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Short answer: Hilo airport parking costs up to $24 per 24 hours, plus a $2.99 transaction fee, in one main lot a few minutes’ walk from the terminal. Since January 2026 entry is ticketless: the system reads your license plate.
Parking at Hilo International Airport (ITO) works the same way as at Kona: the same rates, the same ticketless system and the same option to book ahead. Here are the details from the official ITO parking site.
Hilo airport parking rates
Rates in effect since February 1, 2024:
| Time parked | Total |
|---|---|
| Up to 15 minutes | Free |
| 16 to 30 minutes | $2 |
| Up to 1 hour | $5 |
| Up to 2 hours | $8 |
| Up to 3 hours | $11 |
| Up to 4 hours | $15 |
| Up to 5 hours | $19 |
| 5 to 24 hours (maximum per 24 hours) | $24 |
A $2.99 transaction fee is added at checkout. Major credit cards are accepted. Cash is taken only at the attended booth in the main public lot, and checks are not. There is no public monthly parking.
The main lot
The public lot has 481 spaces and is a 3 to 4 minute walk to the terminal, with accessible and EV parking. The parking site shows live occupancy, so you can check how full it is before you drive over. EV-only stalls and a charging station for two vehicles are in the main lot.
Ticketless entry and reservations
In January 2026, HDOT switched Hilo and Kona to ticketless parking with Metropolis. To use it, download the Metropolis app, go to app.metropolis.io, or scan the QR code at the lot, then add your phone number, license plate and a payment method. After that you drive in and out without a ticket and the charge goes to your card. If you haven’t signed up, you can still pay an attendant by cash, credit or debit card when you leave. HDOT says the rates did not change.
You can also reserve a space ahead on the ITO parking site. Bookings can be changed up to 2 hours before they start, and same-day booking is available.
Questions on the day go to the Metropolis Airport Services attendant at the lot exit, 808-969-6642.
Picking someone up
The cell phone waiting lot is at the Commuter Air Terminal, west of the main terminal. It is open 5am to 10pm, first come first served, with a 45-minute maximum wait. Stay with your car: unattended vehicles are cited and towed. To get there, take Kekuanaoa Street (Airport Road) off Highway 11, then turn left on Kekuanaoa Place and follow the lighted sign.
Renting instead of parking?
See whether you need a car on the Big Island (you almost certainly do). Flying into Kona instead? See Kona airport parking and the Kona Airport rental car guide. Other islands: airport parking at Honolulu (HNL), Kahului (OGG) and Lihue (LIH).
Renting a car instead? See every Hilo car rental desk, rated.
Compare rental rates for your trip →
Photo: Bill Rand from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Researched and written by Neo Pecorro. Facts on this page were checked against the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the official ITO parking site, plus the other sources linked above. Hawaii rules change often, so confirm on the official page before you go.
Last updated: October 19, 2026.