neighborhoods and take your time.
Driving etiquette on the Big Island differs from the mainland in a few ways. Locals frequently wave to let other drivers merge, a four-way stop is often treated as a courtesy exchange rather than a strict right-of-way sequence, and pulling over to let faster drivers pass on two-lane roads is standard practice on routes like Saddle Road and Highway 19. In residential neighborhoods along the Puna coast and in Hilo, speeds are slow, and that is intentional.
Leave extra time and don’t rush.
Affiliate Disclosure: Discount Hawaii Car Rentals
We are part of the affiliate program of Discount Hawaii Car Rentals, meaning that we receive a small fee for every completed booking we send their way at no extra cost to you. We recommend them because we think they are the best at what they do, and being part of their program helps us cover the costs to update, host, and maintain this website as a bonus.
See our full affiliate disclosure.