We conclude that the risk for on-board transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during long flights is real and has the potential to cause COVID-19 clusters of substantial size, even in business class–like settings with spacious seating arrangements well beyond the established distance used to define close contact on airplanes.
As long as COVID-19 presents a global pandemic threat in the absence of a good point-of-care test, better on-board infection prevention measures and arrival screening procedures are needed to make flying safe.
Do I have to wear a mask on an airplane when traveling to the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like a ferry or top deck of a bus).
What do I do if I test positive for COVID-19 before a flight?
People should self-isolate and delay their travel if symptoms develop or a pre-departure test result is positive until they have recovered from COVID-19. Airlines must refuse to board anyone who does not present a negative test result for COVID-19 or documentation of recovery.
Should I travel if I test positive for COVID-19?
Do NOT travel if you were exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, you test positive for COVID-19, or you are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.
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.
Do I need a negative COVID-19 test to enter the US if I’m flying from US territories?
No, the Order to present a documentation of a negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19 does not apply to air passengers flying from a US territory to a US state.
US territories include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
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.
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 happens if there is a sick passenger on an international or domestic flight during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Under current federal regulations, pilots must report all illnesses and deaths to CDC before arriving to a U.S. destination. According to CDC protocols, if a sick traveler has a contagious disease that is a risk to others on board the airplane, CDC works with local and state health departments and international public health agencies to contact exposed passengers and crew.
Be sure to give the airline your current contact information when booking your ticket so you can be notified if you are exposed to a sick traveler on a flight.
For more information, see the CDC webpage Protecting Travelers’ Health from Airport to Community: Investigating Contagious Diseases on Flights.
How long can COVID-19 linger in the air?
The smallest very fine droplets, and aerosol particles formed when these fine droplets rapidly dry, are small enough that they can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours.
How long does COVID-19 survive on clothes?
Research suggests that COVID-19 doesn’t survive for long on clothing, compared to hard surfaces, and exposing the virus to heat may shorten its life. A study published in found that at room temperature, COVID-19 was detectable on fabric for up to two days, compared to seven days for plastic and metal.
How long can COVID-19 survive on surfaces?
Data from surface survival studies indicate that a 99% reduction in infectious SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses can be expected under typical indoor environmental conditions within 3 days (72 hours) on common non-porous surfaces like stainless steel, plastic, and glass .
Can you get COVID-19 from touching infected surfaces?
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
What do I need to know to keep myself and others safe when I go to the grocery store during the COVID-19 pandemic?
There are steps you can take to help protect yourself, grocery store workers and other shoppers, such as wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing, and using wipes on the handles of the shopping cart or basket.
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.
When do you need to get tested for COVID-19 if you are not vaccinated?
– People who are not fully vaccinated should quarantine and be tested immediately after being identified, and, if negative, tested again in 5–7 days after last exposure or immediately if symptoms develop during quarantine.
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.
Do I need to present a negative COVID-19 test upon entry into the United States?
All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 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.
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.
Will the CDC reimburse travelers for COVID-19 testing fees?
CDC is not able to reimburse travelers for COVID-19 testing fees. You may wish to contact your insurance provider or the location that provided your test about payment options.
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 are some guidelines for traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you.
Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).