Maui airport to Wailea, met at baggage claim
Wailea is Maui's resort coast, a string of beaches and hotels on the sunny south shore between Kīhei and Mākena. The drive from Maui airport to Wailea is 29 km (18 miles) from Kahului Airport, across the flat isthmus between the West Maui Mountains and Haleakalā, and takes about 35 minutes.
Most visitors to Maui hire a car, and if you plan to drive the Road to Hāna or go up Haleakalā, you may want one for part of your stay. But the first trip, after a long flight with cases, children or golf clubs, is easier with a driver. Your driver meets you at baggage claim, loads the luggage once, and drops you at your resort's entrance. The price is fixed for the whole vehicle.
Kahului's public buses do not run to the south shore without a change, and they take only one small bag each. The airport shuttle and taxis are the other options, both waiting outside baggage claim. Starting your trip on Oʻahu? See Honolulu airport to Waikiki.
| Pickup | Kahului Airport (Maui) (OGG) |
|---|---|
| Drop-off | Any hotel, villa or address in Wailea |
| Distance | About 29 km by road |
| Journey time | 35–55 min, depending on traffic |
| Best for | Beach & luxury |
| Busiest season | Year-round |
| Availability | 24/7, including late-night and early-morning flights |
The drive from OGG to Wailea
From the terminal, the airport access road crosses the Hāna Highway and joins the Maui Veterans Highway (Route 311), which was called the Mokulele Highway until 2017 and still often is. It runs south across the central valley, past Puʻunēnē and the open former sugarcane land of the isthmus, with Haleakalā rising on the left and the West Maui Mountains on the right.
Near the south coast the highway passes the Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, a wetland for native waterbirds, and meets the Piʻilani Highway (Route 31) at the north end of Kīhei. The Piʻilani Highway runs above the town for about 11 km and ends at Wailea Ike Drive, where your driver turns down towards the sea and Wailea Alanui Drive, the road that links the resorts, their beaches and the shopping village.
There are no tolls on Maui. Traffic can build through Kīhei at busy times of day, and the island's main routes have few alternatives if a crash blocks one. In normal conditions the trip takes about 35 minutes from the terminal; allow up to 55 minutes at busy times.
On the way you get the classic first view of the south shore: the islands of Kahoʻolawe and Molokini offshore, and on clear days Lānaʻi to the west. After a long flight, and especially after dark, many visitors would rather not drive unfamiliar roads themselves on arrival night.
Schematic, not to scale. Route line © OpenStreetMap contributors
Pickup · 0 min
Kahului Airport (Maui) (OGG)
Your driver meets you in arrivals and loads the luggage.
About 10 min · 7 km
Puʻunēnē
The highway crosses the central isthmus past the old sugar town of Puʻunēnē, with Haleakalā filling the view to the east.
About 20 min · 19 km
Kīhei
The Maui Veterans Highway meets the Piʻilani Highway at the north end of Kīhei, beside the Keālia Pond wildlife refuge.
Arrival · 35–55 min · 29 km
Wailea
Drop-off at your resort’s entrance or your villa or condo door on Wailea Alanui Drive and the streets above it.
OGG to Wailea: one fixed price for the whole car
Free quote, nothing to pay now. Cancel free up to 48 hours before pickup.
Meeting your driver at Maui Airport
After you collect your bags, your driver meets you in the baggage claim area with a sign showing your name, then walks you to the car a short distance away. The shared shuttle counter is also in baggage claim, and taxis wait in front of it, so the meeting area is easy to find.
Kahului Airport is Maui's main airport, handling flights from the mainland and from the other islands. After you collect your bags, your driver meets you in the baggage claim area with a sign showing your name, and walks you to the car parked a short distance away. The shuttle counter and the taxi rank are in the same area, so it is easy to find each other.
Add your flight number and we track it: the pickup moves with delays at no extra cost, and your 60 minutes of free waiting start when you actually land. For the return, your driver collects you at your resort's entrance or your villa door and waits up to 15 minutes from the agreed time.
Arriving here for somewhere else? See every Maui Airport transfer we run.
Where we drop off in Wailea and the south shore
Wailea is a planned resort area, with the large hotels along Wailea Alanui Drive by the beaches and villas, condos and golf courses on the slopes above. Every address is door to door: resorts at the main entrance, villas and condos at your building. Tell us the resort or complex name and, for villas, any gate code.
Wailea beachfront resorts
Grand Wailea, Four Seasons Resort Maui, Fairmont Kea Lani and the Wailea Beach Resort, on Wailea Alanui Drive above Wailea, Ulua, Mokapu and Polo beaches.
Wailea villas and condos
Villa and condo communities around the Wailea golf courses and above the beaches. Your driver stops at your building or check-in office.
Mākena
Quieter resort land and big beaches south of Wailea, a few minutes beyond the last hotels and about 45 minutes from the airport.
Kīhei
Condos, holiday rentals and beaches along South Kīhei Road, north of Wailea and about 25 to 30 minutes from the airport.
Elsewhere on Maui
Kāʻanapali and Kapalua in West Maui, Pāʻia and Upcountry towns, or a villa near Hāna, all quoted the same way on request.
When to book your Wailea transfer
Wailea is a year-round destination, and the busiest arrival weeks are Christmas and New Year, when the large resorts fill and taxi queues at Kahului grow. School holidays in the northern summer are busy too.
From November to April, humpback whales are in Hawaiian waters, and the channels off Maui's south shore are a favourite place to watch them, from the shore or on a boat trip. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary runs free public events from its lecture hall on South Kīhei Road.
Two popular trips need planning before you fly. Watching sunrise from the summit of Haleakalā requires a reservation through Recreation.gov, released up to 60 days ahead with some held back until 48 hours before. On the Road to Hāna, Waiʻānapanapa State Park also needs advance reservations for visitors.
Weather on the south shore is usually dry and sunny, though winter storms can bring rain. We track your flight, so a late landing moves the pickup at no extra cost.
Private transfer vs other ways to reach Wailea
| Option | Door to door | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | 35–55 min | Straight to your door, fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting in arrivals. |
| Airport shuttle (SpeediShuttle) | 45–90 minutes | The shared shuttle counter is in the baggage claim area, open 9am to 9pm, with no reservation needed. It serves Wailea and Kīhei hotels, stopping for other passengers on the way. |
| Taxi | 35–55 minutes plus the queue | Taxis wait in front of the baggage claim area, managed by the same company as the airport shuttle. Fine for a couple with light bags when the rank is short. |
| Rental car | 35–55 minutes plus collection | The most popular choice on Maui and useful for exploring. You collect the car after your flight and drive unfamiliar roads to Wailea yourself, often after dark. |
| Maui Bus | 2 hours or more | Only the Upcountry and Haiku Islander routes stop at the airport, every 90 minutes, so Wailea needs at least one change. One bag per person, no larger than 22 × 14 × 9 inches. |
Skip the changes: door to door to Wailea
Free quote, nothing to pay now. Cancel free up to 48 hours before pickup.
Vehicles, prices and what's included
You pay one fixed price for the vehicle, not per seat, quoted for your date and group before you book. Tolls, fuel and parking are in the price, and so is waiting time: 60 minutes from your actual landing, or 15 minutes at a hotel or address pickup.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Luggage | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard sedan | Up to 3 passengers | 2–3 suitcases | Couples and solo travellers |
| Executive sedan | Up to 3 passengers | 2–3 suitcases | Mercedes E-Class or similar |
| Minivan | Up to 7 passengers | 6–7 suitcases | Families and golf or ski bags |
| Minibus | 8–16 passengers | One suitcase each | Groups, weddings, events |
Exact models vary by local partner. Tell us about oversized luggage, golf bags, skis or strollers and we will size the vehicle to fit.
Not included: waiting beyond the free time, and stops or detours added on the day. Planned stops are fine: ask for them with your quote and they are priced in. Tipping is up to you.
Who the Wailea transfer suits
Honeymooners and couples
Arrive, sit back and let someone else drive the first stretch across the island. Your resort check-in comes about 35 minutes after you collect your bags.
Families
Car seats fitted before pickup, plus room for strollers and beach gear. A minivan seats up to seven with luggage, for one fixed price.
Golfers
Wailea has championship golf courses, and a minivan carries several sets of clubs with your luggage. Tell us how many golf bags you are bringing so they all fit.
Weddings and groups
Wailea is a favourite place for destination weddings. A minibus takes 8 to 16 guests, and we coordinate guests landing on different flights.
Plan the rest of your Wailea stay
- Book Haleakalā sunrise on Recreation.gov as soon as your dates are set. Reservations open 60 days ahead, and a small number are released 48 hours before.
- Planning the Road to Hāna? Reserve Waiʻānapanapa State Park in advance through the Hawaiʻi State Parks system, and set off early.
- Want groceries for a condo? Ask for a supermarket stop in Kahului or Kīhei and we add the time to your quote.
- Only renting a car for a few days? Take a transfer on arrival, then collect a car for your touring days, and skip resort parking on beach days.
- For your flight home, leave Wailea about three hours before a mainland departure, and a little earlier at busy times of day, when traffic builds through Kīhei.
- Combining islands? We drive Honolulu airport to Waikiki on Oʻahu, and our US airport transfers cover the mainland too, from Las Vegas airport to the Strip to California.
