Honolulu International Airport
| Continent: North America | Country: United States | Region: Hawaii |
| Honolulu International Airport/Hickam Air Force Base | |
| Location | Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii |
| IATA code | HNL (Honolulu) HIK (Hickam) |
| ICAO code | PHNL (Honolulu) PHIK (Hickam) |
| Airport type | Mixed-Use Commercial |
| Website | http://www.state.hi.us/dot/airports/oahu/hnl/ |
| Overview map | Google Maps |
| Communications | |
| Tower | 118.1 257.8 123.9 273.575 |
| Ground | 121.9 348.6 |
| Clearance | 121.4 281.4 |
| Approach | 118.3 269.0 338.2 118.3 |
| Departure | 118.3 (West) 124.8 (East) 269.0 (West) 317.6 (East) 338.2 (North-West of Highways H1/H2) 118.3 (West) 124.8 (East) |
| ATIS | 127.9 251.15 |
Honolulu International Airport is the primary gateway to the State of Hawaii, though in recent years, nonstop flights to the outer islands (primarily from North America) have provided alternatives. The field shares runways with Hickam Air Force Base, though the two maintain separate IATA and ICAO identifiers.
Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air maintain their hubs at Honolulu, providing connections between their inter-island flights as well as to and from overseas flights.
The airport has four paved runways (8L/26R, 8R/26L, 4L/22R, and 4R/22L) as well as two water runways (8W/26W and 4W/26W). Of these, 8R/26L, known as the Reef Runway, is the most famous as the first runway built entirely offshore, on a coral reef. Normal operations have departures on 8R, with some inter-island flights using 8L. During the day most arrivals will use 8L, while during the night 4R is used to avoid overflying residential areas. During "Kona Wind" conditions, most departures will use 22L and occasionally 26L, and arrivals will use 26L and 26R.
Official Spotting Locations
Location
Other Spotting Locations
Lagoon Dr. Parking Lot
A parking lot at the end of Lagoon Dr. provides a good view of operations on 8R/26L, 4R/22L, and 4L/22R. A fence can obstruct ground-level shots, however for departures on 8R, most aircraft will be high enough that the fence will not be in your shot. When the terror alert level rises to Orange or above, police inspection checkpoints are put up on Lagoon Dr. just past Aolele St., so this spot becomes inaccessible.
To reach this spot, turn makai (towards the sea) from Nimitz Hwy. or Aolele St. onto Lagoon Dr. and follow it until it ends. This location is also accessible by bus: Take route 31 "Kalihi Lagoon Dr" and get off at Lagoon Dr. and Palekona St., then continue walking down Lagoon Dr. to the parking lot.
Ke'ehi Lagoon Beach Park
This beach park located near the airport can provide good views of operations. A parking lot at the entrance to the park, next to the tennis courts, provides a good place to watch operations, particularly 8L, 22L, and 22R departures, and 26L, 4L, and 4R arrivals. It is however too distant for photography.
You can also continue down the road through the park to the end, and then walk to the beach. There you can see aircraft departing on 8L and 8R, and arriving on 26L and 26R. Departures will generally be too high, but arrivals, especially for 26R, can be low enough to photograph if you have a long enough lens.
There is a public restroom located in the park, should the need arise.
Aloha Tower
The observation deck at the top of Aloha Tower, located in Downtown Honolulu, offers views of the airport, though aircraft will be too distant for photography. Departures on 8R will seem to fly almost straight towards the tower as they lift off, before beginning their right turn.
Airside Viewing
Airside viewing and photography is possible in some areas due to the absence of glass in the walkways between the gates. These areas are the breezeways located between gates 11 and 12, 13 and 14, 23 and 24, and 25 and 26. Ramp clutter may be an issue.
Locations to Avoid
Location
Regular Traffic
Passenger
- Air Canada: 767-300
- Air New Zealand: 767-300
- Air Pacific: 737-700, 737-800
- All Nippon Airways (Air Japan): 767-300
- American Airlines: 757-200, 767-300
- China Airlines: A330-300, A340-300
- Continental Airlines: 757-200, 767-400
- Continental Micronesia: 737-800, 767-400
- Delta Air Lines: 767-300, 767-400
- EVA Air: A330-200
- go!: CRJ-200
- Hawaiian Airlines: 717-200, 767-300
- Island Air: Dash 8-100
- Japan Airlines/JALways: 747-200, 747-300, 747-400, 767-300
- Jetstar Airways: A330-200
- Korean Air: 747-400, 777-200
- Mokulele Airlines: Cessna 208, Embraer 170
- Northwest Airlines: 747-200, 747-400, 757-300, A330-300
- Omni Air International: 757-200
- Pacific Wings: Cessna 208
- Philippine Airlines: A340-300
- Qantas Airways: 747-300, 767-300
- United Airlines: 757-200, 767-300, 777-200
- US Airways: 757-200
- WestJet Airlines: 737-800
Cargo
- Aloha Airlines: 737-200
- Alpine Aviation: Beech 99, Beech 1900
- Asia Pacific Airlines: 727-200
- Corporate Air: Shorts 330
- FedEx: MD-11
- Kalitta Air: 747-100
- United Parcel Service: 747-100, 767-300
Facilities and Transportation
Restroom
A public restroom is available at Ke'ehi Lagoon Beach Park.
Public Transportation
Oahu's bus system, known as TheBus, provides two bus routes that serve the airport terminals. Both Routes 19 and 20 begin in Waikiki and proceed through Downtown Honolulu before reaching the airport. Past the airport, Route 19 enters Hickam Air Force base, while Route 20 proceeds to the Pearlridge Shopping Center in Aiea. Route 31 serves Lagoon Drive; riders can connect to and from routes serving downtown and Waikiki at Nimitz Highway.