Kona is the dry, sunny west coast of Hawaiʻi Island, the largest island in the chain, where black lava fields run down to the sea below the slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Kea. Kailua-Kona is the main town, with its harbour and coffee farms climbing the hills behind it. North along the Kohala Coast, the resort areas of Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani and Waikoloa, together with the Four Seasons Hualālai and the private communities of Kūkiʻo and Kohanaiki, attract families and golfers who come for the reliable weather. The Ironman World Championship has made Kona a familiar name in endurance sport, and snorkelling with manta rays and the island’s volcanoes give visitors reasons to stay longer.
Private jets land at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA), about 7 miles (11 km) north of Kailua-Kona. Its position is ideal: the Hualālai resort is a few minutes away, and the Kohala Coast hotels are generally within 30 to 40 minutes by car. Flying privately allows a non-stop crossing from the West Coast in a jet with enough range, followed by direct access to the coast without changing at Honolulu. Flight times are roughly 5 hours 30 minutes from Los Angeles, about 5 hours 15 minutes from San Francisco and around 45 minutes from Honolulu. The Jet Collection plans the Pacific leg around aircraft range and winds, arranges handling at Kona and has a driver waiting for the coast road.
