Car hire prices at Kona Airport

Kona Airport car hire costs around £39 a day for an Intermediate, the Volkswagen Jetta size, booked about a month ahead for October 2026. An Economy car such as the Mitsubishi Mirage averages £35 a day, while a Fullsize Chevrolet Malibu runs to £45. In the last 2 weeks, that Intermediate rises slightly to £41 a day. November 2026 is the cheapest month across the year at £44 a day for an Economy, compared to July 2027 which peaks at £83 for a higher-tier car. The price checker will show what holds for your exact travel dates.

Booking late saves about 59% at Kona Airport, where cars average £72 a day 9 months before travel compared to £46 around 2 weeks before your trip. For October 2026, an Intermediate car is £39 a day booked around a month before pickup and £41 in the final 2 weeks, so waiting does not hurt. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 48% of our customers book within 16 days of pickup. If you are travelling in July 2027, prices reach £83 a day, whereas November 2026 drops to £44.

Budget is the cheapest car hire company at Kona Airport for an Intermediate, averaging £43 a day over the last 12 months from 1,645 prices. Budget sits at the airport with an average 7-minute desk wait, but it requires a credit card for the deposit. Thrifty and Avis are the nearest alternatives at £46 a day, with Thrifty accepting debit cards for all rentals. Sixt charges £63 a day and Enterprise £52, both scoring around 90/100 in reviews.

The cheapest company can cost you a longer queue or a bigger deposit, so check the review score and desk wait beside each car in the results before you book.

National is the best-reviewed company at Kona Airport, scoring 92/100 from 279 customer reviews with an average desk wait of 24 minutes. National is among the pricier options at £64 a day on average for an Intermediate. By contrast, Budget is the cheapest supplier at £43 a day, scoring 79/100 from 58 reviews with a 7-minute wait. Alamo averages 31 minutes at the counter and does not yet have enough reviews for a score.

Review scores are CarTrawler customers' own, from the last five months; the score and the desk wait sit beside each car in the results.

At Kona Airport, typical deposits range from £148 with Budget and Sixt to £222 with Avis, and 5 of the 9 desks refuse debit cards entirely. Only Thrifty accepts a debit card across its fleet, while 3 companies accept one for selected cars only. Because 5 desks remain strictly credit-only, filter for a debit card before comparing prices. Any optional extras charged at the desk are listed under each vehicle.

If you bring your own child seat, check your airline's rules first: most carry one free, some charge.

Payment rules and desk queues catch people out at Kona Airport, where some counters refuse debit cards and waiting times stretch past 30 minutes. Five of the 9 rental desks demand a credit card in the lead driver's name, leaving debit card holders stranded before they leave the counter. Alamo averages a 31-minute queue, so standing in line can easily take longer than crossing between coasts. All 9 counters sit at the airport, so you will at least avoid a shuttle bus before facing the paperwork.

Only 50% of prices at Kona Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

For most trips, an Intermediate such as the Volkswagen Jetta makes the most sense at Kona Airport, priced at £39 a day for October 2026. It seats 5 people and holds 3 bags, avoiding an oversized car on narrow island loops. Stepping down to an Economy Mitsubishi Mirage costs £35 a day but squeezes boot space to 2 bags, while a Fullsize Chevrolet Malibu takes 4 bags for £45. Every car offered is an automatic, while electric and hybrid models are not available in the fleet.