Flying To Hawaii?

Travelling to Hawaii by flight means you have to decide beforehand which side of the island you want to stay or land on. The Big Island is of course pretty big at 4,038 square miles and with volcanic mountains across a large part of the interior, moving from one coast to the other is somewhat difficult. Basically the decision is whether to land on the hotter and more arid western side – Kona Coast, or the greener, wetter east side – Hilo.

Kona boasts most of the island's resorts and condos. Located on this side of the island is the Kona International Airport served by three major airlines out of mainland USA: American Airlines, United Airlines, and Aloha Airlines. Transportation from the airport is either by rental cars which can be picked up right there at the airport or by taxis.

If you plan to fly to the Big Island east side you will be landing at Hilo International Airport. The two major airlines from the mainland or Honolulu are Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. There are some smaller airlines offering flights from other smaller islands. You will want to check with your travel agent or vacation planner for a full list of these as they do change from time to time.

Ground transportation from Hilo is also readily available for hire whether through car rental companies located at or near the airport or through taxi service.

Whichever side you decide to land on, you should definitely check out the other side which will only add amazing variety to your vacation. With the east side being one of the wettest locations - up to 120 inchees of rainfall per year, and with its lush tropical vegetation, you are sure to find some interesting attractions here.

Then there is of course the drier west side, or Kona side with its great beaches, huge Pacific waves and a rich array of accomodations and attractions.