british airways travel requirements to usa

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Rules for travelling to the USA from the UK explained: tests, vaccines and more

By Sarah James

The US eased travel restrictions for visitors from the UK in November 2021, with rules around testing eased in June 2022. Find out what all this means for your trip.

Can I travel to the USA?

Yes. Since November 2021, international travellers from the UK have been able to visit the USA. Between November 2021 and May 2023, this was on the condition that travellers were fully vaccinated. We were on the first flight out in early November 2021, so have first-hand experience of the process.

What Covid tests do I need to travel to the USA?

As of June 2022, the requirement for air travellers to show proof of a negative test to enter the USA has been dropped.

"We are able to take this step because of the tremendous progress we've made in our fight against the virus. We have made lifesaving vaccines and treatments widely available and these tools are working to prevent serious illness and death, and are effective against the prevalent variants circulating in the US and around the world," a senior official said in a statement.

Do I need to be vaccinated to go to the USA?

At the time of writing (2 May 2023), yes – most international air travellers need to show proof of being fully vaccinated to enter the USA. Any vaccine approved for use by the World Health Organisation or by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be accepted, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and others. The final vaccine dose must have been administered at least 14 days before travelling.

From 11 May 2023, the US will end the vaccination requirements for interntational travellers. This is when the coronavirus public health emergency ends.

Can unvaccinated people travel to the USA?

Until 11 May, to enter the USA unvaccinated you must have been granted an exception or be a US Citizen, US National, or US Lawful Permanent Resident. You can find out if you qualify as an exception to the rules by reading the list outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

After 11 May, you don't need to be vaccinated to travel to the USA.

Do I need to wear a face mask in the USA?

Rules on wearing masks differ in each state and in different settings, so it's important to check before you travel, however there are currently no states requiring people to wear masks in public spaces. You may be required to wear a mask in certain settings, such as healthcare facilities.

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Warnings and insurance

This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you: 

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If you choose to travel, research your destinations and  get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out  more about  FCDO  travel advice .

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COMING TO AMERICA: BRITISH AIRWAYS AND VIRGIN ATLANTIC CELEBRATE US REOPENING WITH HISTORIC FIRST EVER DUAL TAKE-OFF FROM LONDON TO NEW YORK

• Customers return to British Airways and Virgin Atlantic flights to the US on Monday 8 November as country relaxes entry requirements
• It marks the first day since March 16, 2020 that the vast majority of UK nationals have been able to fly to the US
• Airlines will celebrate the easing of restrictions with a unique show of unity; a dual take-off of their first flights from London Heathrow to New York, JFK
• Both carriers have campaigned for the safe return of transatlantic travel to ignite economic recovery and allow friends and families to reunite

Transatlantic rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic join forces today to celebrate the reopening of the US to UK nationals.

In recognition of a long campaigned for and pivotal moment for the travel industry, for the first time ever, the airlines will come together in a unique show of unity, taking to the skies in a synchronised departure on parallel runways at Heathrow. British Airways flight BA001, a flight number previously reserved for Concorde, and Virgin Atlantic flight VS3, operating on A350 aircraft, will both leave London Heathrow for New York JFK at 8.30am on Monday 8 November.

Reopening the transatlantic travel corridor more than 600 days since the US travel ban was introduced will provide a significant boost for the aviation industry, help both nations’ economic recoveries and re-establish vital business connections. The US is the UK’s largest trading partner, and aviation contributes £23m per day to the UK economy. In 2019, 22 million people travelled between the two countries, along with 900,000 tonnes of cargo.

Today’s change to US entry requirements follows the UK Government’s decision in the summer to lift quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated US customers when travelling to Britain. With world-leading vaccination programmes in the UK and US, customers on both sides of the Atlantic will finally be able to see loved ones again and explore new and familiar destinations after more than eighteen months of travel restrictions.

Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and CEO said: “After more than 600 days of separation, today is our moment to celebrate the UK-US reopening. We’re setting aside rivalry and for the first time ever, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic aircraft will be seen taking-off together to mark the vital importance of the transatlantic corridor.

“Transatlantic connectivity is vital for the UK’s economic recovery, which is why we’ve been calling for the safe reopening of the UK-US travel corridor for such a long time. We must now look forward with optimism, get trade and tourism back on track and allow friends and families to connect once again.”

Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive said:

“Today is a time for celebration, not rivalry.  Together with British Airways we are delighted to mark today’s important milestone, which finally allows consumers and businesses to book travel with confidence.  The US has been our heartland for more than 37 years and we are simply not Virgin without the Atlantic.  We’ve been steadily ramping up flying to destinations including Boston, New York, Orlando, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and we can’t wait to fly our customers safely to their favourite US cities to reconnect with loved ones and colleagues.

“As the UK forges its recovery from the pandemic, the reopening of the transatlantic corridor and the lifting of Presidential Order 212F acknowledges the great progress both nations have made in rolling out successful vaccine programmes. The UK will now be able to strengthen ties with our most important economic partner, the US, through boosting trade and tourism. We are thankful to Prime Minister Johnson and the UK Government, the Biden administration and our industry partners for their support in removing these barriers and allowing free travel between our countries to resume.”

Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps said: “This historic event marks a significant moment for the aviation sector. Transatlantic travel has long been at the heart of UK aviation and I’m delighted to see flights return in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“Thanks to the work of industry and the US-UK Experts Working Group, these vitally important flight routes will help boost the economy, protect and create British jobs and through the work of the Jet Zero Council help to build back greener.”

Notes to Editors

About British Airways

As a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years. The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners. British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. ​ Its principal place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5. In 2020, the airline won five Business Traveller Awards including Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Airport Lounge and Best Frequent Flyer Programme. In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe. 

The latest information on the measures British Airways is taking to ensure its customers have a safe experience when travelling can be found here .  

More details about British Airways US routes can be found here .

The British Airways press office can be contacted at [email protected]

About Virgin Atlantic        

Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2020, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the fourth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs 5,900 people worldwide, flying customers to 27 destinations across four continents. Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. On 3 February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers.        

Sustainability remains central to the airline and since September 2019, Virgin Atlantic has welcomed seven brand new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, helping to transform the fleet into one of the youngest, quietest and most fuel efficient in the sky. By 2022, the airline will operate a streamlined fleet of 37 twin engine aircraft following the retirement of its B747-400s and A340-600s, making its simplified fleet 10% more efficient than before the Covid-19 crisis impacted.      

For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com, www.virginholidays.co.uk or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic @virginholidays     

For the latest information on the measures we are taking to ensure our customers fly safe and well with Virgin Atlantic, please visit https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/youre-in-safe-hands.html

More details about Virgin Atlantic’s US routes can be found here .

The Virgin Atlantic press office can be contacted at: [email protected]

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British Airways Covid Rules

What is british airways doing to ensure safe travel.

Throughout your journey, you will find changes designed to help you feel safe and confident , and British Airways’ COVID-19 Travel Hub offers all the information you need to book and travel with peace of mind :

• Travel requirements.
• Award-winning COVID-19 safety standards.
• Flexible booking.

Travel Requirements

To reassure travelers before travel, British Airways is providing the tools and solutions to help you plan your journey and make it as seamless and safe as possible :

• Useful information on the latest travel restrictions and entry requirements can be checked using the new interactive map on ba.com .
• To help you book the test you need, British Airways brought together a range of COVID-19 testing suppliers in the UK and the US that offer exclusive discounts .
• British Airways passengers can download the new digital health travel passport, VeriFLY , to check if they meet the entry requirements of their destination. Its use is optional , and passengers will also continue to be able to check they meet entry requirements at check-in. British Airways continues exploring digital health travel wallet and document verification solutions, including the IATA Travel Pass.

Award-winning COVID-19 Safety Standards

British Airlines was one of the first airlines to undergo the COVID-19 Safety Audit by Skytrax that investigates and evaluates safety and hygiene protocols introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance customer and staff safety. After a complex analysis of the hygiene and safety procedures, British Airlines received a 4-Star Covid-19 Safety Rating based on the standards provided at the airport and onboard flights :

• Face mask policy . At all times in the airport and on board the aircraft, all passengers need to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth, except children under the age of 11 (under the age of 2 on flights to/from the U.S.) and those who meet the government’s exemption requirements (supporting documentation may be necessary) . A face mask could last up to four hours, so make sure you bring enough for the duration of your trip. You will be asked to remove your face mask for any passport checks, but you’ll be advised when to do so by. On board, you are allowed to remove your face mask only for a reasonable time to eat or drink.
• Minimizing contact . Online and Mobile Check-in options and self-service bag drop service can help you keep contact at the airport to a minimum. If you can’t check in online, use one of the self-service kiosks that are regularly sanitized , or go to a check-in desk where screens have been installed to protect you . Dettol sanitizing stations are positioned next to check-in kiosks and desks and throughout the airport. At selected lounges at Heathrow, Terminal 5 that are now open, British Airways introduced new measures to ensure your health and safety : contactless lounge entry, enhanced cleaning, safe distance markers, contact-free food and drink orders brought directly to the seat.
• Boarding . British Airways introduced new boarding procedures to minimize contact when passengers take their seats . At the gate, have your boarding pass ready to scan it yourself and your passport open so that a British Airways employee can check it . Priority boarding is available only for families and customers who may need additional time to board. First Class passengers board first from the first row to the back row of the cabin. The rest of the passengers board the aircraft from the rear to the front.
• Cleaning . Key surfaces , including seats, armrests, seat belt buckles, tray tables, toilets, and storage area, are sanitized after every flight . Aircraft are cleaned thoroughly from nose to tail every day . The air in the cabin is filtered and renewed every two to three minutes . Cabin air is made up of fresh air, drawn from outside and heated significantly above virus-killing temperatures, and air passed through HEPA filters that remove even the tiniest particles, down to microscopic bacteria and virus clusters, with over 99.9% efficiency.
• Onboard service . Once on board the aircraft, passengers are offered Dettol anti-bacterial hygiene wipes to sanitize hands or surfaces. You should minimize moving around the cabin as much as possible. If you need help, there is a call button you can use, and a crew member will assist you at your seat. British Airways made some changes to the onboard service to reduce contact onboard , such as removing magazines and newspapers, a new food service (the Speedbird Café menu is available to pre-purchase at highlifeshop.com for short-haul flights in Euro Traveller class, menu cards are available only in First and Club World classes, special meals are available to pre-order when booking your flight), individually wrapped blankets and bedding available only on long-haul flights to guarantee cleanliness.

Flexible Booking

Understanding that travel plans need to change sometimes, British Airways introduced its book with confidence policy with flexible travel options for bookings made from March 3, 2020, onwards for journeys due to be completed by August 31, 2022 :

• Change your dates with no additional fees . If you want to change the dates, you can do it online from Manage My Booking.
• Change your destination with no additional fees . You need to complete the online voucher form to change your destination and dates. British Airways will cancel the booking on your behalf and email you a voucher to the value of your booking, valid until September 30, 2023.
• Cancel your booking with no additional fees . If you need to cancel your trip, you can claim a voucher for the value of your booking . Within seven days of your application, you will receive your voucher by email that you can use as payment, or a part payment, for a future booking that must be fully completed by September 30, 2023 (departure and return) .

If your flight has been canceled, you can claim a refund.

More information here >>

British Airways info

• Covid Rules
• Baggage & carry-on

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As featured on

'No point in getting irate, the queue will still be there': International tourists arrive to long lines

A rush of international travelers headed into the United States Monday as the COVID-19 travel ban ended and people from dozens of countries begin flooding in, more than 600 days since they were barred from entry.

That's more than 86 weeks. Nearly 20 months. Enough time for grandchildren to be born , or for couples to lose track of the number of nights they fell asleep to  FaceTime calls  with their partner. Long enough to lose hope in a U.S. vacation or honeymoon after having to delay plans over and over. 

Lines began forming at the Canada and Mexico borders well before daybreak, and eager travelers boarded flights from Europe, including dueling departures from London's Heathrow airport. The U.S.-Mexico border is typically the world's busiest border crossing, with about 350 million people crossing annually.

► US drops travel ban Nov. 8: Expect bottlenecks at airports under strict entry rules

►Vacation travel: Hawaii opening for fully vaccinated international travelers, but some virus restrictions linger

Learn more: Best travel insurance

The new U.S. entry requirements require foreign air passengers to test negative for the coronavirus before boarding a plane to the country and, if they are 18 or older , show proof of full vaccination. Travelers entering the U.S. on land or by ferry for nonessential reasons must show proof of vaccination. Although federal officials had warned of the potential for long lines at entry points, there seemed to be few delays as visitors arrived by land and air.

It's a long-awaited moment for travelers from more than 30 countries. The U.S. initiated its first COVID-19-related travel ban on China in February 2020 . By the end of March, it had added travel bans on the United Kingdom , Ireland, Iran  and 26 countries in the European Schengen Area . Brazil, India and South Africa were later added to the list.

Want more?  Sign up for USA TODAY's Travel newsletter  to receive updates directly to your inbox and follow us on Twitter .

Federal officials warned of delays: 'No staff around to help'

The smooth sailing for international travelers at JFK Airport ended Monday afternoon as arrivals ramped up after a relatively quiet morning. Passengers arriving from England on Virgin Atlantic reported lines of up to two hours to clear Customs and Border Protection processing due to the arrival of multiple flights from the United Kingdom. CBP officials had warned lines would grow from recent levels given the return of international passengers. 

Paul Richards, the 58-year-old head of safeguarding for Stoke City F.C., arrived on a Virgin Atlantic flight from London at 3:35 p.m. ET for vacation and to celebrate his son's 21st birthday. He ultimately waited about two hours before being cleared into the country.

"No point in getting irate, the queue will still be there,'' he said as he waited.

Marc Evans, a 42-year-old police officer, flew from Manchester, England, with his wife and two children to visit family for the first time in 20 months, ultimately waiting more than an hour.

"It was apparently a PR stunt to show the USA was back open but seems they weren't concerned about the queues at customs," Evans said via Twitter message, noting that they have a friend waiting to pick them up at the airport.

Evans said he was frustrated as his family has been told to wait as other families with children have been able to jump the queue. There are "no staff around to help," he said.

But the problem extends beyond a pesky wait, according to Evans. "Other people were getting connecting flights and told to stay in line," he said.

— Morgan Hines, Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY

'What happens here, only happens here': McCarran welcomes tourists

When the first U.K. passengers arrived in Las Vegas on Monday afternoon, McCarran International Airport made sure to give them a "fabulous Las Vegas welcome," complete with waving showgirls as the plane taxied to its gate and free T-shirts and hats promoting the city's new slogan, "What happens here, only happens here."

Karl Watson, 37, of London plans to spend his week in Nevada visiting national parks and watching a Bryan Adams performance. But his first stop? A bar.

"First of all, I'm going to get really drunk," he said. 

Watson said getting through customs and security was a long process, with the lines taking more than an hour to get through, but the Las Vegas airport was still "buzzing" with excitement when the plane landed. 

"Everyone on the plane was cheering when the plane landed," Watson said. "Usually when people clap I'm like, shut up, you don't do that when a bus parks. But this time, it was exciting. It was really cool."

"It's just such a fun place. Vegas never stops," added Ann Kirk, 64 of Birmingham, England who landed in Las Vegas with her husband Mark.

The two plan to spend five weeks in the U.S., but that's nothing compared to two- or three-month vacations they used to take before the travel ban. The couple usually spends most of their time at a home they own in Lake Havasu City in Arizona, and already have their next visit planned for February. 

"It's the warmth. The heat. The sunshine," Mark Kirk, 62, said.  

"We've really missed it," Ann Kirk added.

— Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

Changes affect most air travelers

Arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson's Atlanta International Airport from Korea, Seongbin Woo, 26, said his travel experience for his first U.S. visit was "not that smooth," largely because he had to rush to get test results back before departing Seoul. Although Korean nationals were not banned from travel to the U.S., anyone arriving as of Monday must follow new protocols, including showing proof of vaccination.

"I heard that everyone here is not wearing masks, so it's good for me because I am tired of masks," he said. He added he is still concerned about getting sick.

Ivana Pedroso, 30, tearily reunited with her parents as they arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pedroso lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she's a graduate student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She had been able to visit Brazil several times, but this is the first time her parents will see the house she bought.

"It's great. Exciting. I have been waiting for this moment for two years because she doesn't know my house," Pedroso said. "They don't know where I live. So I've been waiting for this moment for two years."

Pedroso said her parents will stay for her graduation in December, on a trip they've been rescheduling for two frustrating years. Her parents said the flights and border control checks went smoothly, and they were confident they would be safe.

"She was a little bit nervous, but since they followed the protocols and all the companies, Delta Airlines and the airport followed the protocols with COVID, everything was OK," Pedroso said of her mom. "Sanitizers and masks all the time. They're good."

Waiting for "my guy," Deb Halleck, 61, wore a Manchester United jersey waiting for Stephen Donnelly to arrive in Atlanta from England via Amsterdam. Wearing a similar jersey, Donnelly strode through the terminal and swept her into a hug that seemed to make time stop. The two had been friends for years but this summer realized they wanted more.

"We've just been friends and recently, more than that, so just excited," Halleck said moments before he arrived. "I can't wait."

Since July, they've talked on the phone every day and FaceTimed. Every week they make dinner together, long distance, and share a meal. Donnelly also buys her flowers and takes a picture and sends them to her weekly. Donnelly, 62, said the mood was apprehensive on the plane due to the new rules, but was happy to finally be in the U.S. with Halleck.

What are their plans now? "She's in charge. I just go with the flow," Donnelly said.

By late afternoon the arrivals terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport began filling with loved ones awaiting passengers on a string of flights from cities like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London, along with other places not previously banned.

All eyes were either staring down the corridor at the sliding doors coming from customs or glued to their phones. Locals eagerly checked to see how much longer it would take for their family, friends and significant others to make it through customs.

One woman remained dedicated to holding up a sign that said  #HappyMama while another family, whose kids had been holding up "Welcome Home" signs set them down, sitting in the floor to wait. They had waited this long. What's a little longer?

— Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Romance reignited and 'already have Disneyland booked'

At LAX, the happy emotions ran the gamut — hugs and kisses, laughter and tears — when Damia Suuck, 20, of Claremont, California, saw her German boyfriend, Eric Reuschel, 19, for the first time in almost a year as he came off the plane from Frankfurt.

"We were waiting, waiting. We booked so many tickets," said Suuck, who was waiting at LAX with her mother, Fadia Suuck. 

Damia Suuck, who has German and American citizenship, was able to visit her boyfriend in Germany last Christmas, but Monday was the first day he could visit the U.S. They began dating about two years ago when she was living briefly in Germany. 

"We haven't seen each other in almost 12 months, so to meet again, I can't explain it. It's crazy," said Reuschel. 

Their plans for Reuschel's one-month visit?

"We already have Disneyland booked. That was No. 1," Damia Suuck said.

— Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

Scattered delays create a 'stressful' experience

Julien Yomtov of Paris said he faced several frustrating delays leaving France – first at security and then again when the plane's departure was delayed an hour. He said he's excited to get back to Las Vegas, traveling via Los Angeles, to play in the World Series of Poker, which he normally does annually with his brother.

"The experience was stressful because the employees are (not) ready to welcome so many travelers," he told USA TODAY via Whatsapp. "Hope in LAX it will be easier."

Although Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, the international terminal's arrival hall on Monday, which was almost tranquil and relatively empty through early afternoon. Many fellow passengers made connections to other cities, and those who made Atlanta their final destination described their trips as smooth and even "better than before."

— Bailey Schulz, Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Trip delayed four times

In Los Angeles, Jan Hutten tiptoed up to his sister-in-law Jeannette Gross for a surprise hug, kicking off a family reunion three years in the waiting. His wife Henny followed with a hug of her own, grasping her sister as the Huttens arrived from Amsterdam for a three-week visit. The two had tried to visit four times previously, but had to keep rescheduling due to the ongoing travel ban.

Gross and her son, Gary Loth live in Valencia, north of Los Angeles, and will be taking the Huttens for sushi and Mexican food in sunny Los Angeles — a welcome change from the rainy weather they left behind.

"Fantastic! Finally," Henny Hutten said in Dutch, her native language, when asked how it felt to get together with her sister after having to settle for Skype calls in the three years since they last saw each other.

"I'm very happy to see her," Gross said, adding they usually get together once a year. The separation "was very painful, not being able to hug her. We Skyped, but it's not the same."

Henny Hutten offered a one-word response when asked about the sibling separation: "Terrible!"

The Huttens were supposed to visit in April 2020 to celebrate Gross's retirement. That was the first COVID-related postponement. After more reservations and cancellations, Gross quickly texted her sister when the Nov. 8 opening was announced.

"I said, ‘Change your flight. We're opening up.' She did. She got right on the ball," Gross said.

Families begin to reunite: 'Everything is so exciting'

Simone Thies of Cologne, Germany, is flying in to see her fiancé, who she has seen just twice since the ban began-- once during a trip to Aruba in June, and again when he visited her in Germany in August. Before those trips, they had been separated a year. Thies stayed overnight in a Düsseldorf hotel near the airport before catching her Delta flight, headed ultimately to Lincoln, Nebraska.

"I want to avoid stress because everything is so exciting," she said.

Getting through the line at the Düsseldorf airport was quick — "5 minutes at most," she said — but she had one more stop in Paris before crossing the Atlantic.

There, she had to show her passport, proof of vaccination and results of her negative coronavirus test. Even as the first person in line, the wait took about 20 minutes because one employee was still learning which documents to check, she said.

"The line is very long, but (I'm) done for now," she said before departing.

Alan Marques said the border closure for tourists nearly ended his relationship with his boyfriend, who is a flight attendant. They've been together four years, but hadn't seen each other in four months, until Marques, 33, flew in from Sao Paulo to Atlanta on Monday. He said the separation has been "very difficult and distressing," because his boyfriend's visits to Brazil have only been for a few hours, instead of the days they are used to.

How does it feel to be properly reunited? "So good," he said.

Mexico border busy ... then quiet

After a busy few hours after midnight ET at the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez border crossing in Texas, the normally bustling border crossing fell quiet. Traffic was minimal at crossings between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez and passenger vehicles zipped up the El Paso's Bridge of the Americas freely, no line to stop them.

"I've sold hardly anything," said newspaper salesman José Fierro, whose rack was still filled with El Diario newspapers and PM tabloids at 8 a.m. He had been there on the curb since 3 a.m., he said. There was 6 a.m. traffic, then nothing. "Everyone crossed yesterday, panicked about how the lines were going to be today."

Constantino Castellanos, 68, and his wife, Lizbeth, 62, bought quesadillas at the foot of the Bridge of the Americas, a street vendor handing over a Styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic.

They could take their time. The bridge – usually a wall of slow-moving cars and trucks – was an empty ribbon of asphalt. The border had been closed to tourists or people visiting family, although a wide variety of essential workers had been permitted to cross during the closure. During  that time, Mexican nationals holding tourist cards were banned from traveling over the land border; air travel between points in the interior of both countries never ceased.

"It's been two years," said Lizbeth Castellanos. "We're going to Marshalls and Walmart."

The crossing reopened at just after midnight Eastern time. At 6 a.m. Eastern, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported no significant crossing delays at either the Mexico or Canada borders.

Susana Hernández of Juárez was crossing for the first time since the pandemic restrictions to buy clothes in El Paso for her business. She smiled and flashed her vaccine card.

"We're happy," she said. "We're home, we feel like we're back home."

Cross-border traffic of essential travelers between El Paso and Juárez reached nearly 800,000 crossings of passenger vehicles in August, according to the Border Region Modeling Project at the University of Texas at El Paso. 

"Nobody anticipated that this pandemic would last as long as it has, in terms of travel restrictions," said Hector Mancha, U.S. Customs and Border Protection director of field operations in El Paso. "People have not crossed over and visited with family in going on two years... Unfortunately, the pandemic has kept us from (reopening). I think it's overdue." 

— Lauren Villagran, Martha Pskowski ,  El Paso Times  

'Welcome back world'

Times Square was relatively quiet Monday morning as the city that never sleeps prepared to welcome vaccinated international tourists back to the U.S. 

Around 8:45 a.m., the Times Square Alliance unfurled a "Welcome Back World" sign on the Red Steps in Times Square. 

The Steps, considered an iconic New York landmark for tourists, had about 190,000 people walk by them each day before the pandemic, according to the Times Square Alliance, the not-for-profit group that maintains it. At the pandemic's worst, that number dropped to 30,000, and New York businesses hope the flood of tourists will boost their finances.

TJ Witham, the vice president of communications for the Times Square Alliance, told USA TODAY the alliance chose the red steps as it is an "iconic meeting place" for people visiting the Big Apple. 

Chris Dickson, a 41-year-old bus scheduler from Newcastle, England, flew to New York City on Monday for 48 hours, using credit from a British Airways trip he'd had to cancel seven months ago.

Dickson planned to drop his bag at his Brooklyn hotel and start exploring the city he last visited more than two years ago.

"I just wanted to come to America at the first opportunity,'' he said. "I'm going to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, I'm going to go through Central Park, I'm going to do some running, some jogging in that area. I'm just going to enjoy the weather and enjoy being back in America.''

Mainda Kiwelu, 45, arrived in New York on the second British Airways flight of the day. She said this was her first trip to the U.S. in about five or six years, and was hoping to visit the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park later this week, after work meetings.

"The flight was ok," Kiwelu said. "It was just a bit nerve-wracking sort of doing all the logistics for the travel and making sure the vaccination certificate, app, everything works."

Dueling takeoffs from London to New York

A pair of simultaneous flights left London's Heathrow airport early Monday morning, taking off on parallel runways and following similar flight paths for New York's JFK International Airport. British Airways Flight 1 and Virgin Atlantic Flight 3 took off at 3:51 a.m. ET and landed within minutes of each other. The airlines are rivals but teamed up to commemorate the reopening of foreign travel to the U.S., and British Airways' CEO was aboard his company's flight, which touched down about 11 a.m. ET

American Airlines, which is a BA travel partner, saw bookings from London to US surge 70 percent in the past week, with a lot of the travel for remainder of 2021, said Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja.

Clive Wartten, who runs a business-travel group in the UK, arrived on the British Airways flight and was headed for a run in Central Park before meetings with colleagues. Wartten planned to fly home Tuesday night.

"It just feels good to be back on an airplane," he said. "There was a real buzz at the airport and aboard the aircraft, lots of cheering when we took off. It was a bit of a holiday party flight."

Wartten, who is the CEO of the Business Travel Association, later tweeted that he made it from the plane to one of New York's famed yellow taxis in just seven minutes.

"This is a big step for us to come back and open business travel with our US friends," he told USA TODAY while passing through the terminal.

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle  has been pushing the Biden administration to ease travel restrictions between the UK and the US for months because it is one of the busiest travel corridors in the world. At one point during the spring, he said, the second runway at Heathrow was closed because the airport hadn't seen such a limited number of flights since World War II.

"This has been a crisis like no other,'' he said Monday after arriving in New York.

Doyle believes the border reopening took too long – the UK and European Union started welcoming US tourists back over the summer – but on Monday said he didn't want to dwell on the past. Instead, he gushed about what the reopening means to British Airways and its passengers.

"The North Atlantic is very important to British Airways and today's a very, very important turning point and milestone in the future of the country,'' he said.

Is he worried travel restrictions could return if COVID cases spike on either side of the Atlantic? 

"You always have to keep an eye on things,'' he said. "But I do think that we're seeing a sort of pragmatic framework emerge across a number of jurisdictions.''

He said he hopes that that framework – basing entry requirements on vaccination and testing – remains despite any COVID trends going forward.

— Dawn Gilbertson, Morgan Hines, USA TODAY

Anticipation at airports

Ahead of the British Airways first flight arrival, family members waited in the Terminal 7 arrivals area at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is decked out with balloons and New York symbols including the back half of a taxicab filled with a floral arrangement and NYC-themed cookies. 

Louise Erebara, from Danbury, Connecticut, arrived at the airport with her family early to welcome her sister and her sister's husband after 730 days apart. 

"It's everything, we can't thank British Airways enough," a choked-up Erebara said, noting the airline paid for her relatives' flight. "They want to reunite ex-pats and they're doing it." 

In Atlanta, Ari Bell, waited anxiously for her fiancé to arrive from the UK after 21 months apart. They've bridged the distance with Snapchat, video calls and texts, and she was waiting to surprise him at the airport as he starts a three-week visit that will include his first-ever Thanksgiving.

"He actually came over for a quick job interview in February, right before the shutdown, got back to London and then that March, everything closed up. So we've just kind of been hanging on a string," Bell said. "It was a little bit confusing to get him here, just because he didn't know he needed a negative (test) so that three days prior we actually had to make that last minute. And he came back negative. He's already fully vaccinated. I'm vaccinated. I got my booster yesterday, just in case — I'm just excited to see him."

Bell said she's excited to just watch a movie together — for months, they've been watching movies simultaneously but separated by the Atlantic Ocean.

"We're homebodies. We like to game together. But yeah, that's mostly what we're looking forward to — just being in the same space together," she said. "This is going to be our first Thanksgiving together, his first Thanksgiving period. He's never celebrated. So we're actually gonna make the big meal and have all my family come over. He's a little nervous. But you know, he loves my dad. They're both ex-army. So they get along great."

And Rosa Chorra, 37, eagerly awaited her parents' arrival from Spain, waiting with her 10-month-old Aurora for their plane to land in Atland. Chorra's parents missed her pregnancy and granddaughter's birth, although Chorra was able to take Aurora to visit them three months ago. She said she missed having the help they could have provided with a newborn.

"It was absolutely horrible. I think it's been the hardest time of my life. I mean, when she was born, the first months that are the hardest, and it's been tough," Chorra said.

— Dawn Gilbertson, Morgan Hines, Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Headed to Disney World

For UK resident Emma Barbour and her family, the border reopening means one thing: Florida's Disney World with their 10-year-old daughter.

They usually come annually, but put those plans on hold after 2019, and rescheduled this trip three times as they waited for the Biden administration to lift the ban. Barbour, 41, said the airports were busy but staff seemed cheerful despite long lines.

"We honestly wouldn't travel if we felt unsafe or nervous, we are fully vaccinated and will wear our masks. I definitely won't let it tarnish our time there by worrying about it," she said from Paris as they waited to board their Atlanta-bound flight.

The British are coming

Sam Nagy and his family are headed to Florida, to the Universal Orlando Resort, their first trip to the U.S. since 2018. He said lines at the Manchester, England, airport were smooth, raising his hopes for the family vacation they've rescheduled four times already.

"That once-a-year trip is so much more to us than just a vacation, it honestly feels like it's ‘home' as cliché as that may be to say," said Nagy.

Paul Richards is flying from London to New York on Virgin Atlantic and described the airport scene as chaotic, with long check-in lines this morning. He is headed to New York City for vacation to celebrate his son's 21st birthday.

"They are working really hard to get people through, however, some passengers hadn't completed the attestation forms or just stood in the wrong queue,'' he said. "Once through check in, security was pretty slick.''

— Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY

Lines at the Canada-US border

At th Sweetgrass, Montana, border crossing, wait times climbed to 240 minutes -- four hours — according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Normal wait time is about 45 minutes.

Windsor, Ontario, Mayor Drew Dilkens said a Canadian travel requirement – having negative polymerase chain reaction test that can cost $200 – is likely to prevent many who want to drive from Ontario to Michigan from doing so.

He explained the testing provision doesn't make sense for day-trippers nor does it provide the kind of health assurance the government thinks it does because someone could easily contract the virus during their visit.

He wants to see that requirement lifted.

— Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press

How did the international travel ban start?

The travel ban barred most foreign nationals who had been in the listed countries in the past 14 days from entering the U.S., regardless of vaccination status. The country also cut off nonessential travel across the U.S. land borders with Mexico and Canada  in March 2020. 

It wasn't until September  that the White House announced that it would end the travel ban for fully vaccinated travelers – months after many other nations  reopened to U.S. tourists. 

The new U.S. entry requirements, which went into effect Monday, require foreign air passengers to test negative for the virus before boarding a plane to the country and, if they are 18 or older , show proof of full vaccination. Travelers entering the U.S. on land or by ferry for nonessential reasons also need to show proof of vaccination. 

As airports and border crossings get adjusted to the new travel rules, international travelers should prepare for lines .

The first flight from a country listed the travel ban is set to fly into Chicago from Dublin just before 7 a.m. CT, according to flight tracker Flight Aware and flight-data firm OAG.

Plenty more will follow; there are more than 2 million international flights scheduled to arrive in the U.S. next month, compared to just 728,820 in December of 2020, according to OAG and Flight Aware.

► US drops travel ban: Expect bottlenecks at airports under strict entry rules

Order: Requirement for Airlines and Operators to Collect Contact Information for All Passengers Arriving into the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an Order on October 25, 2021 requiring airlines and other aircraft operators to collect contact information for passengers before their arrival into the United States from a foreign country, retain the information for 30 days, and transmit the information to CDC upon request. The purpose of collecting this information is to identify and locate passengers who may have been exposed to a person with a communicable disease for public health follow-up.

Airlines, other aircraft operators, and passengers are required to comply with the order by November 8, 2021.

View the Order [PDF – 34 pages] . This Order will be published in the  Federal Register . On November 10, 2021, CDC reposted this Order to correct minor grammatical and typographical errors. The legal substance of the Order remains the same.

FAQS On This Page:

For Passengers

For airlines and operators.

This Order applies to:

• All airlines and operators conducting any passenger-carrying operations into the United States from a foreign last point of departure
• All passengers and crewmembers flying into, or transiting through, the United States from a foreign last point of departure

Within 72 hours before their flight to the United States departs, passengers are required to provide the following information, to the extent it exists: full name (as it appears on their passport), address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address.

Passengers also have to:

• Acknowledge that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement and that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties, and
• Confirm the information they provided is complete and accurate.

Airlines and passenger-carrying operators are required to collect each passenger’s full name, address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address, to the extent this information exists, within 72 hours before the flight’s departure. Airlines and operators must maintain these data elements for crew members. Airlines and operators must also maintain, to the extent the data are already available and maintained by the airline, the following information for each passenger and crewmember:

• date of birth
• airline name
• flight number
• city of departure to the United States
• departure date and time
• city of arrival in the United States
• arrival data and time
• seat number

The airline or operator needs to retain this information for 30 days after the flight’s departure unless the airline or operator has chosen to transmit the information securely to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via their established data systems. Data that has not already been transmitted to DHS must be transmitted to CDC within 24 hours upon request.

Airlines and operators must also notify passengers of the intent and purpose of the information collection and obtain from each passenger an acknowledgement that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement, that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties, and confirmation that the information provided is complete and accurate.

This Order follows the February 2020 Interim Final Rule  that authorized CDC to require airlines and other aircraft operators to collect certain contact information from passengers before they board a flight to the United States, and to provide the information to CDC within 24 hours of an Order from CDC.

Air passengers are required to provide the following information, to the extent that it exists, within 72 hours before their flight’s departure:

• address while in the United States
• primary contact phone number
• secondary or emergency contact phone number
• and email address

Full name should be the name that appears on a passenger’s passport. Address while in the United States should be a complete address including street address, city, state or territory, and zip code. A U.S.-based phone number is preferred for primary contact phone number. The email address provided should be one that will be routinely checked while in the United States.

Passengers must also:

Airlines and operators must collect the information from passengers within 72 hours of their flight’s departure. Airlines and operators may choose the format or means for collecting the contact information from passengers. Many passengers that use online booking systems or mobile phone applications (apps) will receive a prompt from their airline to provide or confirm their contact information via email or an app. For example, when checking in for a flight through a mobile phone app, passengers may have to check boxes confirming their contact information and completing the acknowledgement.

Once an airline or operator collects the information, it will either be shared directly with CDC upon request or it will be shared with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through their established data systems. Information transmitted to DHS will be transmitted to CDC upon request. All data transfers will be secure to protect passengers’ information.

As may be necessary for public health follow-up, CDC may share the information securely with relevant state, local, and territorial public health authorities at a passenger’s destination. The data collected will enable CDC and the relevant health departments to contact those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 or other communicable diseases. Follow-up can include:

• Monitoring travelers for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases
• Offering preventive care when available and indicated
• Quickly identifying anyone with symptoms and their contacts
• Asking symptomatic persons to isolate and their contacts to self-quarantine
• Ensuring any travelers who develop symptoms receive appropriate medical evaluation and care
• Educating travelers about how to take steps to care for themselves and help protect others in their home and community

Personally identifiable information (e.g., names, addresses) provided to CDC is stored on secure CDC servers and shared securely with health departments at passengers’ destinations. The personally identifiable information is accessible only to CDC staff and other public health officials who need the information for official public health purposes. CDC will retain, use, delete, or otherwise destroy the designated information in accordance with the Federal Records Act, the applicable Privacy Act System of Records Notices , and other applicable law.

For data transmitted by airlines and operators via an established DHS data sysetm, DHS may use the data for any use permitted by the applicable Systems of Records Notice . DHS may share passenger data with other law enforcement and national security partners pursuant to agreements with those partners.

Passengers without access to a phone or email while in the U.S. should list the email and phone number of the accommodation where they will be staying at their destination. This can be the phone number and/or email of a friend or relative with whom passengers will stay with during their visit, or a hotel, as long as the passengers themselves can be reached at that phone number and/or email.

Passengers should indicate the address of the first location where they will be staying (e.g., hotel, hostel, friend or relative home, etc.) while in the United States, unless passengers intend to stay at subsequent locations for longer periods of time.

Yes, all passengers are required to provide this data, to the extent it exists, to their airline or operator. Parents or guardians of minor children may provide the required data on behalf of their minor children. An authorized individual may provide the required data for another passenger, if that passenger is unable to provide the information on their own behalf (e.g., because of age or physical or mental impairment).

Passengers should provide a primary phone number at which they can be contacted while in the United States and a U.S.-based phone number is preferred. Passengers who will use an international phone as their primary phone should ensure they will have service while in the United States. Passengers who will use an international phone as their primary or secondary phone must include the country code and any additional codes needed to reach the phone while the person is in the U.S. (e.g., country code and area code or carrier code).

Passengers, including those only transiting through a U.S. airport to a foreign country destination, must provide, to the extent the information exists: their full name, address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address.

In-transit passengers are unlikely to have an address while in the United States, and should select the applicable “in-transit” option if provided by their airline. Passengers should contact their airline for additional guidance on how to provide the required data.

This Order applies to all passenger-carrying operations conducted on airplanes arriving into the United States from a foreign last point of departure (including flights with intermediate stops in the United States between the flight’s foreign point of origin and the final destination).

The Order becomes effective on November 8, 2021. CDC encourages airlines and operators to begin collection and retention or transmission of the required information on the effective date. CDC will exercise its enforcement discretion for airlines or operators that need additional time to comply with the requirements of the Order.

Airlines and operators must collect the following information, to the extent it exists, from each passenger:

• email address

Airlines and operators must maintain the information above for crewmembers.

For each passenger and crewmember, the airline or operator must additionally maintain, to the extent that such data are available, the following information:

• city of depature to the United States
• depature date and time
• arrival date and time

Airlines and operators must obtain the following from each passenger (“acknowledgment”):

• Acknowledgement that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement and that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties, and
• Confirmation the information they provided is complete and accurate.

Airlines and operators must notify passengers (“acknowledgement”):

• of the purpose and intent of the information collection,
• that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a United States Government requirement, and
• that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties.

A template with language that airlines and operators must include when collecting the required information is available here [PDF – 2 pages] .

Airlines and operators must collect the contact information and acknowledgement from passengers no more than 72 hours before their flight’s departure.

Airlines and operators are required to maintain contact information for crewmembers and provide it to CDC upon request. Airlines and operators do not need to collect contact information from crewmembers before every flight, but should have available the relevant information for each crewmember on any given flight.

Airlines may use whatever means or format they choose to collect the data elements from passengers and obtain the acknowledgement. This may include a check box for the acknowledgement.

CDC understands passengers transiting through the U.S. to a foreign destination will not have an address in the U.S. CDC requests that airlines and operators provide a way for passengers to indicate that they are only transiting through the U.S. (e.g., drop-down or “radio button” option for “in transit” for the address) in order to receive acknowledgment from passengers that they have provided as much information as possible.

Airlines and operators are required to retain the information required by the Order for a minimum of 30 days after the flight unless all of the required information has already been transmitted to the U.S. Government.

See the Technical Instructions for CDC’s Contact Information Collection Order  for information about transmitting data to CDC. Airlines may alternatively transmit data through established DHS data systems.

No, airlines and operators are encouraged to establish a SAMS account early to avoid any delays in transmitting data upon request by CDC. See the Technical Instructions for CDC’s Contact Information Collection  for information on setting up a SAMS account.

The Order requires airlines and operators to collect the data elements to the extent it exists. CDC understands that some passengers may not have a secondary phone number or an email address. A complete physical address, including the street address, city, state, and ZIP code should reasonably exist for any passenger with a destination in the U.S. CDC requests that airlines and operators provide a way for passengers to indicate that they do not have the contact information (e.g. option for “N/A” for secondary phone) in order to receive acknowledgment from passengers that they have provided as much information as possible.

Airlines and operators may, at their discretion, use reasonable efforts to verify the information provided by passengers. For example, airlines and operators could compare the data provided by the passenger to the data that the passenger provided to receive trip updates and boarding passes for that trip. This is not a requirement of the Order.

Airlines and operators are required to obtain from passengers: acknowledgment of the purpose and intent of this collection; acknowledgement that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement; that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties; and confirmation that the information provided is complete and accurate.

Airlines and operators may obtain this acknowledgement in any of the following formats:

• Verbally – airlines and operators may have an employee obtain verbal confirmation from passengers that they understand the purpose and intent of the Order and that they have provided complete and accurate information. Airline or operator employees must read the italicized script under the verbal instructions provided in the template [PDF – 2 pages]  when obtaining verbal confirmation.
• Digitally – airlines and operators that digitize the acknowledgement must include the statements provided in the template and may use check boxes, for example, at the time a passenger provides their contact information. The Privacy Act statement, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number, OMB expiration date, and the Burden Statement provided in the footer of the template [PDF – 2 pages]  must be included when digitally collecting the required data elements (full name, address while in the U.S., primary phone number, secondary or emergency phone number, and email address) and the
• Paper Copy – airlines and operators may combine the acknowledgement with the attestation in a paper copy format or they may obtain written acknowledgement from passengers separate from the attestation. Acknowledgements in this format must include the Privacy Act statement, OMB Control Number, OMB expiration date, and the Burden Statement provided in the template.

Any airline or operator that enters into a contract with the U.S. Military service to provide transportation to persons designated by the U.S. Military service is exempt from this Order for flights covered under the contract. The U.S. Military service typically collects and retains the designated information and conducts any necessary public health follow-up for passengers on the aircraft that operate in accordance with the U.S. Military service contract with the airline or operator.

Any airline or operator that enters into a contract with another U.S. Government agency may be eligible for an exemption on a case-by-case basis with approval from the CDC Director. Any request for this exemption must be made to CDC via email at [email protected] and is subject to any requirement or limitation established by the CDC Director, including that the U.S. Government agency that is a party to such a contract shall conduct any necessary public health follow-up for passengers and crew.

Any airline or operator designated as state aircraft under international law (1) by an appropriate United States federal government department or agency, or (2) by a foreign government and granted diplomatic clearance to enter U.S. airspace.

For technical questions about transmitting information securely to CDC, contact [email protected] .

• Importation
• Southern Border Health and Migration
• Travelers' Health
• Vessel Sanitation Program
• Funding and Guidance for State and Local Health Departments
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Division of Global Migration Health

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

British Airways releases new interactive map outlining travel restrictions and entry requirements

British Airways announced (21-Jul-2021) passengers may now check the travel restrictions and entry requirements of all destinations in the carrier's network a new interactive map on ba.com. The map has been created in conjunction with Sherpa, bringing together information for more than 100 countries. The map, that the airline plans to further integrate into ba.com, will also help customers understand what is needed for their return the UK . [ more - original PR ]

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British Airways starts trialling a new travel health app for USA flights

by James Wilkinson

British airways has revealed that it will begin trialling a new travel health app, verifly, with customers who are eligible to travel between london and the usa from february 4..

The new digital health travel passport, which can be downloaded to a mobile device, is designed to offer peace of mind before travel by checking customers meet the entry requirements of their destination by providing digital health document verification and confirming eligibility.

Use of the VeriFLY app will be optional and customers will also continue to be able to evidence they meet the US entry requirements at check-in.

The trial follows the recent announcement that American Airlines, British Airways’ joint business and oneworld partner, now allows all customers to use VeriFLY when they are travelling to the US from all international destinations.

Since American became the first airline to use VeriFLY in November for selected routes, thousands of customers have travelled using the app, with many providing positive feedback to the airline on its ease of use.

British Airways is the first airline in the UK to trial the use of a mobile travel health passport for customers travelling from London. It will also be the only airline outside the US to offer its customers the opportunity to trial VeriFLY.

The airline is currently operating flights from the UK to New York (JFK), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Washington, Houston and Seattle.

British Airways CEO, Sean Doyle, said: “Although flying is currently restricted, it is essential we do as much as we can now to help those who are eligible to fly and prepare to help our customers navigate the complexities around changing global entry requirements when the world re-opens.

“We remain focused and committed to finding user-friendly, evidence-based solutions to make journeys as seamless they can be. Through these trials, we hope to provide travellers and governments on both sides of the Atlantic with the tools and the reassurance they need to make safe travel possible.”

VeriFLY will allow people to combine travel verification documents and Covid-19 test results in one place, ensuring travellers are fully compliant with the entry requirements for their destination before leaving home.

Certified customers will be fast-tracked through the airport where specially designated desks will be available for check in.

After creating a secure profile, the platform prompts customers to confirm their flight information, upload details of a negative Covid-19 test result and any other essential documentation. The software confirms the test matches the country’s regulations with a simple ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ message. VeriFLY will also provide users with reminders once the credential has expired.

The British Airways VeriFLY trial will begin from February 4, 2021 for customers travelling from London to all US routes currently operating and will be updated to ensure conformance with the latest UK government requirement for a declaration around the reason for travel once the airline has clarity on the legislation.

Phase two, which will follow in the near future, will extend to cover customers travelling to the UK from the US across both carriers. This will make British Airways and American Airlines the first transatlantic partners to offer a digital solution for eligible customers flying to the UK.

American Airlines President, Robert Isom, said: “We are pleased to be working hand-in-hand again with our partner, British Airways, to make transatlantic travel as seamless as possible for those who are permitted to fly by utilising the latest in digital technology.”

British Airways is also simultaneously conducting a testing trial with American Airlines and oneworld on some routes from the US to the UK. The results of the trial will be shared with Oxford University, the academic partners and with governments on both sides of the Atlantic.

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We’ve been transporting pets of all shapes and sizes since the 1950s as the cargo handling arm of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL. With our support and expertise, we’ll make sure your pets are comfortably transported to wherever your travels take you.

Approved IATA carrier for Live Animals

Fully trained and passionate personnel with vast experience in animal transport

Specialised facilities and vets

Trusted by some of the world’s most prestigious zoos and animal charities

Preparing your pet for travel

The worldwide standard for animal air travel is IATA’s Live Animal Regulation. You can read more about this  here . You may also find some useful information from IATA on the  Traveler’s Pet Corner  page about preparing your pet for travel.

We work with specialist pet travel agents around the world to ensure the highest level of care for your pet. Just like a travel agent, they will help you make a booking and prepare your pet for travel.

Flying your pet from the UK?

We have partnered with Pet Air UK to take care of all pets that are departing from the UK. The expert team at Pet Air UK can assist with quotations and export bookings.

If you are departing from Ireland, please use this form .

Flying your pet from a different country (Not the UK)?

For all other pets flying from countries outside the UK, simply click the link below and fill out the Pets form. We will share your details and put you in touch with our trusted pet travel partners who can assist you and provide a quotation.

Prior to your journey you should give your pet only a light meal and the opportunity to urinate and defecate before it’s placed in its container.

During the flight your pet will be stored in the aircraft's hold, where it will be safe and secure in a temperature-controlled environment. The hold is unlit as our experience shows that pets quickly settle down and travel better in the dark.

Provided that your pet complies with the pre-entry requirements, there should be no difficulties when it comes to re-entry. However, it is also advisable to have your vet check that the microchip is readable, as sometimes these migrate around the body.

For information on travelling with guide dogs or assistance dogs check the airline policy: British Airways , Iberia , Aer Lingus , Vueling , LEVEL .

Some dangerous dog breeds and snub nosed breeds of cats and dogs may not be accepted, please fill in the enquiry form above and your pet travel agent will advise.

Read the full guidelines for dog containers here .

Minimum requirement for cats departing from the USA and Canada only, is a 200 kennel (200 series kennel = L27" x W20" x H19", L68cm x W50cm x H48cm).

For all other countries, series 100 kennels are acceptable.

Minimum requirement for snub-nosed dogs and cats is a 10% larger container than the minimum.

The container must be strong enough to protect your pet during transport, be secure enough to contain it and have sufficient ventilation on all four sides, to ensure the air quality in the container will not deteriorate.

The door must be secured in such a manner that it will not open accidentally or your pet cannot open it during handling and transport.

Your pet's nose and paws should not be able to fit through any ventilation opening or door mesh.

The container must have a water pot accessible from the outside.

The water pot must be secured and in proportion to the size of the pet but not take up too much of the floor space.

Fibreboard, wire mesh and wicker containers are not suitable for air transportation.

These dimensions are the minimum internal dimensions, please allow extra room if you are placing a blanket or bedding into the kennel. Pets must be able to stand and sit erect without touching the top of the kennel and turn around comfortably.

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New guidelines for Travel to USA on or after NOV 8: Entry Rules, Vaccines, Testing, Exemptions, FAQs

After four months of deliberation on easing entry restrictions for foreign nationals in a calibrated manner, the White House has finally issued new entry rules and travel guidelines for international travelers boarding flights into USA on or after November 8, 2021 . President Biden signed a new proclamation for safe resumption of air travel to the US, replacing all the previous proclamations that imposed country-by-country travel restrictions during the pandemic, with a vaccination-based air travel policy as the premise of entry into the US. The new proclamation exempts children under 18 from the vaccine-based entry policy and comes with limited exceptions for certain foreign individuals (noncitizen nonimmigrants).

The new proclamation will take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST (9:31 p.m. IST) on November 8. The proclamation does not apply to the US-bound passengers of a flight that is scheduled to depart from a foreign country prior to 12:01 a.m. EST on NOV 8. Travel Beats, the exclusive US-India travel news portal owned by Indian Eagle , a most trusted travel partner of the Indian-origin community in the US, decoded the new guidelines for travel to USA.

Picture Credit: Citizen.org

For 18 months, Various Presidential Proclamations restricted entry into the US for certain US visa holders who have been in India and Europe during 14 days prior to their planned travel to the US . However, from November 2021, fully-vaccinated foreign nationals will be able to enter the US without NIE approval and on condition of giving their consent to undergo testing and contact tracing on arrival.

USA’s guidelines for full-vaccinated international arrivals

As per the United States’ new entry rules, fully-vaccinated international travelers, irrespective of their citizenship, immigration status and visa,  must carry proof of vaccination and a negative report (with a QR code if travel originates in India) of the COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure for the US. Fully vaccinated international arrivals may not be needed to undergo quarantine in the US. Those who took the second jab of a two-dose vaccine or the jab of one-dose Janssen approved or listed by WHO, at least 14 days before their scheduled travel to the US, are considered fully vaccinated.

The proof of vaccination must be a paper or digital certificate issued by an official source in the country where the vaccine was administered. It should have the vaccine name, the date(s) of receiving the vaccine dose(s), and the traveler’s name as well as date of birth. Airlines are directed to verify the US-bound passengers’ proof of vaccination prior to onboarding them.

USA’s new entry rules for children under 18

The United States’ vaccine-based entry requirement does not apply to unvaccinated children under 18, starting on November 8, until further notice. This exemption will be reviewed when vaccines will be rolled out and available for children under 18 in different parts of the world.

The pre-departure testing window (72 hours) remains unaltered for unvaccinated children (between the ages of 2 and 17) if they are accompanied by fully-vaccinated adults. If an unvaccinated child travels to USA alone or with an unvaccinated adult (in limited cases), the child needs to take a COVID-19 viral test within 24 hours prior to scheduled departure from the country of travel origin.

The US’ pre-arrival or pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirement does not apply to children under 2 years of age.

International airlines will be required to collect contact information of their USA-bound passengers traveling from or via the countries which have been subject to the Presidential Proclamations till date. It will help with contact-tracing of international arrivals in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a federal public health agency. In October, a directive on this will be issued to the airlines operating flights to USA from India , the UK and EU countries.

USA’s new entry rules accept these vaccines for international arrivals

You must be wondering which vaccines will be accepted for international travelers’ entry into the US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the COVID-19 vaccines that WHO has approved or listed for emergency use will be accepted as part of the criteria for restrictions-free travel to the United States. The WHO-approved COVID vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Covishield (India), Sinopharm (Beijing), and Sinovac. On November 3, WHO approved Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for emergency use. “Earlier this week, we informed airlines of the vaccines that would be accepted for arrival of international travelers from foreign countries,” the CDC added.

As the CDC approved the WHO-listed COVID vaccines, the Covishield or Covaxin-vaccinated Indians on B1/B2 and other US visas will be able to travel to the US without NIE approval or a 14-day stopover in a third country. After a lot of dillydallying, WHO approved and listed Covaxin for emergency use. Hence, Covaxin-inoculated Indians will not be subjected to the United States’ entry and travel restrictions. Recently, Australia, Oman, Iran, Philippines, Greece, Mauritius, Mexico and Estonia have reopened to Covaxin-vaccinated Indians.

New guidelines for unvaccinated US citizens and LPRs’ travel to USA

President Biden’s new proclamation on safe resumption of air travel to the US is equally stringent for unvaccinated US citizens and legal permanent residents returning to the country on or after November 8. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated Americans and Green card holders will be able to enter the US, but they will have to take a COVID-19 viral test within 24 hours prior to undertaking the scheduled travel from a foreign country and a test on arrival in the US.

The same pre-departure testing window (24 hours) applies to fully-vaccinated US citizens and LPRs in case they are unable to show their proof of vaccination.

Also Check: India starts issuing tourist visa to foreign nationals

Who are exempted from USA’s vaccination requirement for entry?    

The United States’ new travel guidelines for international arrivals suspend the entry of unvaccinated noncitizen nonimmigrants (mostly foreign nationals), starting on November 8. However, the new proclamation comes with limited exceptions that allow the arrival of unvaccinated noncitizen nonimmigrants in certain cases.

• Children under 18 years of age
• Foreign nationals traveling to USA for emergency or humanitarian reasons, as determined by the Director of CDC
• Foreign nationals traveling to USA for the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security
• Sea crew members and crew members of an airline or other aircraft operator
• Participants of certain clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccination, as determined by the Director of CDC
• Members of the US Armed Forces and their immediate family members
• Foreign government officials and their immediate family members
• Those traveling on non-tourist visas from countries with the limited vaccine availability
• Those whose travel purpose is within the scope of the Section 11 of the UN Headquarters Agreement or the US legal obligation (they should have a letter of invitation from the United Nations or other document issued by a US legal body)
• Those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 due to rare medial contraindications, as determined by the Director of CDC

Book the best flights to USA before fares skyrocket 

Since May 4, 2021, the White House imposed entry restrictions on certain visa holders from India and a few other countries through the Presidential Proclamation 10199. Since then, Indians, including B2 visa holders, have been either seeking National Interest Exception or bypassing the US entry restrictions via a third country. The United States’ new entry guidelines for fully-vaccinated foreign visitors will relieve Indians of the hassles of applying for NIE approval or taking a 15-day stopover in Doha or Dubai.

FAQs on new rules for travel to USA on and after November 8 

What proof of vaccination should I provide to the airline as per America’s new rules for the arrival of Covishield-vaccinated Indians?

Your proof of vaccination must be an International Travel Certificate that you can download from the government of India’s CoWin portal. The certificate is compliant with WHO’s digital format for vaccination proof. The vaccine certificate/international travel certificate should specify the vaccine name, vaccine type, vaccine manufacturer, number and dates of the doses administered, other than your date of birth and passport number. Log in to the CoWin portal with your registered phone number, navigate to the ‘International Travel Certificate’ section and click on it. Enter your date of birth (as per the given format) and passport number. Then click on ‘Submit’. The certificate is ready to be downloaded. You can take a printout or carry a soft copy on your mobile device.

My name on the vaccine certificate does not match my name on the passport. Will it affect my travel to USA from India?

Your name on the vaccine proof/certificate must be the same as that on the passport. You can correct or update your name on the CoWin portal only once. Login to the CoWin portal and click the ‘Raise an Issue’ button. A dropdown menu appears. Select ‘Add Passport Details’ in the dropdown menu and click on this. Enter your passport details including the full name and hit ‘Submit’. Once you receive the confirmation message to the registered phone number, you can download the certificate. The process may take up to a few hours in some cases.

I was granted a National Interest Exception in August and the approval is valid through July 2022. Will I be able to use the NIE approval for travel on or after November 8?

If you are Covishield-vaccinated and have the proof of vaccination, you won’t need the NIE approval to travel to the US from India after the new proclamation takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on NOV 8. The national interest exception may help you travel to the US if you are still unvaccinated or inoculated with Covaxin (which WHO has not yet approved). However, President Biden’s new proclamation does not clarify this. Hence, be advised to check with the US Embassy or consulate that granted the NIE approval to you.

I am an unvaccinated US citizen. I am traveling to India for a week due to an emergency. Will I be able to travel back after November 8, given my non-vaccination status?

Being a US citizen, you will be able to travel back, regardless of your vaccination status. As per the new rules for travel and entry into the US, you will have to take a COVID-19 viral test within 24 hours prior to your scheduled return flight from India. Most labs in India deliver COVID-19 test results within 48-72 hours of the sample collection. That’s why CDC recommends that you carry a US-authorized proctored self-test kit to be used prior to your return travel from India. The self-test must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test with Emergency Use Authorization from FDA. The testing procedure must include a tele-health service affiliated with the manufacturer of the test that provides real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection. Please be advised to check with the India-bound airline and the Indian Embassy whether you can bring a US-authorized self-test kit to India.

I have a valid US visitor visa and proof of vaccination (Covishield). Can I travel to USA via Europe once the travel restrictions are revoked with effect from NOV 8?  

After November 8, 2021, you can travel to the US via Europe. However, major European airlines such as British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic may continue to restrict onboarding of Indian passport holders whose final destination is beyond Europe. Maybe, these airlines lift the restriction on or after NOV 8.

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92 thoughts on “ new guidelines for travel to usa on or after nov 8: entry rules, vaccines, testing, exemptions, faqs ”.

Is it safer to wait for further announcement on exact dates of the new rules to implemented before booking tickets?

Hi Koustav! We hope the exact date will be announced in the first week of November.

Hi – Any idea when we will know the exact date in November, I am planning to have my parents travel on November 4th

Hi Mahender! There is still no further update on this. We are keeping a watch. As soon as there is further development on this, we will share through the article.

Do you still require OCI if you are traveling to India from USA?

Hi Dhruv! If you are a US citizen, you require an OCI card or an entry visa or a tourist visa.

Hello, US citizen with visitor visa which were suspended due to Covid- can I now travel with those visa? Hema

Hi Hema! The existing tourist visas are currently not valid for entry to India. You need to apply for a fresh tourist visa for travel on or after November 15.

Can we travel on nov 8 from ind to usa?

Hi Priya! If you are fully vaccinated with any of the WHO-approved vaccines, you are good to travel from India on Nov 9, which is Nov 8 in the US.

Hello, I am travelling with my family from Delhi to Newark from Air India flight on Nov 9. We are family of 4. Me, my wife and my elder kid(13 year_ are having H1 and H4 visa and my younger kid (4 years) is US citizen. Except my younger kid we all 3 are fully vaccinated in USA (Pfizer). I understand we have to get covid negative RT-PCR report before 72 hours of departure for all of us. Is there anything else we need to do? I heard some airports are asking to take rapid test on the airport before boarding? Please advise

Hi Sumit! Taking a rapid PCR test at the airport is not for travel to the US. It is for those traveling to the UAE from India. You don’t need to worry about this.

Can you still enter USA from mexico with 14 day quarantine without vaccine ? Is vaccine now required for all non US citizens ?

Hi Redtar! There is yet no clarification on this.

can my vaccinated sister travel to US with an unvaccinated daughter who is 9 years of age?

Hi Archana! As per the information available, the US will allow the entry of unvaccinated children accompanied by vaccinated adults. In the coming days, the White House is expected to release more specifics about unvaccinated children from foreign countries, including India.

Is there a restriction on which airlines are allowed to fly indian nationals with visitor visa?

Hi Pramod! The visitor visa holders from India have not been able to travel on British Airways, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, and a few other European airlines till date. These airlines may fly Indian nationals with US visitor visas starting on November 8. We will keep you posted.

Any update on this?

Thanks. How about American Airlines with layover in London?

Indians with a US visitor visa can travel on American Airlines via London.

My In Laws are planning to travel on Nov 8th. Recent update from US government the rules start for passengers on flights which are departing after 12:01 AM EST. If the flight is from lets say emirates or qatar where we will have 2 legs of flight (Delhi -> Doha -> Chicago), do we need to consider the departure time from the 1st leg from Delhi? or the departure time of the 2nd flight from Doha? Please help regarding this information.

Hi Akarsh! You should consider the departure time from the first leg of your itinerary.

Are booking tickets on Emirates or qatar better bet than British or Lufthansa? Since there is no clarity on transit

Hi Sharan! What is your exact query?

This is regarding transit to US, flying from India so as per bubble, can we fly on British/AA through London on 19 Nov with B1/B2?

Hi Sharan! Starting on NOV 8, B1/B2 visa holders can transit via London. But we are not sure about B1/B2 visa holders’ travel on BA-AA flights. Hope we can give an update on this the next week.

Hi there, As you mentioned, do you have any updates on this? Im planning to book for my parents from India to USA for the first week of Dec (BA-AA/MAA-LHR-NYC) and this frustrating bubble agreement without any clarity is causing hiccups. Appreciate your help!

Hi Santosh! If British Airways’ air bubble agreement with the government of India remains unaltered through December, Indian citizens won’t be able to travel on BA flights or BA-AA codeshare flights.

Any update on B1/B2 being allowed to go to US on BA with transit through London?

Hi Sharan! There is still no update. As of today, British Airways’ restrictions remain unaltered for the US-bound Indian citizens (unless they are spouses of US citizens).

Hello, I am a US citizen traveling to Bengaluru from San Francisco via Paris and reaching on 1st Nov. Besides the RT PCR test needed to be taken again at the airport in Bengaluru, are there any other local requirements to be met?

What happens to people who had taken covaxin ( which is not certified by WHO ) ? are they considered in vaccinated ? What rules apply to them

Hi Sree! Covaxin is still not approved by WHO and the US government. WHO is likely to give its verdict on the emergency use listing of Covaxin in the first week of November.

Hi Indian Eagle, Can you please advise on this question – As you have mentioned US is opening to most vaccinated passengers from 8th Nov – so can fully vaxxed Indian citizens (with Covishield) holding US tourist visa(B1/B2) travel on air bubble approved direct flights from India to US? Like on on direct routes operated by Air India, United, Delta after 8th November as DGCA extended ban on scheduled flights upto 30th November.

Hi Indian Eagle, Can you please advise on this question – As you have mentioned US is opening to most vaccinated passengers from 8th Nov – so can fully vaxxed Indian citizens (with Covishield) holding US tourist visa(B1/B2) travel on air bubble approved direct flights from India to US? Like on on direct routes operated by Air India, United, Delta after 8th November as DGCA extended ban on scheduled flights upto 30th November. Thank you!

Hi Sid! Starting on NOV 8, fully-vaccinated (Covishield) Indians can travel to USA on direct flights and one-stop flights. Currently air bubble flights are being operated – which has nothing to do with the continued suspension of regular/normal scheduled international flights.

Awesome! Thank you!

Hi, My In Laws are traveling from Mumbai to New York via Emirates with lay over at Dubai for 5 hours on 14th Nov. They are fully vaccinated with Covishield. My question is , is there any restriction from Emirates or Dubai airport that they need to comply by like taking test at Dubai airport due to 5 hours layover?

Hi Jay! There is not such requirement or restriction during transit in Dubai. The only test they need to take is within 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure from Mumbai.

Hi – Can Indian citizens fly to US either via Dubai/Doha/London after Nov 8 or does the stupid air bubble require direct flights from India to US? This air bubble only benefits the coffers of Air India and the government. All hard working people need to pay three to four time more for an air ticket. Ridiculous

Hi Raj! Fully-vaccinated (Covishield) Indians can travel to USA via the Middle East or Europe. Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways onboard Indian citizens from India, while major European airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France don’t onboard Indians (mostly on B1/B2 visa) from India if their final destination is beyond Europe. This restriction may be relaxed on or after NOV 8.

Hello indianeagle,

My aunt is an Indian passport holder and a US LPR. She is fully vaccinated (Moderna), and has her proof of vaccination. She is currently in India and plans to fly to the US next month (December 2021). She understands the RT-PCR pre-travel testing requirement.

Will she be able to fly from India to the US (with a 3-hour layover in London) on British Airways? To be clear, she plans to stay inside the transit area of Heathrow airport during her layover.

Would appreciate your insights, especially in light of the Nov 8 proclamation.

Thank you for your time.

Hi RK! As of today, Indian passport holders (unless they are spouses of US citizens) cannot travel on BA flights from India if their final destination is beyond the UK. If this restriction is relaxed or lifted in the near future, we will definitely share the update.

Can you please update the information about travel from Washington DC to New Delhi via Abu Dhabi on Etihad and return in November 2021 for fully vaccinated traveler with Indian passport.

Hi CP! What is your exact query about the travel between DC and Delhi?

Hi, I am currently on an F1 student visa in the USA (fully vaccinated), I am visiting India in December and will be back in January 2022. I have booked a British Airways flight with transit in London, will I be allowed to board the flight from India to the USA (BOM-LHR-EWR)?

Hi Sanghvi(K)! If British Airways’ air bubble agreement with the government of India remains unaltered by the time you will travel back, you won’t be able to travel on BA for the destination beyond the UK.

I am travelling to Ahmedabad from Houston via Doha by Qatar Airways in Dec.2021. I am fully vaccinated with booster dose so on arrival at Ahmedabad is it mandatory to get tested for COVID?

Hi Patel! If you are asymptomatic and meet all the pre-departure guidelines, you don’t need to take additional test on arrival.

I am planning to fly my parents (covishield vaccinated) from Hyderabad to Seattle sometime in the end of November. Is there any confirmation from British airways reg. if they will allow Indian passengers to transit via LHR ?

Hi Ray! As of today, British Airways’ restrictions remain unaltered for the US-bound Indian citizens. We mean that British Airways does still not onboard US-bound Indian citizens.

Hi IndiaEagle,

I booked tickets to travel from DEL to LAX via DXB in Emirates on 11/30/2021. I am fully vaccinated and I plan to take RT-PCR test 72 hrs prior to my departure.

I got to know that passengers traveling to MiddleEast need to take an RT-PCR test at airport prior to departure. Do I need to take that even if I am transiting at Dubai ?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Hi Revanth! Does your itinerary have layover of more than 10 hours at Dubai Airport? If yes, then you need to take a rapid PCR test at the departure airport within 6 hours of scheduled boarding.

No, I only have 3hr 10 min layover in DXB. I guess I dont need to take rapid PCR at airport. Thank you.

My parents are scheduled to travel from Bengaluru to US via Frankfurt on Nov 15th. They have B1/B2 US visa and vaccinated, are there any restrictions in Boarding USA bound Lufthansa flights from Indian aiports since the Nov 8 travel ban been lifted by US? Thanks

Hi Ravi! In our knowledge, Lufthansa is not onboarding Indian passport holders from India if their final destination is beyond Germany. Please be advised to check with the airline.

Hello, This is not accurate information. My parents were able to fly from Bengaluru to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Houston without any issues. The travel ban has been removed for foreigners with valid US visa to travel to US since Nov 8. British Airways maybe the only airilne that is probably restricting travellers from boarding in India for passengers bound to US. Ravi

Hi Ravi! Good to know this. Thank you for sharing this with us. We will recheck with our sources.

Hi, I am currently on an F1 student visa in the USA (fully vaccinated), I am visiting India in December and will be back in January 2022. I am planning to book via japan air lines [ HYD-DEL-HND-DFW ] . can I travel via japan airlines back to the USA. should I need to take an NIE to travel back to the USA ??

Hi Venkata! Fully-vaccinated travelers from India do not need NIE approval for travel to the US.

Hi, My family holds b1/b2 visa and are planning to travel to US from Delhi. Can they transit through Paris or Amsterdam on Air France or KLM flight? Both airlines have a code share with Delta as well.

Hi Vishal! They can if the flights are ticketed and operated by Delta Airlines.

Hi, I am planning to travel to India from United States next week and back in 2 weeks. Do I need to be getting my covid test 48 hours prior or 72 hours prior?

Hi Lata! You need to take an RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to traveling from the US.

HI Indian eagle team,

Is there any travel restriction to travel India to USA connecting through Landon ?

Hi RK! There is no restriction on transit in London when you travel from India to USA, but in our knowledge, British Airways is not onboarding Indian passport holders (unless their spouse is a US citizen) from India if their destination is beyond the UK.

Hi I have my parent flying from Delhi to Newark on 23rd Dec by Airindia Ai105…is this a bubble flight authorized by both India n US government?

Hi Neha! All international flights which are currently being operated are air bubble flights.

Planning to travel BOM-DOH-SFO on Qatar Airways on 5th Feb 2022. We are Green Card Holders, Fully Vaccinated (including Covishield pre-cautionary dose). Apart from Negative RT-PCR Test 24 Hours ; is any other travel requirements to be fulfilled? Will appreciate your guidence. Thanks and Best Regards

Hi Ravi! You must be fully vaccinated and fill in an attestation form for travel to USA.

Planning to have my brother and sister-in-law with B1/B2 travel visa to travel from BOM-DOH-JFK by Qatar Airways in the 3rd week of March. They are fully vaccinated with 2 doses of Covishield and Covaccine , wanted to check if they will be able to travel. If yes, then what all documents are needed at the immigration as I’m currently on H1-B visa and apart from Negative RT-PCR Test 24 Hours is there any other travel requirements to be fulfilled?

Thanks in advance for your reply

Hi Nate! Being fully-vaccinated, they can travel. Apart from the negative COVID-19 viral test report, they need to fill out the US government’s attestation form and Qatar Airways’ consent form.

Is there any travel restriction to travel from India to USA via London? Particularly, British Airlines? I’m planning to have my fully vaccinated parents to travel from India -london- USA. They are on visitor visa. Thanks in advance!

Hi AK! Your parents can travel this route if the BA flight is ticketed or operated by American Airlines, a codeshare partner of British Airways. They can travel if the itinerary is a combination of BA (from India to London) and AA (from London to USA).

IS OCi card holder from US to India allow without vaccination?

Hi Sarah! Anyone traveling to India from USA, be he/she is an OCI cardholder, must either be fully-vaccinated or take an RT-PCR test and upload the negative report on Air Suvidha within 72 hours before taking the journey.

Hi, can I travel to the USA from India using Lufthansa airlines via Frankfurt?. Thanks

Hi Vishnu! You can.

I am planning to travel from Tampa –> New York –> Doha –> Mumbai, operated by JetBlue Airways & Etihad Airways. Do I need transit visa in Doha? Layover time is 2hrs 55 min in Doha. I am an Indian citizen & my H1B visa is expired.

Hi Pritam! No transit visa is required for the Middle East even though your US visa has expired. However, be advised to check the same with the airline.

I am planning to have my parents fly on April 2022 to USA (PHL). They both are fully vaccinated with Covaxin. Do they need to take a negative COVID 19 Test 24 hrs or 48 hrs or 72 hrs in advance of their travel date? Pls clarify.

Hi Arthi! If the United States’ COVID-19 testing requirement remains unchanged through April, your parents will have to take an antigen or RT-PCR test the day before their international flight from India.

Hi, Has anyone booked tickets on British airways for parents coming from India with US Visa, I tried to call BA but their call center is closed currently, but my friend had to cancel BA tickets for his parents recently and book thru Qatar airways because of this restriction transiting thru London for US Visa holders. I am planning to book a ticket for my Mom with these dates, May 23 – Nov 14.

Hi Ramki, did you get any further information regarding your question? I have booked flights for my parents this month with BA. I am hearing that the Indian passport holders are still not eligible to travel to US with BA. Please let me know if you have any updates?

Regards, Rakesh

Hi, Flying from USA to India 1 stop via London Heathrow on a AA + British Airways ticket. Does it require a UK transit visa? Any travel restrictions for H1B visa holders? My status is H1B visa on passport has expired but have H1B approval notice (so basically going to India for stamping).

Hi Rahul! Currently, there are no travel restrictions. In case of visa expiration on your passport, you may need a transit visa to travel via Europe. Be advised to check the same with your nearest Indian consulate.

Are there any restriction for travel from India to USA connecting through London by British Airways for B2 Visa holders?

Hi Karthik! There are no restrictions on transit through London for B2 visa holders from India.

Was a transit visa required at LHR for a India to USA round trip ? This is for a Indian passport holder with valid B1/B2 US tourist visa. Please share your experiences.

Hi Naresh! Indian passport holders having a valid US visa don’t need a transit visa for London Heathrow.

USA to India via London , expired H1B Visa on Passport , Is Transit VISA needed for UK ? As i read from this Indian commission link https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/page/transit-visa/ its not needed.

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• Can I wear a mask to the TSA checkpoint? Yes, CDC recommends travelers wear a mask throughout their travel journey. Travelers may be asked to adjust their mask for identity verification or remove it briefly if it alarms the security screening equipment.  

Can I request that TSA officers use new gloves during my screening? Yes. TSA officers are required to wear nitrile gloves when conducting screening duties and to change them following each pat-down and upon passenger request.

Can I bring my own filled water bottle through the TSA checkpoint? No, you are not permitted to bring your own filled water bottle that exceeds 3.4 ounces through the checkpoint. Many airports now offer touchless refilling stations past security that enable travelers to fill empty bottles and containers they bring from home. Consult the directory or ask a local official for locations in your departure airport.

Do I need to remove electronics from my carry-on bags?

Yes, you should plan to remove personal electronic devices larger than a cell phone from your carry-on bag and put them in a separate bin with nothing placed on or under them for security screening. (This does not apply to TSA PreCheck™ passengers.) Some airports are using new Computed Tomography (CT) technology that allows you to keep electronics in your carry-on luggage. Passengers will be advised on the use of CT scanners at the checkpoint and of any alternate procedures. 

Can TSA still open and go through my checked luggage? What precautions are being taken to reduce possible contamination? Yes, TSA may inspect your checked baggage during the screening process. If your property is physically inspected, TSA will place a notice of baggage inspection inside your bag. To reduce the likelihood of contamination, TSA officers are changing their gloves after each bag check and conducting enhanced sanitation of baggage screening areas.

What is the status of REAL ID enforcement in light of COVID-19?

The Department of Homeland Security has extended the deadline for REAL ID enforcement to May 7, 2025. Visit the REAL ID website for more information.

What happens if a passenger is unruly and does not comply with an airline’s policies and/or causes an inflight disruption or distraction for the crew?

Federal law prohibits physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on a civil aircraft. Passengers are subject to civil penalties for such misconduct, which can threaten the safety of the flight by disrupting or distracting cabin crew from their safety duties. Additionally, federal law provides for criminal fines and imprisonment of passengers who interfere with the performance of a crewmember’s duties by assaulting or intimidating that crewmember. 

What happens if there is a sick passenger on an international or domestic flight?

Under current federal regulations, pilots must report all onboard illnesses and deaths to CDC before arriving to a U.S. destination. According to CDC illness response protocols, if a sick traveler has a serious contagious disease during air travel, 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 web page Protecting Travelers’ Health from Airport to Community: Investigating Contagious Diseases on Flights .

Can flying on an airplane increase my risk of getting COVID-19? 

Most airlines and airports are enhancing their cleaning and passenger health protection protocols due to COVID-19, but 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. This may increase your risk for exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes (the air in an airplane cabin is fully renewed every 2-3 minutes, which is more frequent than most other locations in which people spend time). However, social distancing is difficult on flights, and you may have to sit near others, sometimes for hours. This is why CDC recommends the wearing of a face mask an important additional measure against exposing yourself or others to COVID-19.   It is important to follow basic guidance on wearing a face mask and frequently washing your hands or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. For more information see CDC’s Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic .

International Travel Requirements

• What should passengers provide to airlines to show they are fully vaccinated? Both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who are fully vaccinated should travel with proof of their vaccination status to provide to their airline prior to departure to the United States. That proof of vaccination should be a paper or digital record issued by an official source and should include the traveler’s name and date of birth, as well as the vaccine product and date(s) of administration for all doses the traveler received.  
• How does the exemption from full vaccination for children work? Children under 18 are exempted from the vaccination requirement for foreign national travelers, given both the ineligibility of some younger children for vaccination, as well as the global variability in access to vaccination for older children who are eligible to be vaccinated.  
• How is the United States government determining exceptions to the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals?  The presidential proclamation and CDC order include a very limited set of exceptions from the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals. These include exceptions for children, certain COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial participants, those with rare medical contraindications to the vaccines, those who need to travel for emergency or humanitarian reasons, those who are traveling on non-tourist visas from countries with low-vaccine availability, members of the armed forces and their immediate families, airline crew, ship crew, and diplomats.

*All information developed in accordance with CDC guidelines. 

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Frequently asked questions

How do i benefit from using manage my booking, what can i do through manage my booking, how do i access manage my booking, if my booking contains flights, which are not with british airways, can i still access manage my booking, if i made my booking with a travel agent, can i use manage my booking, are there any restrictions to which bookings i can access with manage my booking, if i make changes to my booking, how do i know that my changes have been stored in my booking, if i make seat and meal requests, are they guaranteed, why can't i request a special meal on my flight, can you tell me about the service where customers are able to print their own boarding pass.

As a British Airways customer, Manage My Booking is a self-service online initiative designed to assist you by:

• Giving you reassurance about your booking by being able to view booking details 24 hours a day at any time up to when you travel for each flight.
• Eliminating the need for you to check your booking details and request booking services by phone.
• Reducing time spent in airport check-in queues.
• Providing travel information relevant to your booking to help you plan and prepare for your travel.

Manage my booking allows you to:

• View details of your travel itinerary.
• View your seat and meal requests.
• Make seat requests from an interactive seating plan.
• Make meal requests from a list of available special dietary meals.
• Provide Advance Passenger Information (e.g. passport and other details).
• Apply for an ESTA if you're travelling to the USA or Puerto Rico.
• Add an Executive Club or partner frequent flyer number to ensure receipt of Tier Points and Avios.
• Email your itinerary to colleagues, friends and family.
• View check-in times and information about Online Check-in and Self-Service Check-in kiosks.
• Check in for your flight online and print your boarding pass before going to the airport.
• Obtain baggage information including allowances or restrictions.
• View city guides and other useful links.
• Access real-time departures and arrivals information.
• Change your flights, upgrade your cabin class and claim refunds.

To access Manage My Booking, you just need your booking reference and last name. Regardless of where you made your reservation, your booking reference can be found on your ticket (in an area called 'PNR code' or 'Locator') or on your e-ticket itinerary receipt. The reference is a series of six characters containing letters and numbers. If you are an Executive Club member and you are logged in to ba.com, you will be able to automatically list your booking references, which contain your Executive Club number. If you are unable to see this reference on any of your documentation, please contact the company from where you purchased your ticket who will have a record of it.

You can access Manage My Booking to view any flights on your booking, provided there is at least one flight with a British Airways flight number. Seat and meal request services, the Advance Passenger Information service, Online Check-in, if available, can only be used on flights with a British Airways flight number.

If you have booked through a travel agent and your booking contains at least one flight with a British Airways flight number, then simply use your travel agent's booking reference to access the Manage My Booking service. There are two key service limitations, which may apply to a travel agent booking: 

• You may not be able to view all of your flights in Manage My Booking. If this is the case, then this is because British Airways does not own the booking and is normally allowed to view it's own flights plus with preceding and succeeding connecting flights (regardless of airline). 
• Changes made through Manage My Booking to British Airways flights will normally not be passed back to your travel agent booking.

You will be unable to access Manage My Booking for any bookings that:

• were made through our Group Bookings team or via a travel agent for a group, which includes any booking for 10 or more passengers
• are for flights that have been flown or cancelled
• include hotels, cars, experiences or transfers booked on iberia.com

Please contact us instead.

You will be notified of any change to your booking by email, where an email address has been provided.

Whilst we will do all we can to satisfy your request, the delivery of seat and meal requests cannot be guaranteed.

Special meal requests cannot be made for travel on any UK Domestic flight. Special meals requests cannot be made on some Euro Traveller flights.

Check where you can request a special meal

If you are travelling on a standby or waitlist ticket you will be unable to request special meals on any route.

Kosher meal requests are not available on all services. Please check here to see where kosher meals are available . Special meal requests are unavailable on all other routes if your flight is due to depart within 24 hours.

Please note: Special meal requests on British Airways flights operated by our partner airlines may differ from above. Flights operated to/from London City airport have complimentary catering.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

From selected locations, customers using Online Check-in can print their own boarding pass at home or in the office and go straight to the central search security area on arrival. This then saves the customer visiting a Self-Service Check-in kiosk at the airport to collect their boarding pass. The Online boarding pass needs to be printed on plain white A4 or letter paper and includes a unique 2D barcode, which will be scanned by airport security staff and checked off against information already in the system. When travelling from the UK, customers will need to provide photographic ID in the form of a passport, identity card or driving licence, along with their Online boarding pass, before they will be allowed to pass through security. At all other airport locations, the passport/identity card check will be carried out before boarding the aircraft. The technology that is being used, along with the requirement for an approved type of photographic ID, means that customers can be reassured that security is in no way being compromised. Customers with onward flights If the Online boarding pass service is not available from the location that your onward journey or return journey departs, customers will need to collect their boarding passes for their onward/return journeys from a check-in or a Self-Service Check-in kiosk where available.

Tier match: upgrade your British Airways Executive Club Tier

Discover how to qualify and enjoy more benefits when you fly with us.

If you live in the US or Canada, you’re a member of selected airline Frequent Flyer programmes and you’ve reached one of their highest membership tiers, we’re going to match your Membership level.

For a limited time only, you can take advantage of this offer to become a Silver  or Gold Executive Club Member and enjoy more benefits when you fly with us.

The selected airlines are:

Why fly with British Airways

What to expect when you fly with us as an Executive Club Member:

A generous baggage allowance

Silver and Gold Members get extra hold bags, plus you can take two bags in the cabin.

Executive Club benefits

Enjoy priority boarding, lounge access and more when you're a Silver or Gold Member.

Our expert staff and premium service

Choose British Airways to enjoy more than just a flight.

Enjoy Avios part payment

Reduce the cost of your next flight or holiday using Avios.

How to upgrade

To take part all you need to do is:

• Join the Executive Club  for free, if you're not already a Member
• Apply online by 7 May 2024 using the link below
• Upload proof of your status in a Frequent Flyer programme with one of our selected airlines
• We’ll review your application to check you’re eligible for tier match – this usually takes five business days
• Once approved, you'll receive an acceptance email and an upgraded digital Membership card

You'll now be able to enjoy six months of Silver or Gold Membership.

Want to keep your Silver or Gold Membership?

All you have to do is book and travel on two qualifying transatlantic flights (one round trip) within six months of the date we upgrade you.

To qualify, these flights must:

• Be a British Airways-marketed flight in business (Club World) or First
• Be operated by British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia or Finnair
• Originate from the US, Canada or Mexico
• Fly to the UK and onwards to Europe
• Be eligible for earning Tier Points and collecting Avios

Once you’ve returned from your trip, we’ll extend your upgraded membership to the end of your next membership year.

If you don’t meet the required conditions within six months of us awarding you upgraded status, you’ll be downgraded to the Tier that matches the number of Tier Points you’ve earned in this period.

Terms and Conditions

• This promotion is only open to Eligible Participants who live in the United States of America and Canada. An Eligible Participant is a British Airways (“BA”) Executive Club Member, aged 18 or over, and books and travels on a Qualifying Flight (see definition below). BA reserves the right to verify the eligibility of Eligible Participants. By taking part in this promotion, Eligible Participants confirm that they accept the Terms and Conditions set out below. Any terms not defined within these Terms and Conditions are defined within the Executive Club Membership Terms and Conditions .
• Full First and Last name matching your British Airways Executive Club Membership;
• Your current status with those airlines;
• A validity date ending with a date which is post your Tier match application date for this promotion;
• The airline name or programme: the eligible airlines include Delta, Air Canada, Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air France, KLM, Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Atlantic; and
• Your frequent flyer number with the relevant airline.
• To participate in this promotion, an Eligible Participant must book a Qualifying Flight and fly within six (6) months of being accepted for a Tier Match. The Executive Club Tier Status will be extended within fourteen (14) days of the Qualifying Flight appearing on the Eligible Participants Executive Club Members account. 
• Eligible Participants must quote their Executive Club Membership number at the time of booking the Qualifying Flights and also at check-in for each outbound and return part of their journey in order to qualify for the promotion.

5. A Qualifying Flight is a published fare or a net fare negotiated by BA for various corporate customers, for a round trip flight in First or Club World (Business Class) in any selling class, with: a prefix of British Airways (BA) and operated by British Airways (BA), American Airlines (AA), Iberia (IB) or Finnair (AY) between United States of America, Canada, Mexico and all countries within the continent of Europe and also Israel and Greenland only. The promotion does not apply to travel on flights operated by any other BA franchisees, codeshare partners or oneworld Alliance members.

6. Both the outbound and inbound flights will need to be in our First or Club World cabins.

7. Travel must be completed within six (6) months of being upgraded as part of this promotion.

8. All flight bookings are subject to availability.

9. Eligible Participants who book and complete their journeys on Qualifying Flights within the Promotional Period will qualify for an extension of their Executive Club Status for a further year.

10. There is no upgrade option for existing Gold and Gold Guest List members to a higher Executive Club Tier.

11. The Executive Club Member’s account for which details have been provided will be extended within fourteen (14) days of completion of the Qualifying Flights. Tier Status upgrades are not transferable and no cash or credit alternative will be offered. This promotion has no cash value. All Avios and Tier Points are issued subject to the Executive Club Membership Terms and Condition s.

12. A member can only benefit from this promotion once.

13. Qualifying Flights are subject to availability and capacity control in the booking classes eligible for this promotion at the time of booking. BA does not accept any liability in the event that Eligible Participants are unable to book a Qualifying Flight for their chosen period of travel.

14. This promotion cannot be used retrospectively. This promotion only applies to those who book and travel in the period stipulated in paragraph 2 above.

15. Eligible Participants who change their travel arrangements after the date of booking will not be eligible for a Tier Status upgrade unless their revised travel arrangements also qualify under the Terms and Conditions of this promotion.

16. All bookings under this promotion will be covered by the fare rules and conditions of the original fare. This includes any applicable refund and change fees. All refunds are subject to the fare rules for the class of ticket booked. Fare rules and conditions appear in your booking details when you access your booking on ba.com through the ‘Manage my booking’ functionality.

17. This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, promotion or deal, including but not limited to: (i) redemption bookings; (ii) travel agent or industry discounted fares (including agency, industry, employee discounts), inclusive holidays, group discount fares, child/infant fares or senior citizen fares, whether or not booked in one of the qualifying classes; and (iii) bookings made with vouchers.

18. All Passengers are carried by BA in accordance with its General Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage (copies available on ba.com, at “Legal” – “ General Conditions of Carriage ”) and its Notice and Conditions of Contract as stated on each ticket or itinerary as provided.

19. BA reserves the right to cancel this promotion or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion without notice and within its sole discretion.

20. BA may, without notice, in the event of major catastrophe, pandemic, war, strike, civil or military disturbance, earthquake or any actual, anticipated or alleged breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other similar events beyond the reasonable control of BA, cancel this promotion or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion.

21. Personal data will be taken where necessary from Eligible Participants but shall be limited to those details reasonably necessary for the administration of the promotion and shall be subject to BA’s Privacy Policy . This information may be shared with any third parties reasonably involved in the promotion without liability to BA or such third parties.

22. BA is in no way liable for the reproduction or indirect access via third party website or homepage access which reproduction misstates or omits any of the information or Terms and Conditions of this promotion.

23. This promotion and any other non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it is governed exclusively by English law and is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

24. Promotional materials form part of these Terms and Conditions. These Terms and Conditions will prevail in the event of any conflict between these and the promotional materials.

25. The promoter is: British Airways Plc, Waterside, PO Box 365, Harmondsworth, West Drayton, UB7 0GB. Registered No. 1777777 England.