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City guide

Honolulu, Hawaii

S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean.

Type CityMetro Area Population 1,000,000

Why go

  • Capital and largest city in Hawaii, US.
  • 3 curated must-see attractions on record, including Diamond Head State Monument.
  • Served by Kaneohe Bay MCAS (Marion E. Carl Field) Airport (NGF).

History

Honolulu is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island of Oʻahu. The population of Honolulu was 350,964 at the 2020 census, dropping to an estimated 341,868 by 2025. The Urban Honolulu metropolitan area had an estimated population of just under 1 million residents in 2024 and is the 56th-largest metropolitan area in the nation.

Must-see attractions

Airports

Daniel K. Inouye Honolulu International Airport (HNL) 4 mi to the centre
Honolulu, Oahu, HI, US — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 26 airlines (Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines…) · direct flights to 51 destinations incl. Los Angeles, Tokyo, Kahului, Sydney, Tokyo… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 26 airlines, 51 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Kalaeloa Airport (JRF) 13 mi to the centre
Kapolei, HI, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 0.2 mi from the centre
Outdoor
USS Arizona Memorial Shuttle Boat
Ferry route · United States Navy
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Kaneohe Bay MCAS (Marion E. Carl Field) Airport (NGF); 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: HNL has direct flights to 51 destinations on 26 airlines (incl. Los Angeles, Tokyo, Kahului, Sydney, Tokyo…). By water: 1 ferry terminal within 12 mi; routes include USS Arizona Memorial Shuttle Boat.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Honolulu, Hawaii. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Bus, rail · Honolulu's island-wide buses and the new Skyline rail. · Fares: HOLO card · Airport: Skyline rail plus bus; TheBus routes serve the airport

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Charter, shared flights · Light to large-cabin via partner fleet · Vista Global's on-demand charter and by-the-seat shared flights, app-based.
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135/145, 30 seats · Scheduled "hop-on" jet service from private terminals in the western US and Texas — no TSA lines.
Fractional, jet card · Cessna Citation, Embraer Phenom, Bombardier Challenger & Global · The largest private-jet operator in the world; fractional shares and the NetJets card, US and Europe.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Jet card, charter · Partner fleet · Jet cards and on-demand charter from Boston.