80 thoughts on “Problems Slam Airline Pre-Clear Programs For Hawaii Travel”
Fred h
Aloha
I recently had posted a question regarding pre clear.
We are flying to the big island via Honolulu gate
Minneapolis gate way airport.delta airlines
Arrived today feb 3 rd . Pre clear was set up right at gate
Took less than 5 minutes.
Don’t know why its so difficult to get info on this.
Also delta said they are the only ones doing pre clear (very funny)
Mahalo
Alaskaair at San Diego on Jan 25 refused to do any screening even if Green QR code and green check on exempt. Hawaii Travel government customer service line was shocked to hear this. They said Alaskaair was trained to screen. The Alaskaair agent refusing to screen stated I would wait up to 5 hours in Maui for screening. Fortunately the wait for a 3pm arrival was only 30 minutes.
We flew Alaska Airlines thru LAX on Jan 20, 2022. They were not doing pre clear screening at the gate. Instead, some internal person at corporate was virtually screening profiles, and if your profile was lucky to be picked, then you would receive the green checkmark next to “screened”. You must have both green checkmarks next to “screened” and “exempt” in order to receive the wristband from the Alaska Air gate attendant. Unfortunately, our profile was not screened in time for boarding.
We are traveling to the big island via honolulu with gateway thru Minneapolis on delta. Arriving feb 3 rd.
Is anyone aware if they are providing pre clear?
It’s so difficult getting a straight answer from any where.
Even delta rep didn’t know what we were talking about
Thanks
If you mean an airline rep on the phone, it isn’t surprising they aren’t aware of it. At the gate when departing to Honolulu, they will be aware of Pre-Clear. Whether or not they will be offering that is another matter.
Just a follow up on previous comment
Arrived at Minneapolis airport today feb 3rd
Pre clear desk set up right at gate.took less than 5 minutes
PS delta rep at desk said delta is only airline doing this (that’s funny I thought they were one of the last)
Mahalo
No you only need vaccination record OR negative test. You will be most successful if these are uploads and linked to your registration at travel.Hawaii.gov
LEPO F… Can’t find your original post but the reason CLEAR is rarely mentioned is that it is so limited in its availability. Last I knew, it only accommodated digital vaccination cards which, last time I looked, were only offered by about 2 or 3 states. So although it is a good system, basically, it’s useless to most of the country.
WALT A… No matter what answer you receive regarding pre-check at Atlanta, the answer doesn’t matter because what they are or are not doing today may not be what they will be doing tomorrow or in the future. Do not depend on whatever answer you received – things are changing on a daily basis.
We arrived in HNL yesterday from MSP & the pre-clear process worked well. The only things that might have made it smoother were 1)announcing before boarding began to get your bracelet (it was a bit of a mad dash at boarding), & 2)making it clear before we left the plane that those w/bracelets could walk through the screeners. The announcements before deplaning didn’t mention that detail, which made it a bit confusing. However, the bracelets made arrival so much easier!
We flew to Hawaii in September. We a a photo of our vaccination card on our phones. Southwest Airlines that we could not pre-clear unless we had our original vaccination card wit us, Word to the wise.
WILLIAM G… We had been warned last summer to carry the original paper copy of our vaccine cards – thank goodness we heeded that warning as we, as did you, were required to show that at both the airport and at our hotel.
I flew HA from Sacramento to Maui on Sunday January 2nd. Getting my bag checked in took 50 minutes with a long line of passengers doing the same for our flight and the HA flight to Honolulu. No Safe Travel check in at the Sacramento airport either at the front counter or at the gate. Upon arrival in Maui, long line to get thru Safe Travel. I saw NO orange wristbands on anyone the entire time I was in the airport. So yes, staff shortages are really slowing things down.
I hear a lot about wristbands. How/where do we get these?
Got our QR code from Safe Travels, but our hotel does not have a QR code reader. Hotel says we need to show them the 2 green checkmarks on the Safe Travels website. These will appear after we’re screened by the proper authorities. Where, at our departing airport? Just looking to avoid delays at HNL.
When available, you get the wristbands at the departure airport to Hawaii. If you have an intermediate stop, you get the wrist band at the last mainland stop before Hawaii. It is typically at the gate but not always so just ask. You’ll either be screened in advance if there is Pre-Clear available, or at your first landing point in Hawaii.
I just have to give a serious tip of the hat to you guys. You two have the patience of SAINTS. I don’t know how many more times or ways you guys can explain the process to people and keep answering the same questions over and over. 😂
Gif bless you guys and happy new year!!
Seems it’s a full time job just keeping up with all the changes for Hawaii travel. Mahalos, BOH, for keeping us updated.
If they are going to test anyone, they really must test all, vaxxed or not, as multiple studies from all over the globe well prove that the vaccinated carry and spread, & contract the virus as well as those that are not. In fact I have read several studies showing the viral load of the vaxxed can be very high.
We are flying to Maui mid February. We have entered all our vaccination records on the Hawaii safe travels website and received our QR code. Do we still have to be tested within 72 hours before arriving and have proof of a negative test result to enter Hawaii? I have read conflicting statements about this and want to be responsibly prepared. Does anyone know the answer? Thank you
Unless something changes, what you’ve done is all that is necessary. Just do yourself a favor and at least try to get the Pre-Clear bracelet if it is offered on departure for Hawaii.
We flew OAK to LIH 11 dec. HA were doing bracelets at front counter next to check in. As long as you had registered it was vey simple and don’t take long. Some people didn’t see me know about the program and wee s cram Ling to get organized No wait at all when we landed. Very easy as long as you knew the information in advance. Thank you for keeping us up to date
So let me be clear, does one gave to take a COVID test and present vaccine status if vaccinated to enter Hawaii or can you just upload your proof of vaccine and that suffices? I have had both of my vaccines and booster. Asking because thinking about booking a trip to either Oahu or Maui.
We flew over on American 1/1/22 on a nonstop out of DFW. Put simply it was a mess. All the AA Hawaii flights out of DFW leave around the same time. They made all the flights get in the same line to have credentials checked and receive wristband. By the time we found out where we were supposed to go to do this, the line was so long that we were afraid we’d miss our flight to KOA if we waited so we abandoned it. I said that the line at KOA had to be shorter than this and it was—far shorter.
Thanks for your pre-flight information. I traveled on Tuesday. I used Southwest and bracelet option in Phoenix was without flaw. They had a separate table with two staffers checking documents and the line flowed with ease. Without the bracelet on prior flights the arrival in Honolulu was a nightmare.
If you are flying with infants, babies, make sure they give you a wristband for the baby as well or they will make you stand in line for hours in Honolulu to get re screened, basically checking that your baby is under your Safe Travels information. We came from Austin and I got the wristband when we checked in our bags and they were also doing it at the gate, yet they both failed to give me a wristband for my baby. This was with Hawaiian Airlines!
Last we knew (Summer 2021), HA in PHX was also offering pre-clear at the gate. Also – if you are Premier Club or higher, you separate line at the ticketing desk (downstairs) will help you a lot – much shorter wait.
My wife and I are traveling from Tampa to Kona on United, with a very quick flight change in Denver for the flight to Kona. I don’t know if we’ll have time there to preclear. Do you know if we can do it inflight, or if we can do it in Tampa?
Definitely convenient, not having to wait, when landing in Oahu and continuing to any of the outer islands…especially with a short layover, one hour or less.
I almost missed my connecting flight in November, but in February they had just started the Pre-Clear program out of SMF, and it was easy to make my short connection.
This will be convenient, with the new influx of travelers in the coming months, for sure.
This all sounds all good however, recently I flew to Maui from Sacramento on Hawaiian. I was given a wristband at the airport in Sacramento prior to boarding…I was thrilled until I arrived in Maui where it took forever to get off the plane. I couldn’t understand the delay until I made it to the front of the line and there was someone…yes ONE taking the temperature of every passenger. When I flew Southwest to Maui in January it was a much quicker process as they have you walk a distance in the terminal to arrive at the check out location…NO WAITING. They just kept you moving. It was great!
Thanks for keeping everyone updated. I frequent Maui and it is helpful knowing what is going on. Linda
Mahalo for the update on this. It’s encouraging that the pre-clear program is expanding. I’m disappointed, though, to not see American Airlines on the list. Do you happen to have any idea if/when AA will follow suit and offer this as well?
Does United offer Pre-Clear in Houston at IAH? I could not locate any information on United’s website as to whether this service is offered at this airport.
Dear Rhea, as of right now in order to travel to Hawaii a person must have a negative test result. It isn’t official yet but Hawaii is working on vaccine passport.
As off this point in time vaccination cards are of no help in the arrival process. We are hoping by June we will be able to use the vaccination cards for entry in lieu of COVID testing or quarantining from the mainland.
We just returned from 2 weeks on the Big Island. Getting set up to go (testing, Safe travels) was bit of work as we were flying out on a Wednesday, which precluded a lot of the available tests. But, Alaska had the airport experience well set-up. On arrival we were quickly moved through for our arrival test and sent on our way. System worked well for us.
We are currently in Maui for a couple weeks and we did receive or pre travel wristbands from ONT airport before we boarded but still had to go through a clearance line at OGG – we had to be given a ticket (think raffle ticket) with the number cleared in our party to pass through the section before leaving the terminals. The security team asked to see this ticket before letting us pass through. Unsure what this was about – but it didn’t seem to matter that we had wristbands. But the wristband clearance did help when we had a layover in HNL.
Aloha
I recently had posted a question regarding pre clear.
We are flying to the big island via Honolulu gate
Minneapolis gate way airport.delta airlines
Arrived today feb 3 rd . Pre clear was set up right at gate
Took less than 5 minutes.
Don’t know why its so difficult to get info on this.
Also delta said they are the only ones doing pre clear (very funny)
Mahalo
Alaskaair at San Diego on Jan 25 refused to do any screening even if Green QR code and green check on exempt. Hawaii Travel government customer service line was shocked to hear this. They said Alaskaair was trained to screen. The Alaskaair agent refusing to screen stated I would wait up to 5 hours in Maui for screening. Fortunately the wait for a 3pm arrival was only 30 minutes.
We flew Alaska Airlines thru LAX on Jan 20, 2022. They were not doing pre clear screening at the gate. Instead, some internal person at corporate was virtually screening profiles, and if your profile was lucky to be picked, then you would receive the green checkmark next to “screened”. You must have both green checkmarks next to “screened” and “exempt” in order to receive the wristband from the Alaska Air gate attendant. Unfortunately, our profile was not screened in time for boarding.
Please let me know the best way to do this. Going to Hawaii soon through L. A.
We are traveling to the big island via honolulu with gateway thru Minneapolis on delta. Arriving feb 3 rd.
Is anyone aware if they are providing pre clear?
It’s so difficult getting a straight answer from any where.
Even delta rep didn’t know what we were talking about
Thanks
Hi Fred.
If you mean an airline rep on the phone, it isn’t surprising they aren’t aware of it. At the gate when departing to Honolulu, they will be aware of Pre-Clear. Whether or not they will be offering that is another matter.
Aloha.
Just a follow up on previous comment
Arrived at Minneapolis airport today feb 3rd
Pre clear desk set up right at gate.took less than 5 minutes
PS delta rep at desk said delta is only airline doing this (that’s funny I thought they were one of the last)
Mahalo
Do you need proof of vaccination including the booster AND a negative test????
No you only need vaccination record OR negative test. You will be most successful if these are uploads and linked to your registration at travel.Hawaii.gov
LEPO F… Can’t find your original post but the reason CLEAR is rarely mentioned is that it is so limited in its availability. Last I knew, it only accommodated digital vaccination cards which, last time I looked, were only offered by about 2 or 3 states. So although it is a good system, basically, it’s useless to most of the country.
Flying from Memphis via DFW. Do I get the wristband in Memphis or DFW? My time changing planes in DFW doesn’t allow time to spare flying American
Thank you
Hi Pamela.
You can check with the airline, but typically it is at the boarding gate for the flight that lands in Hawaii.
Aloha.
Pamela,
You obtain the wristband at DFW Airport.
Specifically D28.
If your time to layover @ DFW does not enable you to obtain a
Wristband pls proceed directly to your gate and board your flight.
Better to arrive in Hawaii and have to stand in line vs. miss your
flight!
CLEAR Health pass has the approved and necessary skip-the-line power. I hardly see a mention of it. It’s worth it.
CLEAR = BYPASS
WALT A… No matter what answer you receive regarding pre-check at Atlanta, the answer doesn’t matter because what they are or are not doing today may not be what they will be doing tomorrow or in the future. Do not depend on whatever answer you received – things are changing on a daily basis.
Hi Barbara.
Good point. This is very fluid.
Aloha.
We arrived in HNL yesterday from MSP & the pre-clear process worked well. The only things that might have made it smoother were 1)announcing before boarding began to get your bracelet (it was a bit of a mad dash at boarding), & 2)making it clear before we left the plane that those w/bracelets could walk through the screeners. The announcements before deplaning didn’t mention that detail, which made it a bit confusing. However, the bracelets made arrival so much easier!
We flew to Hawaii in September. We a a photo of our vaccination card on our phones. Southwest Airlines that we could not pre-clear unless we had our original vaccination card wit us, Word to the wise.
WILLIAM G… We had been warned last summer to carry the original paper copy of our vaccine cards – thank goodness we heeded that warning as we, as did you, were required to show that at both the airport and at our hotel.
I flew HA from Sacramento to Maui on Sunday January 2nd. Getting my bag checked in took 50 minutes with a long line of passengers doing the same for our flight and the HA flight to Honolulu. No Safe Travel check in at the Sacramento airport either at the front counter or at the gate. Upon arrival in Maui, long line to get thru Safe Travel. I saw NO orange wristbands on anyone the entire time I was in the airport. So yes, staff shortages are really slowing things down.
Does Delta do pre-check in Atlanta
Aloha BOH,
I hear a lot about wristbands. How/where do we get these?
Got our QR code from Safe Travels, but our hotel does not have a QR code reader. Hotel says we need to show them the 2 green checkmarks on the Safe Travels website. These will appear after we’re screened by the proper authorities. Where, at our departing airport? Just looking to avoid delays at HNL.
Thank you, BOH and your readers!
Hi Jim.
When available, you get the wristbands at the departure airport to Hawaii. If you have an intermediate stop, you get the wrist band at the last mainland stop before Hawaii. It is typically at the gate but not always so just ask. You’ll either be screened in advance if there is Pre-Clear available, or at your first landing point in Hawaii.
Aloha.
I just have to give a serious tip of the hat to you guys. You two have the patience of SAINTS. I don’t know how many more times or ways you guys can explain the process to people and keep answering the same questions over and over. 😂
Gif bless you guys and happy new year!!
Hi Chris.
Thanks! We appreciate that as well as your many comments. You made us both laugh.
Best aloha.
So vax prof doesn’t work for pre clear any longer? Thanks.
Hi Jon.
Yes, it does. The Pre-Clear is for both vaccination exemption and for testing exemption.
Aloha.
Seems it’s a full time job just keeping up with all the changes for Hawaii travel. Mahalos, BOH, for keeping us updated.
If they are going to test anyone, they really must test all, vaxxed or not, as multiple studies from all over the globe well prove that the vaccinated carry and spread, & contract the virus as well as those that are not. In fact I have read several studies showing the viral load of the vaxxed can be very high.
Hi Cindy.
Thanks for your comments and nice words.
Aloha.
We are flying to Maui mid February. We have entered all our vaccination records on the Hawaii safe travels website and received our QR code. Do we still have to be tested within 72 hours before arriving and have proof of a negative test result to enter Hawaii? I have read conflicting statements about this and want to be responsibly prepared. Does anyone know the answer? Thank you
Hi Heather.
Unless something changes, what you’ve done is all that is necessary. Just do yourself a favor and at least try to get the Pre-Clear bracelet if it is offered on departure for Hawaii.
Aloha.
We flew OAK to LIH 11 dec. HA were doing bracelets at front counter next to check in. As long as you had registered it was vey simple and don’t take long. Some people didn’t see me know about the program and wee s cram Ling to get organized No wait at all when we landed. Very easy as long as you knew the information in advance. Thank you for keeping us up to date
Hi Amanda.
Thanks for the feedback. That’s very helpful.
Aloha.
So let me be clear, does one gave to take a COVID test and present vaccine status if vaccinated to enter Hawaii or can you just upload your proof of vaccine and that suffices? I have had both of my vaccines and booster. Asking because thinking about booking a trip to either Oahu or Maui.
Same question, thanks!
Karen, I noticed that too, I think it is a mistake. I couldn’t find that change elsewhere. I believe it is still vaccination OR negative Covid test.
Good luck!
Lanell
We flew over on American 1/1/22 on a nonstop out of DFW. Put simply it was a mess. All the AA Hawaii flights out of DFW leave around the same time. They made all the flights get in the same line to have credentials checked and receive wristband. By the time we found out where we were supposed to go to do this, the line was so long that we were afraid we’d miss our flight to KOA if we waited so we abandoned it. I said that the line at KOA had to be shorter than this and it was—far shorter.
Thanks for your pre-flight information. I traveled on Tuesday. I used Southwest and bracelet option in Phoenix was without flaw. They had a separate table with two staffers checking documents and the line flowed with ease. Without the bracelet on prior flights the arrival in Honolulu was a nightmare.
Hi David.
Thanks for letting us know how that worked for you.
Aloha.
If you are flying with infants, babies, make sure they give you a wristband for the baby as well or they will make you stand in line for hours in Honolulu to get re screened, basically checking that your baby is under your Safe Travels information. We came from Austin and I got the wristband when we checked in our bags and they were also doing it at the gate, yet they both failed to give me a wristband for my baby. This was with Hawaiian Airlines!
Last we knew (Summer 2021), HA in PHX was also offering pre-clear at the gate. Also – if you are Premier Club or higher, you separate line at the ticketing desk (downstairs) will help you a lot – much shorter wait.
Does delta do this pre check from SALT LAKE CITY to Hawaii?
My wife and I are traveling from Tampa to Kona on United, with a very quick flight change in Denver for the flight to Kona. I don’t know if we’ll have time there to preclear. Do you know if we can do it inflight, or if we can do it in Tampa?
Aloha Guys,
Definitely convenient, not having to wait, when landing in Oahu and continuing to any of the outer islands…especially with a short layover, one hour or less.
I almost missed my connecting flight in November, but in February they had just started the Pre-Clear program out of SMF, and it was easy to make my short connection.
This will be convenient, with the new influx of travelers in the coming months, for sure.
Take care you two! 🙂
Hi Jim.
Thanks. You too. We appreciate your more than 200 comments.
Aloha.
Will safe travel be available at American Airlines? We will traveling to Hawaii in dec of this year. Thank you.
Hi Ralph.
There is no information available about AA participating at this time.
Aloha.
Arriving in Maui on May 16th.
This all sounds all good however, recently I flew to Maui from Sacramento on Hawaiian. I was given a wristband at the airport in Sacramento prior to boarding…I was thrilled until I arrived in Maui where it took forever to get off the plane. I couldn’t understand the delay until I made it to the front of the line and there was someone…yes ONE taking the temperature of every passenger. When I flew Southwest to Maui in January it was a much quicker process as they have you walk a distance in the terminal to arrive at the check out location…NO WAITING. They just kept you moving. It was great!
Thanks for keeping everyone updated. I frequent Maui and it is helpful knowing what is going on. Linda
Hi Linda.
Thanks for the update on your recent experience on Maui.
Aloha.
Do you see Delta coming up with Pre Clear program as well ?
Mahalo for the update on this. It’s encouraging that the pre-clear program is expanding. I’m disappointed, though, to not see American Airlines on the list. Do you happen to have any idea if/when AA will follow suit and offer this as well?
Hi Wendy.
Yes, we were surprised by that too. We couldn’t find anything about them participating.
Aloha.
Are residents required to show or do a pretest if you have been vaccinated? Thank you
Hi Phyllis.
Residents have the same requirements as do visitors.
Aloha.
Does United offer Pre-Clear in Houston at IAH? I could not locate any information on United’s website as to whether this service is offered at this airport.
If you have been vaccinated do you still need to be tested before returning to Hawaii
Those of us who have been vaccinated and go to the mainland do we still need to be retested to get back home to. Hawaii.
Thank you
Hi Bernadette.
At least at this time, yes you do.
Aloha.
If you have your vaccination for Covid. You don’t have to do any of that stuff.?
Dear Rhea, as of right now in order to travel to Hawaii a person must have a negative test result. It isn’t official yet but Hawaii is working on vaccine passport.
If you have your vaccine. Do you have to do any of the pre testing? Thank you.
Hi Rhea.
At this point, yes you do. That will change at some point.
Aloha.
What is the policy going to be in regards to Pre-Clear for those that have been vaccinated?
Ditto. (also) What is or will be with status of the vaccination cards (with 2 dated vac entries)?
edit sorry.
Ditto. (also) What is or will be the status of the vaccination “cards” we were issued/carry (with 2 dated vac entries)?
Hi Ted, for people who don’t want to be vaccinated they will still have the option for testing.
Dear Ted, we have to wait for the vaccine passport to become official first, then we will know everything else.
As off this point in time vaccination cards are of no help in the arrival process. We are hoping by June we will be able to use the vaccination cards for entry in lieu of COVID testing or quarantining from the mainland.
We just returned from 2 weeks on the Big Island. Getting set up to go (testing, Safe travels) was bit of work as we were flying out on a Wednesday, which precluded a lot of the available tests. But, Alaska had the airport experience well set-up. On arrival we were quickly moved through for our arrival test and sent on our way. System worked well for us.
Aloha!
We are currently in Maui for a couple weeks and we did receive or pre travel wristbands from ONT airport before we boarded but still had to go through a clearance line at OGG – we had to be given a ticket (think raffle ticket) with the number cleared in our party to pass through the section before leaving the terminals. The security team asked to see this ticket before letting us pass through. Unsure what this was about – but it didn’t seem to matter that we had wristbands. But the wristband clearance did help when we had a layover in HNL.
Why did the wristbands help in Honolulu?