Travelling now has more hoops to jump through. Here's my story, from planning to travelling from Vancouver, Canada to Kaua'i, Hawaii. With my cat.
Travelling with a cat requires planning.
Travelling internationally with a cat, to Hawaii, in these very interesting times, requires a whole lot of planning. At least to bypass quarantine. For the cat, anyway.
So this is more of an informational post for our feline friends, and it’s a pretty long one!
(Update: Note that my trip was early March 2021 and lots has changed and will continue to change. As of April 5, 2021, if you come with a negative PCR test, you won’t need to do the 10-day quarantine here in Kaua’i. Be sure to check the latest updates.)
Briefly, here are some things to note:
- call to doublecheck that the airline is flying animals in-cabin – you’ll need to call and book your cat/dog on your flight (I booked my flight and did her reservations at the same time)
- check that your airline-approved carrier is within the specific airline’s size allowance
- to qualify for 5-days or less and direct release other than Honolulu your cat/dog will need:
- a microchip (this is the reference used for everything with the Animal Quarantine Station)
- two rabies vaccinations (30 days plus apart)
- positive antibody test
- 30 days after a positive antibody test before arrival
- flea/tick treatment 10 days before arrival
- other requirements such as age etc
- forms for Hawaii Quarantine & a health certificate by a licensed vet (check whether you need an export stamp – not required for Canada)
In-Cabin vs Cargo Travel
Our small animals can travel either in-cabin with us or in the cargo. When we moved back to Canada from Singapore, my dogs travelled as “excess baggage” in cargo and Luna stayed in the cabin. Initially I didn’t know that KLM allowed in-cabin travel out of Singapore. I didn’t think any airlines did! I had even starting “training” her with a second-hand crate. Thankfully, I found out about KLM. However I slice and dice it, Singapore to Vancouver will always have a stopover somewhere. Why not make it Amsterdam? The airport has a good record with animal care facilities and this way, Luna can avoid the cargo. Plus KLM allows one passenger to travel with three animals.
Because my layover was more than three hours, both Lou and Abby were transferred to the KLM Cargo Animal Hotel, where they were walked, given water, and checked by the vet staff. If your animals require any medication, that would also be given to them, along with any treats or foods as instructed.
If in any way you can avoid the cargo, go for it!
Airline-Approved Carrier
I got the Sherpa for Luna. This I finally found in the pet shop in Holland Village, if you are looking for one. It’s a soft case, with mesh panels. I also bought her a pad that helps to reduce vibrations. It looks like the maker doesn’t offer this anymore.
The Sherpa comes with a furry liner, which Luna soiled before we got to security. It became apparent when I opened the bag for the security officer. I had lined the carrier with a wee wee pad, with a spare. Luna also had a towel and her little cat blanket, the one from Stockholm. She likes to hide under layers.
This carrier has two openings. With much experimentation and her increasing resistance, I found swaddling Luna in a towel, with her paws (and claws) tucked in safely (for me), and placing her inside through the top opening the easiest. Maybe you have one of those nice kitties who will just walk in through the “front door.”
It also has a couple of zippered pockets to keep her treats, wet wipes, extra harnesses, leash, and documentation. I found it easier to keep my passport there as well. I attached a small bag of litter to the shoulder strap, and a cardboard foldup makeshift litter box in my carryon for those long layovers. Not that she ever uses them.
Be sure to doublecheck the size requirements for the airline you are flying with.
Antibody Test
We were in the US when Luna’s 3-year rabies vaccination expired. She got her first rabies vaccination to travel to Canada in 2017.
A month after this second jab, she had her blood drawn for her antibodies test. In case she was travelling to Hawaii. At that time, we didn’t know Hawaii would be a go.
This is the biggest piece if you want to take your dog or cat to Hawaii, which along with the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and a few other spots, is rabies-free. Thankfully over the years, the requirements have become less stringent. For Hawaii, instead of 120 days of wait time between arrival and the positive antibodies test, it is now 30. I know, I had to re-read the regulations to make sure!
We were grateful for Dr Erica Robinson at Myrtle Avenue Vet. She’s a friend of Wade’s and he rightly said she has a magic touch. She was certainly caring and compassionate with Luna, who had to be lightly sedated. They could not get blood from the usual places and had to trim her neck hair to get access. So they did a bit at a time, and let Luna rest and calm down before drawing a little bit more blood.
They also took care of everything and all we had to do was to drop the package off at UPS.
Importing Cat into US/Hawaii
The antibodies test is the first thing to do. You want to make sure you get a positive result. When we moved from Bermuda to Singapore, Lou’s test came back negative and by then it was a bit late in the game. In the end, her one-month quarantine gave us time in a serviced apartment to find long-term accommodations. It was tough though I visited her every day.
Also the antibody test results are good for several months so you can just tick that off your to-do list!
Depending on where you are flying from and to, there are different forms to fill out and a different timeline. Initially I planned to do Direct Island Release, thinking I’d be flying into Kaua’i. The website states to send in the Direct Island Release application, documentation, and fee 30 days ahead of arrival. It’s only 10 days for Honolulu inspection.
When I sent in the paperwork, I actually didn’t have a travel date yet. And that’s okay. The Animal Quarantine Station staff were very helpful and responsive. They said it’s also okay if I decided to fly into Honolulu with my Direct Island Release form. This is what I ended up doing, since no one was flying direct to Kaua’i that carried animals in-cabin. Just a quick call and I was told to pay the fee difference. That’s it.
For Direct Island Release, you need to contact and confirm with an approved vet for the airport inspection.
Airlines to Hawaii
When I was looking at flights, only two airlines flew direct to Kaua’i from the mainland and neither took in-cabin animals, except for service dogs.
The best option for flying out of Vancouver is usually Alaskan Airlines. They have a flight via Seattle to Kaua’i. AND they fly animals in cabin. Unfortunately this flight was not on the roster. Looking at their calendar, this flight was open for booking from mid March. However…
Wade was booked to fly on Alaskan in January. Last minute, they informed him that his flight was cancelled and would be rescheduled for February. So he rebooked with Hawaiian Airlines, which was a good thing since Alaskan Airlines postponed the flight a few more times. Given his experience, I decided to go with Hawaiian Airlines myself, even though that meant booking a separate flight from Vancouver to the US. What this meant was staying overnight on the mainland and paying twice for Luna and twice for excess baggage.
As travelling to Hawaii picks up again, more flights will become available. However, I’d still check the departing flights from your airport to see if scheduled flights are actually a go.
Before Flying
If you are flying into the US, you now need a negative PCR test, done within three days of departure. My appointment was Monday 9AM for my Wednesday 1:30PM flight. My neighborhood health clinic offered the “Gentle PCR Test”. You have both nostrils swapped, just not as deep. Be prepared to sneeze! That’s apparently a common reaction. I came out of the examination room sneezing, my nose running, and my eyes watering.
I got my results early next morning and looking at the test, it was processed in less than 12 hours. The quick turnaround time may be that not very many people are travelling now due to the new quarantine rules upon returning.
Be sure to print the whole test, not just the result, to show at check-in. Or have it on your phone.
So it’s a bit weird, not knowing for sure if you can fly until your test comes in. Airlines do have a no-fee change option at this time.
I was still working out what to pack, getting it under the weight limit. Books weigh a lot! So for Alaskan Airlines if you have a third suitcase, there is no additional overweight fee. Whereas for Hawaiian Airlines, there is.
I was also desperately trying a new “escape-proof” harness for Luna. Because she has to come out of her carrier for security. For this trip, it would be in Vancouver, San Jose, and again in Honolulu. Three times. We asked for a private room screening. A security officer takes you to a closed room and stays with you and your cat while another officer takes the carrier to be scanned. Otherwise, you can just take your cat/dog and carry or walk them through the scanner. If your dog/cat is skittish or you are unsure how they would react, the private room screening is the way to go!
Travelling
Vancouver – Seattle – San Jose :: Alaskan Airlines
San Jose – Honolulu – Kaua’i :: Hawaiian Airlines
Vancouver – Seattle – San Jose
The Vancouver Airport was empty. EMPTY! It’s like never ever quiet.
Like me, a number of people arrived early, thinking it would be chaos. So getting there 1.5 to 2 hours ahead would be plenty time flying to the US. It turned out to be a good thing getting there early – I spent most of pre-boarding time with Immigrations.
I booked the last Alaskan flight to San Jose, with a stopover in Seattle. The first thing I did getting off was to look for a family room to let Luna out and to take off my mask so I could breathe!!! Before letting her loose, I double-checked the door lock and prepared her litterbox and water. I also took out the bag of wet wipes, because the bathroom was gross. She got wiped good! Like all the other trips, Luna didn’t use the litterbox on the layovers. Nor does she go in her carrier, at least not intentionally.
The rest of my layover I hung out at a restaurant, to eat, have a drink, and be mask-free.
Why San Jose and not Seattle?
I first looked at Seattle however the Hawaiian flight from Seattle into Honolulu would not give me much time to get Luna cleared for her inspection. The office closes at 4pm. Potentially this meant staying overnight in Honolulu. Normally, not a big deal. However if I left the airport, I would have to quarantine there for 10 days.
So I chose to overnight in San Jose. Talking to Wade’s parents, this is a much easier airport to fly out of, compared to the other options like LA, Oakland, and Sacramento. LA was full on, according to Wade when he flew to Hawaii.
As I did back in December in Everett, I stayed at La Quinta which is pet-friendly (for an additional fee). I figured I was already familiar with this hotel chain. They advertised that they have a free airport shuttle, which turned out to be an uber. If you are at San Jose International and have lots of luggage, the $6 for a luggage cart is so worth it. Uber pick up is at the central island, across from Arrivals. Just outside of the airport wifi range, by the way.
By the time I carted my three suitcases and Luna to our room, I was exhausted, ready to crash for the night. First, I set up the litterbox and food station for Luna, who slowly explored the room before eating and going to the bathroom. Hurray! Then, it was Indian food delivered by Doordash.
San Jose – Honolulu – Kaua’i
My flight out of San Jose was 9AM and I aimed to arrive by 7AM and I’m glad I did. The super friendly lady at the Hawaiian Airlines counter said it was the busiest day so far! I got there ahead of the massive crowd. It was quite a full flight. I upgraded to effectively get a whole row myself and ended up chatting with Tim, the flight attendant who buckled in facing me.
Honolulu is where Luna got cleared. An agent was waiting at the gate for me and a couple, also headed to Kaua’i.
Prior to arriving in Hawaii, I had to complete an online health questionnaire, after which I got a QR code. Getting that scanned was our first stop. Then we were led through the “secret tunnel” which was a shortcut to get to the Animal Quarantine office. We waited outside while our cats were inspected, which was pretty quick.
What I didn’t realize was that I had to find my way back to the terminal, AND go through the security checkpoint again. Thankfully, the other couple knew where they were going and they were hoofing it as they booked the next flight to Kaua’i. I wasn’t sure how long the inspection would take so I booked a later flight. So be sure you know the way; you may have to find it yourself!
While I would have made the next flight, I wasn’t so sure when I saw the line for security, which went out the door. It felt like mayhem. So very different from Vancouver International and San Jose! People were getting stressed, anxious, and angry about missing their flights! I’m happy to have given myself the extra time, for the line, private security screening for Luna, a pat down in lieu of the scanner for myself, and just casually getting to my gate. Like in Seattle, I spent my time at a restaurant, eating, drinking, and breathing mask-free. Airport fries sometime tastes better. Maybe it was the Old Fashioned.
Kaua’i
The National Guard greeted us in Lihue Airport. We lined up to have our QR code scanned. You have to complete an online health questionnaire for each flight within Hawaii, to satisfy Hawaii’s Safe Travels program. For Kaua’i, there is an additional form. Because it was created to take US address information, I could not complete the Kaua’i Health Form. So I had to wait to fill it out manually. Wade circled the airport a few times before we got out!
Update: This is no longer required after Kaua’i re-joined the state’s travel program. You can now bypass the 10-day quarantine if you have a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of departing on the last leg of your flight.
Even though I had a negative PCR test to enter the US, it was not within the 72-hour window of departing for Kaua’i. At the time I arrived, there was only the resort bubble option anyway, where you would re-test after three days. An option that was expensive and not available travelling with a cat. I checked.
The 10-day quarantine was a great way for me to relax after a rather busy couple of weeks to prepare for the trip. And for Luna to situate herself and acquaint herself with the resident mama cat and her kittens. The National Guard did show up on Sunday, I think it was, to make sure I was at the house. Other than that, it was low-key, huddling under blankets in unexpected cold weather.
