Travelers wearing protective masks are given a sample of their nose mucus at a COVID-19 test site inside Terminal B at Los Angeles International Airport.
The rules of international travel are changing.
The emergence of the omicron variant of Covid-19 in southern Africa has led to a host of new travel requirements and, in some cases, outright bans, complicating international trips that were just starting to pick up.
The Biden administration banned visitors from South Africa and other countries after lifting the travel ban on more than 30 countries.
Travelers will have to budget for Covid tests closer to their departure date as the U.S. begins implementing stricter testing requirements for inbound travelers.
Rules have changed quickly. Air travelers bound for the U.S. need to know what to look out for.
Air travelers flying to the US from abroad will need to show airlines proof of a negative Covid test result before they can board. U.S. citizens and travelers are included.
Visitors, permanent residents and citizens used to have to show a test within three days of departure for the U.S.
The CDC says that specimen must have been collected one day before departure.
The results of both the antigen and nucleic acid amplification tests will be accepted.
No. Travelers don't have to take a test upon landing in the U.S.
The CDC has expanded a program to offer free, voluntary tests to travelers upon arrival to help detect variant.
They are offered by XpresSpa Group, which has expanded from airport massages and other spa services into airport Covid testing since the Pandemic started. The program can be found at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Newark Liberty International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and San Francisco International Airport. Both at- home and arrival tests can be done.
The XpresCheck subsidiary offers rapid testing at airports in the U.S. with prices ranging from $75 to $250 for a rapid test.
No. The new rules only apply to air travel.
Travelers should check their airline policies early and often.
Travelers can still be responsible for fare differences if they choose to travel on a different day, even though major U.S. airlines have eliminated change fees for both domestic international and domestic main cabin and above tickets that were purchased at least in the United States and in certain other countries. Basic economy tickets are harder to change.
If passengers fly on or before December 12th, Delta will waive fare differences for Japan, Israel, and South Africa. Between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021, tickets can be purchased for travel to and from Australia, Europe, the U.K., Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa.
