Honolulu International Airport

Continent: North America

Country: United States

Region: Hawaii

Daniel K. Inouye 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://hawaii.gov/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
Plane Spotting Hotels guide

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.

Other Spotting Locations

Lagoon Dr. Parking Lot

At the southermost end of Lagoon Dr there are two parking lots that provide a good view of operations on 8R/26L, 4R/22L, and 4L/22R (Lagoon Dr lot) and 4R/22L, 4L/22R (Palekona St lot). A fence can obstruct ground-level shots at both lots, however shots are possible of aircraft when they are high enough so that the fence will not be in your shot. Be aware that when the terror alert level rises, police inspection checkpoints are put up on Lagoon Dr just past Aolele St, so this spot becomes inaccessible.

To reach these spots, turn makai (towards the sea) from Nimitz Hwy or Aolele St onto Lagoon Dr and follow it until it ends.

Although rather close to you (200mm lens gives you a full frame 767), take offs from 8R (which is used most of the time only for departures and only for wide-bodies) are difficult to photograph as you will be facing the sun all day long.

• Airliners.net sample photo: medium large

Much better light can be utilized on landings on 4R and 4L where, if you are lucky, both widebodies (also cargo) and military aircraft can be spotted and the mountains of Oahu will provide nice background.

• Planes.cz sample photo of aircraft landing on 4R (240mm) in early morning light

Iroquois Point

Iroquois Point is a gated community just across the bay west of the airport, however, when you register on the spot, you can drive in and get to the beach that provides good views of aircraft coming to land on runway 8L (where most aircraft land) and taxiing to the Reef Runway (8R). For 8L, a 250mm lens will give you a full frame A330 with sun being behind you. For 8R you will need at least 300mm and in that case heat haze can be a problem. If you succeed, the Honolulu skyline provides a nice backdrop.

• Planes.cz sample photo of one aircraft taxiing to 8R and one taking off from 8R (300mm) in late afternoon light.

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.

• Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (between gates 25 and 26)

Spotting Locations Map

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Regular Traffic

Passenger

Airline	Aircraft	Lobby
Air Canada	767-300	4
Air China	A330-200	8
Air New Zealand	787-9	4
Alaska Airlines	737-800, A320-200	5
All Nippon Airways	777-300ER, 787-9, A380-800	4
American Airlines	757-200, 787-8, A321-200, A330-300	7
Asiana Airlines	A330-300	8
China Airlines	A350-900	4
China Eastern Airlines	A330-200	7
Delta Air Lines	A330-300, 757-200, 757-300, 767-300	7
Fiji Airways	737-700, 737-800	4
Hawaiian Airlines	A321neo, A330-300, 717-200	2, 3, 4
Japan Airlines	777-200, 777-300, 787-8	5
Jetstar Airways	787-8	4
Jin Air	777-200	6
Korean Air	A330-300, 747-400	4
Lanai Air (Western Aircraft)	Pilatus PC-12 (single turboprop)
Mokulele Airlines	Cessna 208 (single turboprop)	Terminal 3
Ohana by Hawaiian (Empire Airlines)	ATR-42-500 (twin-turboprop)	3
Phillipine Airlines	A330-300	4
Qantas	A330-300/200 (-200 rarely used)	7
Southwest Airlines	737-800	6
United Airlines	737-800, 737 MAX 9, 757-200, 767-300, 767-400, 777-200	8
WestJet	737-700, 737-800	4

Cargo

• Aloha Air Cargo: 737-300, 767-300, Saab 340
• Asia Pacific Airlines: 757-200
• Cargolux: 747-400 (Friday only)
• Corporate Air: Cessna 208, Short 330
• FedEx: DC-10, MD-11
• Kalitta Air: 747-100/200/SR
• Kamaka Air: Beech 18, Cessna 208, DC-3
• Ohana by Hawaiian (Empire Airlines): ATR-72-200
• Pacific Air Cargo: Cessna 208
• Transair: 737-200, Short 360
• United Parcel Service (UPS): 747-400, 767-300, MD-11

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 three bus routes that serve the airport terminals. Routes 19 and 20 begin in Waikiki and proceed through Downtown Honolulu before reaching the airport. Past the airport, Route 19 enters Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, while Route 20 proceeds to the Pearlridge Shopping Center in Aiea. Route 31 operates between Tripler Medical Center and the airport via the Kalihi Transit Center. Route 31 previously operated down Lagoon Drive, but no longer does so.