Travelling to Hawaii is tricky for Canadians
The planned opening of the U.S. border to fully vaccinated Canadians may have you thinking more about travelling, but it could still be a bumpy ride.
If you're fully vaccinated, you won't need a negative COVID-19 test to travel by land to the U.S., but if you're travelling by air you will need proof of both.
In addition, it is still unclear whether those who received mixed vaccine doses that included AstraZeneca will be considered fully vaccinated. And, no matter where you are going in the U.S. or elsewhere, the rules can change.
"Biggest frustration is a lack of consistency," said Allison Wallace, Flight Centre Group vice president of corporate communications.
"I was getting misleading answers or no answers," said Mel Kimoto of Parksville.
Kimoto is a former travel agent who was planning to travel to Hawaii in early October to celebrate her husband's 50th birthday, but her plans were grounded when she says she couldn't get clear answers about COVID-19 travel rules in Hawaii.
Safe Travels Hawaii has special requirements for Canadians travelling to the Islands to get tested at labs identified by Air Canada and WestJet. Those negative COVID-19 tests must be the more sensitive and accurate PCR tests, not the antigen test that will get you into the rest of the U.S.
What Kimoto didn't know is that she can't get a test at one of those labs and use the test result to fly on a different airline into Hawaii.
"Definitely it was not clear when booking our flights. That much I can say," Kimoto said.
The problem? She booked her travel on United Airlines to travel to Hawaii transiting through San Francisco. In order to continue on to Hawaii, Kimoto would have had to have another COVID-19 test through a State of Hawaii approved lab in the U.S., which would have added time on the ground in San Francisco and extra cost.
When CTV News dug a bit further, we discovered Hawaii will only accept negative COVID-19 tests from its Canadian trusted travel partners, WestJet and Air Canada.
It doesn't matter if you have a copy of your test from one of their approved labs, it will only be accepted if delivered by one of the trusted travel partners. And for Canadians there are only two: Air Canada and WestJet.
"Everybody was just vague and tried to push me off here or there and the wording was all very vague, which is just a red flag for me," Kimoto explained.
She gave up and cancelled the trip.
"It wasn't worth the risk of having 10 days in a hotel out of our 14-day holiday," she said.
Some Canadians are also confused about the recent emergency order issued in O'ahu, which would require proof of full vaccination in order to get into restaurants and other public places. CTV News has confirmed with island officials that the AstraZeneca and other WHO-approved vaccines will be accepted.
If you're looking for an easier travel destination, you might want to consider the Dominican Republic or Mexico. Neither of those two countries require a negative COVID-19 test. However, unless you're fully vaccinated, you could be pulled aside for random health screening in the Dominican Republic. Mexico will have you fill out a health questionnaire. And, you'll still need to find a lab to get a PCR test in order to return to Canada.
Here's your COVID-19 travel checklist:
- Have a paper copy of your vaccination record
- Take a paper copy of your negative test
- Register and upload the required documents to the airline or destination country
- Make sure you have the online links for health questionnaires
- Download the proper apps, like ArriveCan
- Ensure your smartphone is charged and has access to Wi-Fi
- Check with travel insurance to make sure you're covered
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Premier Legault reiterates that McGill pro-Palestinian camp must be dismantled
Quebec Premier François Legault reiterated that the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University must be dismantled while police remain 'on the lookout for new developments.'
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
The UN warns Sudan's warring parties that Darfur risks starvation and death if aid isn't allowed in
The United Nations food agency warned Sudan's warring parties Friday that there is a serious risk of widespread starvation and death in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan if they don't allow humanitarian aid into the vast western region.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.