Honolulu Visa Waiver Programme and Secure Flight Information

Checklist: Entering & exiting the United States Secure Flight and Advance Passenger Information Programmes Passengers with disability

Checklist: Entering & exiting the United States

This process may seem tedious but it is vital to ensure you enjoy a seamless journey to your dream destination. Prior to travelling to the US, each passenger is required to seek authorisation to fly. While booking, we will provide a form for you to fill in your details but you need to take the extra mile and prepare other necessary travel details required by US authorities like arranging applicable visas, passport validity periods, proof of entering and exiting as well as accommodation.

If these documents are incomplete, you may not be able to fly with us. AirAsia shall not be responsible for any losses should you fail to fulfil all travel requirements. Be it final destination or layover, all passengers entering US soil must get the authorisation prior to departure.

Currently, citizens from countries like Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan are eligible to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP). VWP allows individuals to travel to the US for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without first obtaining a visa. We suggest you apply for authorisation no less than 72 hours ahead of departure.

If you’re a citizen of the programme’s participating countries, check your eligibility and apply for authorisation here. If you do not qualify for VWP, you may apply for a visa at your local US Embassy.

Secure Flight and Advance Passenger Information Programmes

Once you proceed to book your flight to/from the US, we shall request for your necessary personal details. To avoid being denied boarding, you must provide the details required by the US authorities under the Secure Flight and Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) programmes.

The necessary information is as follows:

  • Full name (the first and last name registered on the passenger's passport)
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Passport number
  • Nationality
  • Country of passport issue
  • Alien registration number (where applicable)
  • Destination address in the US (not required for US citizens and permanent residents) and country of residence for flights arriving into the US
  • Redress number* (if applicable)
*What is Redress number?
The US Homeland Security Department grants a unique number to help the country’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as well as protect passengers from being incorrectly identified as being on a watch list because of various reasons like sharing a first and last name with a suspected terrorist. Passengers will have to apply to the TRIP (Traveller Redress Inquiry Programme) to obtain a Redress number.

1) What is the Secure Flight Programme?

The programme enables pre-screening of passenger information against US government watch lists. Watch list matching applies to all passengers travelling on flights to, from, within or over the US. The stated objectives of the programme are to:

  • Identify known and suspected terrorists
  • Prevent individuals on the No Fly List (and in some circumstances, other watch lists maintained by the US government) from boarding an aircraft to the US
  • Identify individuals on the Selectee List for enhanced screening to determine if they are permitted to board an aircraft
  • Facilitate passenger air travel by allowing cleared passengers to continue with their travel to the US Protect individuals’ privacy

2) What happens to the Secure Flight information?

Before you can board a flight to, from, within or over the US, the airline needs to send all your required details to the TSA at least 72 hours before scheduled time of departure to obtain Secure Flight clearance. Learn more about the privacy notice provided by the TSA for passengers below:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires you to provide your full name, date of birth and gender for the purpose of watch list screening, under the authority of 49 U.S.C. section 114, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and 49 C.F.R parts 1540 and 1560. You may also provide your Redress number, if available. Failure to provide your full name, date of birth and gender may result in denial of transport or denial of authority to enter the boarding area. TSA may share information you provide with law enforcement or intelligence agencies or others under its published system of records notice. For details about TSA privacy policies, or to review the system of records notice and the privacy impact assessment, click here.

3) If I fail to provide the information, what will happen?

The TSA is strict (and for good reason), so if you decide to be all secretive and not provide necessary information for screening purposes, we will not be able to issue your boarding pass.

4) Is the Secure Flight Programme a replacement for APIS?

No, it’s not. Besides the information provided to the TSA, airlines arriving into the US are required to provide passenger passport details, alien registration number (where applicable), as well as country of residence details and US address details (citizens and permanent residents are exempted) to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). No clearance from CBP, no boarding the plane. Need more information about APIS? Just drop by the Customs and Border Protection website.

Passengers with disability

The US Transport Department (DOT) makes it clear about there being no discrimination against those with disabilities in air travel. It is a requirement for all airlines entering the US to provide accessible facilities and services to accommodate passengers with any disability. This is in accordance to the department’s Final Ruling on Non-discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel (14 CFR Part 382).

AirAsia strives to provide comfort and seamless experience for all passengers. Hence, for flights to/from Honolulu, there is no limit for passengers requiring wheelchair assistance.

You can obtain a copy of DOT's rule on Non-discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel in an accessible format from the DOT by any of the following means:

  • For calls made from within the US, by telephone via the Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travellers with Disabilities at 1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 Text Telephone (TTY),
  • By telephone to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 202-366-2220 (voice) or 202-366-0511 Text Telephone (TTY),
  • By mail to the Air Consumer Protection Division, C-75, US Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE, West Building, Room W96-432, Washington, DC 20590, and
  • On the Aviation Consumer Protection Division’s website.