A powerful Kona storm, a type of seasonal cyclone, has hit the Hawaiian Islands this weekend, causing flooding, washed out roads, wind advisories and flight cancellations, with some islands hit harder than others.
Maui received the brunt of the storm on Saturday, while the island of Hawaii will receive heavy rain and winds from Sunday to Monday.
Here’s a guide on what to do if you’re planning a trip to Hawaii in the coming days.
Is it safe to travel to Hawaii?
If you have a trip planned, we recommend checking with your airline and hotel about the status of your reservations. Many travelers currently in Hawaii are stranded on some of the islands at least through Wednesday due to airline cancellations over the weekend (more on this below).
On Maui, flooding in the popular town of Kihei washed away roads, as reported by Hawaii News Now. There are also many other road closures on the island; Updated information is available at Maui County Government Website.
The storm appears to be moving south and hovering over Hawaii Island today, with conditions there It is expected to persist until Monday.. The Hawaii Tourism Authority website included a storm warning sign urging all visitors to check their flight status.
In short, while it is generally safe to travel to Hawaii right now, conditions vary by island and specific region, so be sure to stay up to date on weather advisories in your area.
Which Hawaii islands currently have travel advisories?
Depending on where you plan to travel, you should check the local weather and weather sites for each island to see if the areas you will be in are currently or will continue to be affected.
Maui County has a flood watch in effect until Monday, March 16 at 6:00 a.m. local time, as indicated on its emergency alert website. the famous Road to Hana on Maui is closed due to the storm, allowing only local traffic, with no estimated reopening date.
Oahu County (where Honolulu is located) noticed a wind advisory in effectbut stated that weather conditions were improving.
Further south on the island of HawaiiThe storm continues in full force and Conditions are expected to persist into Monday.according to the Hawaii Department of Emergency Management and the Weather Channel.
Hawaii Airport Delays and Cancellations
So far on Sunday, March 15, there have been several delays and cancellations at Hawaiian airports. Based on FlightAware data by airport, at the time of publication, these were the current conditions at Hawaii’s major airports:
Several other smaller Hawaiian airports were also affected.
Airline Travel Advisories to Hawaii
At the time of publication, the following airlines were issuing travel advisories and flexible change and cancellation policies at the listed airports.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines travel advisory page Please note the following flexible travel policy in force.
Airports: HNL, OGG, LIH, KOA, ITO
Dates: Applicable to tickets purchased on or before March 11, 2026, for travel from March 11 to March 21, 2026.
You can change your trip without charge or fare difference for a new trip in the same cabin, or cancel your trip without charge and receive funds deposited into your account wallet or receive a credit certificate for future trips.
This applies to tickets issued by Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, with flights operated by Alaska (AS), Hawaiian (HA), Horizon (QX) or SkyWest (OO).
american airlines
According to American Airlines travel advisory pageThe following flexible travel policy is in effect.
Airports: HNL, OGG, KOA
Dates: Tickets booked by March 10 for original travel dates of March 12-15. You must change your travel by March 15 to fly by March 18 and cannot change your origin or destination city. There are no fare differences if you rebook in your original cabin. You can also change your travel dates within one year of the original ticket date, but a fare difference may apply.
Delta Airlines
Delta currently does not have a travel advisory for Hawaii on its site, although it canceled several flights to and from KOA on March 15, including those between KOA and Los Angeles and Seattle.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest currently does not have a current travel advisory for Hawaii.
united airlines
According to United travel advisory pageThe following flexible travel policy is in effect for Hawaii.
Airports: HNL, KOA, LIH, OGG
Dates: For tickets purchased on or before March 11, for travel between March 12 and 15.
If your flight is affected, you can reschedule your trip without change fees or fare differences. But you must book a new United flight departing between March 11 and March 22, and the tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked.
What to do if you have a hotel or vacation rental booked in Hawaii
If you have an upcoming trip to Hawaii, you may want to contact your hotel or vacation rental directly to make sure their amenities are open and operating as usual.
For now, major hotel companies, including Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott, do not have travel advisories or waivers for travelers with future plans. However, if you have an upcoming trip that you’re having second thoughts about, check your reservation to see if it’s still within the eligible cancellation period so you can adjust your plans based on your comfort level.
If you booked a non-refundable room rate, you’re probably out of luck if you want to change your plans.
As for vacation rentals with services like Airbnb, many of these have cancellation policies for major disruptive events including adverse weather conditions, although you will likely have to prove that your plans have been completely sidetracked (i.e. your flights have been canceled or your rental will be inaccessible due to road closures or major utility outages) to be eligible. If the policy applies to your rental, you can cancel your reservation and receive a refund or travel credit without additional charges.
Will your credit card or travel insurance cover changes or interruptions?
TPG has a complete guide on credit cards that covers trip cancellation and interruption and what trip interruptions could qualify as a natural disaster or due to adverse conditions such as a major storm.
Related: 4 times your credit card travel insurance can help you with travel problems, and 7 times it can’t.
This type of insurance generally covers non-refundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip (or the rest of your trip) due to a natural disaster. However, credit card insurance policies vary, so check your benefits guide for specific exclusions.
And remember, credit card travel insurance only applies to purchases made with that card, so if you used a different payment method during parts of your trip, you won’t be covered.
In a nutshell
If you have a trip to Hawaii planned for next week, proactively keep an eye on the news and the status of your flight, as some airlines have issued travel waivers that extend through March 21.
