Air ambulance from Kona to Honolulu

Reviewed by the AirAmbulance.org editorial team · Updated 6 November 2026 · Editorial policy

An air ambulance from Kona (Hawaii, USA) to Honolulu (Hawaii, USA) is a 260 km medical flight. Patients on the Big Island transferring to Honolulu.

How the flight works

• A ground ambulance takes the patient from the hospital in Kona to the aircraft.
• A medical crew (usually a flight nurse and paramedic, more for critical patients) cares for the patient during the 50 min flight.
• On landing, a ground ambulance takes the patient straight to the receiving hospital or home: a "bed-to-bed" service.

Good to know on this route

• In an emergency in Kona, call 911 first. We're not an emergency service.
• Honolulu and Kona share the same local time, so hospital-to-hospital calls are easy to schedule.

Air ambulance or commercial escort?

If the patient is stable and can sit upright for take-off and landing, a medical escort on a commercial flight from Kona can cost far less. Critical-care and stretcher patients usually need a private air ambulance.

What it costs

Within the range of regional fixed-wing flights. For reference, published ranges for fixed-wing air ambulance flights of similar length run about $15,000–$70,000. Your quote depends on the aircraft, medical crew, ground ambulances and permits.

Every flight is priced individually: the aircraft, the medical crew, ground ambulances at both ends and any permits all change the figure, and insurance may cover some or all of it. Ask for a quote for this route; it's free and there's no obligation.

Paperwork and arrival

This is a domestic US flight, so no passport is needed for US citizens, but the receiving hospital must accept the patient before departure. Have the patient's ID, insurance details and a medical summary ready.

Distances are great-circle between the main airports; times are estimates. General information only, not medical or insurance advice.