Winter road trips get pricier: Kona airport tops U.S. car-rental price list

Kona sits at the top of this winter’s car-rental price list

A new survey released this week via PR Newswire finds that Kona’s airport on Hawaii’s Big Island is the most expensive U.S. location to rent a car this winter. The study looked at 100 airports across the country and compared typical winter booking prices. The result is clear: Hawaii, led by Kona, stands apart from the mainland when it comes to what travelers pay to pick up a rental at the airport.

The survey focused on winter travel bookings and compared daily, weekend and short-term weekly rates across large and small airports. While the release highlights Kona as the priciest single airport, it also points to a broader pattern: island destinations and resort gateways are driving the steepest rental prices during the holiday and winter travel window.

Where prices cluster: expensive hubs and cheaper alternatives

Beyond naming Kona as the top spot, the survey shows a clear split between resort/island airports and many mainland hubs. The most expensive airports this winter are dominated by Hawaiian gateways and a handful of resort towns that traditionally see heavy tourist demand. These markets tend to have higher daily and weekend rates than most big-city airports on the mainland.

The report compared 100 airports and looked at common booking windows for winter trips. It emphasized both single-day and multi-day rentals, which together push up average costs in tight-supply markets. While the release does not list every figure in a standalone table in this summary, it notes that Kona led the pack and that other expensive locations were mainly resort and island airports.

On the other side of the ledger, the cheapest markets were generally inland or large metro airports where car supply is broad and competition keeps rates down. Travelers flying into major hubs on the mainland — where many rental companies operate large fleets — are more likely to find lower daily prices, especially outside holiday peaks.

Why Kona — and Hawaii generally — runs higher winter prices

Several practical factors push rental rates up in Kona. First, islands have a simple supply-and-demand issue: local fleets are smaller and it is costly to move extra vehicles between islands or from the mainland. That limited supply meets heavy winter demand as tourists flock to warmer weather and holiday vacations.

Airport-specific fees and local taxes can add to the sticker price, too. Airports and local governments sometimes pass on charges that show up directly in rental invoices. Insurance and logistics costs for island operations — such as extra checks or vehicle transport — also tilt prices higher than mainland markets.

Finally, timing matters. Winter includes peak holiday travel and school breaks. That concentrated demand means short periods where cars are scarce, and providers raise rates knowing travelers need ground transport at their destination.

What higher airport rental prices mean for travelers

For vacationers this season, especially families and anyone staying longer than a few days, higher airport rental rates can make a noticeable dent in trip budgets. The premium tends to show up most for weekend bookings and short stays, where daily prices can be particularly elevated.

Because the extra cost is concentrated at the airport, travelers who plan to rely on a rental for multiple days should expect the overall bill to be higher in resort and island markets than in many mainland cities. That effect is felt most strongly by groups that need larger vehicles or multiple cars.

What this means for the travel and car-rental sector

The pattern of high winter prices at resort and island airports is good news for rental operators in those locations: higher seasonal rates boost short-term revenue and can help offset higher operating costs. At the same time, it highlights pressure points for local ground-transport systems and for airport services that rely on visitors moving around once they land.

For the broader travel industry, the trend is a reminder that not all airport markets move the same way. This is primarily consumer-priced data rather than a direct signal for company earnings or stock performance, but it does show where pricing power exists for operators in high-demand locations during the winter travel season.

Sources

• prnewswire.com