Lihue Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located in the Līhue CDP on the southeast coast of the island of Kauai in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States, two nautical miles east of the center of the CDP. The airport does not serve as a hub for any airline carrier. Numerous inter-island flights are available daily on Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines, and major US and Canadian airlines operate flights on narrow-body aircraft to major cities in western mainland North America. The airport is mostly un-walled and open-air, and the check-in is completely outside. The airport is the primary gateway to Kauai for visitors (especially tourists), and has several rental car facilities. Five motion pictures have filmed scenes at the Lihue Airport: Blue Hawaii, Honeymoon in Vegas, Six Days Seven Nights, Soul Surfer, and The Descendants. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, in which it is categorized as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.

Facilities and aircraft

Lihue Airport covers an area of 915 acre at an elevation of 153 ft above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways designated 3/21 and 17/35, each measuring 6,500 by. The airport also has one helipad measuring 64 by. For the 12-month period ending on August 5, 2022, the airport had 109,650 aircraft operations, an average of 300 per day: 61% air taxi, 28% scheduled commercial, 10% general aviation and 1% military. At that time there were 46 aircraft based at this airport: 19 single-engine, 5 multi-engine and 22 helicopter. On a typical day, certain gates are used for certain airlines to arrive in and depart out of the Lihue Airport. Gates 9-10 are mostly used by United Airlines, flying Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-900ER aircraft along with occasionally using the Boeing 757-200. Alaska Airlines occasionally uses Gate 9 as well. Gates 7-8 are mostly used by Delta Air Lines using the Airbus A321neo, Alaska Airlines using Boeing 737 aircraft, Southwest Airlines and WestJet. Hawaiian Airlines uses both Boeing 717 and Airbus A321 aircraft for gates 3-4, and 5-6 for their inter-island and US mainland flights, according to the airline staff. American Airlines mostly uses Gate 3 and occasionally Gate 4, using the Airbus A321 to fly in and out of Lihue. All gate areas are air-conditioned. Hawaiian Airlines operates one Premier Lounge at the airport, open to first class travelers.

Airlines and destinations

Statistics

Passenger numbers

Top domestic destinations

Airline market share

Public transport

The Kauai Bus route 100/200 connects the airport to downtown Lihue.

Accidents and incidents

A Beechcraft Model 77 Skipper belonging to the Civil Air Patrol crashed into a chain link fence shortly after takeoff on December 15, 2022. The pilot and his young son suffered non-life threatening injuries.