Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people.
Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 before traveling?
Travelers who are fully vaccinated or who recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months do not need to get tested before departing the United States for international travel or before domestic travel unless their destination requires it.
Do you need a negative COVID-19 test before flying into the United States by air?
All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 viral test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
Do I need to get a post-arrival COVID-19 test after traveling if I was infected within the last 3 months?
If you recovered from a documented COVID-19 infection within the last 3 months, follow all requirements and recommendations for fully vaccinated travelers except you do NOT need to get a post- arrival test 3-5 days after travel unless you are symptomatic.
Do I need to get tested before traveling to the United States if I recently recovered from COVID-19?
If you have had a positive viral test in the past 3 months, and you have met the criteria to end isolation, you may travel instead with documentation of your positive viral test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that states you have been cleared for travel. The positive test result and letter together are referred to as “documentation of recovery.”
What should I do when arriving to the U.S. after an international travel if I have been vaccinated for COVID-19?
• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
– If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel.
What type of covid test is required for travelling to the United States?
The test must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test (nucleic acid amplification test or antigen test) with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Can an airline deny boarding a passenger if they don’t have a negative COVID-19 test?
Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.
Does the COVID-19 negative test order apply to all flights or just commercial flights for passengers arriving to the US?
This order applies to all flights, including private flights and general aviation aircraft (charter flights). Passengers traveling by air into the US are required to have proof of testing regardless of flight type.
What is the CDC’s recommendation for COVID-19 testing before traveling?
CDC recommends predeparture testing with a viral test no more than 3 days before departure for other travelers, including those departing from the United States for international destinations or traveling domestically within the United States.
Can I travel during the COVID-19 pandemic if I am not fully vaccinated?
Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people.
How soon should I get a COVID-19 test before travelling?
If your planned itinerary has you arriving via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within the 3 days before the departure of the first flight.
Can flying on an airplane increase my risk of getting COVID-19?
Yes. Air travel requires spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people and frequently touched surfaces. Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. However, social distancing is difficult on crowded flights, and you may have to sit near others (within 6 feet), sometimes for hours. This may increase your risk for exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.
Am I required to quarantine after domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic?
CDC does not require travelers to undergo a mandatory federal quarantine. However, CDC recommends that unvaccinated travelers self-quarantine after travel for 7 days with a negative test and for 10 days if they don’t get tested.
Check CDC’s Domestic Travel pages for the latest recommendations for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.
Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.
Does COVID-19 spread easily on flights?
According to the CDC, most viruses don’t spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, many airlines have taken necessary precautions to keep their planes sanitized and safe for travelers.
Airplanes these days have HEPA filters and clean outdoor air as well as recirculated air passes through them. Many airlines are thoroughly cleaning and even fogging planes with electrostatic disinfectant that clings to seatbelts and other high-touch surfaces. Some airlines have even adjusted seating arrangements to allow for more room between passengers.
Do airlines need to keep copies of passenger COVID-19 test results?
No, passengers must show a copy of their test results to airline employees or the aircraft operator before boarding, but the airline or aircraft operator does not need to retain copies of test results.
What is the COVID-19 test requirement for all air passengers arriving in the United States?
On January 12, 2021, CDC announced an Order requiring all air passengers arriving to the US from a foreign country to get tested no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight.
How does the CDC determine if an airline carrier has tested negative for COVID-19?
CDC expects that air carriers or operators will determine whether their employee’s travel meets the requirements of the exemption. CDC also recommends that crew travel with an official statement (paper or electronic copy) from the carrier or operator that the employee’s travel meets the requirements of the exemption.
What are the types of COVID-19 tests?
There are two different types of tests – diagnostic tests and antibody tests.
Can a COVID-19 test taken before departure from the US be used to return within the 3-day time frame?
If a trip is shorter than 3 days, a viral test taken in the United States can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Order as long as the specimen was taken no more than three days before the return flight to the US departs. If the return travel is delayed longer than 3 days after the test, the passenger will need to be retested before the return flight.
Travelers considering this option should additionally consider the availability of appropriate testing capacity at their destinations, and the time frame needed to obtain results, as a contingency when making plans for travel.
What is the COVID-19 PCR diagnostic test?
PCR test: Stands for polymerase chain reaction test. This is a diagnostic test that determines if you are infected by analyzing a sample to see if it contains genetic material from the virus.
Do I need to be tested for COVID-19 before or after traveling in the USA if I have been vaccinated?
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
What precautions should I take after traveling internationally during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
– If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel.
Why do you have to quarantine for 14 days after travel during the COVID-19 pandemic?
You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. You may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can be contagious without symptoms and spread the virus to others. You and your travel companions (including children) pose a risk to your family, friends, and community for 14 days after you travel.