Hawaii Car Rental Guide 2026: Hertz Pickup & Costs for Your Trip

I'm already gearing up for my third independent trip to Hawaii!

I'll be detailing the Hawaii rental car costs I experienced,

the booking process, and even the pickup method

Let's dive into all the details!

1. Renting a Car for Your Hawaii Adventure

Many travelers planning an independent trip often wonder if a rental car is truly necessary,

especially with parking fees in mind.

→ I highly recommend renting a car, even if it's just for part of your itinerary!

On Oahu, Hawaii, while there are some public transportation options like trolleys,

it's much like Jeju Island – if you don't rent a car, you'll be pretty much stuck in Waikiki Beach.😂😂

(The costs are also pretty similar to what you'd find for a rental car on Jeju Island.)

📌 Incredible Places You Can Explore with a Rental Car

· Historic Route 72 Coastal Road

· Route 83 to Kualoa Ranch, Haleiwa Town, and more

· Pearl Harbor, Tantalus Lookout

· Waikele Premium Outlets

· Costco, Walmart, Ala Moana Center

Oahu is quite a large island, so even if you just want to visit Walmart,

Uber costs can add up significantly.

You don't necessarily have to rent at the airport; renting in the city is also an option,

and you can even choose a different drop-off location.

That's why I recommend utilizing a car, even if it's just for part of your journey.

2. Booking Your Hawaii Rental Car

I used Klook, a popular platform for rental car bookings,

because it allows you to compare various rental companies.

1) First, you'll enter your pickup and drop-off locations.

If you're picking up at Honolulu Airport, select HNL.

For city pickup, choose 'Center of Waikiki'.

You can freely set your pickup date and time.

Vehicles range from compact cars to pickup trucks.

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Book your Klook Hawaii Rental Car here

2) You can also choose your preferred rental car company.

AVIS, Dollar, and Hertz are commonly used,

and Hertz is often favored because they typically don't demand additional insurance payments

and are known for a smooth process in case of an accident.

That's why I chose and booked with Hertz rental car!

3) Next, select your desired vehicle.

You can find vehicles familiar to many, like the Kia K4,

and even a Tesla Model 3 is available for rent.

(I personally chose and rented a Chevrolet Malibu.)

4) Now, it's time to choose your insurance type.

The coverage is tiered: Advanced < Klook Protect < Klook Protect Plus.

Most people opt for Klook Protect, the mid-tier option.

(Klook Protect Plus offers medical expense coverage

and coverage for emergency repatriation, which sets it apart.)

5) Finally, you'll select your fuel policy.

· Full to Full (Pick up with a full tank, return with a full tank)

→ This option usually comes with a lower initial booking cost, but you'll need to refill the tank before returning the car.

· Free Tank (Return without refilling)

→ With this policy, you can simply return the car without worrying about the fuel level.

The fuel cost is essentially included in your reservation fee.

I booked with the Free Tank option, and even after about 6 days of use,

I didn't even come close to running out of fuel or needing to refuel!

👉🏻 Compare Hawaii Rental Car Companies on Klook and Book Easily

3. What You'll Need for Your Rental

📌 Essentials for Your Rental

· Driver's Passport

· Driver's Korean Driver's License

· Driver's International Driving Permit

· Credit Card

You absolutely must obtain an International Driving Permit,

and you should bring your Korean driver's license along with it.

You'll also need to bring a credit card for the deposit payment.

4. My Hertz Rental Car Pickup Experience

Once you arrive at Honolulu International Airport,

to get to the rental car offices,

you'll first need to take a shuttle bus.

Just follow the Rental Car Shuttle signs within the airport,

and the shuttle buses arrive every 5 minutes or so.

After just a few minutes on the bus, you'll reach the area

where all the rental car offices are clustered, and I headed to Hertz!

At the counter, I confirmed my reservation,

and also saw my name displayed on the screen.

(Seriously, there were so many Koreans there, lol!)

I just made the additional deposit payment with my credit card,

and there was absolutely no pressure to add extra insurance or any other payments.

I moved to the car selection area and found a

parked Chevrolet Malibu, then hopped in!

(I was actually surprised by how new the car felt!)

Since there were only two of us, the trunk wasn't too small,

and we used it comfortably for our 6-night trip.👍🏻

I brought my own phone holder and set it up.

I mainly relied on Google Maps for navigation.

Tip: While reservation confirmation is usually quick,

checking the car's condition, setting up your phone holder, and confirming navigation

can take about 30 minutes in total,

so it's a good idea to allow plenty of time for departure after pickup.

When you're driving along Highway 72 in your Hawaii rental car,

when you're visiting each attraction along Highway 83,

or after an early morning visit to Pearl Harbor,

and then heading to Waikele Premium Outlets, Costco, and more,

that's when you'll truly feel the joy of a free and independent Hawaii trip!

Some people might hesitate because driving in the U.S. feels unfamiliar,

but from my personal experience,

driving in Korea is far more challenging...

Most drivers are safe and courteous,

and the road signs are intuitive, making driving quite comfortable.

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📌 Review Summary

✔ Highly recommend renting a car for at least part of your Hawaii trip

(It's fine if your pickup and return locations are different.)

✔ Klook bookings are easy and a popular choice

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See More Details for Klook Car Rental Reservations

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