Travelers to Hawaii will need to have a negative test upon departure to bypass quarantine

by: Web Staff

Posted: Nov 19, 2020 / 11:15 PM AST

Updated: Nov 19, 2020 / 10:47 PM AST

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HONOLULU (KHON2) — Travelers looking to opt-out of the state’s 14-day quarantine will soon need to have a negative COVID-19 test result before boarding their flight to Hawaii, Gov. Ige said in a news conference on Thursday.

The new change to the state’s Pre-Travel Testing Program, which is set to go into effect on Nov. 24, removes the option for travelers to quarantine until they receive their results. Gov. Ige says that if test results are not available before boarding the final leg of the trip, the traveler must quarantine for 14 days or the length of the stay, whichever is shorter.

“We’re taking this added safety precaution now in response to the dramatically increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the continental United States and around the world, said the Governor. “The health of our residents and visitors is our primary concern, especially as more people travel to Hawaii to celebrate the holidays.”

The new policy applies to domestic trans-Pacific flights and international flights departing from locations in which the state’s pre-testing programs are in place.

The Governor also announced that Hawaii will reopen travel to passengers flying in from Canada starting mid-December. Travelers from Canada will also be required to provide a negative COVID-19 prior to departure in order to opt-out of the state’s 14-day quarantine.

The state announced that Air Canada and WestJet Airlines will join the Pre-Travel Testing Program as trusted testing partners.

“Many Canadians love to visit Hawaii during the winter months to escape the cold weather, so the timing for this works well. Hawaii has the most rigorous pre-travel testing program in the United States and we’re grateful to Air Canada and WestJet for making it available to their passengers,” said Ige.

State officials hope that the extension of international travel from Canada will help to strengthen Hawai‘i’s economy.

Canadian nationals traveling abroad are still subject to a 14-day quarantine upon their return to their own country. Travel restrictions on U.S. travel to Canada remain in place.