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United Airlines to Offer COVID Tests to Passengers Flying to Hawaii
Excitement is building as we get closer to the October 15th launch date of Hawaii’s Pre-travel Testing Program. In preparation for this, United Airlines has not only increased the number of flights that will be available from the mainland to Hawaii, but will also start offering a rapid COVID-19 test that can be done at the airport.
United Airlines is the first to offer COVID-19 tests to passengers, and for good reason, because they are the number one provider by far of flights to and from Hawaii. United has partnered a company called Dignity Health-GoHealth Urgent Care who will actually be providing the onsite test to passengers. The testing stations will only be available in the international terminal of the San Francisco International Airport, with plans to expand to other airports in the near future.
The landmark test being administered is called the Abbot ID NOW COVID-19 and can deliver reliable results in as little as 15 minutes. What this means for passengers is that you can have a test with a negative result on the same day that you depart for Hawaii. You can call ahead and schedule an appointment, or you can walk up to the testing center from 9am to 6pm daily.
United will also be offering a separate mail-in option by partnering with a company called Color. While this option is slower, it is also more affordable and allows you to perform the test from home before traveling. Color recommends that anyone using this option should allow for 10 days lead time to perform the test and receive their results. United has said that they will email passengers an invitation to purchase their mail-in test 10 days prior to their travel date. For more information, you can visit Color’s website.
While the two options mentioned above are among a handful you will be able to use in order to obtain a negative test result, they provide convenience and affordability. To view the full details and guidelines of the Pre-travel Testing Program you can visit this page.