Cars at HNL
 

My wife and I will be in HNL 1/2/08 - 1/6/08. Anybody have any current info on the process and cars available?

Have reserved a midsize, and joined EC, so does that mean I just go out to the booth and show my reservation there?

As we are arriving from ITO into the interisland terminal, will it will be best to grab the shuttle bus rather than walking all the way through the terminal to United's baggage claim and crossing there?

Where do we have to go to add my wife as a driver?

What is the rest of the procedure for EC members? Inspect the car and sign paperwork?

Thanks in advance, everyone!

A great benefit of the Emerald Club is that your wife is automatically covered on your policy. So are your co-workers.

I've flown through the Inter-island terminal and I'm quite positive it's just as easy to walk.

Booth is outside, and they'll probably point to a group of cars and ask you which one you want. Then they'll give you the keys. Pretty nice folks.

I was just doing some HNL car rental searching and found the lowest rate at Budget for a week in February 2008. My cost for an intermediate car using the Costco code of W852802 was $148 plus tax.

I realize this is the National forum but since the OP was looking at HNL, I thought I would share a relatively good find for HNL.

Appreciate the heads-up, since I'm looking for the best value - I'm not a corporate traveler with an allegiance to National. However, for my dates and times, Budget is at $164+tax for intermediates and $155+tax for economy and compacts even with that Costco code, whereas National with the Continental code 5007160 and Entertainment Book coupon NF15 comes to $109+tax for a grand total of $143.53!

Try those codes for your days and see what happens! Just need to get your hands on the EB coupon.

Automatically? They don't need her drivers' license # or anything?

Last month I grabbed an S40 from the quasi-Aisle at HNL. Not bad! Other cars available were Grand Prix, Impala, and a few other similar sedans.

Good question. I've never given my wife's DL info. You may want to call and verify. However, I know when I've checked, they said, "she's covered." I really believe they don't care about your driving record. They just wanted to know that a licensed driver is responsible for returning their car.

OK, so we walk to the booth in the lot, the person there points us to a group of cars we can choose from, we pick one, get the keys and go? No signing anything? Do we have to document previous damage to the car to keep from being screwed?

At National stations at LIH and OGG, Pontiac G6's & Grand Prix's, and Chevy Impala's were commonplace in the Emerald Aisle lane.

Jeff

Time's getting closer - anybody been through recently?

I was there in September. Following advice from other threads, we walked out to the National canopy. The agent was quite friendly and there was only one person in line (the bus discharged about ten people as we were finishing up so I'm glad we walked) We asked and received a convertible. The car itself was in sad shape (the top didn't go down, it lacked power and had a trunk that was full of sand). We should have taken the brand new HHR.

As a side note, we dropped the car off early in the morning when they were closed. They called 12 hours later asking for the license plate of the car we had rented. I'm guessing someone didn't check the car in correctly.

Enjoy your trip.

I'm Emerald with National and picked up a car from them at HNL earlier this month. I wasn't pleased with the service one bit. My car wasn't ready and I had to wait 20 minutes for them to wash it. The girl at the canopy in the lot was doing homework and seemed to be bothered that she had to stop to help me too. Even the return was messed up. They didn't have anyone outside to take the car back so I had to walk inside to the counter and wait in line.

I rented a Jeep Wrangler for $200 less than I could have gotten it from Hertz, but I was tempted several times to walk over to their canopy and see what they had available because I wasn't on "island time" yet, and the wait was really getting to me.

I just returned from a week in HNL.
I walked from baggage claim to the National Canopy in the middle of a parking lot. They guy at the desk was not efficient and while I was waiting for him to try to get an engine-start keychain to work on a CTS he didn't offer any greeting or anything. I got a nice G6 which was fine for my purpose. We did have to wait 10 min for the bus when returning the car. I would say that things are definitely on island time and its not like my standard business rentals at other locations.

Since we will be there to visit relatives, Island time is cool with us. Just hope they are nicer than some people have observed, and that the cars aren't all junked out PT's.

I was in HNL a few weekends ago and rented a minivan for 24 hours; it was a low-mileage Venture, which was nice enough, other than the interior had not been cleaned and there was a lot of trash in the back seats. Also, there was no one checking cars in at HNL, so I had to do an Express Return and hope the billing was accurate (it was, thank goodness). Upon reporting my experience to Customer Relations, I was given a one day certificate.

I'm back in HNL and used the Waikiki location this time (in the Discovery Bay complex, across from the Ilikai). I had a compact reserved, but was offered a Grand Prix, HHR, Impala, or Aura. I chose the Saturn, which I like; it's too bad XM doesn't work in Honolulu.

After lurking on FT for awhile, I've decided to try and contribute.

Got to Oahu a few days ago and rented from National at HNL. We walked across the street from baggage claim to the rental car lot. We were the only people at the canopy at the time and the bus dropped off two families as we were choosing our car.

I think the car options at the time was a Sebring convertible, Mustang convertible, G6 sedan, CTS, STS (it was either an STS or DTS), Impala and a few other domestic cars. The woman working the canopy pretty much told me to pick any car I wanted in their "lot". The lot was pretty small, I think maybe 30 cars. We choose the Mustang convertible and is pleased so far. It only had 800 miles when we took it!

I rented for 8 days back in June from the HNL mini-isle. I was not impressed with the selection of cars... there were a ton of boring Malibu's and not much else (well, as I was walking up to the desk, the person in front of me took the lone Grand Prix GXP :mad: )-- I had about an hour to kill waiting for a friend to arrive, so I asked if there was anything else hiding that might be a bit sportier-- I ended up with a G6 GT sedan, which was a step above the Malibu's in the lot, but still no prize-- At least it had a decent stereo, some pickup, and leather seats; they brought it out soaking wet from being washed-- it looked nice, but when it dried off, there were lots of scratches and what looked like hail damage... I was afraid they might accuse me of the damage, but there were no issues with the return ^

I arrived in HNL last night around 9:45 p.m. I had reserved a compact; available on the lot were a few Aura, Malibu, and Impalas. I picked an Impala LZ with the 3.9L V-6 and leather interior. Prety decent upgrade, if you ask me.

January 18 Inventory at 1:45 pm: Three cars in the EA
 

Sebring hardtop convertible, two Malibus.

Picked the convertible. Luggage sat in the back seat heading to the hotel and back to the airport.

Miserable selection last week in their 'aisle' if that's what you want to call it.

They have about 8 parking spots where they put their 'better' cars, as I was told, and was directed to select from it as executive. Except the people in front of me picked from the same group of cars with just plain old emerald aisle.

At 7pm, with a parking lot full of cars, my choices were either PT Cruisers or Impalas. I asked if I could take a convertible and was told the upcharge was $35.99 per day :eek:.

I selected the Impala and it had 20k miles on it and shimmied starting at about 30 mph. I thought the tires might be bald, but they weren't. Had I actually been planning on driving around much it would have been exchanged. If this was one of their better cars I guess I was fortunate.

If you can avoid National in HNL, I would. I've had much better luck with Avis and Budget and only went with National because my corporate rate was so much better.

Hope you didn't get the Impala I had rented, Mary. I took it off-roading by Ka`ena Point and may have taken the wheels out of alignment a bit... :p

:) When I returned it I told the person about the shimmie. The site manager just happened to be around and she told him to take it out of service and have it checked out.

Hopefully, the car you wrecked will be fixed :D

Master, It Is Alive!!!
 

Wow, this thread is a blast from the past! Thanks for the memories of a great Hawaiian Christmas and New Year's. BTW, when I was there back in January '08 the only cars on EA were Malibus.

I rent cars quite a bit in HNL, and the agent at the Emerald desk gave me a couple of $25 off coupons to use for future rentals. She said they give them to "some" of their loyal customers. This was great as I've used both coupons for rentals in May and June :).

Hmmmm..... I guess 7 rental-weeks a year for the past 6 years or so doesn't make me "loyal". :(

I rented the Sonata I noticed for the first time last month. Hope they have them again. We liked it much more than the GM cars that usually grace the "aisle". All in all, the HNL operation is not bad, IMO. But sometimes the pickings can be a bit thin.

We arrived on a Saturday afternoon around 5 p.m. The EA was mostly ugly Chevy HHR with a Ford Fusion, a Hyundai Elantra and a few Hyundai Sonatas. We picked one of the Sonatas and are happy with it. It was a nice upgrade from the Compact Class I had reserved.

How did you end up picking from EA with a Compact reservation?

Ron.

I've rented compacts from National in HNL the past three visits and have always been given upgrades to EA-level cars. Since HNL (and the Waikiki location) are both Emerald Counter locations, the agents there seem to hold back the limited supply of compact cars for non-Emerald Club members. YMMV.

What does HNL have for Luxury rentals? I am heading there next week and am trying to decide whether to use free days for a luxury or 12Free for a Fullsize.

With the Chrysler 300 being offered as a Luxury lately I am a bit scared.

Any info is appreciated!

This is too late for your trip, but I rented twice from the Honolulu Airport location over the last week and a half and they had at least one CTS and several 300s parked in the "better car" area.

I'm just a plain old Emerald Club member, so I got to choose from a Malibu 1LT, Impala 1LT, 2010 Fusion, and a lone Camry on one day and an Altima on another on the quasi-Aisle.

I had a full-size reserved on both days and got the only Impala on the lot on the second rental. I was told the other "full size" choice was the Dodge Avenger -- I'm guessing the canopy attendant mixed it up with the Charger?

I need some help on the location of the National rental counter in HNL please.

Item #12 in this post mentions that you shouldn't take the shuttle if you're renting from National. Other posts in this forum say something similar. Even the HNL airport site seems to imply that they're very close.

But when I search for the location online, it looks VERY far away from the terminal.

Google: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...13894&t=h&z=17

Bing: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=21....C%20HI%2096819

Is the rental location now right across the street from the airport, or is it still in the location referenced above?

The last time I was in HNL the National pickup area was a short walk across the street from the arrivals area. You can clearly see it as you walk outside the arrivals/bag claim area. It was not down the road as your map is implying.

The address that National gives (2912 Aolele St) is wrong, it's closer to 3271 Aolele. Item #12 in the post cited above is correct.

I arrived on a Saturday night around 9 p.m. The EA had a mix of mostly Malibus and Impalas with a few Ford Fusions with a Camry and Hyundai Sonata thrown in. I had reserved a compact and was given the Sonata.

When I returned the car a week later around 6 p.m., the EA had a larger collection of Hyundai Sonatas and Elantas, as well as Malibu LZs. I also saw a bright yellow VW New Bettle in a stall.

Don't go to the location referenced above (2912 Aolele St). That's a parking lot used for commercial vehicles (lots of shuttle buses and other misc. trucks).

As the others have said, if you're coming in from the "mainland" terminal, National is across the street. Here's the Google Street view of the National office. The Emerald "tent" is behind the building.

If you're coming in from the interisland terminal (or commuter terminal), then you can catch the shuttle outside of baggage claim of both terminals. There's also a National counter in the interisland baggage claim area, but Emerald Club members can go straight to the shuttle pick-up area.

Alamo is still out by Nimitz Highway -- many years ago, National was also on Nimitz Highway where the Mazda dealership is now.

Thanks FlyinHawaiian and ibiza1010!

When I got to the counter in baggage claim (the one near G/H), the agent directed me back to the shuttle even though I specifically asked to walk across to the lot (which would've been a lot closer than going back to the shuttle). :td:

And of course baggage claim for Alaska that night was on A...allllll the way at the other end. And then the up escalator on the other side was busted, so I got to lug my suitcase up the stairs. Got a good workout at HNL :p

Picked up a 1-day rental; on the quasi-Aisle (the first several parking spots) there were several 2010 Impalas, a Malibu, an Avenger, and a Grand Marquis. I was also offered a 2009 Taurus Limited by the agent at the tent, which I took. The key tag says "PCAR".

There was a 300 in the Executive parking spot. The Luxury spots had a CTS and a DTS.

"clearly" is a little overstated, it wasn't that clear to 4 of us looking for it.

in regards to cars, we were there during Christmas and were upgraded from compact to towncar with 4 miles on it. Sweet.

As an Executive, I was offered either some cars in the regular emerald aisle, which appeared to be mostly Malibu's and Fusions, or the lone car sitting in the executive area (they have 2 spots) - a CTS.

Grabbed the CTS with just over 9k miles on it and was a happy camper for 8 days - particularly since it cost only $148!

Did another 1-day rental at HNL last night. It was late (~10pm) and there were just 4 cars in the quasi-aisle: an Impala, an Avenger, a Charger, and a Grand Marquis. The executive space had a 2010 Taurus.

I took the Grand Marquis (class PXAR), which was about 3 months old and had less than 4K miles.

The quasi-aisle today had a selection of Impalas, Malibus, a Charger, a Sebring sedan, and a Town Car. I took a relatively new Malibu LT (~2 months old, 3K miles). The Exec spot had a 300 (not a C).