The Latest Travel Requirements For Hawaii

As of last week, Hawaii has made it easier for fully vaccinated travelers to visit. While the Safe Travels program continues to remain in place, testing is no longer required for passengers arriving in the islands who are fully vaccinated. Here is what the state mandates for travelers now.

Travel to Hawaii is getting easier with no more testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The latest entry requirements

Hawaii continues to reopen for more passengers. The latest update is for fully vaccinated passengers. Travelers who were fully vaccinated in the United States, or a territory of the United States, may bypass quarantine in Hawaii with a pre-travel test.

Passengers coming to Hawaii nonstop from the mainland United States can upload their vaccination records to the Safe Travels program. Vaccine records digitally validated by a Digital Health Pass Partner will also be accepted. Alternatively, passengers can bring a hard copy of their record to show when arriving in Hawaii. Travelers who were fully vaccinated in Hawaii were already eligible for this exception.

For those who are not fully vaccinated, Hawaii still has a pre-travel testing requirement to bypass quarantine. Passengers must provide proof of a negative test result before boarding their first departure. The test has to have been taken from a Trusted Testing and Travel Partner no more than 72 hours before the final leg of the trip to Hawaii. The negative test result must be uploaded to the Safe Travels program.

Delta Air Lines offers flights to Hawaii from multiple cities across the US, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Anyone who is neither vaccinated nor provides a negative test result will be required to quarantine upon arrival. Note that Hawaii’s exceptions to testing requirements do not supersede the international entry requirements for the United States.

So, if you are flying a pretty extensive trip from, say, Paris to Hawaii via a stop in Los Angeles, you still have to meet the test requirements for entry into the United States.

If you are traveling internationally, from July 15th, travelers from the Philippines and those coming from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) can bypass the 10-day quarantine with a negative test result from a trusted testing partner taken no earlier than 72 hours before departure. This will also meet the requirements for entry into the United States.

American Airlines also offers flights to Hawaii, including multiple daily options out of its largest hub: Dallas. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

How to travel to Hawaii

Some travelers who may have chosen to avoid traveling to Hawaii because of the testing requirement can now benefit from being fully vaccinated by avoiding quarantine.

The main gateways to Hawaii are:

• Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
• Kahului Airport (OGG)
• Kona International Airport (KOA)
• Lihue Airport (LIH)
• Hilo International Airport (ITO)

Airlines have been flying hefty schedules to Hawaii. If you are in California, then you will have plenty of options for flying to Hawaii. There are plenty of nonstop opportunities from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, or more.

Alaska Airlines also has a hefty schedule of flights to Hawaii. Photo: Getty Images

Most of the long-haul flights to the mainland US are to Honolulu. So if you want a nonstop from, say, Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Austin, or Orlando, you will find a nonstop into Honolulu. However, there are plenty of other options.

American, United, and Hawaiian are also the most prolific long-haul operators out of other airports. For example, from Maui (OGG), American Airlines has nonstop flights to Dallas while United Airlines flies to Chicago, Denver, and Newark.

United Airlines added a new long-haul route from Newark to Maui this summer. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Hawaii plans a further relaxation

If you are planning a trip to Hawaii, note that passengers will face different restrictions in just a few months, or potentially weeks. The relaxation of testing requirements for fully vaccinated Americans went into effect on July 8th.

Hawaii eliminated the testing requirement for fully vaccinated passengers after it hit a 60% vaccination rate. When the state hits a 70% vaccination rate, all restrictions will terminate. The Safe Travels program will end when the state hits a 70% vaccination rate, as well.

Southwest Airlines also has a significant presence in Hawaii and is planning even more flying to the state. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

If you absolutely want to avoid the Safe Travels program, it is best to wait until after Hawaii hits a 70% vaccination rate. Note that some counties may add other requirements.

Are you planning a trip to Hawaii? Let us know in the comments!

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