Here’s what you’ll need to know about testing for Hawaii travel.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
146 thoughts on “Testing for Hawaii Travel: Many Questions Await Answers”
Comments are closed.
Here’s what you’ll need to know about testing for Hawaii travel.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
My wife and I are planning a trip to Hawaii inearly September — with a day in Denver on the front end. It will be tough getting a test within 48 hours of departure to Denver and getting the results before we leave.
I have travel reservations to fly out of Sacramento to Lihue at 7:30am Monday morning August 10. 72 hours before is Friday – I don’t think results of a civics test are realistic to be received. Any other timing options
Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil to protect the most isolated place on the planet. I feel Hawai’i is doing the best it can to protect it’s Residents and ultimately the Visitors.
Everyone including the other States are having major difficulties! Take a step back and look at the bigger picture. We are all having a difficulties.
Since it doesn’t appear that quick testing will be available, it wouldn’t even bother me to quar antine for 14 days when I arrive. However, I can’t afford to pay the high prices to quar antine in a hotel for that long while also paying for room service. Since I’ve already paid for a condo, I’d be happy to quar antine there and have groceries or meals delivered.
I booked a trip for August 2, 2020 when another trip was cancelled. I love Hawaii and usually visit a few times a year. I have been trying all day to find a testing site in San Diego, California. All of the information is for those that have symptoms even if you are willing to pay out of pocket for the test. Please keep us informed of changes. Very frustrated!!! If airlines and airports are checking temperatures and screening for symptoms then why is a test needed.
Thank you for your time.
Hi Joyce.
Will do. Thank you.
Aloha.
Please keep us posted as we are supposed to travel there in January. We are happy to take a test but are hearing it’s not readily available.
Hi Julie.
Absolutely will do. Thanks.
Aloha.
As much as I love traveling to Hawaii , I just do not believe this is the time. And I have enough miles on multiple airlines to travel now. Besides the difficulty I am reading on this site regarding testing / timing of testing. Let us not forget that when we travel to the Hawaiian Islands for our leisure we could possibly bring the virus with us. Testing is honestly still in the beginning stages , at what point do people test positive in relation to when you could infect other people. An island is much different than the mainland as far as how fast disease can spread . That is why there are so many things already in place to prevent certain things from being introduced there . Examples : how long a pet has to Quar antine , the fact there is a “snake task force “ , and agricultural inspection . I understand the islands are struggling from the lack of tourism. If others like myself would like to help the islands we love and miss , I would recommend donating/buy local online or gift cars for future experiences in Hawaii and wait until it is safe for all to travel there . A hui hou Hawaii ! Danae
Mahalo nui loa for your thoughtful consideration of our islands and those of us who call it home. Hawaii will be here when the time is right for travel, so please if at all possible postpone your vacations until the world is through the worst of this pandemic .
Aloha from Hawaii Island
I’m in Washington State and my friend went online to Walgreens and made an appointment for 1pm and had his results by 2:30 the same day. I just looked at making an appointment and they are 4 days out for testing, but with careful planning it should work.
Not all tests are the same nor are they tested for the same thing – testing for the virus vs testing for the antibodies are very different timing.
What Walgreens in Washington state? Thanks!
In a recent article, Josh Green stated,’Tourists WILL Be responsible for covering testing costs.’ Well… I’ve already paid an extra $900 when I rescheduled from May to August. How much is TOO MUCH? We are willing to do the pre-testing and do the hoop jumping, but if the cost is to exorbitant, this may just end up being a financial loss that 5 Stimulus checks from the government won’t really cover… and we needed that check too. Waiting for answers….
So much of that depends on what airline you are flying – we rescheduled from July to August and it cost us $0 even with upgraded seats.
I know they are testing whoever wants a test here in CA near me, but I don’t know how long it takes for results, but I’m still keeping my fingers crossed. Mahalo
Hi Jo.
Thanks.
Aloha.
In Sonoma county, I got results in four days, but that included a weekend.
I have a great suggestion. Put a Dr on every flight and along with the declaration they make us fill out we all just swab and hand it in. The dr tests during the 4 or 5 hour flight and we are all given results when we land. If your clear, you get off if not, you are sequestered with the animals for 14 days!
Fabulous idea – and I mean that sincerely not sarcastically!
So does the doctor have a carry-on laboratory to test ? Not how it works… also let’s say everyone believes they are and in fact are healthy except the 5 asymptomatics. By time we land, most likely, the whole plane would be infected. what good then would 250 passengers in quarantine/ICU in Hawaii do ? you get a certificate that states you’re c0vid-positive and a lei. Great suggestion, dr cdc.
Hope this is helpful for someone….AEL is a lab in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida that does C0VID testing with a 3 day turnaround. You do not need to be symptomatic because they are doing these tests prior to having surgery. I would assume there would have to be labs in other states providing the same service for the same purpose. Perhaps a call to a physician’s office to find out what lab they send their patients to for testing prior to surgery would be more reliable than going to someplace like CVS. Just a suggestion.
This requirement gives the illusion that your government is doing something to get the economy going again by bringing tourists back, but it’s quite useless, testing isn’t convenient,in fact quite the opposite, no point in planning anything
Not sure what a negative test 3 days before you fly means, you could be positive within those three days and bring it with you! Also,we normally tack on a few days in Vegas on our way to Hawaii so even if we got a test before we left, we might not have the results in hand when we get to Hawaii.
I would assume that since your test results are sent to you via email and/or on a hospital’s website (i.e., “My Chart”), you actually stand a better chance than the rest of us “direct” travelers to get your results before you land in HI.
Maybe tack on another day or two and see if you can be tested in Las Vegas? So far here we have a good amount of testing available with or without doctors orders or symptoms… but I’m not sure if maybe you have to be a Nevada Resident ? Something for you to look into anyway. Aloha.
Hi Lisa.
Thanks for helping.
Aloha.
Auwe!
This is not really a solution for many of us travelers—
1: Availability of California CVS’ location with “rapid results” (or other retail stores) is quite low. In my situation, the nearest would be a 2-hour drive away (one way).
2: The current restrictions for testing are not only to be symptomatic (or recommended by a medial professional) but you also must be a California resident and show proof of that. My upcoming trip is with a friend living in another state who is flying to California to meet me then we fly to Hawai’I the next day. How would she, a non-California resident, be tested in time to meet the requirements?
3. The tests are not highly-reliable yet for positive or negative results. A false positive, received 72 hours from flight date, would mean a vacation cancellation—at a time way too late for a traveler to get a refund.
We have reservations for a trip in early November 2020—but I’m thinking that if this policy, written this way, is still in place we’ll be cancelling by our last cancellation date (60 days prior to first lodging night).
Hawaiian Air allows you to cancel within 24 hours of your flight. They do not refund the $$$ in cash but they do keep them in your account for future use.
Aloha! We live in British Columbia, Canada and can only get a Covid test if we have symptoms. We have come to Maui every year for 20 years and love Hawai. There must be a better way for we international travelers wanting to come.
Hi Kim.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I agree with you Kim. We are from BC and own a condo on Maui. Wondering if or when we can ever get back there. We are certainly willing to take a test but, as you said, here in BC we can’t just go do that. Hopefully there will eventually be a safe way to get there.
Not everyone visiting Hawaii is coming from the west coast. What if there is no CVS in your state. Do I plan a 3-4 day stay in California before heading on to Hawaii just so I can be tested?
Mahalo for keeping us in the loop. I’m sure you guys are just as frustrated as us travelers. We truly appreciate the information you provide. You are correct that CVS requires that you qualify in order to be tested. They also told me that the results are taking 3-7 days. I live in SW Florida and been researching and checking around for the past two weeks to find rapid result testing. My exhaustive search tells me that rapid result testing is available, but only at hospitals and only for inpatients. Antibody testing is available to anyone and gives quick results, but it doesn’t give a negative or positive report. It only lets you know if you’ve had C0vid and have the antibody. To my knowledge Governor Ige isn’t considering that type of test.
Hi Pam.
Thanks for all of your comments.
Aloha.
They sure are not making this easy, most places I’ve contacted
will not have results in 72hours
At best 2-5 days, very frustrating
My sister lives in Kauai and I want to visit, I already canceled my April 20th trip to Kauai
I’m not likely to book again in October, if I cannot get a C0vid
test within 72 hours, again this is frustrating and I most likely
will not make the trip to Kauai😪
Will both results be accepted from C0vid PCR(antibodies) and nasal swab? Or is it just from nasal swab testing?
Many states do required you to have symptoms in order to get tested and yes, most states do state a 3-5 day or 4-6 turnaround for results with a hefty $$$. In New Mexico, anyone can tested even without symptoms and cost is $0. Turnaround was a phone call in 44 hours of testing and printable results on the hospital’s website at the same time.
A few days ago, I contacted the Office of the Governor and asked just about every question asked above. I pleaded with them to understand the reality of the testing situation here on the mainland. I did not, however, remember to tell them about symptoms being required in many locations. I didn’t think about it as it didn’t apply here.
Do children also have to get the test? What happens if you receive the results when you arrive and it tested positive?
I checked with kaiser. If you get a test as asymptomatic, it could take up to 5 days to get the results. If you have symptoms, test results can ready in 24hours. My doctor said he would flag me and my wife’s tests as symptomatic so the test results will be ready in time.
Please tell me what might happen if, for example, one person of a family of five tests positive for C0vid? Will the whole family lose their airfare and hotel expenses? Obviously, they are all exposed to C0vid. The financial risk for a family seems like a big gamble. Thanks for the forum.
Hi Rob.
Good question. Thank you.
Aloha.
I am glad they’ve lifted the 14 day quar antine restrictions but I have to agree with some of the others, results take at least 3 days. I think they should be extended to 3-5 days rather than within 72 hours. My daughter is starting at HPU and passport week starts on a Tuesday so if we get tested on Friday, results won’t be valid by Tuesday and testing results won’t be processed over the weekend.
I was booked at Koolina for 2 weeks in October with tickets on United which is allowing free changes or cancellations thru tomorrow June 30. I have been monitoring the state’s policy and now with the testing requirements and uncertainties involved in getting that on the mainland, I now have no choice but to cancel. I’m sorry that the local economy will not benefit from my annual visit this time but I’m hopeful the situation will improve and I can come back in 2021. Thanks for all the information you provide for all Hawaii-philes!
Hi Jack.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Any idea what the regulations for visiting Hawaii might be as of September 21st?
Once again the Governor has demonstrated that he has no actual plan. This is nothing more than wishful thinking at this point.
I would think that as dependent as the Hawaiian economy is on travel, that the residents would be asking some very pointed questions of the Governor as well as considering his removal and replacement.
[Edited] HE is trying to keep Hawaii numbers DOWN. They are VERY limited on ICU beds. What part of that do you NOT understand?
I’m all for testing and keeping Hawaii safe. I’ll even pay the 160$. We land in Oahu on December 25. I have 45 minutes to get to Hawaiian air from AA, then to Molokai. It’s the last flight. I can’t double book so I can’t miss my flight.ill have nowhere to stay. Will you ask for results at the final destination? Most flights go into Oahu and on to the other islands
What about Covid test results from other countries? Are our provincial labs in Canada CLIA approved? Would my negative test results be accepted upon arrival at HNL? We spend a month on Oahu every summer but I am not prepared to spend 14 days of it in quar antine because they don’t come from CVS. I would be willing to pay a small fee for a rapid test at the airport – we are a family of 6 and there’s no way we’d pay $160 per person.
More info for international travellers is needed. Who would I contact for this?
Any CLIA test is accepted. And if you don’t get your results in time before you land, yes, you are quarantined but only until you can product the negative result. AND they are looking into making with “within 5 days” instead of within 3.
I am happy to pay for the test for myself and my family, but the Governor of Hawaii needs to make arrangements with CVS or another testing site so we can get tested and get the test results prior to boarding the airplane.
I assume that you can get a test anyplace, not just CVS. There are a lot of places in our area (suburban Phila) that offer testing from doctors’ offices to the local hospital to urgent care centers as well as all the national pharmacies. As far as I know you don’t need to have symptoms as the city and also state of DE were encouraging anyone who attended some mass gatherings (protests, senior week at the beach) to get tested and you didn’t have to say why.
All I’m hearing is self-centered, selfish Mainlanders complaining!!! Sorry that your VACATION is being inconvenienced, but this is our life! In Hawaiian/Asian culture we, more than most, put a high level of regard on taking care of your kupunas (elderly) and there are many households that have multi-generational family members sharing the same house. Hawaii has one of the lowest number of nursing homes in the nation (46 in the entire state). If the caregiver of the household gets C0VID or has to quar antine, where do they go?! We only have a limited number of hospital beds and even less respirators with some islands having less than 10! Maybe something to think about before your useless, self-entitled rant about how your vacation is being impacted! This is the tone from Mainlanders that have no clue what it’s like living on the most isolated archipelago in the WORLD. As a side, I understand for those that live in the state and have incomes that rely on tourism to pay the bills and put food on the table and want tourism to start back up and that’s why the state is implementing these conditions. There are going to be mistakes as this is an unprecedented time and conditions we’re facing. It’s easy to sit behind your computer screen and be a keyboard warrior and bitch and moan. I especially get annoyed at those that spout statistics on the low number of fatalities related to C0VID and compare it to the flu… Well here’s another way to look at it. Let’s say for simplicity that the death rate is less than 1% and you have 12 people in your close family and friends circle. Now I want you to pick one and tell them that they are dead and that it’s no big deal because the mortality rate is less than the annual flu! Put’s a little different spin on things when you actually have to think about someone else besides yourself now doesn’t it? Anyways, Aloha!
Hi Paka.
Thanks.
Aloha.
With all due respect, with a death rate of less than 1%, you could have 100 people on your close family and friends before you may be impacted. Our county in California had 59 positive cases over the weekend. Not one person was over 50 years of age. I think that the wise kupunas are doing a really good job of staving off exposure.
As far as being selfish, I don’t think that is the case with “mainlanders”. Even during good times, Hawaii travel planning can be expensive and very time-consuming. Adding a couple of new layers can get frustrating. I think the mainlanders have a little “cabin fever” and are looking to make their vacations as stress-free as possible.
Again, Beat of Hawaii comes up big on new info.
Hi Curtis.
Thank you for your numerous comments and nice words.
Aloha.
The rate of death is NOT the issue. The issue is the number of cases and the rate of spread. We have VERY limited medical resources. With increases in cases it will hit a point of no or limited beds at that point people start dying because they can not be treated & then it is not just C0VID people that are dying but others that are dying because they can not get the care they need. So mainlanders having cabin fever IS SELFISH. It is a risk to fly on a plane. It is a risk to have a test and think that 5 or 7 days later you are still ‘negative’. And, it is a risk to plan a vacation here when it is very likely we will go into another shelter in place. Yes, you may get here and show up for your vacation, but there is no guarantee that you will get to go anywhere other than your hotel room test or not.
We want tourism back. We want people to come and enjoy our islands. However, we want it done safely and responsibly. We want people to enjoy our way of life and respect our communities. Now is just NOT the time to visit unless you want to Risk not only your health but everyone here and risk that you will spend the vacation indoors.
Hi Paka,
One percent is one in a hundred not one in twelve. For your analogy to apply all one hundred of your relatives would need to be infected then on average one would die. If the infection rate is five percent it would require 2,000 relatives to expect one hundred infections and result in one death. We all take risks every day when we drive, drink alcohol, swim in the ocean, etc. Please consider that it is possible for good people to disagree.
Why can’t Hawaii has rapid test in the airport when u land. Just like Iceland is doing.
Because a rapid test in the airport makes too much sense. Even a rapid test takes about an hour at my hospital. Do what I did cancel your trip and go somewhere else where they are being ridiculous.
and if its a positive test then what? You have to get right back on the plane and head home. NO having one before you fly makes much more sense. NO sense to take a chance of it getting to the islands
Aloha – In PA I was able to get a test from my doctor upon request and had the test processed by Quest and the results emailed to me in under 36 hours. Insurance covered over $100 of the $150 combined charges. Note – this wasn’t for travel or medical necessity. We’re hoping that Hawaii figures out how to accept travelers by February so we can make plans for our annual Valentines Day trip!
Hi Kevin.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Aloha! I recently took a private C0VID test in Los Angeles, they made a housecall for me and I did mine on my porch so no one had to enter my home. It was so quick and easy! The results came back in three business days (took mine on a Monday, had results on Thursday). The company’s name is called Concierge MD LA. I hope this helps travelers going back and forth from Hawai’i.
Hi JH.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I have looked into rapid testing in Wisconsin through CVS and I can’t even get it in my state. We don’t mind paying for it, but come on how can you implement something you can’t do??
Tourists that go to Alaska where are they getting their 3 day tests?
I’m sure the Beat of Hawaii has not let us down before and will let us know immediately when they know. I appreciate you being here for us!
Aloha
Hi Pam.
We sure hope to be able to update with answers ASAP. Thanks.
Aloha.
I hope this is clarified and personally if Hawaii requires the test Hawaii not the consumer should pay for it. I am more than happy and willing to get one before we come in September but the tests are not readily available to just anyone in Oregon. Will there be agreements between Oregon and Hawaii?
Depending on where you are in Oregon, testing that meets Hawaii requirements can be obtained without symptoms or doctor referrals at Zoomcare locations. If you google CLIA certified labs in Oregon, you will find a list of locations, and Zoomcare is on the list. Whether or not they will get your result in 72 hours–that’s another question.
I hope Hawaii will also clarify whether the 72 hours refers to departure time or arrival time. If makes a difference if you are flying early in the week, and test on Saturday.
What is the policy on antibody testing? If you have documented evidence of positive antibodies to C0VID you are presumably immune, and not infectious
I am a senior and have a upcoming trip planed for aug. 5 for 14 days I checked on getting a test from cvs and my doctor in arizona and if I have no symtoms they will not give me a test and also the results are 5 days I will be canceling my trip now so I can get my hotel and car depoists back hawaiian airlines will work with me on futhure travel see you in aug.2021 if possible
I just went through this thrash to get a covid test required for an international flight, so have some advice to share:
1) find a place that does a “Rapid Covid test” – they give you the results ON THE SPOT. That is the only practical way to ensure you have a document in hand for travel.
2) CVS in some states offers the Rapid Test with no doctor referral required.
3) In California where CVS does not currently offer it, I was able to get it by setting a Virtual Doctor Appointment with Dignity GoHealth, told the doctor exactly what I needed it for (travel on a specific date), and he scheduled the test for me. Both the doctor consultation and the test were covered by my insurance.
Hope this helps!
Thank you for that info with Dignity Go Health!