Renting a Car in Hawaii: 9 Tips You Should Know
Renting a car in Hawaii can take your trip to the next level—especially if you’re looking to escape the crowds and explore beyond the typical tourist spots. Few places in the world are as scenic and enjoyable to drive through as Hawaii, making a rental car not just convenient, but essential if you want to fully experience island life.
Before sharing our 9 tips on Hawaii car rentals, if you simply want to know our recommendation for rentals, we highly recommend Discover Cars. We’ve been using Discover Cars for several years now for trips in the U.S. and abroad, and they’ve consistently delivered great service and value. Their rates are often lower than booking directly with rental agencies, and they offer great perks like lower cost in-house rental insurance and flexible payment options. You can even choose to prepay a small portion upfront and pay the rest when you pick up the car—super convenient!
This page contains links to affiliate partners, which means we receive a small commission for each booking made at no additional cost to you. We only promote partners that we have used or vetted ourselves!
>>> See Our Top 27 Things to do in Oahu!
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1. Book Early for the Best Deals
Booking your car rental well in advance not only ensures availability, especially during peak seasons, but it often comes with discounted rates. Once you know your dates of travel, try to book soon after to save. If you’re worried about shelling out the full cost upfront, Discover Cars has the option on many rentals to pay a small portion upfront and the remaining balance when you pick up your car.
2. Rent Your Car For a Full Week
Discounts can often be had for week-long (or longer) bookings. Also, if your travel dates are flexible, play around with the booking calendar to see how the price changes.
3. Read Google or Yelp Reviews of the Rental Agency Before Booking
I always look at reviews of the physical location of the rental agency where we will be picking our vehicle up. Make sure to sort the reviews by the most recent first. If there are any common or glaring issues with that particular location such as customers not having a vehicle reserved for them, being unfairly held liable for prior damage, or other absurd charges, you may want to consider getting your vehicle from another location.
4. Consider the Type of Vehicle
When renting a car in Hawaii, consider the luggage you will be hauling plus any items you may need to transport after arriving, such as a rented surfboard or bike. Also, while it may lack the “coolness” factor, the utility of a minivan should not be underestimated! There are few vehicles better for hauling beach gear than a minivan!
5. Know Your Car Rental Insurance Options
While rental companies will offer their own insurance, check with your auto insurance to see what their coverage is for rentals as you may not need to purchase the additional coverage at the rental desk. In general, if you are a US citizen with a policy, your coverage will usually extend to rentals but always check to be sure.
If using Discover Cars to reserve your rental, you can also purchase their in-house coverage that will reimburse the full deductible in the event of an accident. It works with the included protection like a damage waiver, your personal auto policy, and any auto insurance coverages offered by your credit card. It’s also very affordable and much cheaper than the additional coverage offered at the rental desk.
Tip: Insurance offered at the car rental desk often does not cover tires and windows, so remember to check any special conditions.
6. Read the Fine Print of Your Rental Agreement
Pay attention to mileage and other restrictions. If you are considering doing any sort of off-road driving in Hawaii be sure to check if this is allowed. In most cases, it is not and you could be held fully liable for damages if it is discovered you took the vehicle offroad. This has been a particular problem with people renting Jeeps and other four-wheel drive vehicles in Hawaii. This sort of special-purpose vehicle rental is almost always facilitated by companies that offer off-roading tours and not a general car rental company.
7. Inspect Your Vehicle Thoroughly Before Driving Off
At pickup, inspect your vehicle thoroughly for any damage and make sure it is documented by the rental company. Take pictures, ensure they are timestamped, and ensure the rental company staff documents any damage before driving off the lot to avoid being held liable for damage upon return.
Tip: If you discover damage or something wrong after driving off the lot, contact the rental company immediately and explain. We discovered in Kauai that there was water trapped between the floorboard and the frame of our car after hearing it sloshing around while driving. The vehicle had likely been driven through high water by a previous driver. We immediately called the rental agency and thankfully, we were not held liable!
8. Secure your Valuable Items When Parking
Hawaii is a safe place for visitors, but unfortunately, like many places with high tourism, theft can be an issue. Cars parked at beaches, parks, and public parking garages are easy targets for thieves, so be sure to secure your valuable items or leave them wherever you are lodging.
9. Be Aware of One-Way Drop Fees
On the “Big Island”, it is common for people to fly into Hilo and out of Kona, but the convenience of a one-way drop at a different location from where you picked it up may incur a “drop fee”. These fees can be $75 or more. It’s probably not worth rearranging your whole itinerary for this, but it is something to be aware of.
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