On October 15th the State of Hawaii started a pre-travel test program. Travelers have the option to skip the mandatory 14 day quarantine by getting a negative Covid test no more than 72 hours prior to the last leg of their flight to Hawaii.
You have to take the test with one of the State’s ‘trusted testing partners’ in order for the State to accept it. A friend’s daughter just arrived with a wrong test. Additionally she didn’t receive her result (negative) until after her arrival. As she took the wrong test, she has to quarantine for fourteen days regardless of the fact that she is negative. Bummer.
The big change is…. Starting Tuesday November 24th, ALL RESULTS MUST BE IN HAND PRIOR TO BOARDING YOUR FLIGHT. The State wants you to stay home (not travel) should you test positive. They do not want you to arrive and then find out that you are positive. Should you fly to Hawaii and not have your results (either uploaded to the Safe Travels App or in hand), as of Tuesday November 24 you will be subject to the mandatory 14 day quarantine, even if you receive your results after arrival. This new policy applies to all domestic and international flights. Per the governor’s news conference this change is due to the increases in Covid numbers on the US mainland but also worldwide.
The Governor stated that 94% of travelers arrived with their tests. However, there have been 40+ who have arrived and then gotten positive results after arrival. Note, the State of Hawaii currently has the lowest per capita incidence of Covid19 in the country.
For much more information about the State of Hawaii’s pre-travel test program, please carefully study the State’s Covid Travel website. And please check it regularly – details have been changing from time to time.
What do you do if your results don’t arrive on time?
Canadian airlines Air Canada and Westjet both had reps on the State of Hawaii Governor’s press conference today. Both stated that should the results not be back on time, travelers could change their flights free of charge. The Lieutenant Governor thought the US airlines would have similar policies.
My question to that is – by bumping your flights back by a day or two, would you not need to re-test as you would no longer be in the 72 hour window?
Please, if you choose to travel at this time (and we would love to have you), make sure you purchase Cancel for Any Reason Trip Insurance which specifically covers Covid19.