With dozens of first-hand reports on getting to and being in Hawaii right now.
36 thoughts on “What Is Hawaii Like Right Now | Island by Island”
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With dozens of first-hand reports on getting to and being in Hawaii right now.
Comments are closed.
Aloha Guys,
I put off this trip for 7 months, with 5 rebookings, and no extra fees/charges on Hawaiian Air. There were a few hiccups along the way, and I spent time dealing with supervisors at HAL, to get things resolved, but I finally made it here to the Big Island.
Although I flew from SMF, I had to go to SFO to take the test for HAL’s preferred partner, as they don’t have one near SMF, yet. I found that Hawaiian’s lab partner isn’t anywhere on the State’s list, but they do show up, when you upload your test results to the State’s website.
I landed in HNL, and had to show the first QR code before catching my connecting flight. HAL booked my flights so close together, I almost missed my plane. I would recommend at least an hour and a half layover, incase the Health Screening area is very busy. I had less than an hour between flights, and got to the gate just in time. I landed in Hilo, and bypassed everyone who didn’t know they needed a second QR code. There were several people to assist those with issues. I pre-planned and had backup printed copies of everything. The only issue I had was the Screener in Hilo said that I was beyond the 72hr window, as she believed that the test was to be taken 72 hours before the time you arrive at your final Hawaii stop. I was pretty sure that the State’s website was 72 from the time of departure on the last leg of the trip before arrival in Hawaii, but she said she wasn’t going to hassle me about a short time over.
In Hilo/Kona it’s required to take a second antigen test, that can take between 15 and 30 minutes. You are required to login to another website and you are sent your results. By the time I deplaned, it was about 35 minutes before I received my second negative result in 2 days, and I was out front ready to head to my place. I was the first one tested and first out, from that flight. It was pretty much seamless, with everything in place up front.
Thanks you, Rob & Jeff, for the info. It made it easy…
Hi Jim.
Glad everything worked well. Thanks for the report.
Aloha.
Arrived on Big Island 4 days ago. Eight minutes from plane through check in. QR code in phone it was easy. Yes you have to show QR code to rent a car also. Received an email today from the state of I would be interested in doing a second free test I was welcome to come in for the test. Staying until end of January. Do as you are told and entrance is easy.
This website was really helpful for our family as we were planning on trip to Hawaii for Thanksgiving, felt I should provide our feedback on testing and check-in to Hawaii process. *You cannot rent a car without a negative test*
We were scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on Friday November 20 and did our pretesting 72 hours before at the following locations on these dates:
– 3 of us tested at Kaiser in the Bay Area at 12pm on Tuesday 11/17. By the time we arrived in Honolulu on 11/20 85 hours later, NONE of us had results. Eeekk!
– 2 of us did it at CVS in the Bay Area at 10am on Wednesday 11/17. By the time we arrived only one of us had the results (he got it morning of 11/20 80 hours later) and one did NOT have results yet
– 1 of us did it at Kaiser in the Bay Area at 4:30pm on Wednesday 11/18. By the time we arrived, they had their test. They got it the earlier than all of us, the morning of 11/20 only 48 hours after testing. Lucky guy!
At HNL we waited a bit, but other than it taking a while it was an easy process. We had our QR code printed out, they scanned it then asked for our negative results paperwork. The two people who had it produced it, she looked at it and said ok, you’re good. Then the rest of us went next, she asked for results but we said they were pending. She said no problem, then gave us a piece of paper that told us where to upload the results once we got them. She said Aloha, enjoy your trip. Mahalo for coming!
Tonight it is 9:10pm and the group that tested at Kaiser on 11/17 got their negative results, woo hoo! I downloaded all the results from Kaiser, went to the travel.hawaii.gov website, uploaded the PDFs and got instant approval. Double woo hoo!
There is only one of us still waiting for their negative results from CVS, 4 days later. Fingers crossed they get them tomorrow.
All in all, one hell of a stressful 72 hours, but here we are drinking on the beach and in Hawaii! Aloha, Mahalo and Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi NSM.
Thanks. We appreciate you sharing your experience. Enjoy your time here in Hawaii!
Aloha.
Aloha guys,
We got our covid tests from Walgreens. The process was very professional and timely. We had our QR code in hand 24 hours before arrival. The flight on United was packed. United cancelled their L.A. flight and moved it into the S.F. flight making it very full. I’d say most of the travellers were Hawaiian residents. Upon arrival in Kona I’d say they test between 10 and 20% and that’s of the people who are first off the flight. They will randomly hand you a yellow card and those are the ones who get tested. The Big Island’s testing program is very amateurish. They pack people in together with no social distancing. The people who are giving the test are also amateurish. In comparison, Walgreen’s really knows what they are doing. My opinion of the Kona testing facility is that it is a spreader event. We got our negative results in about 25 minutes from the KOA facility. I was told by the lady who gave us the paper with our test results to take a picture of it and post it to the safe Hawaii travel site. It needed to be in PDF form. But she had no info on how to do that. We did figure it out the next day and did post it. After that then it was on to the rental car center with our two negative test results. All the rental car agencies are consolidated under Hertz and you will get your car at Hertz. Just driving up the highway to our condo was spiritual. It’s a lot of work to get here but in my opinion it’s worth it.
Wear your mask, people!
Mahalo guys.
Hi Roy.
Thanks for sharing your experience getting to the Big Island. Hope you’re having a great time now.
Aloha.
Please can someone give me the latest data? I see the Test stuff is going to have to be done before mainland departure. I have been given different advice and I would like to get the latest. I am flying DFW-HNL-LIH. AA from DFW 2 hour layover and HA to LIH. Getting the test at DFW through AA’s official partner.
So do I need two tests or can i send same test on dfw-Hnl flight and then on separate HNL-LIH flight. Do they send me 2 QR codes? Or should i put dfw-hnl-lih on one itinerary? Downloaded app but getting very stressed about this as I disabled and do not want to travel 11,000 miles to spend Christmas with my friends to end up in quarantine ? Any advice from folks who have done it would be gratefully reeived. Mahalo nui loa.
Hi Rich.
Just one test for arrival in Honolulu taken within 72 hours of the DFW-HNL flight. You will not need a second one with a two-hour layover prior to the Kauai flight.
Aloha.
Put each leg of your trip involving a Hawaii arrival into the safe travels website. So for you that would be your Dallas to Honolulu and then a second entry for HNL to LIH. You will upload the single test result pdf to both entries on the website. This will result in you receiving an email with a code for each leg of your trip involving a Hawaii arrival. So you will have one email with one code for your HNL arrival and a separate email with another code for your LIH arrival. They will scan your code upon arrival. Good to have it printed out also just in case it doesn’t scan but for us it scanned easily.
I live in Ko Olina, and have lived here for many years, and observe tourists confused over when a mask is required. I believe that since they tested negative prior to arrival most feel masks are not required.
It might be useful if your site posted mask requirements by each island?
Thanks,
DN
Hi David.
We previously posted that island by island. Now however, as if this week, the rules are uniform, as we’ve indicated.
Aloha.
JohnW,
First, it’s taken months longer than any of the other 50 states, to reopen the economic engine that Hawaii runs on. It’s blatantly obvious that literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of businesses are still closed, many permanently. Most small businesses that didn’t close have had to borrow to stay afloat…and your going to ask, “…not sure how liberals have ruined Hawaii???” Clearly, those who have lost their livelyhoods, because they depend on the tourist industry, would see the ignorance in your question. Current business failures are a direct result of shuttering the primary economy, of these islands, for this length.
By the way, Hawaii has the Highest unemployment rate in the nation, because this Government (your “blue politics”) couldn’t get their crap together soon enough. Not to mention, the top 9 of 51 of the highest unemployment rates (including DC) are Blue…
Second, Hawaii has one of the lowest rates of infection of any state, because scientific evidence has concluded this virus doesn’t spread as easily, and dies faster, in this type of environment. Most tropical areas have been hit far less than the rest of the world.
Third, it’s clear your don’t know what you’re talking about, when you claim, “Trump/Fox news heavily promoted Covid as a hoax or not serious, a lot of people died because of it.” It’s utterly False to suggest Trump/Fox said or suggested (let alone promoted) that Covid is a hoax or didn’t take it seriously, and you insinuate that people died because of them? I could post dozens of videos that contradicts to your claim.
Finally, your inference that “Covid is the most prevalent per capita…” in “red states” has no significance. The death rate is what matters, and clearly blue states, have led the way. You can thank the genius Governor Cuomo, who ordered elder care facilities to take patients with covid, for that.
If you are going to chastise someone for making a comment you don’t like, you’d do better with facts.
Well Jim we’ll have to just agree to disagree. There is plenty to dispute what you say but it’s not my intent to start a political debate on a site exchanging ideas that effect Hawaii travel. Not sure how you missed all the clips of early comments on Fox claiming “It’s just a flu” and “not that bad”??? They are all over the internet and no they are not “fake news”
As is being played out by Trump/Giuliani’s false accusations and absolutely crazy conspiracy theories about the election a significant percentage of people can be made to believe anything.
If we are honest that is probably true of all of us if we aren’t careful. These are crazy times.
The sad thing that will effect Hawaii travel though is Trump is going to attack the vaccine/big pharma now because that is what he does. The scientists that have given their heart and soul into developing it and could care less about politics are going to be undermined just like the Doctors that have worked night and day and put their lives on the line to serve Covid patients were undermined when Trump accused them of falsely reporting deaths for profit during his super spreader campaign events.
Whoops, I did get political! Can’t help it, Trumps actions are adversely effecting Hawaii and it’s recovery, vaccinated tourists are going to be key and the conspiracy/anti vax nuts are going to try and undermine it.
We, as a country should all be pulling together right now to support each other with masks and common sense social distancing and Trump should be focusing on vaccine distribution as efficiently possible for the greater good of all. And he needs to put his big boy pants on and work with the incoming President.
That’s the best we can do and under preTrump America that is what we would have done.
Aloha to all, we’ll get through this one way or another.
🤣😂🤣 Yeah, Okay!
So, let me get this straight. You agree to disagree…you act like you can dispute my facts (yet don’t) by saying, “it’s not my intent to start a political debate…”, and you immediately start another political debate with more opinionated dribble, wild accusations, and Zero fact based evidence to back it up, as well as insinuating Trump is to blame for Hawaii’s woes. Then, you say,”we should all be pulling together…”, in your fleeting kumbaya moment, as if that’s supposed to make your factless opinions kosher with people?🤦♂️
LOL…You may be blowing smoke up some people’s kazoos, with your insessant diatribe, but I’m not fooled by the smoke clouds your spewing. I don’t even like the guy, and I’m smart enough to understand he’s not responsible for Hawaii’s issues. Why aren’t you? Like I said before, “you’d do better with facts”.
Enjoyed the info from the travelers. Could someone explain the QC process, how did you get information on what to do. Sounds a bit confusing, with stops at other islands if not on a direct fligt.