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2,829 thoughts on “Hotels Require Hawaii Vaccination Passports + New Maui COVID Rules Detailed”

  1. Karly D

    Is there a test we can get that we don’t have to pay $120 each for? That seems to be the only option, we are flying SW and they now have accepted testing but only from their California hubs. All the accepted tests we can take are over $100. Totally ridiculous! Flying out of Portland OR, if anyone has suggestions please let me know.

    1. Beat of Hawaii

      Hi Karly.

      We’ll ask others to comment on testing near PDX. Many have reported their tests were totally paid for by insurance.

      Aloha.

      1. Tim m

        My test at carbon health in Portland at airport for my flight on Alaska air was $120 and my insurance only paid $50. I have flight in may on United to Hnl and the cost at carbon health is now $170. In January the rest result was done before I got back to the house from the test .

        1. JohnW

          Paid 90 on Hawaiian out of Seattle…good list of all the options on their website for each of their cities.

    2. Ed. C

      Hi Karly. We got ours at Walgreens with ID NOW rapid test (results came back in less than 3 hours). It was cost free, although I don’t know why. I have seen comments from others saying their ID NOW rapid test at Walgreens was free. Plenty of Walgreens in PDX, so you can go to Walgreens website and check which ones offer the ID NOW rapid test – not all Walgreens do.

      1. BARBARA M

        ED and KARLY… That’s the catch – there is no Walgreens in our entire state that offers Rapid Testing!!! And what you pay for is not the test but the “service” – Walgreens isn’t making anything extra off the shots as the government pays for them but outfits like Xprescheck have popped up to be a profit making organization.

      2. Paul M.

        This Walgreens web page allows you to search for store sites and the tests they offer at each site:

        walgreens.com/findcarecovidui/covid19/testing?ban=covid_vanity_testing

        For the ID NOW test there are two locations in Portland and two in Beaverton. after that you have to drive to Wilsonville or farther.

        @Ed C. … I have used Vault Health twice with success (as long as I departed on Thursday) because my local Walgreens did not offer any testing at the time, in December 2020 or February 2021 (they offer testing now). Was your ID NOW test covered by health insurance? Did Walgreens allow you to book appointments more than 48 hours before you wanted to get your test? Thanks.

        1. Ed. C

          Paul M – I really have no idea why it was cost free. We did input our insurance information as was required on the online appointment form. Walgreens only opens appointment times 3 days in advance. We needed ours to be done no earlier than Wednesday so I checked the website Sunday morning for availability. The only days “bookable” were Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on Sunday.

          1. Paul M.

            @Ed. C – I just ate the Vault Health test costs on my two trips, but I would like to have Walgreens bill my supplemental Medicare health insurance and see what they will pay. I would rather spend the $119 per test in the Oahu economy. Vault Health would not deal with Oregon health insurance billing.

  2. Stacy J.

    Good! It comes too late for us this year, as we’ve made plans to go elsewhere. However we’ll certainly be back in 2022! Fully vaccinated and ready to go!!

    1. Andrea B

      Dear Stacy, I’m planning my life long dream vacation trip to Oahu next year!!! I’m getting very excited& can’t wait ♡♡♡

      1. Paul M.

        @Andrea B – Congratulations on planning your lifelong dream trip to the State of Hawaii! Hopefully you will enjoy reading on the BeatOfHawaii.com website about all of the COVID-19 screening and vaccination rule changes that will take place over the next year. Who knows, maybe we will all be back to normal traveling by the time you board your flight? Let’s hope so. Aloha!

  3. P. C.

    Looks like the CDC has approved travel for those vaccinated news.yahoo.com/fully-vaccinated-people-travel-u-152100303.html, wonder when Hawaii will implement this?

      1. Kevin C

        We just returned to Hilo from a mainland getaway. Hilo to HNL on Hawaiian. Then HNL to SLC on Delta. From there we drive to Idaho for a family visit. Then back to SLC for a flight to Tampa FL. via Atlanta. Drove all through north central Florida. It was spring break and very busy. Nice to see. We found a “ free COVID testing site” so we took it. NEGATIVE results back in 36 hours. Returned to DLC after 9 days of traveling Florida. Took the Rapid ID test inside the airport in Salt lake City at Xprescheck. $200 each for the wife and myself. Results back in 20 minutes. NEGATIVE. Followed all the guidelines on “Hawaii Safe Travels” website. Got the QR code and downloaded test results.Flew from SLC to HNL on 3-30. Arrived HNL only to see a huge line waiting to get through the checkpoints. Our final destination was Hilo. We live here. Had to do all the nonsense at HNL, then upon arrival into Hilo, we were told we needed to test again. Not mandatory, but if we refused, even tho we had negative results from 36 hrs previous, we had to quarantine at home for 10 days. Took the test. Edited 15 minutes. Once again … NEGATIVE.
        Only in Hawaii did we experience such nonsense.
        Welcome home

  4. Jared R

    From CDC.gov 4/2/21
    Updated Information for Travelers

    Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19.
    People who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States:
    Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it
    Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine

    1. P C

      “Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it”

      Uh oh…lol

  5. Amy J.

    I love Hawaii. I hate the confusion created by its leaders. I’ve had family members living there since 2011, consequently all of us spend a lot of time flying back and forth between the mainland and the islands. I arrived back in West Virginia on January 30, 2020 and have remained here since the pandemic. However, I am booked for a flight in July staying on O’ahu and Big Island. Even though I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and can prove it, I will take a covid test to avoid the quarantine, BUT my state is not a Save Travels Partner, so I have to “travel” just to get a test from the list of partners even though tests are offered on nearly every street corner around me these days. It just seems odd that I have to go through this when I am vaccinated, but regardless this process should not be this complicated. Also, I can’t get clear information on what I need to do to get to the Big Island after staying in O’ahu for five days beforehand. Additionally, I need clear information as to if the Rapid Diagnostic Test (ID NOW) is an accepted test. I know they say check the website for all details… believe me I have, but some information is just not there or if it is it is incomplete or unclear. Respectfully saying, I understand that rules need to be in place to protect everyone and I truly want rules however, I would really appreciate it if Hawaii could simplify this process. I could go anywhere, but Hawaii holds my family and Hawaii has been very good to us. I want to support the state and the people who live there, but in order for me to this Hawaii has to make it simpler and more realistic to get there. Please provide any insight you may have and I thank you.

    1. Beat of Hawaii

      Hi Amy.

      Testing by mail is available from anywhere in the US so that should not be a problem. Also if you have specific questions, you can reach out to the state’s Safe Travels help desk at 855-599-0888 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.

      Aloha.

    2. Ed. C

      Hi Amy. The ID NOW rapid test offered at Walgreen is accepted by the state of Hawaii. We used it in February to travel to Maui. It took about 3 hours to get our results, which they emailed to us.

      Aloha!

    3. BARBARA M

      AMY…
      First, depending on when you are traveling back “home”, it is possible that Hawaii will by that time accept vaccination validation (aka “Vaccine Passport”) as all you need to enter the state with no further testing needed.
      Second, I feel your pain – our state is the same – Rapid Testing everywhere but no “Trusted Partners”.
      Third, Vault Health offers by mail/in home testing BUT they don’t offer Rapid Testing so be careful if you use them that you accommodate the 72 hour window. You can order your test anytime in advance and then schedule your Zoom appointment appropriately. (They need to watch you administer the nasal swab test.) BUT, if you are over 65, make sure to check NO when they ask if you are on Medicare or they won’t offer you a test – it’s a billing issue thing. (Check to see if your state offers Vault testing for $0 as mine does.)

      1. Amy J

        Barbara,

        Thank you for this information! I tried to order the Vault test so I could “test” it out before July. They would not send it to me, which led to sole frustration and now I know why! I told them I had medicare! Wow. Thank you so much for this, now maybe Vault will be an option …. if I still need it by then!

    5. Barbara M

      Addition to Ernest’s comment… yes, rapid test is acceptable BUT it has to be done by a Trysted Partner which often isn’t easy to find.

    6. Gerhard

      It is really so easy. Just get a test and don’t listen to all those useless discussions. I got it at SFO Airport and I am sure you can probable get it at any Airport now. Yes, it was expensive, but what you spend in Hawaii, the most expensive state I have ever been to, it is not much. Time will tell and eventually Hawaii will implement new procedures in additon to the test and get it right. The want to protect their people and have evry right to do so.

  6. Sharon W.

    I have travel plans to Maui that were delayed from a year ago, it is time that Hawaii move past testing and accept the vaccine. As a healthcare educator, I received the vaccine 12/31/2020 and the followup vaccine 30 days later. This should be the norm and not the exception. The required testing should only be performed for those who have not received the vaccine.

    1. Gerhard

      The President of Argentina has just tested Positive after being vaccinated 3 month ago.
      Testing needs to stay in place to protect the public.

  7. El C

    Hit the nail on the head. Hawaii state government has no leadership in this. I love here and if you want total backwoods, government, this is your state!

  8. Cheri F.

    Aloha Guys!

    Mahalo for your excellent reporting and keeping us updated over the past 12 months on the ever-changing requirements to enter HI.

    Do you or any of your readers have suggestions for a “reliable” testing center in Orange County that can deliver the test results within the 72 hour time frame?

    I’m not excited about having another passport, but if it helps us bypass pre-travel testing, I’m in.

    Thanks again 🙂
    Cheri

    1. Beat of Hawaii

      Hi Cheri.

      Thanks. Lots of Orange County folk here so hopefully someone will lend a hand to your question about Orange County testing sites.

      Aloha.

    2. BARBARA M

      CHERI F… It’s not a “passport” but rather your vaccination card. “Vaccination Passport” is a concept not a physical thing – your card is the physical documentation.

  9. Barbara M

    RON (Sorry I can’t find your post)… I agree with you that the Passport Card offered by the State Dept is a valuable possession and could be just as valuable for vaccination certification . HOWEVER, the federal government has stated they absolutely will not get involved with issuing vaccination validation. That is the responsibility of the local and/or state level governments. The Feds have issued the standard card to be used but they will not take responsibility for storing that information. (It would be nice if the “card” was indeed “wallet size”!

  10. Ron K

    thanks for your continuing information. a suggestion for a secure vaccination passport could be made along the style of a “passport card”. They have at least 4 different types of security on them. they are the size of a credit card. they are optional items you can get when ordering new passports. They seem to be a hardy card and a secure one. whoever the state dept. has making them does a good job.
    thanks keep up the flow of info.
    Ron K

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