Kapalua Airport, Kapalua–West Maui Airport, a regional private airport on the west part of Maui
Kapalua Airport is a small facility on West Maui with just one runway and about 300 passengers per day. It handles only inter-island flights and accepts only propeller aircraft, including 48-seat ATR-42 planes and smaller 9-seat regional jets.
The airport opened in 1987 when Hawaiian Airlines built it and named it after John Henry Magoon, a pilot and company president. Since then, it has served as a key connection point for moving passengers quickly between West Maui and the other Hawaiian islands.
The airport's name honors John Henry Magoon, a pilot and former president of Hawaiian Airlines, whose initials form the airport code JHM. This personal connection to island aviation history remains woven into the airport's identity today.
The airport operates only during daylight hours with no evening arrivals, and you board and exit directly onto the tarmac using stairs rather than jet bridges. Many nearby resorts offer free shuttles, but car rental counters close early, so plan your transportation in advance if you arrive later in the day.
Passengers step directly onto the tarmac using stairs rather than jet bridges, creating an unexpected hands-on arrival experience. This simple process brings you closer to the island landscape from the moment you land and provides a personal welcome that larger airports cannot match.
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