United joins Hawaiian and Alaska to make your arrival in Hawaii easier without long lines. Here’s how it works.
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154 thoughts on “United and Hawaiian Airlines Bypass COVID Screening at Hawaii Airports”
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We are flying from Phx to Maui in October, hopefully all this will be lightened up by then! 🤞
How far in advance will we be notified by Alaska airlines to obtain pre-clearance to go to Maui in June 18
Please reconsider travelers returning to Hawaii who have flights cancelled or delayed due to weather and subsequently fall out of the 72 hour Covid test for last link of mainland departure a variance. Especially if they can produce a valid Covid negative test for original flight and or a vaccine CDC verification. To have returning travelers venturing out into dangerous
weather condition for Covid retesting because the 72 hour window has passed due forced flight cancellations is subjecting them and family to physical harm-Times are difficult enough.
Respectfully,
Hi David.
If your scheduled flight is canceled or delayed, you are not responsible and the 72 hours will not be strictly adhered to. If there’s any question on that, suggest you call the Safe Travels Hawaii Program Service Desk toll-free at 1-855-599-0888 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.
Aloha.
Called Safe Travels 3 days ago, stayed on the phone for 40+ minutes then left my call back number. Still no return call.
My guess; way too many inquires for a small staff with no funding for a larger staff.
So do these rules apply to babies under one years of age?
They will want to take a temperature and you will have to wait in line still. I am at the airport now and this is what they told me. We do not qualify for the pre clear
Appreciate the information. Mahalo
Mahalo nui fo all da info! Keep it up. Malama!
Do you still have to be tested if you had Covid? Or can you show proof of your positive test results and be date?
If travelling to Maui you also must show that you have AlohaSafe Alert or other tracking app on your phone. I think it’s required for, at least, 1 person in your family or travel pod.
Why dosen’t Kauai get with the program? They are making it difficult to vacation and spend money. yeesh
When will proof of receiving the vaccine be acceptable in lieu of testing if ever.
so we will be in Maui and then on to big island, would we be able to use that for our covid test there or do we have to get 1 prior to leaving Maui?
do we have faith that this preclearance is recognized by the state of Hawaii and that they are not going to change their minds sometime in Feb or come up with some other bureaucratic step to make Hawaiian tourists regret they got involved with this?
Unless you’re flying to Kauai! I’m a resident who just returned from the mainland. I was there taking care of a friend who had just had surgery. I got my Covid test and my QR code and returned home to a mandatory 10 day quarantine! If I was a tourist and spent 3 days in a resort bubble I could get a second test on my 4th day and be released.
This is not an option for returning residents, your quarantine is mandatory 10 days no exceptions. Unless you want to spend $1500 to stay for 3 days at a resort bubble then pay to take a second test. This is not only extortion from residents it’s discrimination!
Teri – I’m curious: Why did you bother with the time/expense of a pre-flight Covid test and getting a QR code (etc.), if you are going to be stuck with 10 days house arrest no matter what? I know you know this, but you also had the option of going to another island for three days and then taking the second test. Would still cost you $$$, but not nearly as much as a hotel bubble and would be more enjoyable.
But I agree with you. Anyone stuck in quarantine should be able to test out after three days. A hotel bubble is not any “safer” (code word for not catching COVID) than being locked in a room at the Tip Top or being stuck at home. It makes no sense, other than your mayor really wants to motivate people to stay at a bubbler hotel or on another island for a while.
What happened to : HONOLULU (KHON2) — House Speaker Scott Saiki plans to introduce a bill when the House reconvenes on Wednesday, Jan. 20, to make the state’s safe travel program uniform regardless of which island is being visited.
Gary,
my wife flew to Kona last week and she only had to wait 2 hours in her condo before she was free to leave. If she didn’t hear back from the state then she was good to go. I’m not sure where you got the 24 hour notice from but did you wait in your condo for 24 hours before you ventured out?
Mark
Do you have any indication of when you can fly from mainland (Phoenix) to Kauai?
What happens when we have had the 2 shot covid vaccines? Will we still be required to have a pre travel covid neg?
Aloha! In December, We used Vault (non-insurance covered) with no incident before flying from San Diego to Oahu, stayed low key for three days, then took another Covid test to make sure we were clean. It was an expensive effort, but made our entire HawaIi family feel comfortable. FYI
Great news!! We have rescheduled our Big Island trip for Spring Break!
New (22 Jan, 21) bypass screening for all the Hawaiian Islands including Kauai or “all” except Kauai? Help.
As a resident of Kauai, I can tell you that’s a big NO! If you want to come here it’s 3 days in a resort bubble then a second test on the 4th day to be released out of quarantine. I just flew home yesterday from the mainland and I have a mandatory 10 day quarantine even with a negative Covid test and no option to take a second test to be released early from quarantine! They basically are discriminating against the residents of Kauai
Thanks for your helpful updates. We flew to the Big Island last Fri on Alaska Air. They were the first to have wrist bands that allowed you to skip arrival screening. The only problem is it does not really work that way. When you arrive in Kona you are ushered to an area where you fill out another health questionnaire. Then you go through a line with several stations for a rapid test, nasal swab. You don’t have the wait for the results so it is not that inconvenient, unless you are the last ones off the plane. If you do not hear from them in 24 hours, no news is good news.
I think it is a little misleading for the airlines to say your wrist bands allows you to skip arrival testing. Maybe it is different on other Islands.
Gary
Hi Gary.
Thanks for the input. We will note that in the article.
Aloha.
We flew into Kona mid November. We too got screened for covid at the airport. (NAAT rapid test) The only difference I can see, is we had to sit for 15 minutes to get are test results back. Also had to put the results in PDF form and upload to safe travels within a week, No big deal. I found the testing at the Kona airport to be very unprofessional. We were on United.
Aloha Guys
Just the opposite! We flew in on Jan 7th. Uploaded all our info to the safe travels website before leaving (testing by Vault – $119). Took another rapid test at Kona upon arrival. I thought that the tests were done professionally. Proof of negative test needed for rental car and at accomodations.
I’d probably use a title of “bypass” since eliminates implies removing something, not adding. Just my 2 cents. Title reads confusing on first glance. 🙂 Mahalo
Hi Kui Lee.
Thanks for that. Not sure which is better, but in any event, we made the change that you suggested.
Aloha.
10 or 3 days of quarantine.When does the count start. Your plane lands 10:00 PM at night. Does that count as day one.
Aloha
Hi Don.
As far as we are aware, it is based on a clock and 10 days from 10 pm should be the answer. If anyone else knows differently, please give us a hand.
Aloha.
Will this also be for inter-island flights? Or just flights from the mainland?
Hi Julie.
Good point. We have seen nothing about this being applied to interisland travel, so for now, it is safe to assume it is just from the mainland.
Aloha.
We are traveling to Maui on Southwest in February. Any news on whether SW will start this soon? Thank you.
Hi Linda.
We have heard nothing and don’t really know why it wasn’t rolled out across the industry following Alaska’s pilot program.
Aloha.
For all their rhetoric, Southwest doesn’t care about Hawaii as much as they say they do…
How much did Southwest do for the Hawaiian community over the last year? Hawaiian Airlines held food drives and other worthwhile events for the community.
Southwest is like any other non-Hawaii based airline. In fact cheaper. They employ as few people as possible out here, and bring people from the mainland to staff the leadership roles.
On our flight to Hawaii on United Airlines we were precleared in Denver
and given a wrist band on December 29, 2020. Worked great.
Jean
Hi Jean.
Thanks for that heads up. We added your comment to today’s post.
Aloha.
Thanks for your continued updates! Got our first vaccine today and appointment for the second in 4 weeks. Very easy and pain free [except when the tracking chip was implanted 😉 ]. We’re getting closer to planning a visit. It looks like an organized procedure will be in place by then….I hope!! Stay safe…and sane!
I think every post regarding vaccination passports or allowing people to bypass testing if they have been vaccinated needs to have “But you still must wear masks everywhere and stay away from others still!” in huge bold letters. I know from what I’ve heard too many have zero knowledge of the fact that the vaccine was never verified to have sterilizing immunity…so even people who have been vaccinated can carry and can transmit the virus to others…although they will never get sick or show symptoms themselves. Making a vaccine in 9 months has its drawbacks obviously.
Nice idea but it’s going to be a traffic jam at the large airport hubs like Los Angeles’ LAX airport. I can see missed/delayed flights already.
When will it be available for passengers leaving Seattle going to Maui? Thank you
Hi Patrick.
Today’s press release indicates it will be sometime next month.
Aloha.
Aloha! Mahalo for this info. I have a question. Does that mean that people that have a negative test result will still sit on the plane with people that have not been tested, or don’t have their results at the time of travel?
Hi Claudia.
Yes, that is the case. At this point in time, the federal government has not mandated testing prior to flights and they are the only ones who can do so, period.
Aloha.
Keeping fingers crossed that AA will join the program soon for DFW departures! We’re on our way to Maui the middle of February.
Mahalo BOH for all you do to keep us up to date with the latest information!
Hi Edward.
Thanks. Yes, from the latest visitor comment we just received about United (we added it to the article after publishing), it does seem that the other airlines should be on-board soon. Fingers crossed on that.
Aloha.
Following
The airline is recommending guests also carry a printed copy of the negative results.
What’s the use if t\Hawaii only recognizes an uploaded version?
We just returned from the Big Island. At both hotels we stayed in, we were asked for proof of our negative test results. It was handy to just pull the paper copies out of my bag, and easy for the hotel to scan as well.
Any update yet on the Covid vaccine passport? Will the CDC card which is given when you receive a vaccine suffice? The other question is how will they handle kids that are too young to take the vaccine. I’m assuming they need the 72 hr. test?
So looking forward to our June trip. After 4 cancellations, we are hoping to be able to get together with Hawaii family and enjoy the islands.
Thanks BOH for keeping us up to date. You are our most trusted choice for information on these matters. Keep up the good work.
Hi Lee.
Thank you! No word. It seems to us the state will wait until word on what type of immunity the vaccines offer.
Aloha.
Aloha!
any chance Southwest does this in the future?
Hi Jamie.
We think it will come to all the airlines flying to Hawaii, including SWA.
Aloha.
Please do you think Hawaii will change testing from 72 hours to 96 hour for
results. Certainly like the new Alaska program for screening do you think
other airlines will follow suit. Thanks for keeping everyone informed.
Jean
Hi Jean.
Thanks. We will be publishing an update including this today.
Aloha.
Thanks for this and all the other updates. Likewise to other commentators it doesn’t seem that Alaska passengers aren’t being asked to do anything others aren’t, so not quite sure I understand the move here–not that I am opposed.
A question that is a bit off topic but I don’t know where else to ask–I have an AirBNB rental for 12 days. If I test positive at the airport after arrival and have to quarantine, am I correct in understanding that I can’t quarantine at my rental? How does one find quarantine lodging at that point–does the state help/assign or are you on your own? Is the cost prohibitive (doesn’t seem like you would have much leverage at that point)? Thanks much
Hi Paul.
Thank you. So you are correct in that you can’t quarantine in a vacation rental. We are the state is assisting people in finding quarantine accommodations, and it is one of the complicating issues. ‘
Aloha.
I think you should report the Lt Governor’s proposal to allow those with vaccination certificates to bypass Quarantine and the testing process. There is far too much hysterical anti vaccine propaganda on the web and travelers on business or pleasure coming to Hawai’i should get their vaccination to keep everyone safe. Like myself though, if you have allergies then you need to talk with your physician to ensure that you get the right vaccine. Stay Safe Hawai’i. (92)
I haven’t read an answer to this yet. The Big Island requires a test upon arrival, does his “Alaska test” eliminate the need to take that test ?
I am a frequent traveler to Hawaii and I am pro science and believe in testing, etc. to keep Hawaiian residents safe, but since my travel insurance doesn’t cover quarantines I face a loss of a lot of money if I test false positive. I have spoken to and read many comments on line that many people, including myself, won’t travel to the Big Island until there is no chance of quarantine.
Does anyone know the answer to my question about the post arrival test on the Big Island ?
I am confused about your statement in general. If you believe in keeping Hawaii safe (the BI, in particular), why not just wait until the pandemic dies down to travel at all. As residents, I can tell you that many of us find it so hypocritical when someone says “I want to keep Hawaii safe. I believe in Science. I am coming anyway.”. Just doesn’t make sense and it why those of us who live here are so over people not just waiting to come. It will still be here when all of this is over. Please just wait. You test negative before you come with Alaskan Air (or whoever) and then you get exposed on the plane, you are still a risk for our community and our health care capacity. Aloha
Chris, here is why we would like to travel to Hawaii. First of all, frivolously, winters are cold here – no excuse to take chances. More pragmatically, we have had to plan a trip a year in advance and put up a substantial money outlay with no guarantee we will not lose it. Losing our outlay would halt future travel to Hawaii and the financial impact to its economy. We are very conscientious about protecting the safety of others as well as ourselves. Our time on the islands would be spent mostly outdoors, masked, easily distanced. It would not be difficult to spend the other time in our unit enjoying the views. I would feel less threatened to contracting, or spreading, the virus in Hawaii than around here. I have lost three friends to Covid-19 and do not speak lightly. I fully agree with the pre-travel testing protocols, I would not want a positive traveler to come here to my county. However, if I do not bring the virus to you, and you do not pass it to me, we can come, enjoy your beautiful state, support the economy and do so safely.
One of the best explanations I’ve read. Kudos, Jim, for your well thought out comments.
ALOHA!! Took pre travel Covid test at SMF(Sacramento airport site) on 1/16 am—got negative result 1/17 late afternoon—effortless process! Arrived with all the necessary info 1/19 & am on Oahu for 6 weeks!
Mahalo to BOH staff for keeping us up to date w/fluctuating info! And kudos to City Health Urgent Care-Oakland for the testing site at SMF!
Very few tourists on Oahu—nice & quiet! Mixture of open/closed businesses but ok! People welcoming & following safe practices that I’ve seen! In my Happy Place!!
Hi Liz.
Thank you. We appreciate you reporting on how it went and are glad to hear you’re enjoying your 6 weeks in Honolulu.
Aloha.
Negative tests are not 100% reliable. Stay were you live, don’t travel — don’t contribute to the spread.
I live on the Big Island and returned from a mainland trip earlier this month. Flew Alaska Air PDX-KOA. Had my negative test results 1 hr prior to boarding (whew!), downloaded to Safe Travels app, got my Pre-Clear wristband from Alaska gate agent at boarding. At Kona, waited about 5 minutes to get my nose swabbed again and was off. Yes, you do have to do the 2nd test, but there is no cost for it. My 1st test also did not cost me anything; I think the state I was in at the time was doing all for free. I haven’t heard much about false positives causing an issue. If your 1st test is negative, why would the 2nd be any different?
Are you saying you got your test results in five minutes in Kona? I am trying to understand the process at Kona. Vacation in March 🤗. Mahalo nadine
Would really appreciate feedback on this… Has anyone who used Vault been covered under Medicare. Vault will not send us a test because we are covered by Medicare and we can’t figure out if this is an issue in our state only or is it universal. Would Really Appreciate Feedback! Mahalo!
I had the same issue when ordering the vault tests. I just went back in and selected “not covered by Medicare” and bingo test arrived a few days later.
T…
THANKS! I tried to change that entry but it wouldn’t let me. I even tried creating an account with an alternate email address but it spotted it as a duplicate. I’ll try again. We’ve cancelled our trip at this point but if we still have to test that way come Summer, I want to be in place with Vault! Thanks for the info – it appears it is not a state issue but a universal one.
Use VPN to mask your IP address
T…
Thanks again – I swear it would not let me change the Medicare Yes/No previously – I swear I tried over and over to do so! This time it let me. The trick is to say you’re starting a new order!!! Mahalo nui loa!