How to Travel to Hawaii Without a COVID-19 Test
Hawaii is an incredible and spectacular place to visit, and one of the best ways to arrive there is via plane – short flights are quick, and you will experience arriving on an idyllic tropical island like no other!
To avoid quarantine, you should take a COVID test within 72 hours of departure from either home or an airport.
Check-in time
To escape Hawaii’s 5-day mandatory quarantine, a negative COVID-19 test must be obtained from one of its accredited testing providers at least 72 hours before your flight arrives in Hawaii.
As part of your travel preparations, it is necessary to complete and upload a health questionnaire via Safe Travels website. After filling out all necessary forms and uploading results, a QR code will be generated that you can present to airlines when checking-in for flights.
United is offering its Safe Travels program to customers flying on 110 of its weekly Hawaii flights. In order to qualify, customers will need to create an account on the Safe Travels website and complete a health questionnaire prior to departure, then upload test results and vaccination history files into a system which checks for discrepancies; you can even sign up for alerts regarding this program!
Vaccination status
Before planning a trip to Hawaii, there are a few essentials you must keep in mind when organizing it. First and foremost is awareness of Hawaii’s rules for travel – for instance completing a Hawaii travel form and receiving a negative test result from one of Hawaii’s “trusted testing and travel partners”. Before your flight takes off, your results must also be uploaded onto Safe Travels at least 72 hours in advance of its final leg of departure.
Hawaii is an immensely popular tourist destination, known for its spectacular beaches, vibrant Pacific culture and rugged volcanoes. However, according to CDC recommendations it remains important to be fully immunized before traveling there; fortunately the state’s mask mandate for indoor settings ended at the end of March so there are now no restrictions flying between islands.
Pre-travel testing
As part of their efforts to ease travel stress to Hawaii, airlines and airports have teamed up with local labs to offer drive-through testing at some major hubs of airlines offering nonstop flights; this testing can usually be accessed without leaving security. In order to comply with Hawaii state requirements, testing should take place no more than 72 hours before you are scheduled for departure.
Before traveling, ensure your pre-travel test comes from a reputable partner. Tests performed through these partners are the only ones approved to bypass a 14-day quarantine upon arrival and can be found on Hawaii’s Safe Travels website, where travelers can fill out online forms and upload documentation proving negative coronavirus tests before receiving a QR code to use to circumvent quarantine requirements.
Quarantine
Beginning July 9, travelers who have received vaccination can avoid quarantine in Hawaii by showing a state-approved COVID-19 test from pharmacies or hospitals, but must have been administered within 72 hours of flying into Hawaii from an approved testing partner.
The State has partnered with several airlines and airports to offer COVID-19 pre-travel testing. The program is free, however reservations must be made through an airline; testing may not be available at every airport, as some only provide drive-through testing; additionally, bring along your travel itinerary for this appointment.
As part of your quarantine preparations, it is a good idea to bring long-life alternatives for perishable food items such as powdered and UHT milk and canned vegetables. Also important are hygiene supplies like hand sanitizer and face masks – you may also consider having latex gloves available and purchasing a disposable thermometer so you can track your temperature throughout the day.
