[Hawaii Airport Transfer] Charlie's Taxi's latest online reservation method and precautions! [Reviews]

Fixed price airport shuttle taxi [Charlie's Taxi]

When traveling to Hawaii, you often worry about how to get from the airport to your hotel in Waikiki.

Until around 2023, the shuttle bus was more cost-effective for up to two people. However, as of 2024, in terms of affordability, for two people, the shuttle bus and Charlie's Taxi are nearly the same in cost. For three people or more, Charlie's Taxi's fixed-rate airport shuttle becomes more economical.

[Charley's Taxi] is a low-cost airport shuttle taxi that takes you from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honolulu Airport) in Honolulu, Hawaii to Waikiki, Aulani hotels, Kakaako, downtown, etc. for a fixed price.

After actually using Charlie's Taxi, I found it to be very convenient and easy to use, but there were a few points that I should be aware of.

This time, I would like to explain in detail the latest reservation method for Charlie's Taxi, how to use it after arriving at Honolulu Airport, and points to note.

[Charlie's Taxi] provides private transportation in a taxi vehicle, so there is no waiting time after arriving at the airport, making it a very convenient and comfortable means of transportation.

However, the tipping is not included in the fare, and as you need to call the taxi yourself upon arriving at the airport, it can be a slightly challenging means of transportation for first-time users.

However, if you prepare by reading the special feature article on Charlie's Taxi that you are currently watching, you will definitely be able to overcome your worries about traveling to Hawaii.

Now, I would like to tell you in detail how to make a reservation, how to use it, and our actual experience, including photos and precautions.

Points to note when using Charlie's Taxi

The thing to keep in mind when using Hawaii's flat-rate airport shuttle service, Charlie's Taxi, is that, as I mentioned earlier, you must request a ride yourself by phone or online once you arrive at the airport.

Please note that even if you make a reservation for Charlie's Taxi online in advance from Japan, when you actually use it in Hawaii, you will have to make your own arrangements for a ride over the phone or online.

Even if you cannot use a cell phone locally in Hawaii, there are public telephones at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, from which you can call toll-free (toll free / from Honolulu 0-844-531-1331 [Japanese You can call the Charlie's Taxi desk at ]).

However, I think it's quite a hurdle to make a call in an unfamiliar country. If you don't feel comfortable making a phone call, you can use the internet to request a ride from the Charlie's Taxi portal site.

However, if you want to dispatch a ride online, you will need to use the free WiFi at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport or have a smartphone that can be used outdoors in Hawaii (see below for recommended low-cost overseas SIMs).

Ahamo Is ahamo the best SIM card for world travel ? ahamo（アハモ）は追加料金無しで、海外旅行先でも20GBまで使えるから海外SIM やWifiルーターを用意しなくていいって本当？アハモがカバーしている海外旅行先の国と地域、海外旅行先での使用方法、そして海外旅行用SIMカードとして使う時の注意点などをまとめてみました。

In addition, on Halloween (October 31st), Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and New Year's Eve (from 3:00 PM on December 31st to 3:00 AM on January 1st), which are peak seasons, the fixed-rate airport shuttle service of Charlie's Taxi is unavailable. During these times, regular metered taxis will be in operation.

There are also some small details to keep in mind, such as an additional charge of $6.38 for each large piece of luggage, and an additional charge of $5 each time you board or disembark at multiple airport terminals.

Now, I would like to explain the latest reservation method.

How to book Charlie's Taxi

Now that you know what to keep in mind when using Charlie's Taxi, let's actually try out the process from booking Charlie's Taxi from Japan to using it locally in Honolulu, Hawaii.

First, let's start with how to book a Hawaii airport transfer [Charlie's Taxi] in Japan.

Reservations can be made from the Charlie's Taxi official website (Japanese available). First, go to Charlie's Taxi reservation site.

The screen above is the top page of the official Charlie's Taxi website when accessed on a smartphone.

The page has a large red button with the text [Reserve Here]. However, please be aware that this button is for making reservations via phone. If you want to proceed with online reservations, scroll down the page until you reach the section labeled [Fixed-rate Airport Shuttle Fees].

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 1: Airport transfer flat rate fee

Scroll down the page until you get to [Flat rate for airport transfers], then tap [Click here for details] to proceed to the next page.

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 2: Confirm the price

The following page is a price information page for Charlie's Taxi's flat rate airport transfer service.

As of Feb 2024, a one-way ticket to Waikiki costs $33 (excluding tax and tip/estimated tip is 20%, about $7).

These services in Hawaii are getting more expensive every year, so be sure to check this page for the latest prices.

Once you have confirmed the price, tap [Reservation here] to proceed to Charlie's Taxi official reservation form.

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 3: Date and time of use

From here you will be taken to the actual Charlie's Taxi reservation form, so enter the necessary information.

Please note that Charlie's Taxi reservations are for one-way trips, so if you want to book a round-trip transfer from the airport to the hotel or hotel to the airport, you will need to make separate reservations for the outbound and return trips.

Now, when you access Charlie's Taxi's reservation form, the first step is to enter the date and time of use and contact information. If you are making an advance reservation from Japan, select [After tomorrow] and enter the date and time you would like to use Charlie's Taxi (the date and time selection screen is pictured below).

By the way, the system allows you to make reservations up to several years in advance, but I think the best time to make reservations is about one month to one week before your trip to Hawaii.

There is also an option to choose [Now] in the time slot selection field, so you can apply directly from this page from the airport after arriving in Hawaii.

As for the phone number in your contact information, SMS (short messages) will be sent to the mobile phone registered after making the reservation and when the ride is dispatched, so enter a number that can receive SMS in Hawaii.

*If you use a major mobile phone company, you can receive SMS overseas, so there should be no problem.

When it comes to email, use an email address that you can receive on your smartphone in Hawaii. Then select the number of passengers and proceed to the next step.

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 4: Starting location

The next item is [Usage start location (pick-up location)], in other words, select the location where you will board the taxi.

If you are going from the airport to a hotel/accommodation, select [Daniel K. Inouye International Airport] here.

Selection of hotels etc.

When applying for return transportation from your hotel to the airport, select [Place] as the starting location, and then enter the name of your hotel in English in the field provided.

In the photo above, [Aqua] was entered in the field. After entering the name, a list of hotel names with the name [Aqua] will be displayed in the pull-down menu, so select your desired hotel name from there.

If the desired location is not displayed here (e.g. private lodging), select [Use Google Maps to input destination] and enter the address you searched on Google Maps in the field that appears.

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 5: Destination

Once you have registered your starting location (pick-up location), the next step is to register your destination.

The input method for this item is the same as for the starting location (pick-up location), and if you are heading to a hotel, search for the hotel from [Place] and select it. Conversely, if you are returning to the airport, choose Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 6: Reservation and quotation

Once you have entered the date and time of use, contact information, starting location, and destination, click [Reserve a Taxi] at the bottom of the page.

By the way, there is no confirmation screen for the reservation details, and the reservation is completed right away, so be sure to check the final details yourself to make sure the information you entered is correct before pressing the button.

Price estimate

By the way, you can check the price by tapping the green [Price Estimate] button, so if you are unsure about the details of your reservation, please tap to confirm. After confirming, press [OK] to return to the original screen.

Charlie's Taxi reservation method 7: Reservation completed

When you tap [Reserve a taxi], the reservation confirmation screen will be displayed and the reservation will be completed.

The reservation number (7 digits/required when confirming the reservation) will be displayed on the reservation completion screen, so it is a good idea to save the reservation completion page as a screenshot on your smartphone.

Please note that details such as the reservation number will be sent to the registered mobile phone SMS and email address when the reservation is completed, so be sure to check them as well.

Cancellation of reservation

There is also a [Cancel] button at the bottom of the reservation completion page, so if you make a reservation by mistake, press [Cancel] to cancel your reservation.

How to confirm Charlie's Taxi reservation

If you have made a reservation for Charlie's Taxi and would like to confirm or cancel your reservation, you can do so from the [Reservation form on the Charlie's Taxi official page].

Once you access the taxi reservation form page, press [Confirm Reservation] from the menu button on the top right, enter the reservation number and registered phone number, and the reservation will be displayed. You can also cancel from there.

Charlie's Taxi can be used locally without reservation.

By the way, even if you don't make a reservation in advance, you can call Charlie's Taxi directly after arriving at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii to use a fixed-price taxi.

The phone number for Charlie's Taxi from the airport is 0-844-531-1331, a hotline that also speaks Japanese. Please don't forget to pick up your luggage before calling.

Also, during busy seasons in Hawaii, there may not be enough taxis. Although you can use Charlie's Taxi without a reservation, if you have already decided to use Charlie's Taxi, we recommend making a reservation in advance.

How to use Charlie's Taxi

Now that your reservation is complete, it's time to leave for your trip to Hawaii! So, in the photo above, I am standing in front of the individual traveler exit at Daniel K. Inouye Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, after picking up my luggage.

First, let's arrange a Charlie's Taxi ride by phone or online.

How to use Charlie's Taxi 1-1: How to make arrangements by phone

How to arrange a Charlie's Taxi over the phone at the airport.

You can easily find the public telephones at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport by walking to the left (in the direction marked Group Tours in the directions above) after exiting the airport's private exit. (Doesn't go out to the road).

When leaving the airport, it's a bit far if you exit from the Group Tours Exit, so I'd like to make sure you exit from the Individual Traveler Exit.

*Sometimes the individual exit is closed and you have to exit from the group exit, but in that case, you can go to the individual exit by exiting from the group exit and walking to the right along the building.

Once you find a public phone, pick up the phone and call the number on your emailed reservation confirmation. There is no need for coins or cards to make calls. If you pick up the receiver and press the correct number, the call will connect.

A word of caution here. Charlie's Taxi's Japanese-speaking toll-free phone number is listed on the official website as [1-844-531-1331], but this is the number for calling from overseas.Please note that if you call from the local airport, the number will be [0-844-531-1331] (change the country code 1 to 0 at the beginning).

Once the phone is connected, all you have to do is tell them your reservation number and name, and they will arrange a taxi for you. They will guide you to the taxi stand and taxi number, so just follow the instructions.

How to use Charlie's Taxi 1-2: How to make arrangements online

How to arrange a taxi from the airport using the internet.

To do this, access the [Charlie's Taxi portal site], enter the phone number, reservation number, and baggage claim number (enter 1 if arriving from Japan) that you registered at the time of reservation, and press the [Dispatch] button.

You will then receive an SMS on your phone with the taxi pick-up point and taxi number, so check it and follow the instructions.

How to use Charlie's Taxi 2: Taxi stand

Once the taxi has been dispatched, head to the designated taxi pickup point.

Charlie's Taxi has a total of four taxi stands (see the diagram above and table below), but the pick-up location differs depending on the arrival lobby of the airport.

If you are coming to Honolulu, Hawaii by flight from Japan, you will be parking on the 1st floor of the parking lot across the street from the international terminal building shown in number 1 in the table below. (Numbers 1 to 4 are for explanation purposes; there are no numbers at actual taxi stands.)

How to use Charlie's Taxi 3: Head to the taxi stand

Now, once you have arranged your ride, head to the designated taxi stand (pick-up point). The meeting point for Charlie's Taxi for travelers from Japan is the parking lot located just beyond the private exit of Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and across the pedestrian crossing under the overpass. This is the building in the back that you can see in the photo.

*The pick-up location may vary depending on the timing, so be sure to check the directions for the taxi stand when dispatching.

Other Charlie's taxis can be seen in the parking lot.

When you enter the parking lot building, there are several waiting spaces for taxis, and you can already see other Charlie's Taxis.

There are quite a lot of Japanese people using Charlie's Taxi, so don't worry.

How to use Charlie's Taxi 3: The taxi has arrived!

After waiting for about 5 minutes, the taxi assigned to us arrived. The taxi model was a Toyota Sienna. Indeed, being an American taxi, it was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate four passengers and fit approximately four more suitcases.

Check taxi number

When the driver got out of the taxi, he took my name, confirmed I was the correct passenger, and helped me load my luggage.

We also checked the number on the lamp on the roof of the taxi to see if it was the number specified.

How to use Charlie's Taxi 4: GO to the hotel!

Then, take a taxi and head to your destination, the hotel!

The destination hotel is registered at the time of reservation, so the driver confirms the destination first and is ready to go. They will take you comfortably to your hotel.

Furthermore, while the taxi meter accumulates charges during the journey, the actual amount billed for a one-way trip between Waikiki and the airport is a fixed rate of $33 plus tax and tip, providing peace of mind (as of February 2024).

How to use Charlie's Taxi 5: Pay the fare

After driving for a while, we arrived at our destination hotel. At the time of this interview, we were staying at the Sheraton Waikiki, a hotel that is very popular among Japanese people.

Hotel 【ハワイの大人気ホテル】シェラトン・ワイキキ の詳細をレビュー！【マリオット宿泊記】 ハワイ・ワイキキで一番人気のホテル「シェラトン・ワイキキ」は、マリオット系列のホテル。ワイキキのど真ん中で、ロイヤルハワイアンセンターに隣接し、目の前はワイキキビーチという好立地のリゾートホテルとなっている。そんな憧れのホテルの宿泊記 / 滞在記 ブログ。

Charley's Taxi charges a fixed fee, but payment is made after arriving at the hotel.

You can pay by cash or credit card. Most international credit cards can be used, including VISA, MASTER, JCB, AMEX, and DISCOVER. Unfortunately, it didn't have a Diners logo, so it doesn't seem to be usable.

To pay with a credit card, first insert the card into the card terminal, select the tip amount (the terminal automatically calculates the tip, so you can choose from the suggestions), and then enter the PIN code. Enter the information and press the green [○] button to complete the payment.

The customary tip for taxis used to be around "10% to 15% of the fare." However, possibly influenced by the higher cost of living in Hawaii or the unfamiliarity with tipping norms among tourists, the trend has shifted towards selecting a tip of 18% or more.

We decided to pay 20% on this occasion, and for the one-way fare from the airport to the hotel, it amounted to approximately $46, including $33 for the fare, $1.97 for tax, and an initial charge of $4 (Flag Fall Charge).

How to use Charlie's Taxi 6: How about a return taxi?

Now, using Charlie's Taxi from the airport to the hotel is complete. Thank you for your hard work!

By the way, the way to book a return taxi (from the hotel to the airport) is the same as the way to book from the airport to the hotel.

The usage process for the airport departure was a bit involved, requiring you to call Charlie's Taxi upon arrival or use their online booking service. However, the return journey (Hotel to Airport) was more convenient. If you had pre-scheduled the return trip with a specified date and time, the vehicle dispatch would automatically occur at the scheduled time, and you would receive notifications via email or SMS. All you needed to do was wait at the hotel's entrance or another specified location by the time you selected.

In the unlikely event that the taxi doesn't arrive by the scheduled time, you can directly call Charlie's Taxi to address the situation. Additionally, as some hotels might have unclear meeting points, it would be advisable to contact the Japanese desk you initially called for assistance in such situations.

Anyway, Charlie's Taxi is very reassuring because there is a telephone counter that speaks Japanese.

[Charlie's Taxi] is very comfortable for airport transportation in Hawaii!

Charlie's Taxi, Hawaii's fixed-price airport shuttle, may be a little confusing the first time you use it, as you have to make arrangements over the phone when you arrive at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

However, once we tried using Charlie's Taxi, we realized that it was very comfortable and convenient as it was not a shared shuttle bus, but a private shuttle between the airport and the hotel at our own convenience. That's what I thought when I tried using it.

Other Hawaii/Honolulu airport transfers cost around $22 per person (including tip) if they use a shared shuttle bus, so it's about the same price for two people. If you have 3 or more people, Charlie's Taxi becomes more economical.

Considering this private and comfortable transfer, I think Charlie's Taxi is well worth the trip, even for two people.

Also, for families of four, Charlie's Taxi is clearly cheaper than a shared shuttle, so I highly recommend it.

So, have a convenient and comfortable trip to Hawaii with Hawaii's cheap airport shuttle taxi [Charlie's Taxi]! See you soon♪

Article 【コロナ後 ハワイ送迎】ハワイ2大空港送迎「レアレアシャトル by HIS」vs「チャーリーズタクシー」安いのはどっち？【ハワイ送迎比較】 ハワイのお得な2大空港送迎「LEALEA（レアレア）シャトルバス by HIS」と「チャーリーズタクシー」の料金とサービスの使いやすさを比較。どっちが最安値で利用できるか、快適に利用できるのかを徹底検証してみたいと思う。