Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Hilo Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit. Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.
The airport lounge is the best in the world, with its huge comfy armchairs, tons of space, and soft Hawaiian music. – a traveller
ITO Airport Overview
To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Hilo International Airport.
What to expect
Hilo International Airport (code: ITO) consists of a small partially open-air terminal with limited services. The airport has an eatery on each side of security, though food choices are described as limited. There is also a gift shops/newsstand on the airside. WiFi is available, and additional comfort can be found through fee-based access to the airport’s first-class lounge. See Airport Lounges in the guide below.
Sleeping in Hilo Airport
While seating in the departures area is described as comfortable, after security checkpoints close for the night, all passengers are restricted to the landside areas. Because the landside is essentially “open air,” with no seating, overnight sleeping at this airport means sleeping outdoors. If you do plan to sleep at this airport al fresco, bring earplugs/noise-cancelling headphones, as the closed airside reportedly blasts loud Hawaiian music through the night. For uninterrupted sleep, there are hotels within a quick shuttle ride of the airport. See the Airport Hotels section below or or read some traveller airport reviews for more tips
To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s web site for current information. For more airport information continue scrolling down to explore more in our Hilo Airport Guide.
In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security. For more information on Europe’s Schengen Area, click here.
Airport Lounges
Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships
Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there is a lounge that you can enter through a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and to also find out how you can gain lounge access with just an economy class ticket!
- Hawaiian Airlines Lounge – Location: Airside, in the northwest corner of the passenger departure lounge on the first floor. Below gate 6. Lounge Access: Lounge membership programs.
Related Pages: Hilo Airport Lounges
Airport Hotels
If sleeping in Hilo airport sounds like a nightmare, the airport is within a short drive to many of the town’s hotels. Here are a few:
- The Big Island Hostel – No airport shuttle. » Check Rates
- SCP Hilo Hotel – No airport shuttle. » Check Rates
- Hilo Hawaiian Hotel – No airport shuttle. » Check Rates
For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Hilo Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.
Airport WiFi / Internet
Free WiFi is available at Hilo Airport. Select either free WiFi network Boingo Hotspot or “HiloWiFi”.
More Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover At The Airport
Accessibility Services – The airport offers services to help passengers requiring wheelchair or mobility assistance, including elevators, curbside loading, parking spaces, first aid and AEDs, porter services, family rest rooms, text telephones and telecommunications relay services.
ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Fees may apply, so be sure to check your bank’s fee schedule and your daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Locations: Landside, near the restaurant, to the left of the Security Check Point.
Courtesy Phones – See Information Desk.
Food & Drink – The airport offers two food & drink options, both landside. Center Plate is a full service restaurants and Laniakea Express is a smaller scale option. Hours: 8:00AM – 8:00PM.
Information Desk – Visitor Information Booths are available, providing both local and airport information. Locations: Interisland Arrivals Counter • Central Departure Counter. Hours: 6:00AM – 8:30PM (note, Central Departure Counter operates intermittently).
Luggage Carts – Available for rent at baggage claim and curbside in Lobby 4.
Luggage Storage & Lockers – Not available.
Mobile Charging – Electrical outlets are available to charge your mobile devices.
Rest Zones – There are no dedicated sleeping areas, quiet areas or rest zones. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.
Shopping – Leis and souvenirs can be purchased from three gift shops in the airport. A newsstand is also available. Shops operate on varying schedules, depending on flight schedules.
Showers – Not available.
SIM Cards – A reader has asked us to include where to buy SIM Cards. If you know, click here to update this airport guide.
Smoking Area – Prohibited from “cabin to curb”. Smokers must be more than 20 feet away from any entryway.
Airport Hours
The terminal is open 24 hours but the TSA Checkpoint varies according to the flight schedule.
Airlines
Hilo airport is served by the following airlines: Hawaiian Airlines • Mokulele Airlines • Southwest Airlines • United Airlines.
Airport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport
Car Rentals
Onsite car rental agencies include Advantage • Alamo • Avis • Budget • Dollar • Enterprise • Hertz • National • Thrifty. Visit our travel partner at Tripadvisor to search for car rentals deals.
Hotel Shuttles
See also Airport Hotels above.
Taxis and Shuttles
Taxis are available in the taxi rank outside, in front of baggage claim. All taxis are metered and reservations are not required. At the time of this update, a one-way fare to Banyan Drive hotels is $13, and to Hilo Town or Pier is $15. SpeediShuttle offers door-to-door shared ride service to and from the airport.
Last updated: 2024-01-31
This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning. All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice. The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or write a review.