How to Get to Big Island from Oahu

Famous the world over for the intense activity of the Kilaue volcano and its eruption in 2018, a visit to Hawaii's Big Island is rated as one of the best things to do on Oahu.

If you've already done the basic Oahu itinerary, such as a tour to the north of the island; a visit to the Pearl Harbor facility; a boat ride on Oahu and attending a Luau show, it's time to explore new boundaries and Big Island is an excellent alternative.

Transportation on the island of Oahu and the nearby islands is often a bit tricky, so the best way to get to certain destinations is by renting a car in urban centres like Honolulu or by hiring an organised tour to take you there.

The latter is by far my favourite and the one that I recommend to all my travelling friends, especially when it comes to getting to one of the other islands that make up the archipelago.

Oahu is the most touristy and most visited island in the archipelago and, for that reason, you'll find numerous excursions and experiences of all kinds. Including, of course, visits to Big Island.

What do these tours offer?

Although it's true that the itinerary may vary slightly depending on the company you hire, this type of excursion usually starts quite early in the morning with the traveller being picked up directly from their hotel in Waikiki.

From the airport you'll take air transport (either helicopter or plane) to get you on your way to see the wonders of the Big Island.

One of the most impressive visits is to check out the famous Volcanoes National Park, where you can see active lava flows and the steam vents of the volcanic craters from a safe distance.

Excursions of this type also include a tour of many notable sites on the island such as Kilauea Iki Overlook, Chain of Craters Road, Devastation Trail and the Thurston Lava Tube, known to the locals as Nahuku.

You will also have the opportunity to see local natural wonders such as theimpressive Kilauea Waterfall, as well as the magnificent coastal regions or the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory, where you can watch the manufacturing process and buy refreshments.

Useful information

• Price: This is a private tour experience priced from approximately €600 per participant.
• Trip duration: With a duration of approximately 12 hours, this is a full day tour.
• Recommended if... You are looking to make the most of your trip to Hawaii and get to know the nearby islands. This trip can be complemented with a visit to the island of Maui from Oahu and complete the perfect circuit of Hawaii's best and most popular islands.

When Oahu residents need to travel to the Big Island, the only means of transportation available to them is by plane- unless they own their own private yacht, of course.

For this reason, flying is not a luxury option for the bulk of the population, but taking a plane between Oahu and the Big Island is a common practice and alternatives abound.

Route

If you decide to make your own way to the Big Island from Oahu, you'll need to fly from Honolulu Airport on the island of Oahu to land at Kailua-Kona Airport on the Big Island. The flight takes approximately 45 minutes each way.

Oahu is one of the most well-connected islands in Hawaii and it is easy to get direct, non-stop flights from Oahu to any other destination in the archipelago, so this is an advantage I recommend you take advantage of.

Between Oahu and the Big Island alone, there are an average of 18-21 flights daily.

Local carriers offering the service

Since Oahu is Hawaii's most popular island, you'll find numerous airlines offering direct service between the main islands, including, of course, the Big Island. Of the many Honolulu airlines, here are the names of those that offer connecting flights daily or several times a day.

• Hawaiian Airlines The most established airline in Hawaii, HawaiianAirlines offers connections from Oahu to all the islands of the archipelago with several direct flights.
• Southwest Airlines A recently established but promising airline that began service in 2019 and offers direct flights to Maui in addition to the Big Island.
• Mokulele Airlines It is a small airline, so its flights are not very numerous. However, I like to consider them as their flights depart from the smaller terminals are often less stressful than flights departing from the main terminals.

Some useful information

• Price: An economy class airline ticket can be available for as little as €80 one way. You can find return trips for €120 and upwards.
• Travel Time: Once the plane takes off, the flight to Big Island only takes 45 minutes to complete. You'll need to add waiting time at the airports as additional time.
• Recommended if... Your stay in Hawaii includes 7 days on Oahu or more as when travelling on your own you may need to set aside 2 days of your itinerary to visit and enjoy Hawaii's Big Island.

Unfortunately, there is currently no direct ferry service connecting the island of Oahu with the Big Island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

A few years ago and for a while there was an excellent service operating under the name Hawaii Superferry.

The service maintained operations from 2003 to 2009. It departed from Honolulu harbour on the island of Oahu and Kahului harbour on Maui and stopped at each of the main islands of the archipelago.

In the years that followed, there have been numerous attempts to reactivate it, but it is to be hoped that it will be revived soon!

Here are some useful tips to help you plan your adventure to the Big Island from Oahu.

Book early

Whenever possible, I recommend to all my traveler friends to book their tours in advance to avoid inconvenience and unavailability on the date of their visit.

This advice is especially relevant if you decide to visit the island during peak tourist seasons, from June to October, when many North American visitors visit the warm beaches to escape the cold of the north.

Book an organised tour of the Big Island

This tip is for travellers who want to do the tour on their own; even if you like adventure and independence, touring the Big Island with a guide is a totally worthwhile experience.

This island, famous for its active volcanoes, offers fascinating stories and curiosities that you won't find in a guidebook or online blog.

Buy non-stop flights, always.

Unless you have no other option, always buy non-stop flights, even if they're a little more expensive. If you're travelling from Oahu this is actually easy, as most inter-island flights connect through Oahu.

There are also cheap flights with stopovers before your final destination, a highly inconvenient practice when you're holidaying in such a far-flung destination and looking to make the most of your time. Want to spend hours of your holiday in an airport unnecessarily? I don't think so!

Check out all the airlines

On Oahu you'll find a number of airlines offering connections to the other islands in the archipelago. The best way to find cheap flights is to check out all the airlines available and try to take advantage of the deals they occasionally offer.

Both islands are in the Hawaiian archipelago and closer than you think. Honolulu Airport on Oahu and Kona Airport on the Big Island are approximately 262.5 kilometres apart as the crow flies, so the flight time between the two destinations is usually between 30 and 45 minutes.