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Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, also known as KOA Airport, is located on Hawaii's Big Island, in West Hawaii at Keahole. It is the primary airport for West Hawaii, serving interisland, international, and overseas flights. The airport is named after astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was born and raised in Kona and died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Kona Airport is known for its open-air design and tiki hut-style roofs, offering a charming and unique Hawaiian experience for travellers. With its convenient location and ample facilities, it serves as the perfect gateway to explore the beautiful destinations and attractions on Hawaii Island.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole |
| Other Names | Ke-āhole Airport, Keāhole-Kona International Airport, Kona International Airport at Keahole, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, Kona Airport, KOA Airport |
| Location | West Hawaii, 7 miles north of Kailua-Kona |
| Year of Opening | 1970 |
| Area | 3,450 acres |
| Average Daily Passenger Traffic | 9,000 |
| Total Passenger Traffic in 2021 | 3 million |
| Number of Terminals | 2 or 3 |
| Number of Gates | 11 |
| Airlines | United, Delta, Hawaiian, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American, Mokulele, Kona Shuttle, Aloha Airlines, Japan Airlines |
| Aircraft | Airbus A321, A330, Boeing 717, 737, 757, 767, 777, 787, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 |
| Amenities | Lei and fresh flower stands, newsstand, gift shop, restaurant/bar, snack shops, sit-down restaurants, duty-free shops, ATMs, currency exchange, free Wi-Fi, luggage wrapping service, disabled passengers services, first aid, tour offices, SpeediShuttle counter, car rental |
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What You'll Learn
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole
The airport covers 4,204 acres at an elevation of 47 feet above mean sea level. It consists of three passenger terminals, with gates 1 through 5 in Terminal 1, gates 6 through 10 in Terminal 2, and Terminal 3 hosting smaller commuter flights. Kona International Airport is unique among major airports in the Hawaiian Islands in that passengers board using mobile stairs or ramps rather than jet bridges. Despite these less modern facilities, large airliners such as the Airbus A321 and A330, as well as various Boeing models, use the airport.
In 1994, the airport's runway was extended to 11,000 feet, making it the second-longest in the Hawaiian Islands after Honolulu. This extension allowed much larger aircraft to use the airport, enabling nonstop flights to the US West Coast, as well as international destinations like Tokyo. Japan Airlines commenced a Kona-Tokyo route in 1996, and Hawaiian Airlines has since sought to restore this link with nonstop flights to Tokyo's Haneda Airport.
The airport's impact on tourism in the region has been significant. Prior to its construction in 1970, tourism was centred on the town of Hilo on the eastern side of the island. The opening of the airport accelerated a shift in tourism to the western side, where large resorts began opening around 1968. This shift is evident in the Hawaii Island Strategic Plan for 2006-2015, which shows an increase in accommodations on the west side of the island to 86% of the total by 2005.
The airport also houses the Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center, a small museum that opened in 1991. The centre features displays such as a sample of lunar soil, a spacesuit from Apollo 13, and personal items belonging to Onizuka.
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KOA is located in West Hawaii
Kona International Airport, also known as the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, is located in West Hawaii. It is the primary airport for West Hawaii and is the largest airport on Hawaii's Big Island. The airport is situated 7 miles north of Kailua-Kona and 25 miles southwest of Waikoloa. It is one of the two major airports on the Big Island, the other being Hilo International Airport on the eastern side of the island.
Kona International Airport serves as a hub for interisland, international, and overseas flights, connecting passengers to various domestic and international destinations. The airport has two terminals with 11 gates and offers a range of amenities and conveniences for travellers, including restaurants, snack shops, lei and fresh flower stands, newsstands, gift shops, and ATMs. It also provides several easy-to-access options for ground transportation, including rental cars, rideshare services, taxi services, shuttle services, and public transportation.
The airport's open-air design and tiki hut-style roofs provide a charming and unique Hawaiian ambiance. It is known for its convenient location, ample facilities, and supportive airport services, making it a perfect gateway for exploring Hawaii Island. The airport also offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape, including the active volcanoes, scenic coastline, and golf courses that the Big Island is famous for.
Kona International Airport is a significant transportation hub for visitors to West Hawaii, with almost 3 million passengers registered in 2021. It is well-equipped to handle large aircraft, with a runway extended to 11,000 feet, enabling nonstop flights to various international destinations. The airport plays a crucial role in facilitating tourism and contributing to the overall population growth of Hawaii County.
Overall, the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) is a vital gateway to West Hawaii, offering convenient access, a range of amenities, and a unique cultural experience for travellers visiting the region.
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The airport is named after astronaut Ellison Onizuka
Kona International Airport, also known as KOA, is located on the Island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island. The airport was renamed Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole on January 8, 2017, to honour the memory of astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was born and raised in Kona. Onizuka was an American astronaut, engineer, and U.S. Air Force flight test engineer from Kealakekua, Hawaii. He was the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese ancestry to reach space. Onizuka successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C and was honoured as the first Asian astronaut to venture into space.
On January 28, 1986, Onizuka died in the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, on which he was serving as a Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L. The Challenger disaster also claimed the lives of six other crew members. The crew of this mission was carefully chosen to represent the spirit of America, with people from various walks of life, backgrounds, and regions. Ellison Onizuka was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
The Ellison S. Onizuka Space Centre at Kona International Airport in the Kona district of Hawaii Island, where he was born and raised, was dedicated to him. The centre closed in March 2016 and was unable to find a suitable location to reopen. However, select items from the centre's collection, including Onizuka's personal items and the only Moon rock in Hawaii, are now on permanent display at the Japanese Cultural Centre of Hawaii in Mōʻiliʻili on the island of Oahu.
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It is the primary airport on the Island of Hawaii
Kona International Airport, also known as Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA), is the primary airport on the Island of Hawaii. It is located in West Hawaii, about 7 miles north of Kailua-Kona, and serves most of West Hawaiʻi. The airport occupies about 3,450 acres and hosts an average of 9,000 passengers per day, with a record of almost 3 million passengers in 2021.
Kona International Airport is one of two major airports on the Big Island, the other being Hilo International Airport (ITO) on the East coast. Kona Airport is known for its charming open-air design and tiki hut-style roofs, providing passengers with a true Hawaiian ambiance. It is also one of the only remaining major airports in the Hawaiian Islands where passengers board using mobile stairs or ramps instead of jet bridges.
The airport serves interisland, international, and overseas flights, with 10 airlines connecting passengers to various domestic and international destinations. These include transpacific flights to destinations like Tokyo and Vancouver, as well as inter-island flights to Honolulu, Kahului, and Lihue. Several airlines serve KOA, including United, Delta, Hawaiian, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American, Mokulele, and Kona Shuttle.
Kona International Airport offers a range of amenities and conveniences for travellers, including restaurants, snack shops, lei and fresh flower stands, a newsstand, gift shops, and ATMs. There is also complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the terminal, and ground transportation options such as rental cars, taxi services, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, shuttle services, and public transportation.
With its convenient location, ample facilities, and airport support services, Kona International Airport serves as the perfect gateway to explore the wonders of Hawaii Island, including popular destinations such as Waikaloa, Captain Cook, and Kailua-Kona.
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Kona Airport is one of two major airports on the Big Island
Kona International Airport, also known as Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, is located on the Island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island. It is one of two major airports on the island, the other being Hilo International Airport on the eastern side of the island. Kona Airport is located in West Hawaii, about 7 miles north of Kailua-Kona, and serves most of West Hawaiʻi.
The airport is named after astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was born and raised in Kona and died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Kona International Airport is the only remaining major airport in the Hawaiian Islands where passengers board using mobile stairs or ramps, instead of modern jet bridges. It has an open-air design with tiki hut-style roofs, providing passengers with a true Hawaiian ambiance. The airport is easy to navigate and has a charming look and feel.
Kona International Airport serves interisland, international, and overseas flights, with several airlines serving the airport, including United, Delta, Hawaiian, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American, Mokulele, and Kona Shuttle. It is the largest airport on Hawaii's Big Island, with two terminals and 11 gates, and acts as the primary airport for West Hawaii. The airport occupies about 3,450 acres and registered almost 3 million passengers during 2021, hosting an average of 9,000 passengers per day.
The airport's runway was extended to 11,000 feet in 1994, the second-longest in the Hawaiian Islands after Honolulu. This extension allowed much larger aircraft to use the airport, enabling nonstop flights between Kona and Tokyo or destinations in the United States beyond the West Coast hubs. Japan Airlines started a Kona-Tokyo flight in 1996, and Hawaiian Airlines has also applied for similar routes.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport KOA is located on Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island.
The airport's full name is Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole.
The airport was originally named Ke-āhole Airport in 1970, after its geographical location, Keahole Point. In 1993, it was renamed Keāhole-Kona International Airport, and in 1997, the Kona name was emphasised further, becoming the Kona International Airport at Keāhole. Finally, on January 1st, 2017, the airport was renamed Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole to honour astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was born and raised in Kona and died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
The airport has an open-air design with tiki hut-style roofs, providing a charming and unique Hawaiian ambiance. Facilities include a restaurant/bar, snack shops, lei and fresh flower stands, a newsstand, a gift shop, ATMs, duty-free shops, currency exchange, free Wi-Fi, a luggage wrapping service, disabled passenger services, first aid, and tour offices.
The airport offers various transportation options, including rental cars, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, taxi services, shuttle services, and public buses. Renting a car is recommended for the most convenient and flexible transportation on the Big Island.
