HAWAII TRAVEL PROTOCOL

COVID really affected Hawaii Travel Protocol to reach Kauai. It was no joke! WOW! We had just returned from this travel experience and thought to share our experience to just get there! Kauai holds such special memories for our family. We were so excited to return to the “Garden Island” for a graduation celebration trip for our sons. The many steps and protocols to travel were a bit daunting, yet do-able. Of course while we were there it all changed again! Much to explain…keep reading! Though now, the Hawaii Travel Protocols have returned to normal. I recommend checking into these details prior to travel.

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HAWAII TRAVEL PROTOCOL

Our family was so ready to return to our adventurous enjoyment of travel together! We had missed my younger son’s senior trip from high school due to the pandemic that cancelled travel for all people. We had pre-booked the most fabulous 8 day cruise scheduled in March 2021 with other senior graduates and their families to several amazing destinations before everything shut down. We completely understood and agreed that it was in our best interest not to travel at that time, especially on a cruise ship! SO, we cancelled our travel plans!

As enthusiastic travelers, we had been patiently waiting for safe travel to return! Now, my oldest son has also graduated from college with his Bachelor’s Degree; so, we have double the celebrating to do! The idea of doubling up on our celebrations took root! We planned this Kauai adventure for over the holiday when they both had available time to re-visit the first trip we ever took our boys on a flight! Kauai began to call our names again!

So, ten years later my husband and I hosted our boys yet again! They are both entering a time in their lives when family travel time has become more and more difficult to schedule. They are moving on to their own interests and pursuits, as they should!

TRAVEL CHANGES PLAGUED US!

Our flight plans were booked back in September of 2021. We easily received 3-4 trip alteration notifications prior to the actual flight times of slight adjustments to the flight times, etc. In October, we researched what the protocol would be for us to enter Hawaii. We discovered the Hawaii Safe Travel program and their requirements. Our family chose to get vaccinated to have the vaccination card to make travel easier. This way we could avoid the need for testing 24 hours prior to landing and mandated quarantine on Hawaiian soil.

Thank goodness all of that doesn’t matter any more. How horrible to use scare tactics to manipulate people into vaccination. Not a fan of that time in our world!

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I had also read that you couldn’t access restaurants or entertainments without flashing the vaccination card at each location. So, we followed all the guidelines and jumped through all the hoops to comply with all the requirements. By the way…not one place in Hawaii asked us for proof of vaccination other than prior to boarding our flight from the continental US departure airport and obtaining the wristband. Talk about feeling segregated from those without a wristband in the airport where we landed in Hawaii! We breezed right though while many others had to wait in long lines.

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HAWAII TRAVEL PROTOCOL

HAWAII SAFE TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

I BELIEVE ALL OF THESE PROTOCOLS ARE BACK TO NORMAL NOW.

Hawaii continues to have the strictest entry requirements of any state. You will need a negative pre-arrival test or proof of full vaccination to bypass the 10-day quarantine requirement. There are currently no inter-island travel restrictions. Listed below are the Hawaii Safe Travels Protocols we expected:

During COVID, to avoid the 10 day quarantine, you needed to create a safe travels account at www.travel.Hawaii.gov and upload either a valid vaccine card, or a negative COVID test taken no more than 24 hours before your last departure to the island. Per the Kauai Tourism Authority, the accommodations host needed to see a copy of either your vax card, or a negative test & the QR code from your safe travels account, before door codes would be released to occupants in a contactless check-in. You also needed to show these documents to the car rental agent to pick up your rental vehicle. (WE WERE NOT ASKED FOR THIS PROOF WHEN WE CHECKED IN AT EITHER PLACE.)

Upon arrival to Hawaii your temperature will be taken. Masks must be worn indoors at all times. (WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS, EITHER)

24 hours before your flight lands in Kauai you must submit a health questionnaire and upload it to your safe travels account. You will receive an email with a QR code that will be scanned by a screener at the airport. If possible print this out and have in hand as you travel through the airport security points. (THIS WAS REQUIRED)

Well, while we were in Hawaii (after the 1st of the year) they changed the rules to indicate that the health questionnaire can now be filled out at the time that you create the Hawaii Safe Travels Account (not 24 hours prior to flight landing in Hawaii’s departure.)

 

UPDATED INFORMATION:

Starting March 26, 2022 domestic  travelers entering Hawai’i no longer need to show proof of vaccination/negative test or register with Safe Travels.

There are no longer any COVID-related requirements for arriving domestic passengers. Additionally, as of June 12, 2022, the U.S. federal government no longer requires a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test result or recovery from COVID-19 documentation.

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HAWAII TRAVEL PROTOCOL

ACTUAL EXPERIENCE – HAWAII TRAVEL

So, here is the real deal from experience of completed Hawaii travel. We planned extra time at our airport for additional TSA clearing and check in, as instructed. This was unnecessary. It was easy-peasy. No long lines. Nothing odd or time consuming. We could have slept another hour before going to our departure airport. Two hours before flight remains acceptable.

The whole keep the mask on at all times…well our experience was that many did not. Many continually had a drink or snack in hand and just didn’t worry about it all that much. Their chins were well protected though! We began to follow suit and it was never an issue. We always adhered to the rules, but we just found ourselves eating and drinking a lot more to keep our lungs free of lint from an overused mask! Fresh breathing air was a luxury after such a long day of travel.

We had flights that resulted in lengthy layovers in Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles prior to landing in Lihue, Kauai and again in Chicago O’Hare and San Francisco on the return flight. This was our experience at each large airport. No big deal. No scenes by disgruntled people, etc. Lots of dogs and cats though!

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Each flight the flight attendants were amazing and accommodating and never once scolded anyone for anything other than the normal protocols like properly stowing a bag underneath the person in front of you or staying seated when the ‘keep your seat belt on’ light was lit.

We were really diligent about using the alcohol wipe that was handed to us and disinfected all surfaces including the air nozzle above us and immediately turned that on full to create a barrier of fresh air blowing on us at all times as we were instructed that this was the best way to protect ourselves on the flight.

The BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE that I can offer anyone flying to Kauai is the wrist band! Research this before you depart your last flight that lands in Hawaii. You can go to your airline carrier for that flight and request pre-clearance from that QR code that Hawaii Safe Travels emails you to obtain the wrist band before your board your landing flight. I was told that I could receive it at my departure gate, but actually I did not have that offered to me. I had to ask around and finally found out that the help desk for our airline (just down the hall 50 feet) was where I went to obtain the wrist band.

Here is why it is the best thing ever….when we landed 6 hours later at 8:30pm Hawaiian time after traveling since 4am EST (check in time for departure flight from MICHIGAN). We were allowed to walk right past the REALLY LONG LINE OF TRAVELERS THAT DIDN’T GET THIS MEMO! We passed those many stations with lines at each step to prove we were “SAFE TRAVELERS TO HAWAII” and walked straight to baggage claim then to the car rental getting first pick of the “first come first serve” choices of vehicles.

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It was the best step that we followed all day! I highly recommend this piece of knowledge to any other travels to avoid all those steps to prove that you are safe to enter Hawaii as you’ve already provided all the necessary documentation at five previous steps throughout the day!

We were only asked for our QR codes at the car rental. That was the last time. We respectfully wore our masks when entering a restaurant, but quickly realized that once we were seated no more masks for the duration. Many restaurants were open air, but even the closed air restaurants were not too worried about it.

Our group of four travelers now 7+ days after traveling through all those airports and everywhere in Hawaii and back remain healthy and free from any sickness. We followed the rules, ate and drank a lot, and were completely stressed out at each traveling step waiting for something dramatic to happen either by airline, TSA, or something horrible to interrupt our travels. It did not happen and all the hype was unnecessary.

I wasted precious vacation time worrying over temperature checks. Never had one. Worry over being pulled aside and quarantined for whatever false reason. Never happened. Worry over airline cancellation or delay. Never happened.

The best part of returning home was not wearing a mask any more. We live in a rural area. No one wears masks. We practice conversations at a distance, usually. It is a personal choice, not a mandate. All are respected for their choice.

Get back to travel and enjoy yourself. Do not waste time worrying about all the hype/propaganda circulating. Get on with life and travel!

Are you planning any Hawaiian travel? Have you already returned to travel elsewhere? How did it go? What changes or differences in travel protocol did you notice? Share your story! Share a photo!

I’d love to hear where you went and what your experience was like. Did you take your children? It is so wonderful to view a favorite vacation destination through their eyes! Leave a reply below!

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Inspirationally Yours,

Barbara

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BIO: https://www.inspirationaltraveladventures.com/about-us/

About Me

A 1993 graduate of Michigan State University, Barbara earned a BS in Social Science Pre-Law. She is a Business Manager/HR Director. Her passion is travel, discovering new places, experiences, cuisine, cultures while enjoying temperate climates. Barbara is a newly transitioning empty-nester who became a travel blogger. She’s a great photographer, talented writer, and has a great family to highlight in her high school/college athlete football sons.

WEBSITE: www.inspirationaltraveladventures.com

PIN IT FOR LATER: Adventure Awaits- Boys 1st flight – Feb 2012!

ADVENTURE AWAITS – BOYS 1ST FLIGHT FEBRUARY 2012

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