If you’re planning a trip to Hawai‘i — especially during peak seasons like spring break or summer — you may want to prepare for more than just sunscreen and flip‑flops. Recent trends show rental car availability tightening and prices soaring, prompting visitors to rethink how they get around while on vacation.

According to SFGATE, as demand spiked around Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day weekends, rental car fleets on several islands struggled to keep up. Rates for standard cars have more than doubled compared with a year ago in some cases, and certain road‑trip essentials simply aren’t available at traditional agencies.

That shortage has led travelers to think outside the box. Some visitors have turned to alternatives like buying a used car locally, while others are renting U‑Haul trucks or cargo vans just to get from point A to point B. In one widely shared example, a group of friends arriving on the Big Island purchased a used vehicle on Facebook Marketplace for about $800 — and even ended up donating it to a local family at the end of their trip.

Industry insiders point to several causes behind this unusual squeeze:

• Rental fleets were reduced in recent years due to lower demand during the pandemic.

• Ongoing safety recalls have sidelined hundreds of vehicles that rental companies aren’t allowed to rent out.

• Smaller markets such as Maui and Kona can quickly run out of cars when demand spikes sharply.

These supply issues have pushed many vacationers to explore non‑traditional transportation options, such as peer‑to‑peer platforms like Turo, ride‑sharing apps, or planning itineraries that rely less on having a dedicated vehicle.

For travelers, the lesson is clear: book vehicles early, stay flexible, and consider alternatives ahead of time. Given Hawai‘i’s limited public transit outside major urban centers, having reliable ground transportation can still make or break your island experience — but it may take a bit more planning than it used to.

Source: SFGATE