Towered · Class B surface area
Daniel k Inouye International (PHNL) radio calls
Honolulu, HIICAO PHNL · FAA HNL
Daniel k Inouye International is a towered airport in Honolulu, HI. You will taxi with Ground on 121.9 and work Honolulu Tower on 118.1. The tower operates 24 hours.
The airport sits inside Class B airspace: an explicit ATC clearance is required before entering.
Frequencies
| Clearance Delivery | 121.4 |
|---|---|
| GroundHonolulu Ground | 121.9 |
| TowerHonolulu Tower | 118.1 |
Airport
- Runways
- 04L · 22R · 04R · 22L · 08L · 26R · 08R · 26L
- Elevation
- 14 ft
- Tower hours
- 24 hours
- Position
- 21.318, -157.920
Towered airport inside Class B
Sample calls at PHNL
Daniel k Inouye International sits inside Class B airspace: an explicit ATC clearance is required before entering it (AIM 3-2-3 b), and you will hear "cleared into the Bravo" or you stay out. The calls below use runway 04L; the tower assigns the runway in use on the day.
The aircraft is the AIM’s own example, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot; the squawk codes, altitudes and headings are illustrative. Frequencies, station names and runway numbers are this airport’s, from the FAA data.
- There is no ATIS frequency in the FAA data for this airport, so ask Ground for the numbers on your first call: they will give the runway, wind and altimeter.
- YouHonolulu Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Honolulu Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two zero point one, squawk four six one two.
- YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one two zero point one, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouHonolulu Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, request taxi, VFR departure to the north.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Honolulu Ground, runway zero four left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero four left.
- YouRunway zero four left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero four left, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- The runway, any clearance onto a runway and every hold-short instruction are read back (AIM 4-3-18 a 9). Stay on Ground through the run-up and switch to Tower when ready (AIM 4-3-14 a).
- YouHonolulu Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero four left, ready for departure, northbound.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Honolulu Tower, runway zero four left, cleared for takeoff.
- YouRunway zero four left, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
- YouHonolulu Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Honolulu.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Honolulu Tower, enter left downwind runway zero four left, report midfield downwind.
- YouEnter left downwind runway zero four left, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouHonolulu Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero four left.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero four left, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
- YouRunway zero four left, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- The wind is information: acknowledged, not read back. Exit at the first available taxiway or as told, taxi clear of the hold-short markings, and change to Ground only when the tower says (AIM 4-3-21).
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Honolulu Ground one two one point niner.
- YouExit next taxiway, one two one point niner, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouHonolulu Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero four left, taxi to the ramp.
If things change. The tower operates 24 hours. If you cannot raise it, check the frequency and volume, then squawk 7600, remain outside the Class D until you have the traffic flow, and watch for light signals (AIM 4-2-13).
Phraseology from AIM 4-2-3; 4-3-18 a 9; 4-3-14; 4-3-21; 4-4-7 b; 4-1-18 a 3; 3-2-3; JO 7110.65 7-9-2. What TowerTalk grades against →
The calls you will make here
Nearby in Hawaii
Frequencies, runways and airspace from the FAA National Airspace System Resources (NASR) 28-day subscription, cycle effective Sep 3, 2026. Training use only. Always verify against a current Chart Supplement and sectional chart before flight; frequencies change. TowerTalk is not affiliated with the FAA. Report a discrepancy.
