Oakland International Airport prepared for surge in Hawaii traffic

Oakland, Calif. –  March 18, 2021: Multiple daily flights with attractive fares by award-winning airlines and $20 pre-travel COVID-19 testing options link with pent-up demand setting the stage for a surge in East Bay - Hawaii travel this Spring and Summer.

Oakland International Airport is the only airport certified by the Hawaii State Department of Health as a Trusted Testing Travel Partner.

Together with partner CityHealth Urgent Care, a Hawaii Trusted Testing Provider, OAK offers several COVID-19 testing options, including for those traveling to Hawaii under the Safe Travels Hawaii pre-travel testing program. Most passengers will qualify for free COVID-19 testing through their insurance, including rapid testing with results within 30 minutes. There is a $20 administrative fee to prepare your required Hawaii travel documentation. A negative COVID-19 test within 72-hours of departure is required to be exempt from a supervised quarantine upon arrival in Hawaii.

COVID-19 Hawaii pre-travel tests are available only to passengers ticketed to fly from OAK nonstop to the Hawaiian Islands on Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest Airlines. Proof of OAK ticketing is required at the time of testing.

There are several COVID-19 testing options at OAK, including on a “walk-up” basis and by appointment at the two airport testing locations. Full details and appointments are available at CityHealthUC.com. Full details about the Safe Travels Hawaii program are available at: hawaiicovid19.com/travel/

OAK urges all travelers to be aware of the testing and quarantine rules in effect at their destination. It is essential for all to plan ahead in order to comply with the Hawaii State Department of Health entry requirements.

Up to 9 daily departures to all four major Hawaiian Islands will operate during the upcoming Spring and Summer seasons.  Here is an overview of the peak daily schedules:

Hawaiian Airlines:

Daily to Honolulu, Kahului, and Lihue. Schedules available at HawaiianAir.com.

Southwest Airlines:

Twice daily to Honolulu and Kahului. Daily to Kailua-Kona and Lihue. Schedules and ticketing available at Southwest.com. 

Note: Service to Lihue, Kauai is scheduled to resume in mid-April on Hawaiian Airlines and in June on Southwest Airlines pending the lift of Kauai island quarantine restrictions.

“We know that the Hawaiian Islands are a top destination for the 4.2 million people in OAK’s primary catchment area as well as for those in the greater San Francisco Bay Area that we proudly serve.” said Port of Oakland Director of Aviation, Bryant L. Francis. “We also know that there is a considerable amount of pent-up demand for travel and our research indicates that much of it is for Hawaii. We say ‘Aloha begins at OAK’ and know that OAK is the airport of choice for many of those destined for Hawaiian paradise. The airport team has prepared the terminal for our returning customers with new and continually enhanced cleaning standards, re-opened food, beverage and retail concessions, and multiple low-cost pre-travel COVID-19 testing options. We’re asking that our customers fly in good health when they Fly the East Bay Way.”