How to bypass COVID-19 arrival lines in Honolulu and Maui

Hawaii’s beaches and hotels are getting more lively again, of course with social distancing and mask requirements. One reason are new options for arriving airline passengers to bypass lengthy lines to clear COVID-19 checks and questions. United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines are part of this scheme.

1. Arriving airline passengers in Honolulu or Maui have a way to bypass COVID-19 testing checks and questioning when flying certain airlines.
2. What had been in place by United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines is now also offered to Southwest Airlines passengers. This is to bypass lengthy lines in Honolulu and Maui after receiving a pre-clear on arrival before leaving the US mainland.
3. Southwest Airlines has a “maybe” in its stipulation and remains quiet about what this “maybe” could be.

It appears United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Southwest Airlines may have just become the most attractive airline to fly visitors to Hawaii, so they can get a headstart on their Hawaiian vacation in getting to Waikiki Beach, Wailea, or Kaanapali Beaches.

According to a press release received by Southwest Airlines, the airline now makes it a lot easier for its passengers to get to Hawaii’s resort hotels.

What Southwest Airlines isn’t telling in its release is this service was already available to passengers of competing airlines, such as United Airlines, Alaska AIrlines, and Hawaiian Airlines passengers.

Southwest Airlines is following other airlines and is giving its passengers the opportunity to present evidence of their compliance with the Hawaii Safe Travels program before they even leave the US mainland.

Customers who have uploaded an approved negative COVID-19 test result which is required travel information and completed a health questionnaire before departing the mainland may be eligible to bypass airport screening when arriving in Honolulu (Oahu) and Kahului (Maui).

The keyword is “maybe” – it is a stipulation mentioned by Southwest Airlines. eTurboNews tried to get verification on the “maybe,” but Southwest Airlines had no comment.