Honolulu Car: Drop off Airport or Downtown?

[bleuseas]

We booked a one day car rental pre-cruise with Thrifty in Honolulu. We are picking it up at the airport upon arrival and thought it might be better to drop it off at a location on Seaside before the cruise instead of going back to the airport. There is a $20 fee for dropping it off in a different location than the airport.

 

Is is worth it to avoid going back to the airport location for drop off? I thought the downtown location might be less of a hassle and didn't know about the fee. Will the airport location (or either location for that matter) provide a shuttle to the ship after drop off?

[hncg57c]

I'm not sure about the shuttle, but the pier is near the Thrifty airport location. We used them after the cruise, and they did have a shuttle from the pier to the airport location.

[Giantfan13]

You didn't say if you were renting the car right after flying in, or are you staying in Honolulu frst and then renting the car afterwards. I would assume you are rentiing after flying in or else why even consider renting at the airport.

Either location will supply a shuttle to the pier. The airport location is closer to the pier than dowtown. We rented from downtown and they told us that as long as you wanted to go to the pier by 1-2:00 PM, they would shuttle you over there. I'm not sure what the time has to do with anything, but that's what they told us. You can call them to confirm this. If you can be a bit more specific as to where you are staying, and what plans you are thinking about, it would be easier to suggest a plan of action.

[bleuseas]

Thanks Giantfan. Yes we are renting the car at the airport when our flight arrives in Honolulu on Friday. We are staying at the Outrigger Waikiki and plan to do Pearl Harbor Saturday morning before we board the ship.

 

In fact I think it's your advice I'm taking on renting the car instead of taking The Bus to Pearl Harbor from a previous post, thank you again.

 

Is the Thrifty rental right in the airport terminal or offsite? I just thought it might be easier to return it downtown if it was closer to the pier and less hassle. But if the airport is closer to the pier, the $20 drop-off fee isn't buying me anything.

[spleen93]

All rental car companies are off site from the airport. But it's really close - maybe about a 2-3 minute shuttle ride from baggage claim to the lot.

 

Spleen