--- iata: LIH name: Lihue Airport city: Lihue country: United States lastUpdated: '2026-09-09' officialWebsite: 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/' sources: - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/airport-info/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/flights/airlines/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/flights/ticketing-check-in/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/flights/tsa-checkpoint-hours/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/flights/agriculture-inspection/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/flights/arrivals-baggage-claim/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/' - >- https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/car-rentals/ - >- https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/taxicab/ - >- https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/kauai-bus/ - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/getting-to-from/parking/' - >- https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/getting-to-from/parking/cell-phone-waiting-area/ - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/shop-dine/' - 'https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/services-amenities/internet-services/' - >- https://airports.hawaii.gov/lih/services-amenities/persons-with-disabilities/ - >- https://hidot.hawaii.gov/airports/files/2026/02/DOT-Air-Statistics-CY-2021-through-Dec-2025.pdf - >- https://hidot.hawaii.gov/airports/crosswalk-and-traffic-signal-improvements-to-begin-at-lihu%ca%bbe-airport/ - 'https://www.airnav.com/airport/PHLI' - >- https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/content/our-services/products-and-programs/lounges/overview - 'https://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3319' - 'https://www.prioritypass.com/en/lounges/united-states-of-america' - >- https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Transportation/Bus-Fares - >- https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Transportation/Bus-Schedules - >- https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Transportation/Carry-On-Items-Prohibited-Activities quickFacts: - >- Kauai’s only scheduled passenger airport. Official HDOT year-end file: 3,754,658 passengers in calendar 2025 (+2% vs 2024). - >- One single-level Kawakami Terminal, eight gates, level-entry loading bridges. Official HDOT: no elevators or escalators required. - >- USDA inspects mainland checked bags at the airline counters (you are present). Carry-ons are opened at TSA. Different from Kona’s after-acceptance screening. - >- Hawaiian Premier Club is the only lounge Hawaiian lists here. Live Priority Pass USA has Honolulu and Kahului, not Lihue. HDOT has no airline-lounges page. - >- Official HDOT internet page still says the airport does not currently offer Wi-Fi. Treat “LIH Public WiFi” blogs as unverified. - >- No rail. Kauaʻi Bus Routes 100/200 stop in the median — $2 mainline, no Sunday service. Rentals are across the street, not a CONRAC tram. bentoTips: - label: USDA at the counter title: Open the bag before you walk to TSA detail: >- Official HDOT departures page. This is Kahului-style, not Kona’s after-acceptance screen. Empty the bottle at TSA. summary: >- Mainland checked bags are inspected at the airline counters — you are standing there. Carry-ons are opened again at TSA. category: timing - label: 'One hall, eight gates' title: Stay on the ground floor detail: >- Ticket counters, USDA, TSA, bags, and the curb are the same level. Do not hunt Terminal 2 or Gates 11–14. summary: >- Official HDOT: one single-level terminal with eight gates and level-entry loading bridges. There is no second departure hall. category: terminal - label: Eat on the official hours title: 'Ai Ono opens at 05:30' detail: >- Stinger Ray’s 10:00–21:00 and Mea Inu 10:00–22:00. The HMS Host kiosk opens with flights only. summary: >- Official sit-down is Ai Ono Café 05:30–20:30. Starbucks 05:30–21:30. Hours still track the flight bank. category: food - label: One snack lounge title: Premier Club is Hawaiian-only detail: >- Access is Atmos status plus Huakaʻi, or first/business on Hawaiian or Alaska. Paid Premier Club memberships ended 1 Jan 2025. summary: >- Hawaiian lists a Premier Club at Lihue. Priority Pass does not work here. No day pass, no Plumeria Lounge, no Sky Club. category: status lounges: - name: Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club zone: airside hours: >- Third-party listings typically 06:00–19:30 daily; HDOT does not publish hours — confirm on the door access: - >- Atmos Rewards status (any tier) plus Huakaʻi by Hawaiian — up to two guests - Hawaiian or Alaska first or business class (no guests) - >- Arrival access only if Huakaʻi plus Atmos status or first class, connecting same-day on Hawaiian or Alaska bestFor: - Air-conditioned wait on a Hawaiian departure - Atmos + Huakaʻi travelers summary: >- The only lounge Hawaiian lists at Lihue — a small air-conditioned snack room airside near Gate 5 on traveler listings. Live Priority Pass USA has no Lihue / LIH pin; Hawaiian’s lounge FAQ limits PP to Kahului. verdict: depends terminal: Kawakami Terminal amenities: - Air conditioning - Soft drinks - Local snacks - Wi-Fi - Power outlets waterOptions: - kind: refill name: Airside restroom bottle fillers zone: airside summary: >- HDOT does not publish a hydration map. Empty the bottle at TSA, then refill after the checkpoint — this is the free option. location: >- Traveler-documented fillers with the restroom fountains in the airside holdrooms after Checkpoint #1 terminal: Kawakami Terminal isBestValue: true isBestQuality: true - kind: free name: Landside restroom fountains zone: landside summary: >- Basic fountains. Fine if you are waiting on bags or a Kauaʻi Bus. Not cold-filtered stations. location: >- Ticketing-lobby and baggage-claim restrooms before you commit to a $3 bottle terminal: Kawakami Terminal - kind: purchase name: News Stand / Starbucks zone: landside price: $3–4.50 for a typical 500 ml–1 L bottle summary: >- Standard airport markup. Buy here only if you will miss the airside fillers. Hours still track the banks. location: >- Official News Stand (06:00–22:00) and Starbucks (05:30–21:30) on the shop-and-dine list terminal: Kawakami Terminal - kind: purchase name: HMS Host Food Kiosk zone: airside price: $3–5 for bottled water summary: >- Grab-and-go after TSA when the bank is live. Do not count on it between banks. location: >- Official grab-and-go kiosk — open depending on flight times, not a 24-hour shop terminal: Kawakami Terminal airportistScore: 6.9 slug: lih region: North America --- > Markdown for [/airports/lih](/airports/lih). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/lih) - [Lounge directory](/airports/lih/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Lihue Airport (LIH) Lihue, United States · North America Kauai’s only scheduled passenger field: one single-level hall, USDA at the ticket counter, one Hawaiian snack lounge that does not take Priority Pass, and a $2 bus that does not run on Sunday. ## Airportist Score **6.9 / 10** Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge). - Ease of use (25%): 8.2 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout. - Comfort & amenities (20%): 6.6 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet. - Food & retail (15%): 6.8 — Food and retail quality and variety. - Ground access (15%): 6.4 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city. - Reliability (15%): 7.2 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience. - Lounges (10%): 4.4 — Worth-it density and access quality. ## At a glance - Passengers: 3.8M - Terminals: 1 single-level Kawakami Terminal (8 gates) - Typical security: 10 min - On-time: 86% - Disruption: minor ## Best for - Kauai origin-and-destination trips with 2+ hours and a bag to USDA-inspect - Hawaiian / Alaska first-class or Atmos + Huakaʻi travelers who can use the Premier Club - Drivers who will walk across to the rental booths rather than a Poipu taxi ## Watch out for - Assuming Priority Pass, a Plumeria Lounge, or airport Wi-Fi exists (official HDOT still says no Wi-Fi; live PP has no LIH pin) - Planning a Sunday Kauaʻi Bus — official printed schedules have no Sunday service - Treating Barking Sands (BKH/PHBK), Port Allen (PAK), or Princeville (HPV) as this airport - Circling the curb during the May 2026–March 2027 crosswalk work instead of using the cell-phone lot ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/lih/lounges.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/lih/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/lih/amenities.md) - [Traveler tips](/airports/lih/tips.md) - [Water](/airports/lih/water.md) - [Full guide](/airports/lih/guide.md) - [Disruptions](/airports/lih/disruptions.md) - [Reviews](/airports/lih/reviews.md) (free)