Short Stay Parking

Two-minute walk from your car to ITO’s Main terminal

Short Stay Parking at Hilo International sits directly next to the Main terminal, so you’re on the sidewalk in about a 2‑minute walk instead of waiting on any shuttle. The setup suits same‑day interisland hops, quick pickups, or runs into the terminal to meet someone at baggage claim.

Rates cap at $24 per 24‑hour period, with payment based on elapsed time, not calendar days. If you’re in and out in under an hour, locals report paying well under $10, so short errands or walk‑in drop‑offs don’t hit the daily max.

Since early 2026, the lot uses a ticketless Metropolis system that scans your license plate at entry and exit. You can pay an attendant with cash or credit when you leave, or skip the stop entirely by setting up payment in the Metropolis app before you pull into ITO.

Regular Hilo flyers who follow Big Island Video News say they pre‑register their plate in the app, then just “drive in, drive out” for short stays of 30–60 minutes. That keeps quick interisland drop‑offs or late‑night pickups from turning into a line at a pay machine after a 45‑minute Hawaiian flight.

Watch out for leftover references to paper tickets from the state’s original press release; local news flagged that as wrong once Metropolis went live, and some first‑timers still show up expecting a ticket. At ITO Short Stay Parking, you never pull a ticket, so just roll in, park, and deal with payment on the way out.

Tip: snap a photo of your license plate before you head to the Main terminal; it speeds up app setup or manual payment if you don’t have your plate number memorized.