Booking choice: The 5 Island private flight, from $536 per person. Check dates Tour details
Fuel is now a line item on some Maui flights. The clearest example is Maui Plane Rides' own website, which carries the line: "A Fuel Surcharge of $40 per person >MAY< Apply due to Geopolitical Unrest and Aviation Fuel & Delivery Price Hikes."
The word that matters is "may". Below is how the surcharge lines up against the four Maui Plane Rides flights sold on Viator, plus the helicopter tours, as listed in October 2026.
The quick answer
Two Maui Plane Rides listings on Viator, the 60-minute 3 Islands flight and the Haleakala crater flight, list the fuel surcharge as included. The 5 Island and Circle Island listings include landing and facility fees but have no fuel surcharge line, so ask the operator before you fly. Maverick includes all taxes and fees; the Calypso cruise to Molokini includes its fuel surcharge.
What is the Maui Plane Rides fuel surcharge in 2026?
Up to $40 per person, which the operator says may apply because of fuel and delivery price hikes.
The notice sits on the operator's homepage next to its direct prices: $599 total for up to 3 people on a 60-minute flight and $799 total for up to 3 on 90 minutes. Those direct rates are per plane. Viator sells the same company's flights per person, with a two-traveler minimum, and adds free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
At $40 a head, the surcharge is $80 for a couple and $120 for three. That is real money, but it's small next to the gap between the per-person and per-plane pricing, which our price guide works through.
Which Viator listings already include the fuel surcharge?
The 3 Islands flight and the Haleakala crater flight list "Fuel surcharge" under what's included.
We went through the inclusions on each listing. Here's what they say, word for word where it matters.
| Flight | From (per person) | Fuel surcharge on the listing |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Islands private flight, 60 min | $380 | Included |
| Haleakala crater flight, 60 min | $380 | Included |
| 5 Island private flight, 90 min | $536 | No line; landing, facility and parking fees included |
| Circle Island flight, 90 min | $452 | No line; landing and facility fees included |
| Maverick Molokai & Maui, 55 min | $404 | "All taxes and fees" included |
| Calypso Molokini cruise | $189 | Included |
The 60-minute 3 Islands flight lists the fuel surcharge as included, from $380 per person.
Check dates for the 60-minute 3 Islands flightDo I pay the surcharge on the 5 Island flight?
Ask Maui Plane Rides before the day. The listing covers landing, facility and parking fees, and the surcharge is not among them.
The 5 Island private flight on Viator lists bottled water, soda, headsets, live commentary, landing and facility fees and parking fees as included, and only gratuities as excluded. With no fuel line either way, the clean move is to call the operator on 808-800-6394 after you book and ask whether the $40 applies to your date. Get the answer in writing, by email or text.
For two people the 5 Island flight is $1,072 at the from-price. If the surcharge applied, it would come to $1,152. The Circle Island flight works the same way: $904 for two, $984 with the surcharge.
The 90-minute private flight: West Maui, Lanai, Molokini and the south coast for your group only.
Explore the 5 Island private flight Tour detailsDo Maui helicopter tours charge a fuel surcharge?
Maverick's listing includes all taxes and fees. Air Maui's listings and website show per-person prices with no surcharge line.
Maverick's Molokai and Maui tour is the tidiest: "All taxes and fees" is on the included list, at $404 per person. Air Maui sells per person too. Its own website showed the doors-off West Maui and Molokai flight at $429.99 per person in October 2026 (regular price $519.99) and the Complete Island tour at $484.99 (regular $574.99). On Viator they are $452 and $513 per person, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The bigger extra on the helicopters is weight. Air Maui makes heavier passengers buy an extra seat, and Maverick charges for one over 275 lb. Our plane vs helicopter guide has the details.
What should two people budget for a Maui flight in 2026?
Between about $760 and $1,152 for a private plane, and $808 to $1,027 for a shared helicopter, before tips.
Here are the from-prices for two travelers, with the possible surcharge added on the two plane flights whose listings don't include it. Gratuities are extra on every one.
| Flight | Two travelers | With $40 pp surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Islands, 60 min | $760 | Included already |
| Haleakala crater, 60 min | $760 | Included already |
| Circle Island, 90 min | $904 | $984 |
| 5 Island, 90 min | $1,072 | $1,152 |
| Maverick, 55 min | $808 | Taxes and fees included |
| Air Maui doors-off, 45 min | $904 | No surcharge listed |
| Air Maui Complete Island, 60 min | $1,027 | No surcharge listed |
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Maui Plane Rides fuel surcharge?
Up to $40 per person. The operator's website says it may apply because of fuel and delivery price hikes.
Is the fuel surcharge included when I book on Viator?
On the 60-minute 3 Islands flight and the Haleakala crater flight, yes: both list it as included. The 5 Island and Circle Island listings have no fuel line, so ask the operator.
Do helicopter tours on Maui add a fuel surcharge?
Maverick's listing includes all taxes and fees. Air Maui's prices are per person with no surcharge line on its listings or website.
Is the Maui Plane Rides price per person or per plane?
On Viator it is per person, with a two-traveler minimum. On the operator's own website the direct rates are per plane for up to 3 people.
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Choose your flight
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD, per person, and move with the season.
60-Minute Private Air Tour: 3 Islands
- A private flight for 2 to 5 travelers
- Live commentary through headsets
- Bottled water and soda
Maui County 5 Island Private Discovery Flight
- A private flight: only your group, 2 to 5 travelers on the listing
- Live pilot commentary through headsets
- Bottled water and soda
Molokai & Maui Helicopter Tour
Halawa Valley and Molokai's north shore; cancel free up to 3 days ahead
