Origin
Makakilo City, HI
Afternoon in Makakilo City on Saturday
Local time
3:21 PM
HST
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Makakilo City, HI to Honolulu, HI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
20.7 mi
33 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Makakilo City, HI
Mike Norris
Honolulu, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 20.7-mile drive from Makakilo City to Honolulu in Hawaii takes about 31 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The majority of your journey, about 68% highway, will be on the Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and HI 78 before transitioning to Kamehameha Highway. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $4, this route is very budget-friendly for a single day of travel. You won't need to split this drive or plan for an overnight stay, offering plenty of flexibility for your schedule. The entire trip stays within the state of Hawaii, providing a straightforward and efficient connection between these two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 9 mi | 11m |
| HI 78 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| Kamehameha Highway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I H1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Vineyard Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Makakilo Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South King Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kaahumanu Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
— 9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Makakilo City, HI and Honolulu, HI.
1
Start on Aoloko Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Aoloko Street
2
Turn right onto Makakilo Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Makakilo Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I H1 East: Waianae
4
Merge onto I H1
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 10
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Turn straight onto Moanalua Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Moanalua Road
8
Turn right onto Kaahumanu Street
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Kaahumanu Street
9
Turn left onto HI 99
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Kamehameha Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Take the ramp onto HI 78
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
HI 78
Toward I H201 East, I H1 East: Honolulu
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I H1
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I H1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 20B
Toward HI 98 East: Vineyard Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on HI 98
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Olomea Street
14
Continue on HI 98
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Vineyard Boulevard
15
Turn right onto Pali Highway
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Pali Highway
16
Continue on HI 61
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Bishop Street
17
Turn left onto South King Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
South King Street
18
Turn left onto Likelike Street
308 ft
·
27 sec
·
Likelike Street
19
Turn left
298 ft
·
22 sec
20
Turn right
131 ft
·
9 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 18.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Merge onto I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
9
10.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Waimalu, Pearlridge
6
12.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
HI 78
Take the ramp onto HI 78 toward I H201 East, I H1 East: Honolulu
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I H201 East, I H1 East: Honolulu
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward HI 98 East: Vineyard Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 20B
Toward HI 98 East: Vineyard Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.49 one way
$8.97 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $4.72 | $9.44 |
| premium | $5.98 | $4.87 | $9.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.57 | $9.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Honolulu, HI
Afternoon in Honolulu on Saturday
Local time
3:21 PM
HST
Current temp
83°F
Scattered Rain Showers
SSE 3 to 9 mph
40% chance
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
31m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience for this 20.7-mile trip, with 68% of the drive utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 9 miles on the Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions from freeway driving to surface streets as you approach your destination. This mix means you'll experience both the efficiency of highway travel and the more local feel as you enter Honolulu.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and HI 78. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 20.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Makakilo City, HI and Honolulu, HI, road signs point toward Waimalu, Pearlridge, I H201 East and I H1 East: Honolulu.
Waimalu
10.2 mi in
|
~13m
Pearlridge
10.2 mi in
|
~13m
I H201 East
12.5 mi in
|
~17m
|
via HI 78
I H1 East: Honolulu
12.5 mi in
|
~17m
|
via HI 78
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 20.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Honolulu, HI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pearl Harbor National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Honolulu, HI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Honolulu, HI
More from Makakilo City, HI
More trips to Honolulu, HI
Explore more options from Makakilo City, HI or browse trips ending in Honolulu, HI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse HI road trips.