A Safety Net Just Announced May Help Avert Hawaii Vacation Disasters.
173 thoughts on “Hawaii Vacations Saved? | Guaranteed Test Results Within 36-Hours”
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Travelers from the east coast need more options! There are no approved labs except Vault.
Thank you for keeping us up to date.
Hi Linda.
Thanks. We hear you!
Aloha.
Linda D… And in some states Vault won’t test if you are covered by Medicare or Medicaid!
This is great news for Hawaiian Airlines travelers. I just returned yesterday from a 10 day trip to Maui. We flew Southwest. I took my test on a Tuesday morning as I had a Thursday evening flight. I took my test through CVS and had to drive 1.5 hrs away to find a location that had an opening as they were mostly all booked. The drive through CVS test was fine and efficient. Well, I arrived on Thursday evening and still no test results. Make sure you download your QR code from the State of Hawaii site ahead of time. You will need this when you are in line for processing. Since I didn’t have my test results, I had to show the processor my confirmed Covid test which I did on that Tuesday through the MyCharts app that CVS uses. I was fine to leave but I could not pick up my rental car due to not having the test results which was obviously wasn’t what I was expecting. I had to take a taxi to the resort. When I checked into the resort, I was issued a one time entry wristband. I had to order food through Instacart as there isn’t much doordash or other dining delivery that I could find. Luckily I had a full kitchen in my place. I didn’t get my results until Sunday morning so I stayed in my condo for Fri and Saturday. Had to take another taxi back to the airport to pick up my rental car after spending $180 on taxi fares. I do have a large lanai at the condo so I wasn’t all that impacted and was staying for 10 days. I could only imagine if you had a family and were staying for a week and two days were spent indoors? I would only fly to Hawaii if you can get for sure results in the time frame.
Other than that experience the island was different but good. I have family on Maui and I think they have been conditioned by their governor and others to absolutely fear Covid. I am not saying it is not serious, but if you are a healthy person and take the smart precautions it is a good place to visit. Downtown Lahaina was probably 60% open with a lot of shops boarded up.
There are several commenters on this blog that are definitely in the “very scared” category, but that’s not a true indication of the population as a whole. We’ve spent time in five US states during the last couple of months. The wife half of a couple across the street from us on Kauai is still scared of us, and we’ve been back on island nearly 3 weeks. On the other hand, we’ve run into many other neighbors, friends and acquaintances since day one of our arrival who were not at all scared of us. It’s all over the spectrum – and not just Hawaii.
IMO, there is a correlation between those that want more authoritarian government in general, scared people who want government to control others to keep them “SAFE” at all costs, versus those who view government/media cynically, not scared people who want government to leave them alone. Most people are somewhere in between. This is nothing new, but the COVID panic has magnified these differences. You can see it in the comments on this blog.
We had a happy hour dinner at a sports-bar restaurant in Kapa`a last night (Raider-Chiefs game on). One of the employees (a young kid) wore his mask diligently. The others? Not at all (chin strap, under nose, that sort of thing). And of course, none of the customers had them on, since they are not required to once seated. Was mix of locals and tourists. This is a self-selecting group of “not scared”, since “scared” people would never spend time in that place.
This is no different than what we’ve observed in other states.
When you mention the State of Hawaii are you referring to Safe Travels? When do you receive the QR code? After testing or? Mahalo
Hi Rebecca.
You’ll receive the QR code after your test and test questionnaire are successfully uploaded to the Safe Travels website.
Aloha
Careful with that. I recall it was completing the health questionnaire within 24 hours of flying that got us the QR code emails from the ST web site. Recall that the (in)famous Utah family who were turned away on Maui had their QR codes, but did not have accepted test results because their testing outfit was not on the HI approved “trust partner” list.
Just having a QR code is not enough. The QR code just links or trip information. Just like the QR codes that restaurants use to link their menus. When we went through intake at LIH back on Nov 5, our processor started with the QR code email, but then needed to see the contents of our “trip” status, which included the negative results statement.
Hi David.
Thank you for that. Just updated our comment.
Aloha.
We had to cancel our trip to Hawaii yesterday because there was no way to drive 200 miles round trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles testing area on Wed. and be sure of getting results back in time for Sat. morning flight with Thanksgiving on Thursday. We understand the concerns about protecting the citizens of Hawaii. Unfortunately we were also passengers on board the Norwegian ‘Jewel’ when COVID hit in March so we’re no strangers to ruined vacations. We’re scheduled to return to Hawaii in January and hope testing criteria are improved by then.
I am grateful to you for all the timely information. Still, it seems that the state of Hawaii should be providing this in a “user friendly” mode. Guidelines, restrictions, and processes are convoluted and confusing, as well as in constant flux. Just getting from one island to another can be a headache. As a resident who has been island-confined since March, I was looking forward to my family from the Bay Area visiting me for the holidays. With all the confusion and new quarantine, it does not seem worth it to take the chance on a late test result. Looks like we will be waiting for a vaccine before we can be reunited. Still, I know I am lucky to be in paradise and believe that most folks here are cautious and aware.
Hi Marcia.
Thanks. We concur with you that it isn’t “user friendly” at this point. We can only hope that improves. It has been just over a month since this started, and it is a crazy time everywhere.
Aloha.
This is certainly good news for us LAX travelers. The question is will Hawaiian and the other airlines stop fliers from boarding without a completed/documented negative test?
Thanks for your very valid question!
The airlines can choose to deny boarding but since the 14 day quarantine is still on option for incoming travelers people can get on planes without negative testing and thus I don’t see airlines enforcing that.
Honestly, if we didn’t already have tickets and reservations, the answer to that question would be a resounding NO. As March approaches, the date of our reservations, we’ll have to take a look at how the vaccine, and testing programs are going, and make the decision to cancel again, or chance it. We miss seeing our family, and having all of our kids together in the Islands, but I’m not seeing an end to the constant changes in policy by Hawaii’s governor and mayors. It takes time to work out the “kinks” in any plan, but the constant changes make that impossible.
Thank you BOH for keeping us up to date. We are very happy to see Portland on the list of places that Hawaiian Airlines has added for testing sites, as that is our point of departure.
Hi Lee.
Thank you for all your comments over the last four years! We’ll remain optimistic but obviously, we remain in the midst of this globally, and no one can say how it will all play out. Traveling right now is challenging.
Aloha.
Any info on cost?
Hi Bill.
That makes 50 comments. Thanks. Yes, we updated with costs, which are from $90 to $105.
Aloha.
Hmm
36 hours good. So , to take the test requires two trips to the airport.
You can’t depart without the neg test in hand.
Aloha-Unfortunately this doesn’t help those that are flying on other airlines. So no more inclined. Hopefully Alaska will have this in place by the time we are scheduled to fly next spring.
Mahalo!
Hi Jon.
While that is true, as goes Hawaiian Airlines, so goes the state. If this goes well as planned, you will see it expand to other airlines. They all have so much at stake here.
BOH I welcome all the news regarding airline travel but can BOH keep us fully updated on hotel and restaruants that are opening with both outdoor and indoor seating. Until we can experience the full enjoyment of the island cusine, Mai Tai’s at the Mai Tai Beach Bar Royal Hawaiian and key hotels open and fully servicing our needs, there is no reason to consider a Hawaiian vacation. From what I am hearing Waikiki is nearly a ghost town, very few hotels open, most dining facilities closed or extremely limited that its not worth the time to leave the mainland. Please keep us abreats of these updates and not simply the airlines who really dont care once they have landed.
Hi Geoff.
Thanks. We’ve previously mentioned https://foodagogo.org/, which maintains a list of restaurants open for dine-in, take-out, and other options. As for hotels, it is probably best to just check with whatever options you are considering.
Aloha.