Sep 25, 2020, 11:19 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
For general discussion of the Hawai'i test-out program and /or discussion of non-UA partners (CVS, Walgreens, your local provider, ....), please use COVID-19 - 14-Day Trans-Pac Arrivals Quarantine/Oct. 15 [Target] Pre-Arrival Test-Out
United Airlines Becomes First U.S. Carrier to Make COVID-19 Tests Available to Customers
1) Day of Travel Rapid Test option
GoHealth Urgent Care will offer at airport COVID testing for UA passengers traveling to Hawaii starting Oct 15
Appointments ??? Hawaii SFO COVID-19 Testing ??? (unverified)
2) Advance of Travel Option (The latest word is Hawai'i will not accept the mail-in option at this time -- change of mind?)
3) Drive thru test at SFO in advance of travel
Color has opened an (qualifying) in-person drive-thru testing site in a United Airlines parking lot right outside of SFO. $105
Customers taking the drive-through test option – administered by Color – can schedule an appointment in advance online and should make the appointment for 48-72 hours before their flight departs. Walk-in appointments will not be available. Once a customer takes the test, they will receive an electronic copy of their results in 24-48 hours. The testing facility is located at United's San Francisco Maintenance Center parking lot at 800 S Airport Blvd – a short drive away from the airport. Customers must take the test within 72 hours of their flight's departure and will receive their results electronically.
appointment link
For more non-airline specific info on Hawaii's test-out and quarantine programs, see
COVID-19 - 14-Day Trans-Pac Arrivals Quarantine/Oct. 15 [Target] Pre-Arrival Test-Out
Other carrier options
Hawaiian to offer drive-through testing at sites near SFO and LAX - $90 for results w/i 36 hours, $150 day of travel.
Oakland Airport will offer free COVID-19 tests for Hawaii-bound travelers (Oct. 15th)
United Airlines Becomes First U.S. Carrier to Make COVID-19 Tests Available to Customers
1) Day of Travel Rapid Test option
GoHealth Urgent Care will offer at airport COVID testing for UA passengers traveling to Hawaii starting Oct 15
- Presenting negative test results on arrival to Hawai'i officials will exempt the traveler from the 14-day quarantine
- Appointments are needed and with results in 15 minutes
- The ID NOW COVID-19 test is a rapid, molecular point-of-care test that detects COVID-19 in 13 minutes or less.
- Test location is arrivals level SFO International Terminal, pre-security
- Present cost is $250 (paid to the tester - GoHealth)
Appointments ??? Hawaii SFO COVID-19 Testing ??? (unverified)
I watched an interview with a representative from the testing company on Fox News today. The takeaways I got were:
- Test will be administered land side, not airside
- Part of the "agreement" is that a positive test will be shared with the local health authority and you will be unable to get through security, let alone board a plane
- The results are NOT shared with UA (or subsequently any other airline partner).
-A positive test will get you sent home if you are local or into local quarantine if not
- The test and paperwork take less than 20 minutes to process and get a result
- The intent is to expand to other airports and other airlines once the pilot is successfully rolled out
- There was no discussion of cost
- Connecting passengers would need to go landside for the test. If the test is positive UA would be notified to offload bags if necessary. That is the only "involvement" with UA
Those were the salient points that I remember. Others who saw the interview please add anything I missed.
- Test will be administered land side, not airside
- Part of the "agreement" is that a positive test will be shared with the local health authority and you will be unable to get through security, let alone board a plane
- The results are NOT shared with UA (or subsequently any other airline partner).
-A positive test will get you sent home if you are local or into local quarantine if not
- The test and paperwork take less than 20 minutes to process and get a result
- The intent is to expand to other airports and other airlines once the pilot is successfully rolled out
- There was no discussion of cost
- Connecting passengers would need to go landside for the test. If the test is positive UA would be notified to offload bags if necessary. That is the only "involvement" with UA
Those were the salient points that I remember. Others who saw the interview please add anything I missed.
- 10 days in advance request a physician-ordered Self-Collection Test from Color and return no earlier than 72 hours of travel (arrival to Hawai'i?) via overnight mail or to a dropbox at SFO.
- Color then processes those tests at their local, CLIA-certified COVID-19 testing laboratory and returns results via text and/or email within 24-48 hours.
- Present cost is $80 (paid to the tester - Color)
3) Drive thru test at SFO in advance of travel
Color has opened an (qualifying) in-person drive-thru testing site in a United Airlines parking lot right outside of SFO. $105
United Airlines COVID-19 testing program
United Airlines is partnering with Color to enable fast, reliable test results for people traveling directly out of San Francisco International Airport to Hawai’i starting October 15, 2020.
If you are traveling to Hawai’i on a direct United flight out of SFO, you should expect an email from United seven (7) days before your scheduled flight. Please contact United for more information at 1-800-864-8331 (1-800-UNITED-1).
United Airlines is partnering with Color to enable fast, reliable test results for people traveling directly out of San Francisco International Airport to Hawai’i starting October 15, 2020.
If you are traveling to Hawai’i on a direct United flight out of SFO, you should expect an email from United seven (7) days before your scheduled flight. Please contact United for more information at 1-800-864-8331 (1-800-UNITED-1).
appointment link
For more non-airline specific info on Hawaii's test-out and quarantine programs, see
COVID-19 - 14-Day Trans-Pac Arrivals Quarantine/Oct. 15 [Target] Pre-Arrival Test-Out
Other carrier options
Hawaiian to offer drive-through testing at sites near SFO and LAX - $90 for results w/i 36 hours, $150 day of travel.
Oakland Airport will offer free COVID-19 tests for Hawaii-bound travelers (Oct. 15th)
UA Pre-flight COVID Testing for SFO-Hawai'i (and other destinations)
Oct 27, 2020, 7:55 pm
#301
formerly wunderpit
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ONT-SNA-LAX
Programs: UA1K-HHDiamond
Posts: 1,339
-The folks who don't have the QR code, and get funneled right, you will apparently still have to show ID, itinerary and boarding pass. Everyone else gets stuck there until they provide stay information and if staying, are asked to quarantine for 14 days strictly at the hotel (or until their test results arrive, if results had not arrived by arrival time).
Last edited by Weyland Yutani Corp; Oct 27, 2020 at 8:00 pm
Oct 27, 2020, 7:58 pm
#302
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
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...I was also told that interisland flights are only available to those coming in from the mainland - NOT to local folks. So on one flight, an FA living in HNL said the local joke is that to travel from HNL to OGG or other islands, a local person would need to buy a ticket to the mainland and then back to their destination on the other island. Go figure...
...I was also told that interisland flights are only available to those coming in from the mainland - NOT to local folks. So on one flight, an FA living in HNL said the local joke is that to travel from HNL to OGG or other islands, a local person would need to buy a ticket to the mainland and then back to their destination on the other island. Go figure...
Oct 27, 2020, 9:25 pm
#303
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I got the email from UA regarding GoHealth or Color.
The GoHealth website still messed up (writing this Tuesday 8:20 PM Pacific) and still shows late afternoon Tuesday appointments but doesn’t show anything Wednesday. The email is also clear - same day as UA flight to use GoHealth - which for me is risky with a 1045am flight on 11/3.
Decided to make 5pm appointment on 11/1 when I land from Vegas. That’ll give me a little less than 48 hours but don’t trust a Saturday test at CVS in Vegas.
There has to be a better way.
The GoHealth website still messed up (writing this Tuesday 8:20 PM Pacific) and still shows late afternoon Tuesday appointments but doesn’t show anything Wednesday. The email is also clear - same day as UA flight to use GoHealth - which for me is risky with a 1045am flight on 11/3.
Decided to make 5pm appointment on 11/1 when I land from Vegas. That’ll give me a little less than 48 hours but don’t trust a Saturday test at CVS in Vegas.
There has to be a better way.
Oct 27, 2020, 10:07 pm
#304
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
A UA passenger on non-stop from ORD arrived today in HNL and received notification of positive test on landing. She/he notified crew before door opened, apparently. Sent to quarantine and passengers around him/her were taken aside for advising and for purposes of contact tracing.
On a long flight with possibly multiple trips to lavatory, I wonder if others not seated in proximity may have been exposed and possibly get ill. I guess all the passengers will know about the passenger and be wondering about next couple of days.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/1...ding-honolulu/
On a long flight with possibly multiple trips to lavatory, I wonder if others not seated in proximity may have been exposed and possibly get ill. I guess all the passengers will know about the passenger and be wondering about next couple of days.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/1...ding-honolulu/
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Oct 28, 2020 at 11:30 am Reason: added link to story
Oct 27, 2020, 10:13 pm
#305
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO, TPE, HNL
Programs: UA GS 4MM, RCC life member (paid), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, CLEAR
Posts: 1,822
Oct 27, 2020, 10:55 pm
#306
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Oct 28, 2020, 11:39 am
#307
formerly wunderpit
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ONT-SNA-LAX
Programs: UA1K-HHDiamond
Posts: 1,339
A UA passenger on non-stop from ORD arrived today in HNL and received notification of positive test on landing. She/he notified crew before door opened, apparently. Sent to quarantine and passengers around him/her were taken aside for advising and for purposes of contact tracing.
On a long flight with possibly multiple trips to lavatory, I wonder if others not seated in proximity may have been exposed and possibly get ill. I guess all the passengers will know about the passenger and be wondering about next couple of days.
On a long flight with possibly multiple trips to lavatory, I wonder if others not seated in proximity may have been exposed and possibly get ill. I guess all the passengers will know about the passenger and be wondering about next couple of days.
Oct 28, 2020, 12:11 pm
#308
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
A UA passenger on non-stop from ORD arrived today in HNL and received notification of positive test on landing. She/he notified crew before door opened, apparently. Sent to quarantine and passengers around him/her were taken aside for advising and for purposes of contact tracing.
On a long flight with possibly multiple trips to lavatory, I wonder if others not seated in proximity may have been exposed and possibly get ill. I guess all the passengers will know about the passenger and be wondering about next couple of days.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/1...ding-honolulu/
On a long flight with possibly multiple trips to lavatory, I wonder if others not seated in proximity may have been exposed and possibly get ill. I guess all the passengers will know about the passenger and be wondering about next couple of days.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/1...ding-honolulu/
As opposed to lets say, flying to Cancun - where tests are not required and you'd not know if you were exposed or not.
Oct 28, 2020, 12:24 pm
#309
formerly wunderpit
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ONT-SNA-LAX
Programs: UA1K-HHDiamond
Posts: 1,339
I actually look at this as positive from what testing can do - as in, if I was seated near a positive passenger, I'd want to know if indeed that passenger get a positive test.
As opposed to lets say, flying to Cancun - where tests are not required and you'd not know if you were exposed or not.
As opposed to lets say, flying to Cancun - where tests are not required and you'd not know if you were exposed or not.
Oct 28, 2020, 12:29 pm
#310
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Wouldn't you rather someone with a pending test not board? Now it's costs everyone stress, costs HI more money & resources, and worse off it could have infected passengers that are now stuck in HI. Knowingly boarding without a result is the difference between being/not being a responsible citizen.
Oct 28, 2020, 12:36 pm
#311
formerly wunderpit
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ONT-SNA-LAX
Programs: UA1K-HHDiamond
Posts: 1,339
Yea, it's just upsetting how some people act, and is ultimately one of the reasons that HI will not get my $ until something changes. Is what it is.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 28, 2020 at 1:47 pm Reason: removed OT content
Oct 29, 2020, 3:59 am
#312
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: SFO
Posts: 37
Testing United SFO: Color
United Flight SFO->OGG Oct 30th, 6:45PM
Received email Oct 23 at 12:30 PM (T - 7d:6h) from United with links to GoHealth for Rapid Testing and Color for the standard test.
Booked a Color test for 12:30PM on Oct 28 (T - 54h)
(Unfortunately the last test time is 6:30 PM which would be a little early for the 6:45 PM departure. I wonder if we showed up at 6:45pm we would still be fine.)
Written driving directions to get to the test mention: "Please follow signs for long term parking and turn at the N McDonnell and S Airport Blvd intersection". I (and many others) missed that last instruction and end up having to enter the paid parking area and turn around. No matter, they had a friendly attendant at the entrance handing out tickets to make an immediate U-Turn. The GPS coordinates they gave (37°38'06.1"N 122°24'00.0"W) did direct to the correct place.
Arrive 10 minutes early for the test and there were about 6 cars ahead, ended up testing around 13 minutes later. They asked when the flight to Hawaii was but did not ask for proof. The test was a nasal swab, but not very deep at all. The directions were to stick it in one about 1 inch in, then rotate in big circles 3 times and repeat for the other nostril. We were given a paper with a number on it so that we could lookup our test status online (although they sent a text+email when the final results were ready). Very quick and friendly.
At around 3:15 PM (T - 52h) we noticed the status of our test changed to 'received'.
At 10:45 PM (T - 44h) we recieved notifications via SMS and email that our result were ready. Loging into the results site we were able to download a PDF of our negative results. There was no indication of the time the test was scheduled/taken.
Pretty impressed with the 10 hour turn around time. I also noticed that the payment was processed with PayPal. I wonder if we would have gotten 5X on the Chase Freedom.
I have not seen any appointments available for the GoHealth Rapid Testing.
Received email Oct 23 at 12:30 PM (T - 7d:6h) from United with links to GoHealth for Rapid Testing and Color for the standard test.
Booked a Color test for 12:30PM on Oct 28 (T - 54h)
(Unfortunately the last test time is 6:30 PM which would be a little early for the 6:45 PM departure. I wonder if we showed up at 6:45pm we would still be fine.)
Written driving directions to get to the test mention: "Please follow signs for long term parking and turn at the N McDonnell and S Airport Blvd intersection". I (and many others) missed that last instruction and end up having to enter the paid parking area and turn around. No matter, they had a friendly attendant at the entrance handing out tickets to make an immediate U-Turn. The GPS coordinates they gave (37°38'06.1"N 122°24'00.0"W) did direct to the correct place.
Arrive 10 minutes early for the test and there were about 6 cars ahead, ended up testing around 13 minutes later. They asked when the flight to Hawaii was but did not ask for proof. The test was a nasal swab, but not very deep at all. The directions were to stick it in one about 1 inch in, then rotate in big circles 3 times and repeat for the other nostril. We were given a paper with a number on it so that we could lookup our test status online (although they sent a text+email when the final results were ready). Very quick and friendly.
At around 3:15 PM (T - 52h) we noticed the status of our test changed to 'received'.
At 10:45 PM (T - 44h) we recieved notifications via SMS and email that our result were ready. Loging into the results site we were able to download a PDF of our negative results. There was no indication of the time the test was scheduled/taken.
Pretty impressed with the 10 hour turn around time. I also noticed that the payment was processed with PayPal. I wonder if we would have gotten 5X on the Chase Freedom.
I have not seen any appointments available for the GoHealth Rapid Testing.
Last edited by pointsengineer; Oct 29, 2020 at 5:46 pm Reason: Mistakenly said the test appointment was Oct 29.
Oct 29, 2020, 8:21 am
#313
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
In UA Launches World's First Free Transatlantic COVID-19 Testing pilot program stated this about the Hawai'i testing program
For now, let's have two separate discussions as the two programs operate differently
United was the first airline to announce optional pre-flight COVID-19 testing for customers. Earlier this month, the airline started offering customers traveling from San Francisco International Airport to Hawaii the option to take a same-day, pre-flight rapid test at the airport or a conveniently located drive-through test, for a fee. The program allows customers with a negative result to bypass Hawaii's mandatory quarantine requirements and enjoy their time on the islands sooner. In the first 10 days, October 15 – 25, the San Francisco to Hawaii flights have seen a nearly 95% increase in passengers compared to the prior two-week period. United believes these positive trends illustrate a strong and pent-up demand for travel, customers' willingness to use pre-flight COVID-19 testing and the importance of these programs as a means of opening borders.
Oct 29, 2020, 8:38 am
#314
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I would've been happy to give GoHealth my money - For a test this morning, I've looked just after midnight, at 6am this morning, and as I write this, 7:40am - and just get no appointments available, so I don't trust it whatsoever. Hoping to get the quick turnaround you received with COLOR
Oct 29, 2020, 5:35 pm
#315
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO, TPE, HNL
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Posts: 1,822
United Flight SFO->OGG Oct 30th, 6:45PM
...........
Booked a Color test for 12:30PM on Oct 29 (T - 54h)
(Unfortunately the last test time is 6:30 PM which would be a little early for the 6:45 PM departure. I wonder if we showed up at 6:45pm we would still be fine.)
...........
Booked a Color test for 12:30PM on Oct 29 (T - 54h)
(Unfortunately the last test time is 6:30 PM which would be a little early for the 6:45 PM departure. I wonder if we showed up at 6:45pm we would still be fine.)