Makani Kai Air

Don’t trust this tour company. My two friends and I bought the Damien Tour from Molokai Hike both ways. The description on their webside and the confirmation email both said lunch and bottled water would be provided. It was a full day of hiking/​tour and there was no lunch or water at all. The tour guide (who provides tours for multiple different agencies) says he’s had similar problems from Makani Kai Air in the past. Also, this tour was rather overpriced. Most people on our same tour paid $ 50, whereas Makani Kai charged us $ 69. So if you want to do Kalaupapa, definitely shop around and find a company that’s both cheaper and more reliable.

First time on this inter-​island airline, and the experience was so-​so.
I was stranded on Molokai, when all flights were cancelled going out, due to bad weather, on all airlines. We were stuck on the island overnight. Mokulele didn’t have any open flights out until 4pm the next day, so I jumped ship, and booked a new flight out on Makani Kai Air.
I was stoked that I was able to get out, to Honolulu at 8am, and get to the family awaiting us there. Flights were reasonably cheap, check in cost wasn’t too bad at $ 15 per bag, and it was on time, no turbulence.
What took away from Makani Kai saving the day with flying colors was simple. No shuttle to the airport. If you have a connecting flight to get to at the main airport, or someone waiting for you at the airport without a car, you’re screwed! Their terminal is 30min walking distance away. I asked the guy at customer service what time was the shuttle to the main terminal was, and he said there was none. That he could call me a cab. I was like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me.’ But he wasn’t.
And the cab ride to the main terminal was $ 20.
If I would have known that, I would have just booked through Hawaiian Airlines, and saved the frustration.
Makani Kai, get a shuttle, if you are doing other things besides Helicopter Tours. Customers expect to be able to make their connection in the main airport without having to call a cab, and pay a $ 20 cab ride.

My wife and I took the Makani Kai Air Charter’s Fr. Damien tour of Kalaupapa, Molokai and had a wonderful experience. We were picked up at our Waikiki Hotel on-​time and driven to the airport by a polite and competent driver. At the airport, we met other travelers in our group and transferred to a 10-​passenger airplane for the half-​hour flight to Kalaupapa Airport. The flight was smooth and gave the passengers vistas of Waikiki and the southern shore of Oahu past Diamond Head and the west coast of Molokai. Upon landing, we transferred to a «little yellow school bus» where we met our knowledgeable and friendly guide/​driver John. We met additional travelers who flew, hiked or rode mules from «topside», the local expression for the part of Molokai outside Kalaupapa, to join the tour. Throughout the day, John kept his passengers comfort, safety and pleasure his priorities. The tour provided many insights into the lives of the current and historic residents of Kalaupapa and the ministries of Saints Damien and Maryanne of Molokai. After the tour and a box/​picnic lunch overlooking the scenic cove where victims of Hansen’s disease were delivered to Molokai, our group was delivered back to the airport for the return flight to Honolulu, again with beautiful panoramas of Molokai and Oahu en route. A truly unique adventure!