This looks like an absolutely no-hassle COVID test. But what about the cost?
77 thoughts on “New 15 Minute In-The-Terminal COVID Testing Options”
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This looks like an absolutely no-hassle COVID test. But what about the cost?
Comments are closed.
Here is the problem. I take 2 weeks off from work. Pay for the accommodations car etc. Pay for the flight put my bags on the plane checkin. All set to go. Stop by the booth and pay my extra $1000 for myself and family. One of the 5 gets a false positive! No what I just blew $10,000 and now have nowhere to go. Safer to just wait till the madness is over and go to the islands or Mexico with no risk. My opinion but for those that like to gamble with their time and money good luck and have a nice time. 90 and sunny in Mexico year round
Feel your pain (even though there’s only two of us!). Just a suggestion… Many folks are opting to take a “not-sanctioned by Hawaii” Covid test a few days earlier and then isolating until they take the “sanctioned” test. Most Covid testing is done FREE. Just a suggestion but I know it’s a b..ch! We were going to have to go to our departure city 4 days in advance because we couldn’t get tested here at home. Now our state is offering free testing thru Vault symptomatic or not. Check to see what might be available in your area.
Went to Mexico and had a blast. No masks , open eating at all restaurants. Swam in pool and made new friends and a lot cheaper to enjoy a fun filled vacation In July of 2020.
Mexico bound in 2 weeks..they actually WANT tourism…and arent bad mouthing them
We used to go to Mexico years ago. Loved it. Then my wife got nervous about the cartel and violence and we stopped going. We would go to the West coast north of Peurto Vallarta. How are things there now?
If they offer this in San Francisco I will be buying tickets immediately
They don’t! Boston, JFK, Newark, Phoenix and now Denver.
$200 !?!?!? … When there is opportunity to rip people off and make a lot of money, we here in America are the best at that. Compassion for fellow citizens? There some of that. But it soon gets buried for the almighty buck! What exactly justifies this cost? Because they can? And the well to do can afford it. And well, hell’s bells, we here at XpresCheck want to be well to do and as soon as possible! Break out the jams brothers and sisters. There’s a Lamborghini I’ve been meaning to buy!
Check XPRESCHECK’s availability before counting on them! Rapid Testing was not available at the Phoenix airport until recently but XpresCheck never posted that piece of information and after making appointments, when we ultimately found that out, we had to cancel our January trip as that was our only option. Checking XpresCheck’s website today Rapid Testing is now available at the Phoenix location. However, the Phoenix location is not open on Tuesdays/Wednesdays so if you are traveling morning of a Thursday you shouldn’t plan on using that facility. Check your location for the days they are open as the last I looked, each of the locations was only open 5 days a week and those 5 days differed between locations. In Phoenix, for instance there is only one physician and they give him two days off a week! XpresCheck has now added Denver Airport to their list of locations.
The in terminal test is safer for Hawaii. You have 72 hours to get infected with the other test protocol. Neither is perfect of course because you can be exposed and get it and still have a negative result for a few days.
It’s safer for hawaii and for us too!
Just know that there are residents choosing not to take any test, but rather to quarantine once they arrive in Hawaii, so there are folks on your flightthat have not tested at all … they were on my flight to Maui as I overheard them telling the people that checked our paperwork when we arrived. So many different scenarios
Mel B – Air fares are as cheap as they ever will be. Some Hawaii residents (e.g., kids visiting grandparents) are travelling to the mainland. That doesn’t mean they have an extra $200 per person lying around to come home. They can quarantine in the comfort of their own homes/yards; not locked in a room. Unlike tourists, returning residents do not need to be monitored to ensure they are not cheating on the 10 day quarantine. Because.
Except Kauai, of course, in which case there is no upside to being pre-fly tested, beyond virtue signaling, since you have to do the 10 days either way.
“there is no upside to being pre-fly tested.”
If you want to be a bubble resort traveler in Kauai, you still. Eed to get tested to participate. The hotels require it.
In my opinion, Kauai is smart to take these precautions. Sure, their economy is taking a big hit, but there are upsides for the people who live there. Kids can go to school, restaurants are open, etc. If they have a big outbreak, everything will eventually shut down anyway. Then they will have outbreak and a bad economy.
Kawakami’s “resort bubble” option to reduce quarantine has not yet (if it ever will be) been approved by Gov. Ige.
If Ige approves said plan, then there will be an incentive to test pre-flight, but between the two tests and 3 nights a hotel, plus taxes and expensive food options, the added expense even if Hilton Garden Inn is used will be $1K. This is not an option for many/most residents. They will just do the ten days at home.
For the time being, the resort bubble plan is just a brain fart.
I appreciate the comment/information provided by Mel B that residents coming home do not have to be pre-flight tested because I was not aware of that and THAT piece of information does certainly change our thought of travel plans to Hawaii, as much as we love to visit.
Why would we/visitors want the expense & hassle to do all the testing to get on a plane with potential carriers of Covid because they are exempt just because “they live there & don’t have the extra money lying around to get tested” — that comment seems selfish.
1. So, as a tourist WE must follow requirements & hassle,pay for tests & then risk possibly getting sick because of a resident being contagious on the trip over because they don’t have to be tested – as strict as Hawaii has been on visitors, please let me know how this makes sense…
2. Many of us that travel there & thus supporting the economy & tourism in Hawaii, come from areas that do not even offer the expensive testing to begin with & the limited schedule on the ones that do could very well impact the cost of even getting to Hawaii…and again the risk of traveling with residents that could be contagious
3. Your comment of: “because they have the benefit to quarantine at home does not justify this “rule” & honestly, can you really be serious & KNOW FOR A FACT that EVERYONE does stay at home & not break the rules. I seriously doubt it.
For these reasons, I would choose not to even take the risk.
We’ve been to Hawaii several times, not because we are rich, we just save our money & follow this site to get airfare deals & that’s how we do it. If a resident wants to go back & forth they should have the SAME RULES as tourists because they could be contagious & THAT very reason could impact the lives of others – resident or tourist, a persons life should not matter based on what they are classified as when flying to anywhere.
$200 is too much. I did my free test with cityhealth at SMF yesterday and had results that same evening
mahalo
Hi Jamie.
Thanks for letting us know. Yes, that is a huge expense. But if you don’t get your results in time, as so many have reported, it could save a lot of other expenses, like a last-minute cancellation.
Aloha.
Aloha guys, thanks for this great source of information. Does anyone know why there is no trusted testing partners for Hawaii near the San Diego airport. Three major airlines serve Hawaii out of San Diego but nearly impossible to get tested nearby. Thanks for any info you can find.
Hi Dick.
Thanks. San Diego Airport does plan to have on-site travel testing starting soon, although we haven’t heard a date.
Aloha.
$200 for a rapid test to avoid the stress of wondering if your Vault test comes back in time is totally worth the extra money. All airports where Hawaiian flies should have this option. It’s in the best interest of the airlines and island’s recovery. Thanks for keeping us up on the latest.
Hi Joan.
Good to hear from you and thanks for that input. LOL since the last comment suggested it was ridiculous.
Aloha.
The most important is how accurate is this test proven to be? That should have been included under good news or bad news. MAhalo
That test is as reliable as the “regular” test as it tests for the same chemical (for want of a better word) in your system. It is an NAAT Test which is what Hawaii requires.
Covid is bad enough but using it to overcharge such a ridiculous cost for testing? We can get it done free here at a lot of places obviously this is greed capitalizing on an already bad situation- shame on them! So yeah, the 72-hour from where I’m flying from is definitely the only course of action.
Aloha. Are there plans to add Oakland outbound flights to the list? The family and I have plans to travel to Oahu I’m March