subdawg

We are flying ATA from PHX-HNL, and was hoping to take an interisland flight to KOA. Our flight arrives at 7:50pm, just missing all interisland flights that we know of (island air, aloha, hawaiian, and igo)! Are there any other options that we haven't thought of, that will get us into KOA/ITO that evening? We don't really want to spend $175 to stay in a 1* airport hotel, but seems like that is our only option. We have a young baby, so can't rough it and stay in a tiny room. Any thoughts? TIA!

cblaisd

Unfortunately, no.

Basically your only decent options for a hotel are either the Airport Best Western or the Ohana Airport Hotel (both are run by Ohana). Both have recently been remodeled from top to bottom and while they used to be dumps, the rooms are now decent -- although they are not very large. The best thing about them is that they have a shuttle.

There is one other near-airport hotel, the Pacific Marina Inn, which you should avoid at all costs. It would be more pleasant to sleep in the gutter at the airport.

Barring either of the two Ohana choices, you'll need to go to Waikiki -- and cab fare will run you ~$30-$35 each way.

Sorry, wish the news were better.

subdawg

Thanks for the quick response! Hmmm, that's what I was afraid of. I saw that there is also a Clarion that has an airport shuttle.

I'm surprised that ATA's only nonstop flight would arrive so late!

peachfront

Bus fare from the airport to Waikiki was only $2 in January 2006, and I doubt it's much more today. Great service. Didn't have to wait long. I just checked my diary and forgot to note what time I landed, but it was at night, and I was a solo female traveler, and it was a completely safe experience. No worries. A cab seems a waste of funds when you have such great bus service at HNL to Waikiki and back.

A link to my trip report, there's a bit about the bus service described in there:

http://peachfront.diaryland.com/oahutr1.html

They have a website:

http://www.thebus.org/Pop/airport.asp

You are not supposed to bring HUGE suitcases on the bus, but people did it anyway and no one said anything, as the bus was not crowded at night. It would be more courteous probably to have smaller bags though, if you can manage it. I don't see any reason for spending that kind of cash on a cab just to get to a decent hotel. You'll be amazed. The bus is so nice I felt as if I were in a foreign land.

cblaisd

No disagreement about TheBus.

But I was assuming, with a baby in tow, that the op will have the usual collection of keiki gear that will make using the bus difficult -- I have seen the driver enforce the "if EVERYTHING doesn't fit under YOUR seat or in your lap, off you go" rule.

The op could also probably get a rental car for ~$30, maybe less, but that means driving at night in an unfamiliar city and parking charges.

Another option is the Waikiki Airport Express -- which is basically an on-demand shared shuttle service from HNL to the downtown/Ala Moana/Waikiki hotels. It's not terribly expensive (although with two people, it's going to be about the same as cab fare) but the last time I was on it it was making stops at 13 hotels (and I'm glad mine was the third stop and not the thirteenth).

kaukau

It might be a pleasant enough experience HNL-Waikiki on Da Bus at night......but returning by bus the next day might be a whole 'nother issue. I don't know. We use a limo service.

Anyway, having done this maneuver en route to Oz - along with all the other regular contributors to this forum - my best advice is to stay at one of the two airport hotels - flip a coin - use the excellent and prompt free shuttle service - courtesy phone by baggage claim - and make a night of it. There's a great strip mall across the street from both hotels with take-out, dine in and mini-mart options; a 24-hour fast food restaurant adjacent to the B.W. - "Byron's Drive-In" - and all in all it should be a rather pleasant and over-with-quick type experience.

Best wishes for a pleasant holiday!

Aloha kakou!

ludocdoc

Rent a care for cheap, and priceline a hotel. Staying either off the beach in Waikiki or elsewhere on oahu (west side, farther drive, cheaper) will likely get you a priceline bid accepted around 100, maybe less.

I assume you already know ATA flies into big island from Phoenix, evidently not on the day/time you need? The connection in BUR or whatever cant be worse than the one you are trying to engineer in HNL...

kaukau

Must humbly disagree. At a rate of $139 + tax a night at the Airport Hotel - http://www.ohanahotels.com/reservati...lect_room.aspx - I don't see OP and family saving anything significant in the way of money, time, or hassles by going this route for an overnight connection accomodation. JMHO.

Akamai advice!





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slippahs

I agree here. If the OP can route the ATA flight directly to KOA, s/he will save a significant amount of headache, especially with toddler in tow.

cblaisd

Also agree.

And while the op mentions a flight to KOA, in the note he also mentions ITO.

There is an OAK-ITO flight that arrives ~10pm.

ludocdoc

You could also connect in Maui if you wanted. Hawaiian and go fly Maui to big island direct. Aloha seems to connect in HNL which doesn;t help you. Go flies direct on something called Go express, whatever that is.

ATA doesn't care if you do your route open jaw, in case you want to end your trip in HNL.

lihue1k

I can't add to the good advice already provided to the OP.

More generally however, I do find it more than slightly bizarre that there are so very few options near HNL. It's gotta be the largest airport in the country to have none of the major chains represented within shuttle distance e.g. no Courtyard, no HGI, no HI Express, nada within shuttle range of the airport.

IMHO they're all missing a great opportunity that they seem to exploit everywhere else.

subdawg

Wow, thanks for all the great replies. We're still figuring out which option is best, either to go from PHX-OAK-KOA, or doing a nonstop from PHX-HNL, but then having to stay overnight. If we pick option 1, not only is the cost much more, but we waste a lot of time routing via OAK. We were going to use UA miles to fly w/interisland, so the cost would be the same if we did a 1-way or RT. I guess that's why the nonstop flights from PHX-HNL are so cheap...because everyone would miss the interisland flights!

UNITED959

Why not spend a day in Waikiki?

Get a hotel room on the beach, wake up at your leisure and have breakfast. Relax during the day and take a 4-6p flight over to KOA. If you're staying at a hotel, you're likely not going to be able to get your room at 10am anyway.

SoulFlyer

Also, don't forget that as an AA elite, you can get a free night at many SPG member hotels in Hawaii, that might influence your decision a bit.

You're gold, so here's the short link:
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...tatus/gold.jsp

Click offers, it's almost all the way down the page.

-SF