What might happen when the Hawaii legislature returns on January 20 that could change current travel policies.
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What might happen when the Hawaii legislature returns on January 20 that could change current travel policies.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
What is required if a returning resident has received both COVID 19 vaccinations prior to returning to Hawaii?
I am wondering will there be any provision for folks that have had 1 or 2 Covid vaccines?
My wife and I are on Kauai at the moment on day 8 of of our quarantine. We do not take issue with a rule. We are just fine with our 10-days in our villa to insure the safety of our island friends. My one wish is that you pick rule and stick to it. It is the inconsistency that is the hardest, not the rule itself.
Sounds like a wild card to me.
Kauai is aware they have the least hospital beds and icu units. I know of no increase in those numbers over the last ten months in spite of serious federal funds having been available to kauai. This suggests to me some very poor decision making.
This is a mystery to me also. The Feds can set up an ICU in the middle of the Iraqi desert in relatively short order, why not on Kaua’i? Instead they just go back to “we only have 9 ICU beds”. If something has changed in that regard, maybe I missed it.
I totally agree! Where are the legislators that need to be making sure there is enough medical help for its constituents now and in the future?
Waiting to hear how they will deal with visitors who have been fully Vaccinated for COVID… I will have my final vaccination in a week… Just curious, how they will deal with people who are Vaccinated…?
Aloha – any idea if there will be an exemption to pre-travel testing for people vaccinated? Or what the rules might change to if you’ve already had and recovered from Covid?
Mahalo!
Hi Jen.
We hope to learn very soon. It was to begin in February.
Aloha.
Having to due the 72 hour test is hard because where we live they are really behind and it is taking a week to get test back. I agree on testing just maybe at the airport when we land or open the window to a week time frame. Thank you
You asked which of the sticking points is most concerning. Oh, goodness, where to start, lol? As an Oahu resident who has had to quarantine over the summer (before there was even a testing option) after returning from the mainland, and who has had to oversee the testing requirements for both of my daughters so they could avoid the quarantine when coming home to Hawaii for Christmas (one from Massachusetts and one from Mississippi), I can tell you that the whole thing is a mess. It’s HARD to get the tests on the mainland, and it’s nerve-wracking waiting for the results to come in. I strongly believe that the whole state should have the same rules, and that we should have 96 hours to get the test before travel, not just 72. I also believe that residents should be able to get tested at the Honolulu airport for free. Residents shouldn’t be lumped into the same category as vacationers.
Also, just to clarify – the quarantine is actually 10 days now, not 14, as you stated in your article above. Thank you for all of the updates – I really enjoy your newsletters!
Hi Wendy.
Thanks for that. We updated to reflect the right number – 10 days.
Aloha.
There are no new “sticking points”. They are the same now as they were from day 1. You essentially enumerated them all above–but all of the rolls into one big sticky ball called “government cluster failure”.
Hawaii is essentially a failed state and has been for a while now. Billions in debt at both the state and county levels… with zero plan to reduce or eliminate that debt–and that was BEFORE the pandemic. I can’t even begin to imagine how much more debt has been added to the pile over the past year due to COVID. If anything, government spending is WAY up in 2020–while tax revenues are WAY down.
And as to the question of whether Hawaii / Hawaiians “want you here” the answer is complicated. “Hawaii” the corporate entity that survies and thrives on tourist tax and sales dollars has wanted you here from day 1. But Hawaiians–the locals that don’t work–or don’t work in or own tourist-related businesses–don’t want you here even when there’s NOT a pandemic. They never have. They never will. And they are the loud, vocal minority that wags the government dog here. They’re the same fools camped out up on Mauna Kea trying to stop a $2.4 billion dollar telescope from being built on a mountain top that already has FOURTEEN other telescopes–and the same fools having protests and waving signs about tourism this year–and the same fools spreading the covid throughout their own communities.
So vote with your wallet… go to Mexico instead. Sure, you’ll probably get robbed and you might get killed… but at least you’ll be wanted. And there’s good tequila there.
Took your advice ..Cozumel on Friday…have felt completely welcomed by all of our vendors we are working with. This whole situation has left a bad taste about Hawaii…its too bad really.
“They never have. They never will.”
Yes. Exactly. Very well said!
So, we go on.
Thanks for the comment Jared X.
Yeah, we can derive safety based on number of COVID infections/deaths; but are there not perhaps other versions of what is “safe”. To advocate the other side, what are the indirect casualties of the COVID restrictions?
In the end, the Governor ought to abide the popular consensus on how to restrict incoming tourists, right? I know I’m just someone who wants to visit the islands next month (talk about indirect casualties of the COVID restrictions); but I do get the sense that the majority of Hawaii agrees and wants me to visit, too.
Mahalo for the updates!
We are planning our 2nd part of our late April 2021 trip to Maui. We booked our timeshare (which we own) back in July 2019, before anyone ever heard of COVID, and airline flights can be canceled easily with a click of the mouse. We were planning on flying into and out of the Bay Area in California (Southwest Airlines gives us no choice) and visit old friends upon our return from Maui. Now, Hawaiians don’t want tourists even to come — screw their economy I guess! I am sad. I wanted to visit Hawaii one last time while I’m alive but their screwed up governor is the same reason why I refuse to vacation again in Florida right now. I hope things change as I have 4 months to decide what to do. Be safe everyone, even if my Ohana in Maui party without social distancing or wearing masks!
Not.f’ing.again.
Hello- which hotels are in the “resort bubble” in Kauai? Are you able to stay at a family home for the 3 days? Thank you for update information! You are right, it is all very confusing. We would love to rebook our trip but the travel restrictions are confusing for someone coming from the mainland. Thank you again.
Hi Ashley.
The ones that we are aware of are The Cliffs Princeville, Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua, Koa Kea Hotel & Resort Poipū, The Club at Kukuiula,Timbers Kauai Ocean Club Hokuala and Kauai Marriott.
Aloha.
I feel very selfish wanting to return to Oahu for my deceased Son and his Father’s Memorial Date of passing. I missed 2020 due to COVID.
I am elderly and each year I visit I hope I can return the following year which is always in April. This year I shopped diligently and secured a round trip ticket, great flights (in and out of the sky/airports
from Memphis within 12 hrs) for $402.00 per individual. The many places I visit are shutdown. One good thing is Makaha Beach where Firefighters were instrumental in the ceremony distributing ashes for my Firefighter husband welcomes visitors at this time. Cannot wait to Land at the Honolulu Airport. I have under the MS state order to wear a back since 3/13/2020 not a problem got me!
I have noticed that many of the latest COVID cases, particularly on Kaua’i, are residents returning from the mainland. They need to treat these folks no different than visitors, What is the difference between a visitor flying to Kaua’i from Minnesota and resident flying in from California. Returning residents can certainly quarantine at their residence, but they need to have four day post arrival test or a full ten day quarantine including a tracking bracelet just like a tourist.
This might have the effect of curtailing some of the residents from going to the mainland which may be a good thing.
We are still planning to head to Kaua’i in March, but I have three “contingency” plans to get us there, but depending on what happens in January I made need a fourth!
Curtail residents’ travel to the mainland? Why are we the red-headed stepchild? We have business and/or family on the mainland that we like to see every few months! That’s why I went to N. Nevada in November; I had not seen my grandchildren there in a year. Please think about our situations.
Aloha! I am very upset about the charges of $129-200 for inter island travel for Covid-19 lab tests for residents!! SWA charges round trip fees $39-49/ leg. Then add the lab tests. The total cost for interisland costs go from less than $100 to $300-600 additional expense for the lab tests. This is outrageous!! Does anyone else agree with me?
We would love to travel to outer island reasonable prices for lab tests.
MaryMargaret B
Aloha! As a resident of Ohio, the 6th largest COVID cases state, who traveled to Maui for Christmas, I encourage folks not to get bogged down or stressed out by the travel requirements. We used Vault and Walgreens to be sure we would have results in time. Walgreens took two hours to email results (Rapid ID) and Vault took two days. Mind you, this was during the holiday season, after the East coast where Vault is located got buried in snow, and in a state that has near out of control virus numbers.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have scheduled Walgreens only. We had to drive some distance for it, but it was worth the relief to know we had results in time. We had the QR codes almost immediately when we uploaded the document to the Safe Travel site. The Maui airport process added about 15 minutes to the usual routine. Everyone along the way was courteous and helpful. I stressed far too much about it. I encourage anyone else who will be traveling any time soon to relax and trust the process. It was so worth it!
The sticking point for me and my family is the travel resort bubble and the need to first stay on another island for 3 days prior to arrival on Kauai. We will gladly get a COVID test before we arrive in Hawaii. However, we will not first go to another island for 3 days. Neither will we EVER submit to staying in a resort travel bubble. In fact, we have a trip planned to Kauai at the end of June 2021. We are waiting to see how this all pans out. At that time we will cancel if either the 3 day stay on another island or the resort bubble rule remains in effect. If we need to “once again” cancel, as we had to do July 2020, I doubt we will attempt a return to Hawaii for several years. We absolutely love Hawaii and its people. But, its really going to leave a bad taste in our mouth if cancellation is once again necessary. We lost quite a bit of money last July and we stand to lose again this June. Yes, we realize that health and life is far more important than money could ever be. But, Covid is here an we all need to learn how to manage living with it . The virus is much more manageable now than it was last year. We take chances each and every time we get in a car, or swim in the ocean, etc… Its time to get back to life The consequences of financial/employment loss, suicide, domestic violence and drug overdose, just to name a few, are also consequences of COVID.
BOH, thanks for your diligent effort to keep your readers abreast of the ever changing rules of the “Safe Travels program”. There is absolutely no other news publication that is as informative as BOH, regarding Safe Travels. I would venture to say that Hawaii probably would not even have the few visitors that they currently have without the knowledge you provide.
Mahalo,
TJ
Hi TJ.
Thanks so much for the nice words. We appreciate it and hope that your trip planned for June works out. Please let us know.
Aloha.
What happens to those of us who will be able to have our vaccination for covid
soon?
Following
For some of us traveling to Kauai, the prospect of losing even one day is torture when vacations come every 3-4 years. I will jump thru hoops to get there because I love it so much, but not if I’m restricted to one resort bubble. I go there exclusively to immerse myself in the culture, the food, the community and the Aina, not some man-made illusion of the island itself. I want my $$$ going to support the locals, not corporations.
I am a resident of the Big Island who recently returned from a mainland visit. For my return flight on a Wednesday, I had 3 flights: Memphis to Dallas, Dallas to Seattle, Seattle to Kona. To meet the 72 hr test period requirement, I took my pre-flight Covid test @ 9am on a Monday @ a Walgreens in Memphis. At time of boarding in Memphis, no test results yet. After landing in Dallas, no test results still. Ironically, I was lucky enough to have my Dallas to Seattle flight develop mechanical problems and was re-booked on a flight to Portland. However, I had to overnite in Portland since the Portland-Kona flight was at 9 am the next morning. My test results arrived in my email at 7:15 am that morning, so I was able to upload it to the Safe Travels website and get my “Pre-clear” wristband from Alaska Airlines. I arrived home Thursday afternoon, had to get another covid test before leaving the airport, but no quarantine. Had my plane not developed mechanical problems, I WOULD have been quarantined as I would have arrived prior to me getting results. And yet, I could not have taken the initial covid test any sooner, as the 72 hr testing period started at 5:25 pm on Sunday (72 hr prior to the start of my nonstop flight to Hawaii, the Seattle-Kona segment). For many travelers, especially those having to do more than one flight, the 72 hr rule doesn’t work.
I have a question. What do we think the population’s vote would be if they were to ask them what restrictions should be in place? I’ve heard stories that residents are tired of the strict regulations. Is this true?
“Number of cases” is one thing and I can see its correlation with the governor’s goal to maintain safety. Sure.
But at what point would the majority of Hawaii’s actual residents prefer to loosen the restrictions? I’m sure some would prefer to live a fuller life with the risk of getting COVID rather than live a suppressed life with a lessor chance of getting it. Am I missing something? I choose an adventurous life. There is always degrees of risk in life, right? Isn’t that what we’re dealing with?
I don’t know…someone enlighten me. The restrictions seem to be killing businesses, raising crime, and increasing domestic abuse…and these are just the direct consequences. I mean, addictions and anxiety must be running rampant.
Still sounds like the rules are in a state of flux and that Kauai still has different rules. Our trip is in one month. We will both be vaccinated prior to that date. I still do not see any news on if you are vaccinated if you will be allowed into Kauai.
We will not do the Resort Bubble to get into Kauai – there is no proof that putting us all in 5 resorts for 3 days will keep the COVID level down, especially when we tested negative prior to leaving the mainland. These 5 resorts seem to be cashing in, plus whoever issues these tracking bracelets (which is creepy) and performs the mobile tests. We called our resort and they mentioned that they have applied for Resort Bubble status, but had no idea when this would be approved, if at all. It’s still not worth the expense to be quarantined for any number of days, Hawaii is an expensive trip and we don’t want to be stressed, vacation is a time to relax.
If this is not resolved, we will cancel the Hawaii trip and look into Florida which does not have all these rules.
I landed in Lihue this past Saturday from a non-stop from SFO. My plan is to quarantine in my condo (which has been empty from STR due to Kauai banning Safe Travels).
Talk about confusion – as I am a Covid/Beat of Hawaii junkie, I actually knew more than the agents at the airport. I was explaining the system to them. The only one who understood the Kauai system was the Natl Guard member.
Kauai wants to “see” that you have the Safe Travels QR code, although they don’t scan it or allow you to upload your negative test.
Hi Laurie.
We caught that. Thank you. Enjoy your time on Kauai.
Aloha.
Come on Hawaii…you’re embarrassing yourself…again.
How are the islands going to deal with visitors who have received the vaccines and have the proof to show. We have a trip planned for mid-June. Hopefully the state will have policy in place by then.
Thanks
Hi Mike.
We’ll have more updates on this soon.
Aloha.
As a property manager in Poipu, I had a guest call that has had both of her vaccinations and is a safe as you can get. What is Kawakami and Green’s plan for her? Essential worker…now safe and wants to come.
Tom
Is any different travel requirements going to come into play if a person has been vaccinated prior to Hawaii travel?
We finally pulled the plug on our upcoming stay in Kauai. Just too much risk with the rules changing. Hopefully we will return next Christmas for our annual vacation but until things, unless there are huge changes, we are waiting.
I am hoping they can all work together… my family has a vacation scheduled for July…. i would really like to go and enjoy the beauty if the islands.
Thank you
The problem I see is that the test needs to be within 72 hours, but the results take 72 hours to receive. So if I do not have the results prior to departure, I am not getting on the flight. But the hotel reservation would need to be canceled days before the arrival date. It is a perfect catch 22 scenario.
You are absolutely correct!
It is confusing, and the underlying message is a feeling that mainland is not really that welcome. I understand the concerns but, like us, we’ve made other plans to travel elsewhere this year.
Lawmakers from Oahu cannot be permitted to make the tradeoff between safety and the economy for each island. Oahu already has significant spread of coronavirus and has little to lose by loosening restrictions. Kauai County, on the other hand, has the lowest level of Coronavirus (on a per capita basis) of any county in the United States.
I don’t know what the right tradeoff is here, but it should be up to the citizens of Kauai or their elected leaders to make those choices for Kauai.
I’m hoping before we travel that LAS has rapid testing and is approved by Hawaii. Our dilemma is we are traveling on Monday at 2pm, layover in Oakland, leaving at 5:40pm. If I understand the requirement, we cannot get our tests until 5:40 pm on Friday. That’s going to be pretty much impossible unless there is rapid testing. Rapid testing is not done in our town. What a mess!
Aloha-As long as they choose to have county by county differing rules that you can’t count on staying the same for very long, you will never get people to seriously consider Hawaii for travel
“Saiki may introduce another legislation to permit passengers to obtain COVID testing at Honolulu Airport if they do not have a negative test to present on landing. Those passengers testing negative would not need to quarantine.”
I like the idea about requiring a rapid test, but it should be done at the point of DEPARTURE, not arrival. Otherwise, there is always the possibility that an infected person who doesn’t have symptoms will get on the plane and infect others. it makes sense to identify those people if at all possible.
People who get infected on the plane may not realize they are infected for up to a week or more and could contribute to community spread on the island. Why take that risk?
My wife and I have a tripped planned for early February 2021. By then we will have received both of our COVID vaccinations. Moving forward is there any plan to exempt people that have been vaccinated from having to get tested?
Good Afternoon.
Can you tell me how is it handled in Hawaii (Kona) if I’ve had both of my Covid -19 shots and have proof of the vaccinations. Do I still have to do a pre travel Covid test?
Of course, masks will be worn and distancing respected, as well as other sanitary measures (hand washing, etc).
Thank you for an interesting and informative forum
Hi Sharon.
We are awaiting news from the state on vaccination travel that was supposed to start in early February.
Aloha.
Well unfortunately I’ve had to cancel my January 31st trip to Kona. This trip was planned for March of last year, rescheduled to September, then November then late January. I’m now negotiating with Hilton to allow me to change locations for my travel package, as I just don’t see Hawaii being easy to plan anytime soon