Things can look a little crazy but as Hawaii travel experts itʻs our job to make your travel to Hawaii during the COVID-19 pandemic just a little bit better.
We are keeping up with everything there is to know about Hawaii so you donʻt have to. We are keeping track of the activity calendars, island rules, and state proclamations that seem to be changing all the time.
Our Hawaii-based, local travel experts are here to help you make sure your vacation works.
Check out these tips and ideas to stay healthy on your Hawaiian vacation.
Our dedicated team is here to guide you through the process of getting to Hawaii and having a dream vacation.
There are a few steps you need to go through to explore Hawaii without having to quarantine. Let’s look at how itʻs done.
First, and foremost, to make a vacation a reality you need a negative test result within 72 hours prior to the direct (or last leg) of your journey to Hawaii. Every person in the party 6 years and older, must have a negative test result from a variety of “Trusted Partners” set by the State Of Hawaii.
Getting a test for children under 18 is more difficult so double-check all your testing options.
If you want to visit multiple islands, then you should start on Big Island and work your way to Oahu last. Big Island has the most restrictions on inter-island travel. You must be arriving from the mainland with a negative test and exhibit no symptoms to bypass quarantine.
You will need to take additional tests in Hawaii prior to your flights to Kauai or Maui from inside the state.
There is no extra test requirements to visit Oahu from the Outer-Islands.
Group sizes are severely limited depending on the island and the time frame of your journey. Parties must be staying in the same hotel or accommodation to qualify as a bubble for some tours.
Up until the end of January, groups are limited to 5 on Oahu and 10 on the other islands. This means interaction with people outside of your “family or accommodation group“. ie: If you are a diverse party of 8 traveling to Hawaii as a group, you must stay in your bubble, be at the same hotel to congregate together, and limit your contact with others. Individual party members can interact with other groups of no larger than 5 on Oahu and 10 on the other islands.
Oahu
Maui & Kauai
Big Island
Oahu
Maui, Kauai & Big Island
Oahu
Maui, & Big Island
Kauai
Oahu
Maui, & Big Island
Kauai
Here is an example, most flights to Hawaii arrive in the evening so they will be leaving many of the major continental US cities between 3pm and 7pm. A flight from SFO at 6:45pm on Monday, means I need to take the test anytime after 6:45pm on Friday.
Each airline is working to partner with local labs and other services in their main West Coast hubs that have direct flights to Hawaii. These options are not great yet as anyone with connecting flights from other places can not utilize their services. This is due to the fact that these testing services are outside of the airport and you would have to leave the security area to get tested. The only in terminal option is San Francisco (SFO) but you will pay a significant amount for that convenience, currently about $250 per person.
The best way is convenient drive-up testing that you can schedule ahead of time and have the results in your hand within an hour. If you live in a major city, itʻs not too difficult to find a few options to give you this test. You can make appointments online to schedule a time to visit a location, like CVS, Walgreens, or a local lab that is certified.
Unfortunately, for most of the country, getting a test done in-person can be many hours drive away, especially if you donʻt live near an Interstate Highway. The only option at that point is an at-home testing kit.
This system seems pretty advanced. The medical professional will watch you, using Zoom App, spit into a tube until there is enough to get a good reading. They make sure you are doing it correctly and there is no tampering with the sample. You seal it up, put it back into the envelope and drop it at the UPS, USPS or FedEx to be sent overnight to the lab. Within 2-3 days you will have your results on the computer.
We recommend Vault as the results are supervised and mailing is simple. You can also order individual tests for each member of your group. Be sure to order your test from the site a week before your flight.
There are at-home testing kits that are not-supervised and they will not be accepted by Hawaii officials. Watch out for the at-home kits that require you to visit a specific place to actually have it done.
There will be limited options for connections and airlines flying into Hawaii during this time period.
There are direct flights to all Hawaiian islands from Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Additional flights to Maui from Dallas, Las Vegas & Phoenix.
Additional flights to Big Island from Phoenix.
Additional flights to Honolulu from Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, and San Diego.
Outside of these cities, there is little to no support from the airlines to complete the tests required.
It is not practical to leave the airport if you are connecting from a smaller hub to get a test done. There simply are not enough flights to make the connections work without staying an extra day or longer in that connecting city. You donʻt want to waste a precious vacation day like that.
Believe it or not, there is no active screening for temperatures or symptoms prior to boarding your flight to Hawaii. There may be some random checks but there is no extra required screening for every person in place for domestic travelers.
You will be required to wear a mask from the moment you enter the terminal where you start your journey until you get in your own rental car or walk into your hotel room if you are using transportation or airport shuttles.
Once you arrive in Hawaii, you will undergo screening for symptoms at that point. You must declare you are symptom-free and your temperature will be checked. If you show symptoms or have a fever, you will be required to take a second test and remain in quarantine until a test is provided that shows you are negative.
Before departing for your vacation, take the first step at home: check the airline and airport websites for the most up-to-date, reliable information regarding flight changes and cancellations as well as requirements like negative test results, temperature checks, and other screenings. Things might take a little longer at TSA so be sure to get started with plenty of time to spare.
We want to be straight up with visitors. We got to share what happens if you get a positive test while in Hawaii. You must quarantine for 10 days in the accommodation (a quarantine approved hotel or residence), no matter how long your trip originally was. This means if your original trip was only 7-days, it just got extended for 3 more days. There are programs and grants that can help cover the costs related to being in quarantine as well as community groups that can provide contactless services.
You will not be allowed to board a plane back to the mainland if it is known that you are a COVID-19 carrier.
What does Paniolo mean?
Paniolo is the Hawaiian name for cowboy. The Big Island paniolos are world class cowboys who have won many national awards for their horsemanship skills.
What island is the best to visit to stay healthy?
Most colds & flu-type viruses do better in cooler weather so choosing Hawaii is a step in a healthy direction. The CDC recommends that you wash your hands often and keep a little distance (about 3 feet) between your group and others. Overall the most populous of the Hawaiian Islands is Oahu and of the main islands, Kauai has the fewest people. So you have a better chance of not being around people on Kauai than you would on Oahu. If you follow their recommendations then you should stay very healthy throughout your vacation.
What Can I Do To Prevent Getting Sick?
What Are We Doing To Keep Guests Safe?
Our teams and vendors take our guestsʻ safety seriously. Our road tour vehicles are cleaned, wiped down and sprayed with disinfectant nightly. Depending on the location and activity, guests will be offered options like cleaning wipes or hand sanitizers. Shared equipment are cleaned after each use including helmets used on ziplines and biking tours as well as snorkels and masks. We monitor our staff very closely so we catch any illness before it spreads.
Is The Coronavirus Affecting Hawaii?
This particular illness thrives in cooler climates so Hawaii is not impacted at this time. There has been some cases that have occurred here but no deaths or widespread infections are reported. Residents have become more cautious, purchasing basic household supplies in bulk so that they donʻt have to go out to the stores as often. Across the state there are still a lot of visitors from across the world enjoying their vacations without disruption.
There are a lot of ways you can enjoy Hawaii, even if all the activities are not yet fully operational by the time you plan to visit.
This is the perfect time to experience some of Hawaiiʻs more natural adventures. Itʻs a great time to get a more personal, guided experience of Hawaii as most tour operations have to operate with fewer people and social distance or operate in a “bubble”. Sightseeing, helicopter, hiking, horseback riding, zip lines, and other tours are becoming more private and exclusive to your party.
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