Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed the announcement from Hawai’i Governor David Y. Ige that effective April 17, travelers from ONT will be able to bypass the Aloha state’s mandatory 10-day quarantine with a negative COVID-19 test performed by a trusted testing partner. Ontario is the first airport in Southern California to earn the designation from the Hawai’i State Department of Health.

According to the governor’s announcement, travelers may choose from two options – an expedited PCR test with next-day results or a rapid molecular NAAT test that provides results within an hour. The tests must be administered within 72 hours of departure from ONT.

“We’re honored to be a Trusted Testing Partner with the State of Hawaiʻi. At Ontario Airport, we’re committed to the safety and well-being of our passengers, and throughout the pandemic, we’ve implemented industry-leading health protocols, including our on-site testing clinic. Hawaiian Airlines’ new service to Honolulu has been very popular with ONT passengers, and we look forward to creating even more travel opportunities to the great State of Hawaiʻi,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the OIAA Board of Commissioners and Mayor pro tem for the City of Ontario.

Ontario’s local testing partner is the Covid Clinic which offers drive-through testing on Parking Lot 3 daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The ONT site, open since November, offers tests by appointment and on a drive-up basis.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, ONT has worked hard to provide clean, safe facilities for our customers, as well as services that will offer peace of mind as they embark on their travels,” said Mark Thorpe, OIAA CEO. “The Covid Clinic has been a great – and  trusted – partner in offering quick, reliable COVID-19 tests administered in the comfort and privacy of our customers’ vehicles.

“The trusted testing partner designation is a proverbial shot in the arm for Ontario as we continue our steady recovery from the downturn in air travel resulting from the pandemic,” Bowman said.

Just last month, Hawaiian Airlines began nonstop service from ONT to Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (NHL) five times a week. Alaska Airlines flies from ONT to HNL with connections in Portland, Ore., and Seattle.

United Airlines serves HNL, Kahului Airport (OGG) on the island of Maui, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) on the island of Hawaiʻi and Lihue Airport (LIH) on the island of Kauaʻi via San Francisco.

Delta Air Lines services HNL and OGG from ONT via Seattle and Salt Lake City. American Airlines operates flights from ONT to HNL, KOA, OGG and LIH via Phoenix.