Hawaii has experienced a rapid rise in visitor arrivals during May, which is anticipated to continue through the summer months and is causing a rental car shortage.
- Residents and visitors alike have been experiencing challenges in securing a rental car throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
- Hawaii Tourism Authority is working with rental car companies to find solutions.
- Most cares through major rental companies are already reserved through August.
Residents are having difficulty finding cars for business and leisure trips to the neighbor islands. Arriving visitors are experiencing the same problems on all islands, including Oahu. The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is aware of this situation and working with state and county officials, as well as the rental car companies, on short- and long-term solutions.
Many vehicles are already reserved at most major rental companies through August, with the daily rental fee for available vehicles often being significantly higher than usual. We have heard reports that some vehicles are being rented for as much as $700 per day.
Hawaii’s rental car fleet decreased by more than 40% during the pandemic, which is understandable as travel to the islands effectively grinded to a halt for an entire year. The car rental shortage is not limited to the Hawaiian Islands; it is also happening at major vacation destinations nationwide.
