Hilo International Airport

Hilo International Airport (ITO), originally opened in 1927 as General Lyman Field, is a compact but important gateway to east Hawaiʻi on the Big Island, with a single main terminal handling inter-island and limited mainland flights. The airport’s size makes it easy to navigate—expect one terminal with a handful of gates—and it sits a short 10–15 minute drive from downtown Hilo with car rental desks, taxis, airport shuttles and Hele‑On bus links for connections to nearby towns and Volcanoes National Park. Fares for inter-island routes are often affordable, though mainland flights can be pricier; main carriers include Hawaiian Airlines, United and regional operators such as Mokulele, while ITO is not a major airline hub.