This has also left many travelers in limbo.
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Some are struggling to get home while others are trying to reschedule travel plans.
On top of traveling issues, there have been communication problems and an interruption of services. Hawaii officials are now urging against all "non-essential" travel.
AAA has tips on what to do if you have travel plans to the area.
Visiting Hawaii is often a "bucket list" item, and AAA knows some people save for a long time to make this kind of vacation happen.
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If you booked a trip to the islands of Maui or Hawaii directly with the airline and hotel, your first step is to contact them.
"Be aware of what the options are," says Jana Tidwell, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
"Can you adjust your itinerary? Can you postpone your trip to another time? Can you completely cancel? Of course, many airlines have waived cancellation and rebooking fees. Hotels and resorts are offering similar options," said Tidwell. "However, it's working with a travel advisor that is your best option. That person is an advocate for you."
If you are rebooking, AAA also recommends buying travel insurance.
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"Reason being, you want to protect your investment, especially a trip to Hawaii," Tidwell says. "There are many people that we hear about from our travel advisors who invest $10,000 to $20,000 on a trip to Hawaii, but they don't want to spend the extra money on the travel insurance."
She says this is the time to make that insurance investment.
As for visitors leaving Maui and Hawaii, nearly 15,000 travelers left on flights departing Maui on Thursday.
AAA says, so far, travelers with plans to visit other Hawaiian islands won't need to change their plans.
Experts warn, however, it's a very fluid situation and circumstances could change.