Friends, we are vaxxed and waxed and ready to have vaxxed girl summer! And where better to travel than to the dreamy tropical paradise of Hawaii? But there’s a catch—Hawaii has enacted some important travel rules if you want to visit their gorgeous islands. Some of the information on their website can be vague and confusing, but fear not: here is exactly what to expect from Hawaii coronavirus travel restrictions.
I visited Hawaii from the mainland United States back in May 2021. Thus, this article will be accurate as of May 2021. Hawaii’s policies will always be changing to reflect new Covid-19 trends across the country and the world, so even if you use this article for clarification, make sure to check the official Hawaii website for the most up-to-date information. Also, it’s worth noting that travel restrictions may be different if you are traveling from outside the United States!
Thinking about planning a trip? Here are 10 sights on the Big Island to help convince you to visit.
Step-by-Step Guide to Entering Hawaii
So, you’ve booked your flight and you’re ready to go. Now what? Wading through the different requirements necessary to enter Hawaii feels complicated. And the last thing any of us want is to get turned away at the border.
Now, you can enter Hawaii without any extra steps. Just know that you will have to undergo mandatory quarantine for 10 days (or the duration of your trip, whichever one is shorter). But if you want to skip the quarantine requirement, keep reading.
Get Tested <72 Hours Before You Fly
Hawaii requires that to bypass the quarantine, you must RECEIVE a negative Covid-19 test result less than 72 hours before the last leg of your trip. That means your test result must be in hand before the last plane ride to Hawaii, so if you have layovers or stopovers, you need to plan accordingly. Currently, this requirement is still in place even for fully vaccinated travelers.
Additionally, you can’t just get your Covid test anywhere. Hawaii only accepts test results from Trusted Testing and Travel Partners and the test in question must be a NAAT test. For information, NAAT tests include PCR tests and Rapid ID Now tests. Antigen tests are not considered valid NAAT tests and will not be accepted.
Hawaii has several Trusted Testing and Travel Partners that you can test with, but many of these are specific to location (especially west coast). I’m from the east coast, so my options were pretty much limited to CVS and Walgreens. However, getting a test was no problem. The most important thing is to make sure you schedule it so that the result will come back to you less than 72 hours before the last leg of your trip, but before you take off. This can be tricky for PCR tests, since the time it takes for those to come back can be variable. Instead, I recommend getting the Rapid ID NOW test. It comes back within a few hours.
Register with the Safe Travels System
After getting your test and receiving your result, you need to register with Hawaii’s Safe Travels System to input your information, complete a health questionnaire, and upload your valid Covid-19 negative test result. This part was the most confusing, in my opinion, because some of the questions can be a bit vague.
First, create an account with the Safe Travels system. You then must add a trip and fill out all your trip details, including travel dates, flight information, government-issued ID information, and accommodation. At the very bottom the form will ask for an Exemption ID, which means you need to upload your negative test result from the Documents section of your Safe Travels dashboard.
Uploading Your Test Result
Under the Documents section, you will be able to upload your negative Covid test (and vaccination card, if you have one). You must upload a PDF of the test result that you received from the Trusted Testing and Travel Partner that you tested with. Screenshots are not accepted.
When uploading, you will need to select the document type (COVID Test result), provider, and form type. The form type will ask you to select either Standard Hawaii Form or Provider Form. If you did not receive your test directly from Hawaii, choose Provider Form.
Filling out the Health Questionnaire
You may have noticed that there is a health questionnaire on the Safe Travels dashboard. You can only fill this out 24 hours before your last flight to Hawaii. The information is very straightforward and easy. Then, you will receive a QR code that you will need to save for the airport.
Getting Pre-cleared at the Departure Airport
At the departure airport, you can get pre-cleared by having a screener scan the QR code you received after filling out the health questionnaire. You will receive a wristband once you have been pre-cleared. Then you simply hop on your flight and head to Hawaii!
Upon Arrival in Hawaii
After landing, you will be directed through a line at the airport. If you have been pre-cleared, congratulations—it’s smooth sailing from here. You may need to take one more nasal swab Covid test before you exit the airport, which is provided by the state for free. (Passengers with a valid full vaccination card are exempt.) The process up until this point may have been daunting and confusing, but if it was all done correctly, this should be very quick and easy.
And just like that, you’re done! You are free to explore Hawaii as you please.
Traveling Between Islands?
It’s worth nothing that if you are traveling between islands, you will need to get a Covid test before you island hop. The only island where this is exempt is Oahu. You also do not need to take a Covid test to leave Hawaii completely.
Safe travels in Hawaii! The islands are beautiful and incredible to explore. So stay safe, and enjoy everything this lovely paradise has to offer.
