Tips, essential Rules, latest changes. Save Time and avoid Worry. What to know before traveling to Hawaii.
595 thoughts on “Revised November 2021 Guide to Hawaii Travel During COVID”
Comments are closed.
Tips, essential Rules, latest changes. Save Time and avoid Worry. What to know before traveling to Hawaii.
Comments are closed.
How are they handling the 72 hour timeframe? Is it adjusted by local Hawaii time or based upon your local time. I would hate to misjudge the 72 requirement because I am working off central or pacific time and I didn’t factor in that Hawaii is 6 hours difference.
When do you forsee this monster bureaucracy done away with? How is the vaccination program going there? I’ll not travel back to the islands till this stupidity ends…. Love Hawaii but your leadership is in serious question.
Way beyond just in question… Last May it may have been in question, now its gone full blown stupid.
Thanks so much for all of the updates. Has there been any information surrounding travel from Canada yet? Hoping to get back to our condo on Maui in the Fall.
Hi Shelley.
We haven’t seen anything specific. We note that Westjet and Air Canada are partners with Hawaii Safe Travels. Other comments mentioned issues of returning to Canada.
Aloha.
Thank you for your ongoing information. I am a loyal follower and find so the site so helpful. However, your information about Maui mandatory contact tracing is incorrect. In researching yesterday for travel early June, I found Emergency Rules issued May 9, 2021 by Maui County Office of the Mayor. Rule 12d on pg 11 discusses Emergency Notification – Required. https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/125111/COM_Public-Health-Emergency-Rules?bidId=
However, if you look at the FAQ on the site, you will see exceptions you mentioned, including the option to sign a waiver.
Again, thanks so much for trying to keep us all updated on the inconsistent and ever-changing rules!!
Hi Nancy.
Thanks. Good catch. Page 11 – could that be more buried? We don’t know what that means. A number of others have reported in comments that it was not even requested or mentioned on arrival. But we updated the post with that information.
Aloha.
Thank you for all the info provided in this article as well as this discussion board! I have been following the discussions very closely as we prepare for our vacation at the end of this month.
We will be spending a week in Oahu and then traveling to Kauai after. Walgreens provides testing and is an approved testing site for interisland travel. However, on the island of Oahu they don’t offer the Rapid Diagnostic Test (ID now). All they offer is the Diagnostic Lab Test (PCR) which is a NAAT test but I want to make sure that it approved for interisland travel. Can anyone at BOH or any commenters provide me an answer based on experience or what they’ve discovered?
I have attempted to call the Safe Travel’s Help Desk but have waited on hold for a very long time and have left a few messages with no return call…
Thanks!!
Hi Scott.
Others may comment. We’ve had quite a few comments that mention this location: https://kidneyhi.org/covid-19-testing-screening.
Aloha.
I googled covid testing for travel. Clicked on Hawaii pre travel covid 19 testing options for Hawaiian airline. Its will take you straight to their pre travel test options site. Select your departure city. So its should be Hawaiian Islands and select Honolulu press go. Scroll all the way down to State approved inter island travel testing options. You’ll see a list of places that has the testing. Please know that call places here for screening only and not medical reason will have a fee. You will also need to schedule online only. Diagnostic labs is good and fast and by far the cheapest I found for $125. The results came back the next day. Hope that helps.
Scott,
Yes, the national kidney is located on site in Oahu (we got ours done at the airport). We got our rapid test prior to leaving for Kauai. I think it was $175 and we got our results in time when we arrived in Kauai. There are National Guard in Kauai helping with the lines for getting you through the lines. They can look up your results that you uploaded even if Safe travels hadn’t processed it from red to green. Hope this helps. If you have further questions, happy to answer.
Patrick G,
Thank you for help! How long before your flight did you have the test performed? I have read that for rapid tests, results take between 1-6 hrs but most people are reporting results back within an hour. Was there a long wait to take the test?
Thanks,
Scott
Thanks for your helpful article, I have a layover in Maui on my way back to LAX (mainland) will I need to get a Covid test 72 hours before I land in Maui even if I’m not leaving the airport?
Hi Bridgett.
That should not be necessary to long as you remain in transit at the airport. To confirm, it is best to inquire with the state’s Safe Travels help desk at 855-599-0888 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.
Aloha.
Hi, I’ve tried to call this number several times, but cannot speak to a human. I am flying through hawaii on my way to DC, but only in the airport for 3 hours. I’m trying to figured out if we need to to the tests or not. I’m flying united and it says no, but I’m hearing conflicting information. Is there an actual person I can speak to? Thank you
Hi Lea.
That is the only number we have for inquiries.
Aloha.
I m told you need a negative test to leave Hawaii to fly back to the mainland? Is that true?
No, that is absolutely not true.
Not the US mainland. You would need a test for Canada.
Hello,
Frist of all, thank you for the very helpful article!
I have a question on Inter-Island Travel:
If we arrive to Honolulu on a Wednesday and plan to travel on to Kauai on Sunday morning, does it matter how long we were in Hawaii before getting our inter-island test for Kauai? i.e. Are we ok to get tested in Honolulu at 10am on Thursday, 70 hours before HNL-LIH flight, but less than a day after arriving in Hawaii?
As I understand it, Kauai rejoining the Safe Travels Program makes this itinerary allowed, but just wanted to be sure.
Thanks Again!
-Trevor
Hi Trevor.
The rules do not state a minimum time in Hawaii before that 2nd test. “Take a pre-travel test from one of the State of Hawaii’s Hawaii Inter-Island Trusted Testing and Travel Partners within 72 hours of departing to Kauai.”
Aloha.
Hello,
I have a question on Inter-Island Travel:
If we arrive to Honolulu on a Wednesday and plan to travel on to Kauai on Sunday morning, does it matter how long we were in Hawaii before getting our inter-island test for Kauai? i.e. Are we ok to get tested in Honolulu at 10am on Thursday, 70 hours before HNL-LIH flight, but less than a day after arriving in Hawaii?
As I understand it, Kauai rejoining the Safe Travels Program makes this itinerary allowed, but just wanted to be sure.
Thank you for this article. Something that I found missing from all sources is: What happens if a flight is delayed? Does that render the Covid test invalid for those who took it exactly or a few hours after the 72hours required window?
Are those traveler automatically barred from flying unless they accept to go into quarantine or is there a fast test they can take at the airport to still be able to forego the quarantine as planned?
Hi ECP.
We aren’t seeing the prior language on the state’s website either. The rules have been that testing must occur within 72 hours of the scheduled departure of the mainland to Hawaii flight. Our best suggestion is that you contact the Safe Travels help desk at 855-599-0888 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.
Aloha.
Our flight was delayed 3 hours in March. Our test was taken 71 hours 45 minutes prior to departure. We had no issues and were not required to quarantine on arrival in Oahu. Originally, the state’s website mentioned flight delays as out of passengers control and not an issue however, I can’t find that language anywhere on the website today. I wouldn’t worry about a flight delay.
Aloha EPC
The state of Hawaii goes from your departure time on your airline ticket. Doesn’t matter if your early or late, that’s the time that state will use.