Alaska Airlines has launched the Pre-Clear program, enabling it to certify flyers who have tested negative for Covid-19 before they arrive in Hawaii. Precleared travelers will be able to skip additional airport screening when they reach the Islands.
Alaska said its program is the first to enable travelers to get their exemption from Hawaii's mandatory 14-day quarantine period before departure and avoid potentially long wait times at the airport.
The airline piloted the program this past week with flights from the West Coast to Maui. Starting next week, it will roll out on all flights to Oahu and Kona, as well (Alaska has suspended flights to Kauai because of the island's pause in the state's pretravel testing program).
Before travel, Alaska sends passengers an email asking them to establish a Safe Travels profile with Hawaii, add their flight details and lodging information, upload their negative test result as a PDF and complete a mandatory health questionnaire. The passenger will then be precleared and receive a wristband either at check-in or at the departure gate.