Located amongst the sparkling turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a quaint, tropical island that promises holidaymakers a truly unique holiday experience. It isn't hard to see why Hawaii often scores high on holidaymakers' travel bucket lists from stunning beaches, crystal-clear seawater, palm-fringed lagoons, and spectacular sunsets. 

However, despite the islands boasting the idea of fauna, flora, and fun, providing that you are happy staying at your resort twenty-four-seven, this tropical paradise is somewhat limited when it comes to travel. No matter the holiday destination you have in mind, driving is always the ideal way to get around and offer you and your traveling companions more flexibility. 

Depending on which island you plan to visit and what you intend to do during your vacation, we recommend adding a rental car to your holiday checklist. Whether you want to hire a rental car from the airport upon arrival or prepare for your trip ahead of time by booking online, there are plenty of options for holidaymakers. From small economy vehicles to four-wheel SUVs, here are some of our top tips for getting a great deal on a rental car in Hawaii. 

Look Into Discount Schemes

First things first, you should look into various discount schemes that may be available for car rental services. If you are traveling somewhere for work purposes, you may be able to have the cost covered by your business, or you may be able to have it partly covered by a discounted partnership they have.

You may even be able to find some deals that are provided by discount specialists, either all year round, or at certain times of the year. Either way, you should look into these discount schemes before you purchase anything to find the best ways to save money. 

Compare Deals

You should compare different deals so that you can find yourself the best outright deal. If you are only looking at one company, then your options will be limited. The choice of the vehicle itself will be limited, and the prices and flexibility. You may find that certain vehicles suit you more than others, or maybe a rental service is offering you something more flexible that is more preferable.

There are a few different ways you can compare deals and rental car services. One of the best ways is to compare online and define your search parameters. For example, you could choose the days you need, to the exact time you pick it up and drop it off. It's easy to hire a car in Oahu, as it's one of the major islands of Hawaii. You will have a few different agencies to choose between to help you find the best deal for yourself. Car rentals in Hawaii are streamlined to be a simple process.

If you can effectively compare car rental suppliers in Oahu, you will be able to sort out the best economic choice for transport and getting around. You should compare deals with different suppliers so that you can unlock big savings, and give you more flexibility with canceling if needed.

Look Into Packages

As well as comparing deals, you should look at package deals too. Rather than just comparing car rental services, you should look for deals that incorporate your hotel, flight, and car at the same time. These package deals will allow you to book everything at the same time, putting everything you need in the same place. These can save you money, as well as time that you will have spent going through individual companies.

You should also compare these package deals, like how we mentioned comparing deals previously, as you will be able to find more choice and save more money. There will be plenty of different package suppliers out there. You just have to know where to look. There will be packages offered by travel companies online, as well as local package suppliers.

You should ensure you are looking into packages for any type of vacation, not just in Hawaii. Even if you are only planning on a short stay, it could still be cheaper for you to get around each day. Remember that many car rental service providers do deals for individual days, so you won't have to pay for whole weeks or even months.

Search Local

As well as looking into online providers for your car rental needs, you should look closer to Hawaii. It will largely depend on where exactly in Hawaii you are going. For example, it may be that you are going to multiple islands. If that is the case, then it may be worth looking into multiple providers or at least find out if you can drop off vehicles on different islands. 

You may be able to find out more about specific car rental providers by speaking to locals. They may be able to give you more accurate information that is relevant to you. If you don't know any locals, you should look for online reviews. There are plenty of different ways to find business reviews, either provided by the business or an independent provider.

Online reviews from local companies from local customers will give you useful information that will serve you well. These reviews will be more authentic than what the car rental providers will tell you, as they will likely expand their definitions to impress you more and convince you to use their service.

Book Early

It should go without saying, but you should be doing all that you can to book everything as early as possible. The earlier that you find and book a car for your travels, the more you will be able to save. If you are booking from another country, then you should be aware of what currency is used. The good news is that Hawaii's currency is the U.S. dollar. You will be able to exchange currency at the airport or resort destinations, but if you are American, you should be fine.

If you need to purchase via a different currency, ensure you're aware of the current exchange rate and that you don't lose out from a miscalculation. The earlier you're aware of this and begin researching, the less stress you will have, and the fewer mistakes you will have with your car. 

Depending on where you are planning to drive, it may vary. Of course, you may need to find out how possible it will be to use the same car across multiple islands. The earlier you look into this, the increase in your chances of understanding and succeeding in what you need. 

Rent Over A Long Period

You will be able to save money with your car rental by looking into longer deals. Car rental suppliers will likely offer more favorable terms over a longer period of time to secure your contract and move forward with you.

Shorter term will be cheaper to begin with, but if you need to hire it again for another day or week, you will have to pay money again. This could even be double the price. If you rent out the car for the entire time, you will save money over this time.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.