Starting June 21, travelers from French Polynesia may bypass the state’s mandatory 10-day quarantine if they present a negative COVID-19 test from an approved testing partner.
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health has approved the use of the COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test conducted by the Institut Louis Malardé for the pre-travel test. The test must be taken within 72 hours of the last leg of the flight.
“I am very grateful to President Fritch and all those in the French Polynesian government who have worked hard to make our pre-travel testing program available to your residents," Gov. David Ige said.
“Many of Hawaiʻi’s residents have family in Tahiti, and welcoming our guests from French Polynesia to Hawaiʻi is an important step in maintaining the close relationship between our two regions,” he added.
Hawaiian Airlines will resume flights to Tahiti beginning Aug. 7.
The airline has suspended the flight since March 2020. The once-a-week flights will travel between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Tahiti’s Fa'a'ā International Airport.
Those who wish to travel to Tahiti from Honolulu must be vaccinated and present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of the departure.
Unvaccinated travelers must present a compelling reason to travel (e.g. health, family, work) and receive a boarding authorization from the High Commissioner. They will also have to take a COVID-19 test prior to departure and quarantine in Tahiti while they await for their test results taken in Tahiti.
