$377 million rental car center to open at Honolulu airport

HONOLULU — A $377 million rental car center with room for 4,500 vehicles is scheduled to open at Honolulu’s airport this week.

The five-story facility will allow rental car companies to house their operations in the same centrally located, covered airport structure directly across from airline terminals, said Ross Higashi, the deputy director of the state Department of Transportation’s airports division.

Higashi told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser the project will make it easier for car rental companies to control and maintain their inventory. Companies will have room to store, rent, fuel, wash and repair cars.

Many customers will be able to walk to the center from the terminals, eliminating the need for rental car companies to run pickup shuttles on a constant loop. A consolidated busing system will transport remaining customers.

Higashi said the project was built with revenue from a $4.50 daily fee applied to car rentals.

Planning for the facility began in 2012 and construction started in 2016.

Gov. David Ige and officials from the department are scheduled to dedicate the center at Daniel K. Ino­uye International Airport on Tuesday. It will open for business on Wednesday.