Airport parking fees to increase 78%

LIHU‘E – Monthly parking fees at Neighbor Island airports will be hiked March 1, according the state Department of Transportation.

Airport parking fees will increase 78 percent, from $90 to $160, at Lihu‘e Airport, at Kahului and Kapalua airports on Mauai, and at Hilo and Kona International airports on the Big Island. The Honolulu International Airport monthly fee was raised 29 percent, from $170 to $240, last June.

“The increase is part of (former) Gov. Lingle’s New Day project to raise revenues for airports,” said Dan Meisenzahl, state DOT chief of communications. “That we were really undercharging for parking was one of the areas recognized. The increase was supposed to happen over a two-year period, but during the election year, they held off the increases.”

There are 90 customers buying monthly passes at Lihu‘e Airport, Meisenzahl said. That means the increase should generate approximately $75,600 for the airport’s general fund annually.

“The monthly rate was an underutilized source of revenue and brings it in line with what’s happening across the country,” he said.

Neighbor Island rate increases are proportionate to the daily and hourly rate increases that went into effect at airports statewide in May of last year, Meisenzahl said.

In August 2009, the first of two incremental increases in parking fees since 1993 were implemented, which raised the daily rate from $7 to $9 a day at Neighbor Island airports.

Honolulu International went from $9 to $13 a day. 

In May, the second incremental rate increased fees from $9 to $11 a day and at Neighbor Island airports and from $13 to $15 at Honolulu International. 

For more information, contact the respective airport parking offices directly: Lihu‘e Airport, AMPCO System Parking 245-8716; Kahului and Kapalua Airports, Maui, Standard Parking 871-0610; Hilo International Airport, AMPCO System Parking 969-6642; and Kona International Airport, AMPCO System Parking 329-5404.