Originally Posted by
DCA-SEA
I've used The Bus to get from HNL into downtown Honolulu, and routes go to Waikiki also (maybe with a transfer). It's pretty fast and reasonably comfortable.
If you use a local rental car company, off airport, you'll probably do better than the airport rental places... you might consider busing into Waikiki, then renting a car for the day, returning it in the evening before you have to park overnight. You'd cab it to the ITO flight. Or, you could find a car rental chain off-airport that would let you drop it at their airport location before flying to ITO.
I seem to recall not having to pay ridiculous rates for rental cars in HNL (though gas is pricey), and, at least on the far east edge of Waikiki, I was able to find legal overnight street parking. That was on two trips, in 2004 and in 2007.
I considered the bus twice this year... but not worth the wait for my short visits IMO... and then you are limited to when they are running. There are some deals out there for rental cars, but rates throughout the islands are about to go up (taxes) IIRC. Parking in downtown Waikiki is a huge problem and is quite $$$
(and didn't find a cheap way to avoid it)