how to get there

[Doug McCoy]

I live in new york near long island and want to know how to fly I have never been to Aulani so I would like to know what airlines to fly with and should I do a layover in California also what airport do you find best and what rental car options are there. When on a trip to Disney World Me and my family usually like to shop for food by our selves at stores and sometimes spend a day driving around the out side areas of the resort looking at other things.

yeah

 

[OKW Lover]

From the NYC area you can find non-stop flights to HNL on the major airlines. Check kayak.com for pricing on the dates you are going.

Some people prefer to breakup this long (10+ hour) flight into two segments by stopping in California. We prefer the one long flight though as it seems to us that the flight to CA is long enough. Having to turn around and do it again just isn't appealing. At least with one flight you get it over with. Plus you'll be there sooner since you don't have to factor in the connection times.

As far as car rental options go, just about everything is available at HNL. However some of the companies have their cars right there at the airport while others require a (short) shuttle bus ride to the cars. We always get a car because there is so much to see/do around Oahu, in addition to shopping for groceries. Just keep in mind that unless you are staying on DVC points you will pay a lot for parking at Aulani.

 

[DVCRSheridan]

We also live in NY. We've flown to Hawaii 3 times. Each time we did the direct flight on Hawaiian Airlines from JFK-HNL. It's a long flight for sure, but we just prefer to do the direct flight and get it over with. I also can't say enough good things about our experiences with Hawaiian Airlines. From the planes themselves to their staff. Always top notch. You feel like your Hawaiian vacation starts the minute you step on the plane. I would highly recommend looking into this flight.

As far rental cars, we rented from Budget at the airport (actually just across the street, but theres a quick shuttle ride) each time and had no issues to speak of. Prices were good and the cars were good for what we needed. I would definitely recommend renting a car if the price works for you and I would do it at the airport rather than at Aulani (MUCH more expensive at Aulani). You'll be able to do any shopping you want at a Target that's 5 mins from Aulani (there's also a Costco nearby). You'll love having the car to be able to explore the island.

 

[Doug McCoy]

Thank you all the info you guys gave will be useful for my trip.

 

[Littlelulu01]

I’ve noticed car rental rates all over the board. We need a 9 day rental and I’ve been checking rates regularly. Started out at about $580 and kept rebooking as rates went down. Settling on $260 inclusive of taxes for a standard suv with Alamo/costco for our upcoming January trip.

We’re west coast so I don’t know much about east coast flight options but we use Alaska airlines and their visa. It’s buy one get one $119 and the $119 fares are good for Hawaii. They also give a generous sign on bonus and mileage fares to Hawaii are plentiful, at least from west coast departures. They don’t allow first class anymore for the $119 fares but their coach class is comfortable.

 

[TagsMissy]

All the major car rental companies are on the island and some smaller ones too. Just shop around. I used Kayak as a general search to see what came up then went to the actual rental agencies. In September we we got a luxury vehicle from Avis for cheaper than a Economy or Compact at Budget and the other major rentals for our 10 day visit. It pays to shop around!

I was able to find the email my husband forwarded me with the rental details $314 tax included for the 10 days

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Just keep in mind that unless you are staying on DVC points you will pay a lot for parking at Aulani

To clarify- it's like $37 per day to park unless you are there on DVC points. For many, that's a deciding factor when determining if a car rental is worth it.

I also can't say enough good things about our experiences with Hawaiian Airlines

SAME! If there's a Hawaiian Airlines flight that works for your schedule and budget, I would absolutely book them. The food is great, the entertainment selection is awesome, the seats are comfy, and the staff are fantastic.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

I recommend you try AutoSlash for a car rental. We just used it for the Kauai portion of our trip and found it had the lowest prices.