Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area

During World War II, a small landing strip was cleared near the end of Kuakini Highway.

In 1947, the State of Hawaii approved a small passenger terminal and a 3,800 foot (1,200 m) runway to be built for tourist flights, which was operational in 1948 and dedicated in 1949.

[2][3] Larger aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 could not take off from the short runway; however, Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines were both operating jet service from the old airport during the late 1960s with flights to Honolulu, Kahului and Lihue, Aloha with the British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven and Hawaiian with the Douglas DC-9-10 with both airlines also operating turboprop aircraft as well at this same time, Aloha with the four engine Vickers Viscount and Hawaiian with the Convair 640.

[4][5] When the much larger Kona International Airport was built further north at Keahole Point in 1970, Aloha and Hawaiian moved their airline flights to this new airfield and the old landing strip was then used for drag racing before being turned into a state park in 1976.

[12] The old 3,800-foot-long (1,200 m) runway now serves as an access road and large parking lot, and the old terminal building, located at 75 Kuakini Highway, is a public use pavilion.