Lihue Airport

Continent: North America

Country: United States

Region: Hawaii

Lihue Airport
Location	Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii
IATA code	LIH
ICAO code	PHLI
Airport type	Commercial
Website	http://hawaii.gov/lih
Overview map	Google Maps
Communications
Tower	118.9 263.1
Ground	121.9
Clearance
Approach	126.5 269.4
Departure	126.5 269.4
ATIS	127.2

Lihue Airport (IATA: LIH, ICAO: PHLI, FAA LID: LIH) is the primary commercial airport on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i. The vast majority of scheduled flights are to Honolulu, but the airport also has a number of nonstop flights to the mainland USA from a handful of legacy airlines and to Vancouver in Canada on WestJet Airlines.

Official Spotting Locations

There is no official spotting location at the airport.

Location

While the airport does not have an official spotting location, there are some fine vantage points to be found along Ninini Point Street, which meanders between and alongside runways 3/21 and 17/35. Most arrivals are on Runway 35, while departures take place on Runway 3. Arguably, the best photos can be taken of arrivals on runway 35 in the afternoon. It is possible to drive along Ninini Point St. past the Kiele Golf Course. Parking is available by the golf courses. One can then backtrack on foot along Ninini Point St. to the section of the road the runs parallel to runway 35. When an arriving aircraft is visible, you can climb up one of the artificial hills along the edge of the golf course, giving you an unobstructed view of aircraft touching down on the runway with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop.

Other Spotting Locations

Another location is found at the end of Ahukini Road, at Ahukini Recreation Pier Park, but be advised that departing aircraft will already be overhead. This location is also best in the afternoons, when the sun will be behind you.

Locations to Avoid

Regular Traffic

Alaska Airlines serves Oakland, San Diego, San Jose (CA), Seattle/Tacoma, and Portland (OR) on a varied schedule with arrivals and departures from the late morning to mid-afternoon. Flights are operated by 737-800 aircraft.

Aloha Cargo has cargo flights to Honolulu operated by 737-200s and Saab-340s. These operate primarily at night but there are also irregular daytime flights.

American Airlines has flights to Los Angeles, CA on 757-200s.

Delta Air Lines has flights to Los Angeles, CA on 757-200s.

Go! (operated by Mesa Airlines) offers flights to Honolulu on CRJ-200s several times a day.

Hawaiian Airlines has a busy schedule with nearly hourly flights to Honolulu, supplemented by a few nonstop flights to Kahului, all operated by 717-200s.

Island Air offers a number of ATR-72 flights to Honolulu.

United Airlines flies nonstop to Los Angeles and San Francisco with 757-200s.

US Airways offers nonstop service to Phoenix on 757-200s.

WestJet has a late evening flight to Vancouver, Canada, operated by 737-800s.