United First U.S. Airline to Offer Passengers a Coronavirus Test at the Airport

United Airlines passengers boarding the airline’s final Boeing 747 flight, which flew from San Francisco to Hawaii

United Airlines said Thursday that it is making coronavirus tests available to its passengersas an experimental trial.

The airline will begin today to offer the testing for passengers traveling from San Francisco International Airport to destinations in Hawaii.   Hawaiian authorities require a negative Covid-19 test in order to bypass strict quarantine restrictions by the state.

At launch, which will be on October 15, the test will cost $250 per passenger.

The Chicago-based carrier will offer the in-airport tests with GoHealth Urgent Care and Dignity Health using a rapid Abbott ID Now test that provides results in roughly 15 minutes.  In addition, United is providing the option of a mail-in test administered by a separate company, Color.

United already works with GoHealth to provide coronavirus tests to its pilots who operate international flights.

The airline is planning to expand testing so that it is available to San Francisco passengers traveling to other destinations and also to other airports in the United States according to Toby Enqvist, the airline’s chief customer officer.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)