On Thursday, March 26th at 12:01 AM, the governor of Hawaii issued a mandate requiring all trans-Pacific Travelers to quarantine for fourteen days when they come arrive in Hawaii. Visitors are not allowed to leave their designated place of quarantine except in the case of medical emergency. While the hope was that this quarantine would be removed at some point this summer, surges in Covid-19 cases both locally and on the mainland forced things to push back. As of Thursday the 15th of October, travelers interested in coming to Hawaii are exempted from quarantine if they test negative after taking a pre-travel Covid-19 test. Here are five things you should know about the pre-travel testing program if you are planning a trip to Hawaii.

1. How Do I Sign Up?

Once you have booked a flight to Hawaii, you need to register with the Hawaii Safe Travels Program.  All visitors 18 or over need to register.  Travelers will need to upload a negative pre-travel test and fill out a health questionnaire within 24 hours of your flight.

2. Will Any Old Covid-19 Negative Test Result Do?

No. Travelers will need to be tested by one of the State of Hawaii's designated testing partners. It needs to be a FDA-approved NAAT test. Antigen and antibody tests are not accepted. Tests need to be completed within 72 hours of departure.

3. Who are the state of Hawaii's testing partners?

At the time of this post, the list below represents the current testing partners for Hawaii with links to additional testing information where available. 

• American Family Care Urgent Care
• Bartell Drugs
• Carbon Health
• City Healthy Urgent Care
• Color
• CVS Health
• Discovery Health
• Kaiser Permanente (Members Only)   Online information on the pre-travel testing via Kaiser is limited. Kaiser members should contact Kaiser directly for additional information.
  
• Hawaiian Airlines    Of Note Hawaiian Airlines Testing Partner does not appear to have their testing sign up yet
• Quest Diagnostics
• United Airlines   United flights out of SFO is offering rapid preflight testing for Hawaii at the terminal. There is not a whole lot of information online. Contact the airline in advance.
• Vault
• Walgreens

This list is likely to expand. It may be worth checking directly with your airline to discuss options. It sounds as if they are coordinating with some of the partners to help make pre-travel testing easier. Please note that travelers are responsible for the cost of their pre-flight tests.

4. May I Opt to Get Tested When I arrive?

No, that is not an option at this time. Any one who does not have a pre-travel test will still be subject to the 14 day quarantine. If your pre-travel test results are still pending when you arrive in Hawaii, you will need to quarantine until you get negative test results back.

5. Is There Anything Else That I Should Know?

I would expect that there may be a few bumps in the road as the pre-travel testing program initially gets underway. There is discussion of the requirement of a second test on arrival due to the concerns about the efficacy of a single test 72 hours prior to arrival. At this time, the Big Island is requiring an antigen test upon arrival to remove the quarantine requirement. Maui and Kauai are working on implementing a program that offers free, voluntary, post-arrival testing. 

If you plan to travel inter-island, there is a 14 day quarantine. If you are flying between Oahu, Kauai and Maui you may take a pre-travel test within 72 hours of departure to remove the quarantine restrictions. If you fly from any island to the Big Island, they require a post-arrival antigen test. If you have a layover on Oahu before traveling to a neighboring island, there is no requirement for an additional test.

If you have questions about the pre-travel program, visit the State of Hawaii Pre-Travel Program page or call 1800-GO-Hawaii. 

Bonus Question 6. What if I Want to Look at Property While on Maui?

The Realtors Association of Maui is requiring that all members observe Covid-19 showing protocols. That means that all parties need to wear a mask during showings. We are traveling to and from properties in separate vehicles from clients. Some brokerages are requiring the signature of a Covid-19 waiver prior to showings. Contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you would like to look at properties on an upcoming visit. We look forward to learning about your needs and identifying properties available for sale that might best fit your interests.