Two popular Maui travel message boards on Facebook saw a spike in questions as soon as news spread Monday that Hawaii Governor David Ige urged tourists to stay away through October.
“I fly out tomorrow and leave Monday. If they shut down the state within that time would we get stuck there? Or will they allow us to leave?”
“Does anybody know if Costco Travel is refunding based on the governor’s latest announcement?”
“When is the governor suggesting travel could reasonably resume as (trip) planning is taking place?”
Traveler confusion is to be expected given ever-changing COVID-19 travel restrictions around the world, with Hawaii’s among the most stringent.
Here’s what travelers need to know about travel to Hawaii this fall.
Can you still travel to Hawaii?
Yes.
Hawaii didn’t change its entry requirements Monday. Travelers must still be vaccinated or present a negative COVID test taken no more than three days before departure to bypass a mandatory 10-dayquarantine. The governor simply asked tourists not to visit Hawaii through October because of a surge in COVID cases, which he said has hospitals and ICU beds at capacity. Ige also asked airlines, hotels and other tourism businesses to spread the message and do what they can to discourage travel.
Is Hawaii shutting down again?
No, at least not yet.
Ige was asked during the press conference at what point in the current case surge the state would consider lockdowns, which were prevalent in states across the country in the early months of the pandemic. In Hawaii, beaches and parks and other outdoor activities were closed, among a host of other restrictions. Tourists were effectively banned for several months in 2020 because of a strict 14-day quarantine.
Ige said the Hawaii is first doing everything it can to make sure hospitals have enough capacity to treat patients, including setting up tents outside hospitals to treat those who aren’t seriously ill.
Another factor that blunts the need for a lockdown, he said: vaccination rates in Hawaii and across the United States. Vaccines were not available when the economy shut down last year.
Ige said there is no magic number the state is looking at to determine if and when another lockdown is necessary.
“At the point we feel that we don’t have any other resources to expand (health care) capacity then certainly we will have to look at more drastic actions,” he said.
Hawaii did recently tighten restrictions on restaurant capacity due to the surge in cases.
Are airlines canceling Hawaii flights to curtail travel?
Except for seasonal cuts in service as summer vacation season ends, which will automatically reduce tourist numbers, there is no evidence yet that airlines are heeding the governor’s call to help discourage travel to Hawaii.
Southwest Airlines on Tuesday advertised sale fares to Hawaii, including a $159 one-way deal from Phoenix, for travel from Aug. 25 through mid-December.
Concerns about the Delta variant are also naturally reducing the number of travelers. Airlines for America, the airline industry’s lobbying group, said its latest data shows ticket bookings, in general, have fallen since mid-July.
►Is it safe to travel during the Delta surge? Experts say some travelers better offer staying home
►’I didn’t feel like it was responsible’: Growing number of travelers canceling trips
Can I get a refund if I cancel a Hawaii trip due to the governor’s request to not visit?
It depends on the terms of your ticket, hotel or vacation rental reservation or vacation package.
Airlines don’t owe you a refund unless they cancel your flight or you bought a refundable ticket. That’s the bad news. The good news is that most major airlines no longer charge hefty ticket change fees when you cancel or change a trip. So you will likely get a voucher or travel credit for a future trip. Read the fine print carefully, though, as the expiration date is often tied to the date you purchased the ticket.
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Travelers considering canceling trips to Hawaii should reach out to airlines, hotels, vacation rentals and others immediately to see if they are eligible for a refund or travel credit.
Many travelers with near-term plans to visit Hawaii said in the Facebook Maui groups this week that they are still going because they would lose a bundle of money if not, while others said they have canceled upcoming trips.
Check the terms of any travel insurance, too.
Airline cancel or delay your flight?Here’s what they owe you (and how to get it)
Is Hawaii requiring COVID tests to visit even if you’re vaccinated?
There has been speculation the surge in COVID cases, which are mostly tied to community spread rather than visitors, will prompt Hawaii to reinstate the requirement of a pre-departure negative COVID test. Since July 8, vaccinated visitors have not had to test. Ige said Monday that it has been considered but that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines say domestic travel is safe for vaccinated people so that makes the decision complicated.
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