Honolulu Airport is composed of three terminals—Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3. These terminals are spread across different areas of the airport, with each serving various airlines and destinations. It’s essential to know which terminal your flight departs from or arrives at to save time and avoid confusion. Here’s a quick rundown of the three terminals:
Terminal 1 – Primary Airline: Hawaiian Airlines (Domestic Flights only)
- Home to all Hawaiian Airline domestic flights to the mainland
- Known as the “Interisland Terminal”, this terminal handles flights between the Hawaiian Islands, such as Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.
Terminal 2 – Formerly known as the “Overseas Terminal”
- This terminal handles all international flights from many International Airlines.
- All other domestic flights to the mainland that are not provided by Hawaiian Airlines. This is where you can find United, Southwest, American, Delta, and Alaska Airlines.
Terminal 3 – A smaller terminal mainly for Mokulele Airlines for inter-island flights within Hawaii
- Also known as the “Commuter Terminal”.
- You can expect to fly on small commercial planes all the way down to “island hoppers“, where your body weight has to be measured.
- These flights are generally cheaper than the big commercial airlines.
- This terminal services Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, and Molokai
Transportation Between Terminals: How to Get Around
Moving between terminals at Honolulu Airport is relatively easy, thanks to efficient transportation options available for passengers. While Honolulu’s airport is not exceptionally large, it’s still smart to know how to navigate between terminals if you need to make a connecting flight or if your airline has you traveling between different terminals. Here are the options:
The new Miki Autonomous Shuttles: These are all fully electric shuttles which will be able to hold a total of 11 passengers plus an attendant that will be on board to take full control of the vehicle incase there are any emergencies or glitches. They will be confined to transportation between gates and terminals and will not access open roads. They will also only have a speed limit of 10 miles per hour.
Free Shuttle Bus Service: This shuttle is known as “Wiki Wiki Bus” that transports passengers between all three terminals. This Honolulu Airport shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes, and you can catch it at the designated shuttle stops outside each terminal from 6 AM – 10 PM.
Walking: If you’re up for a quick walk, you can easily move between Terminals 1, 2, and 3. The walk between these terminals takes only about 5-15 minutes depending on your pace.