Kona Airport: Which Island Does It Serve?

Officially named Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, Kona Airport is located on the western side of the Island of Hawaiʻi, also known as the Big Island. It is one of two international airports serving the island, the other being Hilo International Airport on the eastern side. The airport is located about 7 miles northwest of Kailua-Kona and roughly 25 miles southwest of Waikoloa Village and Waikoloa Beach Resort.

Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole

The airport covers 2,700 acres (1,100 ha) at an elevation of 47 feet (14 m) above sea level. It has one asphalt runway, 17/35, 11,000 by 150 feet (3,353 x 46 m), the second-longest in the Hawaiian Islands. The runway was built on the 1801 Huʻehuʻe lava flow from Hualālai, which extended the shoreline by an estimated 1 mile (1.6 km) and added 4 km2 (1.5 sq mi) of land to the island, creating Keahole Point.

The airport opened on July 1, 1970, with a single 6,500-foot (2.0 km) runway. Construction crews from Bechtel Corporation used three million pounds of dynamite to flatten the lava tube-riddled lava flow within 13 months. In its first full year, 515,378 passengers passed through the new open-air tropical-style terminals.

The airport has had several names over the years. When it first opened in 1970, it was called Ke-āhole Airport, named after its geographical location, Keahole Point, and the ʻāhole fish found in the area. In 1993, it was renamed Keahole-Kona International Airport, reflecting the nearby resort town of Kona. In 1997, the airport was again renamed, this time to Kona International Airport at Keahole, further emphasising its connection to the town. Finally, on January 8, 2017, the airport was given its current name, honouring astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was born and raised in Kona and died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

The airport has undergone modernisation projects, including a recent combination of its two terminals into one central terminal area with a unified security screening area. Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center, a small museum dedicated to the memory of Ellison Onizuka, opened at the airport in 1991 and featured items such as a sample of lunar soil, a spacesuit from Apollo 13, and personal belongings of Onizuka. The centre closed in March 2016 to facilitate the airport's expansion.

Kona International Airport's location

Kona International Airport, officially known as Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, is located on the western side of the Island of Hawaiʻi, also known as the Big Island. The airport is about 7 miles northwest of Kailua-Kona and 25 miles southwest of Waikoloa Village and Waikoloa Beach Resort. It is one of the two main airports on the island, the other being Hilo International Airport, which is located on the eastern side.

Kona International Airport is the primary airport on the Big Island, serving as the entry point for most visitors to the island. It is located off Queen Kaahumanu Highway and is known for its unique design, with an open-air tropical-style terminal and tiki hut-style roofs. The airport covers approximately 3,450 acres of land and handles an average of 9,000 passengers per day.

The airport serves both domestic and international flights, accommodating a range of aviation activities, including interisland, commuter/air taxi, and general aviation flights. Several major airlines serve Kona International Airport, including United, Delta, Hawaiian, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American, Mokulele, and Kona Shuttle.

The history of Kona International Airport dates back to the late 1940s when the need for an airport in the area was recognised. The original Kailua Airstrip was upgraded and renamed Kona Airport, opening in July 1949. Over time, the airport expanded and improved, leading to a significant increase in tourism. In 1969, construction began on a new airport location about 7.5 miles north of the previous site, and the new Keahole Airport was dedicated in 1970.

The airport has undergone various name changes throughout its history, reflecting the geographical location and the nearby resort town of Kona. In 2017, it was renamed Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole to honour astronaut Ellison Onizuka, a native of Kona who perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Kona International Airport's history

Kona International Airport is located on the Island of Hawaiʻi, in the United States. It is the primary airport on the island, serving the leeward (western) side, including the resorts in North Kona and South Kohala.

The airport is situated in Kailua-Kona, around 7 miles northwest of the town centre. Much of the runway is built on a relatively recent lava flow, which added approximately 4 km2 of land to the island.

The history of the airport began in 1947 when the Territorial Legislature recognised the need for an airport in the area. Plans were then made to upgrade the small Kailua Airstrip, with work beginning in the summer of 1948. The opening ceremony for the newly named Kona Airport was held in July 1949.

Over the next few years, upgrades and improvements were made, leading to a rise in tourism. Hotels and other developments were built to meet the increasing demand. By 1955, the once-tiny airstrip covered 120 acres.

However, due to ever-increasing demand, a new airport had to be constructed 7.5 miles north of the previous location. Construction began in 1969, and the new Keahole Airport was dedicated on July 1, 1970, with a single 6,500-foot runway. The previous airstrip became the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area.

In its first full year, 515,378 passengers passed through the new open-air tropical-style terminals. Over the next two decades, overseas flights increased significantly, and shops and displays were added. The airport has had several names over the years, reflecting its location and the nearby town of Kona.

In 1994, the runway was extended to 11,000 feet, making it the second-longest in the Hawaiian Islands. This allowed much larger aircraft to use the airport, enabling non-stop flights between Kona and Tokyo, as well as destinations beyond the West Coast hubs in the US.

Today, Kona International Airport covers around 2,700 acres and handles an average of 9,000 passengers per day. The airport has a unique open-air pavilion design, with passengers boarding using mobile stairs or ramps rather than jet bridges. Despite its smaller size, the airport accommodates large airliners, including Airbus A321 and A330, and Boeing 717, 737, 757, 767, 777, and 787.

Kona International Airport's facilities

Kona International Airport is located on the Island of Hawaiʻi, in the United States. It is the primary airport on the island, serving the leeward (western) side, including the resorts in North Kona and South Kohala.

The airport has a unique design, consisting of open-air terminals in a tropical style. It is divided into three terminals: Terminal 1, which includes gates 1 through 5, Terminal 2, with gates 6 through 10, and Terminal 3, which caters to smaller commuter flights. Kona International is an unusual airport in that it does not use jet bridges for boarding; instead, passengers board and disembark using mobile stairs or ramps.

The airport offers a range of facilities and services to cater to the needs of its passengers. These include duty-free shops, ATMs, currency exchange, free Wi-Fi, a luggage wrapping service, disabled passenger services, first aid, and tour offices. There is also a restaurant/bar, lei and fresh flower stands, a newsstand, and a gift shop. For passengers with disabilities, there is a boarding lift service that can be pre-arranged with the airline. The airport also provides accessible parking spaces and curbside loading and unloading zones.

In addition to these amenities, Kona International Airport also has a unique feature: the Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center. This small museum is dedicated to the memory of Kona native and astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. The museum showcases interactive exhibits, films, and personal items belonging to Onizuka, offering an inspiring glimpse into his life and legacy.

The airport also provides easy access to ground transportation options. Taxi services are readily available curbside in front of the baggage claim area, and pre-arranged transportation options such as tours, courtesy cars, and contracted transport are also available. For those who prefer to rent a car, several rental companies have locations just off the terminal, with some providing continuous shuttle services.

Kona International Airport's runways

Kona International Airport is located on the Island of Hawaiʻi, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, United States. It is the primary airport on the island and serves the leeward (western) side, including the resorts in North Kona and South Kohala. The airport has had several names over the years, with its current name being the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole, honouring the astronaut Ellison Onizuka who was born and raised in Kona and died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

The airport's runway and terminal complex are operated by the state government of Hawaiʻi. The runway is designated as 17/35 and is made of asphalt. It measures 11,000 feet (3,400 metres) in length and 150 feet (46 metres) in width. This makes it the second-longest runway in the Hawaiian Islands after Honolulu. The long runway allows much larger aircraft to use the airport, facilitating nonstop flights to and from destinations like Tokyo and cities beyond the West Coast hubs in the United States.

Much of the runway at Kona International Airport is built on a relatively recent lava flow, the 1801 Huʻehuʻe flow from Hualālai. This lava flow added approximately 4 square kilometres of land to the island, extending the shoreline by about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres). Construction crews used three million pounds of dynamite to flatten the lava tube-riddled flow within 13 months.

The airport initially opened on July 1, 1970, with a single 6,500-foot (2-kilometre) runway. In 1994, the runway was extended to its current length of 11,000 feet. The airport has continued to undergo modernisation projects, including combining its two terminals into one central area and improving the pavement to ensure safe operations.

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