Hawaii Car Rentals

Hawaii car rentals

Why car rental is ideal to explore hawaii

Hawaii, the 50th state of the USA, is a group of islands situated 2300 miles off the mainland of North America. Hawaii constitutes the longest group of islands in the world. Oahu, Big Island, Maui, Kauai and Molokai are the major islands in the group. Honolulu, situated on the island of Oahu, is the state capital and is also the biggest city in Hawaii.

Except Oahu, which has award winning bus service, public transport is nearly nonexistent on the other islands. Therefore, making private transport arrangements is inevitable for tourists. In fact, Hawaii’s beautiful rain forests and the enchanting waterfalls nestled deep inside the forest, the snow-tipped dormant volcanoes, picture perfect palm beaches and round-the-year cultural events keep you so utterly captivated that you would much prefer the flexibility and leisure of admiring them at your own pace without being dictated by the strict timetables of organized tours. That is why travel experts advise that car is the best way of exploring the bewitching beauty of these islands. All most all the islands have excellent roads and traffic is minimal on the outer islands which make traveling by car a very pleasant experience.

Range of cars available

Nearly all the major hawaii car rental companies offer their services in Hawaii. Avis, Budget, Dollar and Thrifty are some of the best known names in the industry. There are also many local agencies which operate as the affiliates of big companies. Oahu houses the largest pool of car rentals as Honolulu airport is the arrival point for most of the tourists. Very few agencies operate in the islands of Lanai and Molokai.

These companies maintain a large fleet of cars ranging from economy subcompacts to sporty Ferraris. If it’s a group tour you can go for the big full size vans which can seat up to 15 passengers. If it’s a family trip, you can choose a mini-van which can accommodate around seven people with ample luggage space. The Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) with five person capacity and excellent luggage space are considered ideal for traveling on the rough roads and exploring the national parks. Jeep wrangler is the best choice to travel around the rugged country side.

You can opt for the subcompact and the intermediate range if you are traveling on a shoestring budget. If you are partial to exotic models you can choose the luxury or premium range which can easily seat six people and provide more luggage space than the regular models. The Convertibles are for those of you who want to enjoy Hawaii’s tropical sun without the barrier. These sporty models are the most expensive and also the most popular. So you should reserve them well in advance.

Child safety/booster seat is provided for all types of vehicles, if necessary; if sufficient advance notice is given it is also possible to get a wheelchair-friendly vehicle with hand controls.

All the cars are replaced annually, usually after the first quarter of the year, so that the car is in excellent repair. You can expect a latest model air-conditioned car equipped with auto-transmission immediately after stepping out of the plane. You are also provided with a map of the island and local driving guidelines.

Terms & Conditions of Rental

Driving License

In order to qualify for a hawaii car rental you must hold a valid driving license either from the USA or from a foreign country. International driver’s license is not accepted except for the purpose of identification. Many companies refuse to rent unless you have held the license for a minimum period of one year. US rules require the license to contain your photograph too. If you are from the UK or any other country which issue a paper license without a photograph you need to present your passport also as the proof of identity. US driving laws allow foreigners to use their native driving license for up to one year.

Age Limit

The minimum legal age to rent a car in Hawaii is 25. If you have a second driver that person, too, should be 25 or older. If you are in the age group of 21-24 years you are expected to make an additional payment of up to $15-20 per day. This extra payment is required for the additional driver, too, if s/he is in the age group of 21-24 years. Some companies tend to have a maximum age limit, too, and charge additional amount if you are over 55.

Additional Driver

The rules for charging the additional driver are slightly different for each agency. Avis, Budget and Thrifty don’t charge if the additional driver is your spouse. Avis allows even a non-spouse sharing the same street address on the driver’s license to drive free. The second driver should be with you while you pick up the car and s/he, too, should sign the rental agreement.

Payment through Credit Card

Usually all the companies accept payment only through credit card. They honor only cards of the major companies such as Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card. However, Dollar and Thrifty accept Debit Cards of Visa and MasterCard. Very few companies accept payment through other means on making a huge cash deposit. But you should be wary of the credential of such companies.

Separate Rental for Each Island

You need to make separate renting arrangement for each island. Even though you are renting from the same company you cannot expect a multi-island tour driving the same car. Rough Ocean conditions and the threat of hurricanes make transporting the vehicle by ferry a risky affair. Either you can change companies for each island or stick to the same company by filling out a multi-island form so that they can arrange for a different car for you by the time you reach the next island.

Duration

Cars are rented on per day, per week or per month basis. For a daily rental 24 hours is counted as one day. Weekly rental is for five to seven continuous days. You need to pay for the entire seven days even though you use it for a shorter period. This time limit is per Island. If you take a car for five days you should spend all the five days on the same island. It’s not possible to divide a rental between two or more islands since multi-island rentals are not allowed. Companies such as Avis offer longer rentals for 60 days and more. Naturally you can expect a handsome discount on long rentals.

Pick up and Drop

Sometimes it is possible to pick up your car at the airport itself if the renting company is situated next to the airport. You can sign the renting contract at the company’s stall at the airport and pick up the car. If it is situated at a considerable distance, the company will arrange for a shuttle service to take you to its office. At the end of the rental period you can drop the car at the agency office and reach the airport by the shuttle service. Some companies provide the shuttle services free of cost whereas some charge an extra amount which is not included in the car rental rates. On paying additional amount, which varies depending on the distance, you can pick the car from one place and drop it at some other place.

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