As U.S. vaccine deployment increases daily, confidence in international travel is growing, too. Add to that the pent-up demand of travelers who have not been able to visit family, vacation, and explore the world for the last year, and we are on the brink of a travel rebirth. This is music to the ears of the beleaguered travel industry, as well as those of us who just cannot wait to get back out into the world. But many questions and caveats remain for post-vaccination travel. Travel Maestro has your answers to ensure your seamless return to travel.

Traveling Within the U.S.

On April 2, 2021, the CDC updated domestic travel recommendations to advise that fully vaccinated travelers can travel safely within the U.S. but should continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Vaccinated travelers can self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms after travel without mandatory testing. Unvaccinated people should get tested before and after travel and self-quarantine for 7 days afterward.

Some regions or states, such as Hawaii, have additional travel restrictions that you must follow, so you need to verify those before travel. Airlines also have individual policies, although virtually all include mandatory mask-wearing.  

Travel Maestro tip: We strongly recommend establishing a relationship with a trusted travel advisor who will ensure you know all the requirements for your specific trip.  

International Requirements

International travel can be complex in the best of times. Now, pandemic travel restrictions add another layer of conditions, and to make it even harder, those conditions continually evolve. Which European countries are open to vaccinated travelers? Do I still need a Covid-19 test if I’m fully vaccinated? Do I really have to arrive four hours before my flight to go to the Caribbean?

The CDC maintains travel recommendations by destination based on their risk assessment. Some popular vacation destinations that are currently in the Level 1: Low Risk category include the British Virgin Islands, Croatia, and South Africa. But that doesn’t mean post-vaccination travel is open to all. Two prominent examples are Australia and New Zealand which both have Level 1 risk, but do not allow U.S. tourists to visit yet.

Some 90+ countries are currently open to Americans. Each country has its own set of protocols for entry. For example, Thailand has a long-stay commitment. It is important to verify any country-specific COVID-19 entry and exit requirements before traveling.

One requirement that is crucial for internationally traveling Americans to know is that everyone entering the U.S. must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within three days or documentation of recovery before they board the flight.

This includes all U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated travelers over the age of two years. The test can be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) but it’s the traveler’s responsibility to procure the test in their destination. Travel Maestro tip: Did I mention the value of a good travel advisor? We can provide testing sites and costs for your destination, so you don’t have to spend precious vacation time searching.

Vaccination Health Passports

Fully vaccinated travelers are the owners of a very special document – their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card. This 3” x 4” piece of paper is something you want to keep and protect. Travel Maestro tip: Take a photo of it and upload it to cloud storage so you can access it from anywhere.

Another way to save the information digitally is to use what is being called “vaccine passports.” There has been much talk about these digital health applications and the potential for them to be used in international travel to verify negative tests or avoid quarantine. Several groups are developing digital apps that will store vaccine and testing information, including IATA (Travel Pass), Clear (Health Pass), IBM (Digital Health Pass), American Airlines (VeriFLY), and United (Travel Ready Center). The state of New York launched an app called the Excelsior Pass that will be accepted at dozens of event, arts, and entertainment venues.

The features of each vary and there is no clear frontrunner yet. The White House recently made a statement that the U.S. government would defer to private companies to develop these credentials. Post-vaccination travelers may eventually find it convenient to use multiple apps, depending on their airline or destination.

Post-vaccination Travel is on the Rise

Having seen firsthand how this pandemic devastated the travel industry and being among the millions of travel-lovers itching to get back to discovering all the wonderful corners of our globe, we at Covington are thrilled to see post-vaccination travel surging. We’ve been saying it for a year now, and it’s finally coming true… When you’re ready to travel, we’ll be here to help you get there. Contact your Covington advisor today to resume your travel.