For people flying to Hawaii, scrambling to find a pen and filling out the plant and animals declaration form is a rite of passage. But these forms may soon be a thing of the past, as state leaders announced Monday the launch of a pilot program to digitize the process. 

State leaders said Akamai Arrival, the pilot program, will streamline the process for travelers arriving in Hawaii, modernize the state’s biosecurity efforts, and improve completion rates. 

On March 1, 2025, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture will roll out the pilot program on select domestic flights via major airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. The airlines will have discretion over how to integrate the digital form into their arrival processes. 

The Akamai Arrival website will serve as a hub for passengers, with access to the digital form, flight information, and an FAQ page for travelers. Hawaii-based designer David Shepard created the images of the animals, plants, and other organisms on the digitized declaration form.  

David Shepard poses with an image of the newly digitized form, featuring his drawings of the animals, plants, and other organisms. (Photo courtesy of Gov. Josh Green's office)

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, along with legislators, HDOA, airline partners and stakeholders, developed the digital agriculture form pilot program. 

"By digitizing this form, we’re making compliance easier for travelers while using technology to protect what makes Hawaii so special,” said Luke in a news release. 

The initiative was authorized under Act 196 (2024).

“The Department of Agriculture has been addicted to paper for nearly 60 years,” said Senator Glenn Wakai, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs. “Five years ago, I advocated for the digitization of the declaration form, but was met with resistance. Lawmakers had to pass a law last year to encourage the migration from paper to an app. The Akamai Arrival program will inform passengers about what’s not acceptable to bring to Hawaii before they board the plane, rather than when they’re scrambling for a pen over the Pacific.” 

The pilot program will run until May 31, 2025. HDOA will share monthly progress reports with participating airlines, and data collected will help determine whether to expand the program.