Since Hawaii officially reopened to visitors, the rules that apply to arrivals remain in a state of change, as recently as last week, and impacting both domestic and international arrivals. To say the least, this can be challenging when planning a Hawaii vacation. To help, we try to keep this post updated as things change, so check again for more information. This was last updated on November 14, 2021.
Travel to Hawaii from within the US.
Note: travel from within the US applies even to international arrivals unless the flight is direct to Hawaii, with a single flight number. Nonstop international flights to Hawaii originate in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Asia for example, but not from Europe. This means that if you are an international arrival that connects to a Hawaii-bound flight on the mainland, you will need to satisfy either option below:
COVID testing option.
Note: approved vaccines changed as of November 8, 2021.
1. For those not fully vaccinated, or those ineligible by age or otherwise from vaccination, the following applies. You must test within 72 hours of a scheduled transpacific flight departure to Hawaii, and tests must be from one of the Hawaii-approved testing partners. Costs for testing are borne by travelers and can vary from free to $250 per person.
2. Important Hawaii-specific testing rules. Hawaii requires NAAT/PCR testing only, and nothing else is acceptable. Equally important, the test source must be one of Hawaii’s trusted partners, not any lab, even when it is the correct test. The specific language in effect is as follows: “The state of Hawai‘i will ONLY accept Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) from a certified Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) lab test results from Trusted Testing and Travel Partners. A negative COVID-19 test result is required before departure to avoid quarantine in Hawaii.”
3. The minimum age for required testing is 5 years. All travelers 5 and above who are not fully vaccinated must have a COVID-19 test and negative results through the state’s trusted testing partners per the requirements of Hawaii Safe Travels.
Vaccinated travel option.
Note: booster vaccinations are not required at this time and, there are new vaccine options.
1. Those travelers arriving from within the US (regardless of citizenship) can be exempt from quarantine using the vaccination option. Fully vaccinated at this time means does not include any requirement for booster vaccinations.
2. Effective November 8, the list of acceptable vaccines has gone into compliance with the CDC. The federal government says that now accepted include AstraZeneca, Covaxin, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. The governor’s announcement said, “Also, beginning on Nov. 8, the State of Hawaiʻi, in alignment with the federal government, will accept vaccines approved or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and vaccines listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization.”
Travel to Hawaii from outside the US.
Testing for all passengers among other rules.
Note: Starting November 8, in conjunction with federal government rule changes, “direct” international arrival requirements to Hawaii are different. Direct means a through-flight on a single flight number, where you don’t leave the flight or a nonstop flight. International arrivals that do not comply with the “direct flight” definition will be considered as domestic arrivals and must comply with those rules for travel to Hawaii.
1. For non-US citizens traveling “directly” to Hawaii from another country, both 1) proof of vaccination and 2) a negative NAAT/Antigen COVID test within three days of boarding a flight to the US will be required. Testing for direct international arrivals does not need to comply with partners and test requirements associated with Hawaii Safe Travels.
2. For US citizens flying “directly” to Hawaii from another country, 1) fully vaccinated passengers must also provide a NAAT/Antigent COVID test “taken within 72 hours” of the US-bound flight. Or, 2) those US citizens not fully vaccinated are now required to show proof of the same negative test “taken within 24 hours” of boarding the US-bound flight.
Hawaii Trusted Travel Partners’ requirement eliminated only for direct international flights.
For direct international arrivals, tests must be either NAAT or Antigen but no longer need to be from a Trusted Travel Partner. See federal rules in effect here.
Also starting November 8, all airlines flying to the US are required to collect and maintain international passenger contact tracing information.
Everyone must follow the Hawaii Safe Travels rules precisely to avoid quarantine.
Hawaii is inflexible about those who don’t get test results within the right timeframe, take the wrong test, or obtain them from the wrong source. The state does not make any exceptions. That same lack of flexibility will be the case regarding following the proof of vaccination rules too.
Should anything go awry, you could end up having to leave Hawaii or enter the mandatory quarantine of 10 days. However, don’t let that dissuade you as close to one million visitors per month are arriving successfully, and nearly all have been able to avoid problems. On the other hand, there are nightmare stories of those who took the wrong test, obtained it from the wrong source, or took it a day too early, ruining their expensive and long-planned Hawaii vacation.
Essentials prior to traveling to Hawaii.
1. All arrivals, both domestic and international, age 18 and older need to register through the Hawaii Safe Travels online program. That is a mandatory requirement for both mainland and interisland travel is true whether you are fully vaccinated or not.
2. Passengers under age 18 do not need a Safe Travels account. Adults need to add each child to their Safe Travels account and upload their 1) proof of vaccination or 2) Safe Travels compliant test results together with theirs. Upload and link each proof document to the actual adult or child traveling.
3. Negative test results and/or proof of vaccination must be in-hand as well as uploaded to the Safe Travels website before departure on your flight from the US mainland to Hawaii.
4. For those testing, if you have multiple flights to get to Hawaii, the “within 72-hour” timeframe is based on the last flight that ends with your landing in Hawaii.
5. Be prepared for screeners who will review/verify the vaccination documents, match photo IDs, name and DOB as well as confirm that the attestations are signed.
6. You can travel to Hawaii no sooner than the 15th day following the completion of full vaccination.
7. Upload proof of vaccination or testing documents to their Safe Travels Hawai‘i account, prior to traveling to Hawaii and “sign the online legal attestations on Safe Travels Hawaii, confirming the uploaded documentation is true and accurate.”
8. A mandatory health questionnaire must be added to your Safe Travels account within 24 hours before departure. That applies to both domestic and international arrivals.
Tip: obtain airline “Pre-Clear: at the airport prior to Hawaii departure.
Hawaii-bound passengers can complete their Safe Travels compliance, including vaccination/testing proof, checked before departure from the mainland rather than on arrival in Hawaii. In addition, your airline will verify your entire Safe Travels profile and provide you with a pre-clear wristband, which allows you to bypass airport arrival procedures in Hawaii. Visitors have uniformly raved about how much this has helped streamline the process and save time. This also gives you peace of mind that there will be no issues arriving in Hawaii.
Travel to Hawaii if you have recovered from COVID.
If you have tested positive and then recovered from COVID, there is an exemption available. The rules, according to the State of Hawaii are as follows:
To be considered for this exemption, you must comply with all of the rules found here.
Updated 11/14/21
Hi,
I are traveling from San Diego to Maui in mid January. I am vaccinated and boostered.
As of now, is that sufficient or do I have to test a Covid test.
Thank you for your time!!
Hi Vera.
Testing is not required as of now.
Aloha.
You stated that tests for Covid for travel to Hawaii range from free to 250.00, do you have a list of free or low cost tests? We are travelling from California to Maui and although my husband and I are vaccinated our daughter’s husband refuses to get or allow our daughter to get vaccinated.
Lorraine – we used Walgreens ID NOW rapid test and it was free.
LORRAINE L… We used Walgreens and test cost $200. It is impossible as it appears to vary from state to state, city to city. For instance, using Vault Health costs (I don’t know what) but in New Mexico, the state subsidizes it and Vault is free. You just have to check locally.
wow so the husband dictates whether his wife gets the vaccine or not? Sound like you have bigger problems than just getting tested. Hope he allows her to get it soon
Aloha again
I think I’ve got the rules for getting to Hawai’i from Ireland & U.K (Covid test 1 day prior to departure). Overnighting in LAX – Covid Test to be booked for departure to Kaua’i next day. So far, so good.
Rules have just changed for return trip to London. Have to get a NAAT Test 2 days before return. (AAAgh!!!) So, can you help me. I will be staying on Oah’u for the conclusion of my vacation, so may I ask where I can get a test for travel?
Mahalo
Hi Michael.
If you do a search for Honolulu Covid testing, and then use the maps tap, you’ll get quite a long list, starting with the ubiquitous pharmacies. In the past when there was testing for interisland travel, another place that was mentioned favorably in comments was https://kidneyhi.org/covid-19-testing-screening. Hope that helps.
Aloha.
I just received this notice from my timeshare
All travelers to Hawaii must provide proof of negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure, HOWEVER, effective July 8, 2021, fully vaccinated travelers will not be required to take the pre-travel Covid test. Be sure to upload your test results or your vaccination card (whichever applies) into your Safe Travels account (required).
I am vaccinated so I just need to download this into safe travels and I do not need to test?
DEbI B… this is so old news. Your opening sentence caused panic for us until we read your whole post! Please be more considerate on what you post! Getting tested within 72 hours of travel is a logistical no formate for that we’ve been grateful to see pass. Your post caused panic!
This has been helpful information
My spouse and I are both in middle seventies. This technology is stressing me
We are hoping to make it to granddaughter’s college graduation in December
a quick four day turn around to Oahu, painless, smooth and easy. All were kind helpful and had a great four days. Will be back for my birthday in February
Hi, I’m a bit nervous traveling soon with all this info. Is getting the PCR test from a military base overseas in Japan acceptable? I’m not showing any info on that but I did get the correct covid test.
Thank you for the comprehensive info. I’m on the site and am unsure of what to enter under “traveling to”. My destination is Maui with a layover in Honolulu and therefore I have 2 flight numbers but it only allows me to enter one. Do I just choose Honolulu as my destination and enter that flight number? Want to be as accurate as possible. Thanks!
Hi AB.
We believe that should be Honolulu. There is no Safe Travels between Honolulu and Maui.
Best bet for you might be to contact the Safe Travels help desk to confirm at 855-599-0888.
Aloha.
AB… You enter your first flight as “In Transit” and then enter your second flight.
You enter the first one as “In Transit” then enter the second one.
Dear AB, I hope that you have an awesome, fun, & safe trip to Hawaii!!! Enjoy 😊🌈☀️🩴🛩📅👓🌸🎉🌊🥥🍍🏝🌍💕
I am traveling tonight and still have not received an email from the “safe travels Hawaii” website (where I did dutifully create an account last week) and when I tried to access the site I get an internet “404” error?!?!?!?!? Anyone know what’s going on and how I should proceed??
MICHELE B>>> You don’t receive an email from Safe Travels. Once you have completed the Health Questionnaire portion – which must be done within 24 hours of your flight – you will see a green checkmark next time you log in to Safe Travels. Then you’re good to go.
Nice job Guys, Mahalo. Tried to get straights answers and they just kept saying check when you are due to travel as the wrinkles are being shook out. Looks like CDC compliance has been accepted and foreign vaccinations will be accepted on indirect flights via the mainland. Very sensible.
Hi Rich.
Thanks. That’s what we are seeing now from the state. Hope it sticks. 🙂
Aloha.
Ever more change. Ever more confusion. Ever more lack of progress.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
– Albert Einstein
I have searched but can’t confirm the answer- does my 3 year old grandson need a Covid test when traveling directly from Canada to Hawaii? We booked a tear along with his parents but would still like to know. Thank you!
Hi Troy-Anne.
Hawaii’s requirement is testing at a minimum of 5 years. The issue is the federal government requirement which we believe is 2 years and above.
Aloha.
Are results from an AZOVA + Lucira™ Check It COVID-19 Test Kit with Video Observation for Travel acceptable for Safe Travels compliance?
I have a friend who is fully vaccinated and was going to travel to Hawaii. Took a PCR test just to make sure and was positive. Under these rules he could have still flown to Hawaii by showing his vaccination card. It does not follow the science and does not keep Covid out of the islands if you don’t require testing for everyone coming in!
True, but it cuts out the majority which is better than no precautions. Stats show that the program is working well.
IF they tested positive, they would still have to answer the questions that are asked within 24 hours of flying. They would not be able to fly under the rules. If they lie, then they would be subject to arrest if they are caught like anyone else. And the facts are that vaccinated people are 6 times less likely to test positive and 12 times less likely to die from Covid based on data collected by the NY times. So you please follow the science.
The point is that vaccinated people are getting Covid and unless they test before traveling to Hawaii you are letting people with the virus come to the islands! If they have no symptoms, then they answer the questions truthfully and they can still be carriers.
Correct, it is not no risk but it is much lower risk. Interestingly on Kauai basically all cases recently have been locals either returning or through community transmission since the vaccine exemption came into place. From that data alone, it can be observed that tourists flying to Kauai (and Hawaii in general) with a vaccine or test exemption (not requiring both) are very low risk and don’t contribute to Covid spread appreciably.
‘Travel to Hawaii, from outside the Country’, Vaccination or 72 Hour NAAT Test, yet here, it needn’t be from “a trusted partner”, why? The rationale favors those traveling Internationally, where even less is known about their ’72 Hour Test’ and where we’ve seen recently a great disparity in accuracy to some. That, and the Booster or nothe Injection has proven that the effective period can be but 90 days, while still allowing the Vaccinated to both contract and pass the virus! What of China?
So let me get this straight. Any foreigner entering Hawaii from another country: “Testing for direct international arrivals does not need to comply with partners and test requirements associated with Hawaii Safe Travels”. So international travelers from abroad don’t need to have a “Trusted Partner Test?” Makes no sense whatsoever. Who the hell is coming up with these unconstitutional rules? An international traveler can enter without a trusted partner test, but a resident of Hawaii can’t.