flight journey covid rules

Travel Restrictions to Prevent the Spread of Disease

Credit: David Snyder

Disease is just a flight away. To protect America’s health, CDC partners with the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the spread of serious contagious diseases during travel. CDC uses a Do Not Board list to prevent travelers from boarding commercial airplanes if they are known or suspected to have a contagious disease that poses a threat to the public’s health. Sick travelers are also placed on a Lookout list so they will be detected if they attempt to enter the United States by land or sea. These tools can be used for anyone who poses a threat to the public’s health.

Local and state public health officials can request CDC’s assistance if a person who poses a public health threat intends to travel. CDC helps ensure these people do not travel while contagious.

Placing people on the lists

The criteria for adding people to the Do Not Board and Lookout lists are

• not  aware of diagnosis or not  following public health recommendations, or
• Likely to travel on a commercial flight involving the United States or travel internationally by any means; or
• Need to issue travel restriction to respond to a public health outbreak or to help enforce a public health order.

Criteria number one plus one of the three subsets must be met for a person to be placed on the Do Not Board and Lookout lists.

Credit: David Heaberlin

Once a person is placed on these lists, airlines will not issue a boarding pass to the person for any commercial flight within, arriving to, or departing from the United States.

The Do Not Board and Lookout lists have been used for people with suspected or confirmed infectious tuberculosis (TB), including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and measles. During 2020-2022, CDC used these authorities to restrict travel of people with COVID-19 and close contacts who were recommended to quarantine. These authorities were also used for mpox during 2022. Travel restrictions can also be used for other suspected or confirmed contagious diseases that could pose a public health threat during travel, including viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola.

Preventing people with contagious diseases from traveling also helps to make sure they get or continue medical treatment, such as for infectious tuberculosis.

Taking people off the lists

Once public health authorities confirm a person is no longer contagious, the person is removed from the lists (typically within 24 hours). Also, CDC reviews the records of all persons on the lists every two weeks to determine whether they are eligible for removal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Travel Restrictions to Prevent the Spread of Disease

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• COVID-19 travel advice

Considering travel during the pandemic? Take precautions to protect yourself from COVID-19.

A coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine can prevent you from getting COVID-19 or from becoming seriously ill due to COVID-19 . But even if you're vaccinated, it's still a good idea to take precautions to protect yourself and others while traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you've had all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including boosters, you're less likely to become seriously ill or spread COVID-19 . You can then travel more safely within the U.S. and internationally. But international travel can still increase your risk of getting new COVID-19 variants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you should avoid travel until you've had all recommended COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses.

Before you travel

As you think about making travel plans, consider these questions:

• Have you been vaccinated against COVID-19 ? If you haven't, get vaccinated. If the vaccine requires two doses, wait two weeks after getting your second vaccine dose to travel. If the vaccine requires one dose, wait two weeks after getting the vaccine to travel. It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination.
• Have you had any booster doses? Having all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including boosters, increases your protection from serious illness.
• Are you at increased risk for severe illness? Anyone can get COVID-19 . But older adults and people of any age with certain medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 .
• Do you live with someone who's at increased risk for severe illness? If you get infected while traveling, you can spread the COVID-19 virus to the people you live with when you return, even if you don't have symptoms.
• Does your home or destination have requirements or restrictions for travelers? Even if you've had all recommended vaccine doses, you must follow local, state and federal testing and travel rules.

Check local requirements, restrictions and situations

Some state, local and territorial governments have requirements, such as requiring people to wear masks, get tested, be vaccinated or stay isolated for a period of time after arrival. Before you go, check for requirements at your destination and anywhere you might stop along the way.

Keep in mind these can change often and quickly depending on local conditions. It's also important to understand that the COVID-19 situation, such as the level of spread and presence of variants, varies in each country. Check back for updates as your trip gets closer.

Travel and testing

For vaccinated people.

If you have been fully vaccinated, the CDC states that you don't need to get tested before or after your trip within the U.S. or stay home (quarantine) after you return.

If you're planning to travel internationally outside the U.S., the CDC states you don't need to get tested before your trip unless it's required at your destination. Before arriving to the U.S., you need a negative test within the last day before your arrival or a record of recovery from COVID-19 in the last three months.

After you arrive in the U.S., the CDC recommends getting tested with a viral test 3 to 5 days after your trip. If you're traveling to the U.S. and you aren't a citizen, you need to be fully vaccinated and have proof of vaccination.

You don't need to quarantine when you arrive in the U.S. But check for any symptoms. Stay at home if you develop symptoms.

For unvaccinated people

Testing before and after travel can lower the risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 . If you haven't been vaccinated, the CDC recommends getting a viral test within three days before your trip. Delay travel if you're waiting for test results. Keep a copy of your results with you when you travel.

Repeat the test 3 to 5 days after your trip. Stay home for five days after travel.

If at any point you test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 , stay home. Stay at home and away from others if you develop symptoms. Follow public health recommendations.

Stay safe when you travel

In the U.S., you must wear a face mask on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation. The mask must fit snugly and cover both your mouth and nose.

Follow these steps to protect yourself and others when you travel:

• Get vaccinated.
• Keep distance between yourself and others (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters) when you're in indoor public spaces if you're not fully vaccinated. This is especially important if you have a higher risk of serious illness.
• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick or has symptoms.
• Avoid crowds and indoor places that have poor air flow (ventilation).
• Don't touch frequently touched surfaces, such as handrails, elevator buttons and kiosks. If you must touch these surfaces, use hand sanitizer or wash your hands afterward.
• Wear a face mask in indoor public spaces. The CDC recommends wearing the most protective mask possible that you'll wear regularly and that fits. If you are in an area with a high number of new COVID-19 cases, wear a mask in indoor public places and outdoors in crowded areas or when you're in close contact with people who aren't vaccinated.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If soap and water aren't available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub your hands together until they feel dry.
• Don't eat or drink on public transportation. That way you can keep your mask on the whole time.

Because of the high air flow and air filter efficiency on airplanes, most viruses such as the COVID-19 virus don't spread easily on flights. Wearing masks on planes has likely helped lower the risk of getting the COVID-19 virus on flights too.

However, air travel involves spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people. Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask when traveling can help protect you from COVID-19 while traveling.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has increased cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and equipment, including bins, at screening checkpoints. TSA has also made changes to the screening process:

• Travelers must wear masks during screening. However, TSA employees may ask travelers to adjust masks for identification purposes.
• Travelers should keep a distance of 6 feet apart from other travelers when possible.
• Instead of handing boarding passes to TSA officers, travelers should place passes (paper or electronic) directly on the scanner and then hold them up for inspection.
• Each traveler may have one container of hand sanitizer up to 12 ounces (about 350 milliliters) in a carry-on bag. These containers will need to be taken out for screening.
• Personal items such as keys, wallets and phones should be placed in carry-on bags instead of bins. This reduces the handling of these items during screening.
• Food items should be carried in a plastic bag and placed in a bin for screening. Separating food from carry-on bags lessens the likelihood that screeners will need to open bags for inspection.

Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds directly before and after going through screening.

Public transportation

If you travel by bus or train and you aren't vaccinated, be aware that sitting or standing within 6 feet (2 meters) of others for a long period can put you at higher risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 . Follow the precautions described above for protecting yourself during travel.

Even if you fly, you may need transportation once you arrive at your destination. You can search car rental options and their cleaning policies on the internet. If you plan to stay at a hotel, check into shuttle service availability.

If you'll be using public transportation and you aren't vaccinated, continue physical distancing and wearing a mask after reaching your destination.

Hotels and other lodging

The hotel industry knows that travelers are concerned about COVID-19 and safety. Check any major hotel's website for information about how it's protecting guests and staff. Some best practices include:

• Enhanced cleaning procedures
• Physical distancing recommendations indoors for people who aren't vaccinated
• Mask-wearing and regular hand-washing by staff
• Mask-wearing indoors for guests in public places in areas that have high cases of COVID-19
• Vaccine recommendations for staff
• Isolation and testing guidelines for staff who've been exposed to COVID-19
• Contactless payment
• Set of rules in case a guest becomes ill, such as closing the room for cleaning and disinfecting
• Indoor air quality measures, such as regular system and air filter maintenance, and suggestions to add air cleaners that can filter viruses and bacteria from the air

Vacation rentals, too, are enhancing their cleaning procedures. They're committed to following public health guidelines, such as using masks and gloves when cleaning, and building in a waiting period between guests.

Make a packing list

When it's time to pack for your trip, grab any medications you may need on your trip and these essential safe-travel supplies:

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol)
• Disinfectant wipes (at least 70% alcohol)
• Thermometer

Considerations for people at increased risk

Anyone can get very ill from the virus that causes COVID-19 . But older adults and people of any age with certain medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness. This may include people with cancer, serious heart problems and a weakened immune system. Getting the recommended COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses can help lower your risk of being severely ill from COVID-19 .

Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19 . If you're unvaccinated, staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 . If you must travel and aren't vaccinated, talk with your health care provider and ask about any additional precautions you may need to take.

Remember safety first

Even the most detailed and organized plans may need to be set aside when someone gets ill. Stay home if you or any of your travel companions:

• Have signs or symptoms, are sick or think you have COVID-19
• Are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test
• Have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 in the past five days and you're not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines

If you've had close contact with someone with COVID-19 , get tested after at least five days. Wait to travel until you have a negative test. Wear a mask if you travel up to 10 days after you've had close contact with someone with COVID-19 .

• How to protect yourself and others. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Domestic travel during COVID-19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Requirement for face masks on public transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/face-masks-public-transportation.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• International travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel/index.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• U.S citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. lawful permanent residents, and immigrants: Travel to and from the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Non-US. citizen, non-U.S. immigrants: Air travel to the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• People with certain medical conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Stay up to date with your vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Pack smart. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart. Accessed Feb. 4, 2022.
• Travel: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) information. Transportation Security Administration. https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/articles-detail/who-advice-for-international-traffic-in-relation-to-the-sars-cov-2-omicron-variant. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• VRHP/VRMA Cleaning guidelines for COVID-19. Vacation Rental Management Association. https://www.vrma.org/page/vrhp/vrma-cleaning-guidelines-for-covid-19. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• Safe stay. American Hotel & Lodging Association. https://www.ahla.com/safestay. Accessed Feb. 7, 2022.
• Khatib AN, et al. COVID-19 transmission and the safety of air travel during the pandemic: A scoping review. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 2021; doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000771.

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• Check CDC recommendations for travel within the U.S.
• Review testing requirements for travel to the U.S.
• Look up restrictions at your destination .
• Review airport security measures .

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Frequently Asked Questions: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S.

Updated Date: April 21, 2022

Since January 22, 2022, DHS has required non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request.  On April 21, 2022, DHS announced that it would extend these requirements. In determining whether and when to rescind this order, DHS anticipates that it will take account of whether the vaccination requirement for non-U.S. air travelers remains in place.

These requirements apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for essential or non-essential reasons. They do not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.

Effective November 8, 2021, new air travel requirements applied to many noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily. These travelers are also required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. All air travelers, including U.S. persons, must test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure. Limited exceptions apply. See  CDC guidance  for more details regarding air travel requirements.

Below is more information about what to know before you go, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about cross-border travel.

Entering the U.S. Through a Land Port of Entry or Ferry Terminal

Q. what are the requirements for travelers entering the united states through land poes.

A:  Before embarking on a trip to the United States, non-U.S. travelers should be prepared for the following:

• Possess proof of an approved COVID-19 vaccination as outlined on the  CDC  website.
• During border inspection, verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status. 
• Bring a  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative  compliant border crossing document, such as a valid passport (and visa if required), Trusted Traveler Program card, a Department of State-issued Border Crossing Card, Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced Tribal Card when entering the country. Travelers (including U.S. citizens) should be prepared to present the WHTI-compliant document and any other documents requested by the CBP officer.

 Q. What are the requirements to enter the United States for children under the age of 18 who can't be vaccinated?

A:  Children under 18 years of age are excepted from the vaccination requirement at land and ferry POEs.

Q: Which vaccines/combination of vaccines will be accepted?

A:  Per CDC guidelines, all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and authorized vaccines, as well as all vaccines that have an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO), will be accepted.

Accepted Vaccines:

• More details are available in CDC guidance  here .
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose COVID-19 vaccine;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart.

Q. Is the United States requiring travelers to have a booster dose to be considered fully vaccinated for border entry purposes?

A:  No. The CDC guidance for “full vaccination” can be found here.

Q: Do U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land POEs and ferry terminals?

A:  No. Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation.

Q: Is pre- or at-arrival COVID testing required to enter the United States via land POEs or ferry terminals?

A: No, there is no COVID testing requirement to enter the United States via land POE or ferry terminals. In this respect, the requirement for entering by a land POE or ferry terminal differs from arrival via air, where there is a requirement to have a negative test result before departure.

Processing Changes Announced on January 22, 2022 

Q: new changes were recently announced. what changed on january 22.

A:  Since January 22, 2022, non-citizens who are not U.S. nationals or Lawful Permanent Residents have been required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States at land ports of entry and ferry terminals, whether for essential or nonessential purposes. Previously, DHS required that non-U.S. persons be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States for nonessential purposes.  Effective January 22, all non-U.S. individuals, to include essential travelers, must be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request. DHS announced an extension of this policy on April 21, 2022.

Q: Who is affected by the changes announced on January 22?

A: This requirement does not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. It applies to other noncitizens, such as a citizen of Mexico, Canada, or any other country seeking to enter the United States through a land port of entry or ferry terminal.

Q: Do U.S. citizens need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land port of entry or ferry terminals?

A: Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. Citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation. 

Q: What is essential travel?

A:  Under the prior policy, there was an exception from temporary travel restrictions for “essential travel.” Essential travel included travel to attend educational institutions, travel to work in the United States, travel for emergency response and public health purposes, and travel for lawful cross-border trade (e.g., commercial truckers). Under current policy, there is no exception for essential travel.

Q: Will there be any exemptions? 

A: While most non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States will need to be vaccinated, there is a narrow list of exemptions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Order in the air travel context.

• Certain categories of individuals on diplomatic or official foreign government travel as specified in the CDC Order
• Children under 18 years of age;
• Certain participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials as specified in the CDC Order;   
• Individuals with medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine as specified in the CDC Order;
• Individuals issued a humanitarian or emergency exception by the Secretary of Homeland Security;
• Individuals with valid nonimmigrant visas (excluding B-1 [business] or B-2 [tourism] visas) who are citizens of a country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability, as specified in the CDC Order
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age) as specified in the CDC Order; and
• Individuals whose entry would be in the U.S. national interest, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Q: What documentation will be required to show vaccination status?

A:  Non-U.S. individuals are required to be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request regardless of the purpose of travel.

The current documentation requirement remains the same and is available on the CDC website . Documentation requirements for entry at land ports of entry and ferry terminals mirror those for entry by air.

Q: What happens if someone doesn’t have proof of vaccine status?

A: If non-U.S. individuals cannot present proof of vaccination upon request, they will not be admitted into the United States and will either be subject to removal or be allowed to withdraw their application for entry.

Q: Will incoming travelers be required to present COVID-19 test results?

A: There is no COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers at land border ports of entry, including ferry terminals.

Q: What does this mean for those who can't be vaccinated, either due to age or other health considerations? 

A: See CDC guidance for additional information on this topic. Note that the vaccine requirement does not apply to children under 18 years of age.

Q: Does this requirement apply to amateur and professional athletes?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions.

Q: Are commercial truckers required to be vaccinated?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions. These requirements also apply to bus drivers as well as rail and ferry operators.

Q. Do you expect border wait times to increase?

A:  As travelers navigate these new travel requirements, wait times may increase. Travelers should account for the possibility of longer than normal wait times and lines at U.S. land border crossings when planning their trip and are kindly encouraged to exercise patience.

To help reduce wait times and long lines, travelers can take advantage of innovative technology, such as facial biometrics and the CBP OneTM mobile application, which serves as a single portal for individuals to access CBP mobile applications and services.

Q: How is Customs and Border Protection staffing the ports of entry? 

A: CBP’s current staffing levels at ports of entry throughout the United States are commensurate with pre-pandemic levels. CBP has continued to hire and train new employees throughout the pandemic. CBP expects some travelers to be non-compliant with the proof of vaccination requirements, which may at times lead to an increase in border wait times. Although trade and travel facilitation remain a priority, we cannot compromise national security, which is our primary mission. CBP Office of Field Operations will continue to dedicate its finite resources to the processing of arriving traffic with emphasis on trade facilitation to ensure economic recovery.

Q: What happens if a vaccinated individual is traveling with an unvaccinated individual?  

A:  The unvaccinated individual (if 18 or over) would not be eligible for admission.

Q: If I am traveling for an essential reason but am not vaccinated can I still enter?

A:  No, if you are a non-U.S. individual. The policy announced on January 22, 2022 applies to both essential and non-essential travel by non-U.S. individual travelers. Since January 22, DHS has required that all inbound non-U.S. individuals crossing U.S. land or ferry POEs – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request.

Q: Are sea crew members on vessels required to have a COVID vaccine to disembark?

A:  Sea crew members traveling pursuant to a C-1 or D nonimmigrant visa are not excepted from COVID-19 vaccine requirements at the land border. This is a difference from the international air transportation context.

Entering the U.S. via Air Travel

Q: what are the covid vaccination requirements for air passengers to the united states  .

A:  According to CDC requirements [www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html | Link no longer valid], most noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily must be fully vaccinated prior to boarding a flight to the United States. These travelers are required to show proof of vaccination. A list of covered individuals is available on the CDC website.  

Q: What are the COVID testing requirements for air passengers to the United States?  

A:  Effective Sunday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. ET, CDC will no longer require pre-departure COVID-19 testing for U.S.-bound air travelers.

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For current COVID-19 guidance, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

• Before booking your trip, check for international travel advisories  and destination-specific COVID-19 risk . Refer to individual state, territorial, tribal, and local government websites for domestic travel advisories and information about quarantine or other restrictions.   
• The UNWTO-IATA Destination Tracker is a free online tool for travelers to get information on COVID-19 requirements for international travel and the measures in place at the destination.  
• Review CDC’s considerations for Travel During COVID-19 before you go to determine your personal risk.  
• Pack Smart! Pack Safe! Know what is in your carry-on and checked bags and make sure there are no prohibited items inside before arriving at the checkpoint. As a temporary exemption from the 3-1-1 rule, TSA is allowing one oversized liquid hand sanitizer container, up to 12 ounces per passenger, in carry-on bags. These will need to be placed in a bin during the screening process. Passengers may also bring hand wipes through checkpoints.  
• Unused COVID-19 test kits do not contain dangerous goods and are typically allowed in both carry-on and checked baggage.  
• COVID-19 test kits containing diagnostic samples (e.g., nasal swabs and vials of sputum) are not allowed in carry-on baggage. These samples must be properly packaged, handled, and identified as a UN3373 Category B Infectious Substance (PDF) during transportation. Passengers should check with their carrier before packing COVID-19 test kits containing diagnostic samples in checked baggage or shipping as cargo. Individual carriers and international requirements may be more restrictive than domestic regulations. Visit FAA’s Pack Safe site for more information.  
• CDC recommends wearing a mask throughout your travel experience.   
• Consider joining TSA PreCheck ™. Members continue to be eligible for expedited screening procedures and have the shortest wait times. TSA PreCheck provides the most convenience and least amount of physical contact at the TSA checkpoint. Visit TSA PreCheck to enroll today.   
• Have a travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. government for assistance. Visit travel.state.gov for more information.   
• Make two copies of all your travel documents in case of emergency, and leave one with a trusted friend or relative.  
• Remember, if you are sick, stay home and do not travel! Contact your airline regarding their  re-booking and cancellation policies . 

*All information developed in accordance with CDC guidelines. 

Watch CBS News

What to know about the Biden administration's new travel rules

September 21, 2021 / 6:44 PM EDT / AP

The Biden administration is rolling out new international travel policies affecting Americans and foreigners alike who want to fly to the U.S. The goal is to restore more normal air travel  after 18 months of disruption caused by  COVID-19 .

The sweeping rules, which take effect in November, will replace a hodgepodge of confusing restrictions. Some details of the plan announced Monday are being worked out, but here are some questions and answers about what to expect.

What is the new policy in a nutshell?

All adult foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. will be required to be fully vaccinated before boarding their flight. This is in addition to the current requirement that travelers show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

Once the vaccination requirement is put in place, the White House will ease all the country-specific restrictions on international travel that have prevented noncitizens who have been in the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil or South Africa in the prior 14 days from entering the U.S.

How does this affect U.S. travelers?

Fully vaccinated Americans will only need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

What about unvaccinated Americans?

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are not fully vaccinated will still be able to fly to the U.S., but they will see tougher testing and contact-tracing protocols. They will need to be tested within 24 hours of boarding a flight to the U.S., as well as undergo testing upon return to the country. It remains to be seen, though, how the federal government will enforce the testing requirement upon return.

How does this affect children?

The new U.S. policy only requires adult foreign nationals to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the U.S. The White House did not immediately say whether unvaccinated children will face different testing protocols when flying into the country.

Which vaccines are acceptable?

The CDC says the U.S. will accept full vaccination of travelers with any COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, including those from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson used in the U.S. Other vaccines are also approved by the WHO and used widely around the world, including from AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac, with varying degrees of effectiveness against COVID-19 and its more transmissible Delta variant. The WHO is reviewing Russia's Sputnik V vaccine but hasn't approved it.

How will this affect airfares?

Adit Damodaran, economist for the trave research firm Hopper, predicted that growing demand is likely to cause higher airfares on flights from Europe, although the rush to book flights could be slowed by the Delta variant and high COVID-19 rates in the U.S. If fares rise, it would mark a turnaround in prices since the start of the pandemic.

Will airlines collect data on passengers?

The CDC will require airlines to collect information about passengers and provide it to the health agency if it needs to conduct contact tracing. The airlines had resisted a similar change last year, when it was proposed by the CDC and eventually blocked by the Trump administration.

What about travel over land borders?

The administration's restrictions on crossing land borders from Mexico and Canada into the U.S. are to remain unchanged for now. That means that in some cases fully vaccinated people from the two American neighbors will soon be able fly to the U.S., but may not be able to make the same journey by car.

How will this affect the travel industry?

Analysts and industry officials think it will help. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said lifting the current restrictions on international travelers will contribute to a durable recovery for the U.S. economy. Before Monday, the U.S. was on pace to lose $175 billion in export income from international visitors this year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

How have the current restrictions affected global travel?

They have made it easier for Americans to visit Europe than the other way around. U.S. international travel in August was down 54% compared with two years ago, and arrivals by non-U.S. citizens were off 74%, according to Airlines for America.

How will the changes affect business travel?

There is pent-up demand among business travelers from Europe. Foreign executives who have been vaccinated will no longer have to prove that their travel to the United States serves the U.S. "national interest″ — a time-consuming process.

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COVID-19 international travel advisories

If you plan to visit the U.S., you do not need to be tested or vaccinated for COVID-19. U.S. citizens going abroad, check with the Department of State for travel advisories.

COVID-19 testing and vaccine rules for entering the U.S.

• As of May 12, 2023, noncitizen nonimmigrant visitors to the U.S.  arriving by air  or  arriving by land or sea  no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• As of June 12, 2022,  people entering the U.S. no longer need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test . 

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Coronavirus Updates

Cdc says travel is safe for fully vaccinated people, but opposes nonessential trips.

Rachel Treisman

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on Friday, lifting certain requirements while continuing to advise mitigation measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on Friday, lifting certain requirements while continuing to advise mitigation measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people, lifting certain testing and self-quarantine requirements and recommending precautions like wearing a mask and avoiding crowds. But health officials continue to discourage nonessential travel, citing a sustained rise in cases and hospitalizations.

The CDC updated its website on Friday to reflect the latest scientific evidence, writing that "people who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States."

The announcement comes less than a month after the CDC first released updated guidance about gatherings for fully vaccinated people, which it described as a "first step" toward returning to everyday activities.

Air Travel Is Opening Up Again, But That Doesn't Mean The Pandemic Is Over

The CDC considers someone fully vaccinated two weeks after they receive the last dose of vaccine. Those individuals will no longer need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it, and do not need to self-quarantine upon return.

The new guidance means, for example, that fully vaccinated grandparents can fly to visit their healthy grandkids without getting a COVID-19 test or self-quarantining as long as they follow other recommended measures while traveling, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

Those measures include wearing a mask over their nose and mouth, staying 6 feet from others and washing their hands frequently. Masks are required on all planes traveling into, within or out of the U.S., under an executive order issued by President Biden.

But Walensky, speaking at a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing on Friday, nonetheless discouraged all nonessential travel, citing a continued increase in the seven-day average of cases and hospitalizations.

"While we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the rising number of cases," Walensky said.

CDC Director Fears 'Impending Doom' If U.S. Opens Too Quickly

She said that while vaccinated people can do more things safely, most Americans are not yet fully vaccinated. Those who are not must have a negative test 1-3 days before they travel under CDC guidance. They must either get tested 3-5 days after they return and self-quarantine for 7 days, or self-quarantine for 10 days with no test.

Walensky said on Monday that there is more travel occurring now than throughout the pandemic, including the winter holidays. She acknowledged that people have been looking to get away over spring break or take advantage of what they perceive as a "relative paucity in cases," and she said the country was seeing an uptick in cases as a result.

"The thing that's different this time is that we actually have it in our power to be done with the scale of the vaccination," she said. "And that will be so much slower if we have another surge to deal with as well."

The U.S. is already seeing an uptick in domestic travel, and many Americans are looking to book trips in the coming months in what experts described to NPR as a sign of "clear pent up demand for travel."

As the country's supply of COVID-19 doses has grown, so has Biden's goal for the number of shots in arms during his first 100 days, doubling the target to 200 million by the end of this month. Many states have already expanded eligibility to all adults or are set to do so in the coming weeks, well ahead of the president's May 1 deadline.

According to NPR's vaccine tracker , 16.9% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and 30% has had at least one dose. Researchers estimate that 70% to 85% of the country would need to have immunity for COVID-19 to stop spreading through communities.

International travel restrictions remain

The CDC is not lifting travel restrictions barring the entry of most non-U.S. citizens from places including China, Brazil, South Africa and parts of Europe. It will continue to require airline passengers entering the U.S. to get a test within three days of their departure and show proof of a negative result before boarding.

The travel industry has been pushing for some of these restrictions to end. A group of 26 organizations sent a letter to White House COVID-19 czar Jeffrey Zients urging the federal government "to partner with us to develop, by May 1, 2021, a risk-based, data-driven roadmap to rescind inbound international travel restrictions."

While Some Spring Breakers Swarm Beaches, Many Stay Home, Dreaming Of Summer Travel

"To be clear, at this time, we do not support removal or easing of core public health protections, such as the universal mask mandate, inbound international testing requirement, physical distancing or other measures that have made travel safer and reduced transmission of the virus," they wrote. "However, the data and science demonstrate that the right public health measures are now in place to effectively mitigate risk and allow for the safe removal of entry restrictions."

Travel and tourism have taken a considerable hit because of the pandemic with industry groups noting that overseas travel to the U.S. declined by 81% in 2020, causing billions of dollars in losses. Without lifting international travel bans, the U.S. Travel Association estimates that some 1.1 million American jobs will not be restored and billions in spending will be lost by the end of the year.

"Fortunately, enough progress has been made on the health front that a rebound for domestic leisure travel looks possible this year, but that alone won't get the job done," Roger Dow, the association's president and CEO, said in a statement . "A full travel recovery will depend on reopening international markets, and we must also contend with the challenge of reviving business travel."

Fauci Expects Surge In Vaccinations To Keep A 4th Coronavirus Wave At Bay

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COVID-19 Flight Waivers and Refund Policies by Airline

See recent posts by Ricky Radka

With uncertainty surrounding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation stateside, many U.S.-based carriers are relaxing ticket restrictions to give passengers a little peace of mind when booking flights for future travel. Flexible policies on flight cancellations and change fees have been applied to select tickets, and most airlines have temporarily waived fees on new itineraries. Here are all the major U.S. carriers’ current change and cancellation rules as they relate to travel during the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

All policies have the most up-to-date info as of: March 31, 2020 .

To see if your upcoming travel has been affected click here for a full list of coronavirus flight suspensions by region and airline .

Coronavirus Waiver Policies by Airline:

American Airlines

Delta air lines, united airlines, alaska airlines, hawaiian airlines, sun country.

• International Carriers

Which US Airlines Are Offering Free Ticket Changes Amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) Concerns?

American Airlines has continued to expand on its initial change fee waiver to offer passengers more flexibility. Currently, any ticket (both domestic and international) purchased between March 1 and April 30, 2020 , including restrictive Basic Economy tickets, will be granted a one-time change without incurring the standard $200 change fee.

American has broadened its waiver policy to include all itineraries purchased before March 1 with upcoming departure dates through May 31, 2020. Customers with previously issued tickets may now have their trips rebooked before December 31, 2020, or 12 months from the original ticket date, whichever is earlier.

Newly purchased tickets must include travel between today and January 30, 2021, and rescheduled trips must be completed within a year of the original issue date. Itineraries may be changed online or by calling reservations, but keep in mind that although the change fee is waived, any difference in the fare price will apply.

It remains unclear if AAdvantage awards are excluded from the waiver policy, (they previously were), so reaching out directly to an AA representative is the best course of action regarding tickets booked with miles.

For all domestic and international travel originally scheduled to depart through May 31, 2020 , all change fees are waived, and you can rebook your trip to the same destination for travel departing before May 31, 2020, with no difference in fare applied. Trips rebooked to the same destination for travel departing between June 1 and December 31, 2020, no change fees will be assessed but a difference in fare may apply. 

Delta has put forth a blanket waiver on all tickets (domestic and international) purchased between March 1 and April 15, 2020 , allowing for multiple alterations free of change fees. Tickets purchased during this travel window are permitted changes for up to a year from the date of original purchase.

In all instances, ticket changes can be made online under the My Trips section of Delta.com, a change fee may initially display, but after selecting the new travel dates, it will disappear on the checkout page. Like all other carriers, a fare difference may apply.

Alternatively, if you choose to cancel your trip outright, the value of your ticket may be credited on a future Delta flight up to one year from the original purchase date.

SkyMiles award ticketed during this period are not clearly listed as part of the policy, so reaching out to a Delta representative is the cautious approach. For more information on travel regarding other affected regions, view Delta’s policy here .

Related: COVID-19 Flight Cancellations by Region and Airline

Customers can book confidently knowing that change fees on United flights will be waived for all itineraries purchased between March 3 and April 30, 2020, no matter the fare class. Tickets booked during this period are eligible for a one-time change to a flight of equal or lesser value valid over a period of one year from the original issue date of the ticket. For example, a ticket purchased on March 29, 2020, can be rescheduled through March 29, 2021. If the future flight is less in price, no residual value will be given; however, if the price is higher, customers will be required to pay the difference in cost.

Additionally, United has extended its waiver policy to include all itineraries purchased on or before March 2 with upcoming departure dates from today through May 31, 2020. Customers with previously issued tickets may now have their trips rebooked before December 31, 2020, or 12 months from the original ticket date, whichever is earlier. 

Customers who decide to cancel tickets booked in the listed purchase period can do so with no additional charges. Ticket values will be apples in the form of credit for use on future United flights within 12 months of the ticket’s original issue date.

It has now been reported that United is redepositing award tickets free of charge and taxes being refunded on most award tickets. Contacting United directly and asking them to waive redeposit fees is the best plan of action until exact guidelines are stated on the United site.

Epidemic or not, Southwest has never charged change or cancellation fees . Customers who would like to change a flight itinerary on Southwest will only be liable for any fare difference (customers with travel through April 30, 2020, may now change their tickets without paying a fare difference) . Southwest even offers a credit if the price drops after you have booked.

If you opt to cancel your reservation altogether, Southwest will issue a credit to your “travel fund” for use on a future flight within one year of the date of issue. Customers with funds that have expired or are set to between March 1 and May 31, 2020, will now expire on June 30, 2021.

After issuing the first fee waiver policy among major U.S. airlines, JetBlue has expanded its policy to passengers with existing itineraries with upcoming departures scheduled to commence through May 31, 2020, are now included in JetBlue’s fee waiver program. Flights may be rebooked for travel through October 24, 2020.

Additionally, customers who purchased tickets between now and April 30, 2020, may cancel or change flights free of charge for travel through October 24, 2020. Tickets purchased between March 6 and March 26, 2020, can rebook through September 8, 2020.

Cancellations will be refunded in the form of a credit toward the passengers JetBlue’s Travel Bank, and valid for one-year on future JetBlue travel. Refunds apply to all fares, even JetBlue’s most restrictive Blue Basic fares and also JetBlue Vacation Packages booked with the carrier. Changed tickets will still be subject to the cost of the fare difference, and only one rebooking is permitted.

Flights purchased with TrueBlue points will be redeposited free of charge. However, taxes paid on award tickets will be credited to the customer’s Travel Bank.

Related: 7 Must-Pack Items to Keep You Healthy While Traveling

Alaska Airlines has revamped its initial “peace of mind” policy to include a larger travel window for all tickets purchased between February 27 and April 30, 2020 . Select tickets purchased between those dates may now make a one-time change or cancel through February 28, 2021 .

Customers holding an itinerary with upcoming travel through May 31, 2020, now qualify for Alaska’s no change or cancellation fee policy, regardless of the booking date.

However, the previous separate restrictions still apply to Saver Fares.

Saver Fares purchased before April 30, 2020, for travel through February 28, 2021, are only eligible to cancel and redeposit funds into Alaska’s My Account wallet. Changes not permitted.

All other fares, including non-refundable First Class or Main fares booked before March 31, 2020, are entitled to a one-time date change at no extra cost (a fare difference may apply). Or free cancellation in which the value of the ticket will be deposited into a My Account travel wallet.

Mileage Plan award tickets qualify for Alaska’s updated cancellation policy and will be refunded and redeposited free of charge.

Hawaiian Airlines policy allows for waived change fees for new flights purchased between March 1 and May 31, 2020 . Itineraries purchased during the window are entitled to a one-time date change to a future flight beginning before December 31, 2020. A fare difference will be collected for the price of the new trip, and customers must contact Hawaiian at least 24-hours before departure for waived fees.

Customers with any existing booking made prior to March 9 with upcoming departure dates between today and May 31, 2020, are now included in Hawaiian most updated policy. Guests holding previously issued tickets may now have their trips rebooked for travel commencing no later than December 31, 2020.

Award flights ticketed with HawaiianMiles may be redeposited without any fees. Other location-specific information about fee waivers to Asia, French Polynesia, Australia, and New Zealand can be viewed here .

Related: Strategies to Get a Refund on a Non-Refundable Airfare

In the wake of other low-cost carriers introducing flexible travel policies, Spirit has released a program allowing customers that need to alter their travel plans a one-time free modification. Fare differences will apply, and the best method to make these changes is to call or text Spirit’s Guest Care lines listed below:

• Call (801) 401-2222
• Text: 48763
• Text via WhatsApp to (801) 401-2222 with “Hello”

Customers wishing to cancel their trips altogether have the option to receive a reservation credit for the full value amount of their ticket. Credits are valid for up to 6 months from the issue date.

Flights to select destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean served by Spirit have imposed travel restrictions on incoming passengers. If you have upcoming travel to Aruba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, or St. Maarten, view each country’s travel restriction and code to contact Spirit about refunds or changes.

As a standard policy throughout the year , change fees are waived for Frontier passengers as long as they make alterations to their itineraries at least 60 days or more before departure. But amid concerns of the epidemic and travelers wishing to change travel plans on shorter notice, Frontier has implemented increased flexibility to the current policy . Passengers with tickets issued prior to March 10, 2020, with upcoming travel scheduled between today and May 20, 2020 , are granted a one-time change to their itinerary without incurring change or cancel fees.

Customers booking new tickets between today and April 15, 2020 , will also qualify for the one-time waiver to change or cancel free of charge.

On flight changes, travel must be completed before November 9, 2020, and will be subject to a price difference. If the flight is lower in price, no residual value will be returned to the customer. Passengers who prefer to cancel an itinerary will receive the full cost of the ticket to be used toward the purchase of another Frontier flight within 90 days of the cancellation. All changes must be made at least 24-hours before the flight’s scheduled departure time, and the easiest way to make adjustments to tickets is by dialing Frontier directly at (801) 401-9000.

Related: New No Change Fee Policy on Frontier Airlines

COVID-19 situation or not, Sun Country allows customers to change their trip reservation online free of charge as long as the departure date is 60 days out or more. However, due to the current situation, Sun Country will permit passengers with flights scheduled through May 31, 2020 , to change or cancel tickets without fees . Flyers holding itineraries that qualify should call Sun Country directly at (651) 905-2737 between the hours of 6:00 am – 11:00 pm CDT, to make alternative travel plans. Passengers with international travel onboard Sun Country should view this page to view location-specific information about final flight operations and border closings.

There are no set waiver dates listed by Allegiant regarding which tickets may be changed or canceled, just simply that customers are allowed a one-time change without incurring additional fees. Passengers who wish to make changes to existing reservations are asked to call Allegiant’s Customer Care Center (702) 505-8888, email, or reach out via Twitter or Facebook; further instructions can be read here .

Related: The Travel Insurance You Need to Buy and the Kind You May Already Have

Coronavirus waiver policies on international carriers.

• Air New Zealand
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Copa Airlines
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Norwegian Air
• Porter Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• TAP Air Portugal
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Those who are traveling in the near future can monitor the spread of Covid-19 in real-time using this map provided by the World Health Organization .

You can find more information on how this virus is transmitted as well as protective measures you can take to stay safe .

Featured image: Shutterstock

All products are independently selected by our writers and editors. If you buy something through our links, Jetsetter may earn an affiliate commission.

This story originally appeared on our sister site airfarewatchdog.com .

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Need to change your travel plans? There are no change or cancellation fees for Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra and Mint fares.   

Blue Basic fares booked on or after Mar 18, 2024 cannot be changed but can be cancelled for a fee of $100 per person (North America, Central America, Caribbean) or $200 per person (other routes) and then rebooked. Blue Basic fares booked before Mar 18, 2024 may be changed or cancelled for the fee listed above. Changes are subject to fare difference. 

You can easily  manage your trip online at jetblue.com. If you booked through an online travel site or a travel agency, please contact them directly for assistance. 

Change and cancellation fees may apply to JetBlue Vacations packages. Call 1-844-JB-VACAY (528-2229)  to manage your package.

Making sure our customers and crewmembers feel safe, informed and confident while traveling with JetBlue is our #1 priority.  

• Need travel flexibility?   No change or cancellation fees  (except for Blue Basic fares) mean you’re free to change your plans—for any reason. 
• Stop clicking around. Find the latest travel rules and entry requirements and more all on this page.
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Should I mask for my flight? What to know about COVID and traveling.

There’s no quicker way to ruin a vacation than getting sick, and travelers should be wary of catching a respiratory virus during their journeys.

It could end up as just the common cold, or be something more serious like the flu or COVID -19. 

Since the winter season began, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noticed “elevated and increasing (though not dramatically)” COVID-19 activity in the U.S., the agency said in late December. Particularly, travelers should be aware of the latest most widely circulating COVID-19 variant, JN.1.

“JN.1’s continued growth suggests that the variant is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems than other circulating variants,” the agency said.

Travelers are always at a higher risk of catching COVID-19 since they’re moving quickly through multiple places. The CDC’s Traveler-Based SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance – which collects samples from international travelers arriving from more than 25 countries at major U.S. airports – found a 32.9% positivity rate for pooled samples the week of Jan. 1. The following week showed a slight decline with a positivity rate of 27.8%. The most common variant found in these travelers was JN.1.  

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Here’s what to know if you’re traveling soon and wondering about your risk of COVID-19 and how to stay safe:

Are COVID cases rising?

Coronavirus cases were recently on the rise, but have been declining as of about two weeks ago. 

For a while, the JN.1 variant was spreading rapidly. In December, the CDC said hospital admissions for COVID-19 increased by more than 50% . The week ending on Jan. 9 saw 34,876 new COVID-19 hospital admissions in the U.S. – the highest since a year ago on Jan. 24, 2023. 

However, the most recently released data of the week ending Jan. 20 reported a 14% decline in hospital admissions and a 1.2% decline in test positivity. 

The states with the highest rates of new hospitalizations last week were New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, West Virginia, Connecticut and Arkansas. 

The states and territories that saw the highest week-over-week increase in COVID-19 hospitalization rates were Puerto Rico, with 36.3% more hospitalizations last week than the week before, and New Mexico, which had 24% more. Alaska also had a 13.9% rate increase. 

From Reviewed: We tried the Lucira COVID-19 and flu test — Here's what to know about the at-home kit

What are the masking rules in air travel?

Federal law no longer requires passengers to wear face masks on domestic flights as of Spring 2022, so it’s up to individuals to mask. Since then, nearly all international destinations have also dropped their own mandates requiring masks in planes and airports. If you do want to mask up, some airlines like Southwest Airlines can provide one. 

Is the air quality safe inside a plane?

For the most part, yes. Airplane ventilation systems are effective at making the onboard air as clean as an operating room , Leonard Marcus, director of the Aviation Public Health Initiative at Harvard University, told USA TODAY in April 2022. 

When a plane is in flight, its ventilation system draws in air from outside and discharges half of the “used” air back outside while filtering the rest, so air is constantly moving inside the plane, helping to greatly reduce transmission risks. It may not feel like it, but the air inside a plane is being exchanged at a rate of about 10 times more than in typical office buildings. 

I measured CO2 levels on a plane: It showed me when I was most likely exposed to COVID

A 2020 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the risk of catching COVID-19 during air travel is low, thanks to the continuous exchange of air and the flow from top to bottom. 

When grounded, the plane has to use an onboard auxiliary power unit to operate the ventilation system and also pump in air from an outside air compressor. 

Most aircraft also use high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filters that catch at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and the tiniest of particles, including COVID-19.

Should I wear a mask while traveling?

Although airlines said their cleaning processes meet CDC guidelines and passengers are usually given sanitizing wipes when they board a plane, experts agree that masks add an extra layer of protection against contracting COVID-19 during air travel. Outbreaks on planes can still happen when some passengers are infected.

The CDC recommends people wear a high-quality mask like an N95 when in crowded or tight spaces, like on the airport jetway to board a plane, or if travelers are passing through a destination with high levels of respiratory illnesses. 

Passengers exposed to someone with COVID-19 within 10 days or feeling under the weather, should mask, cancel or rebook their flight. 

Wearing a mask while traveling is also just a good gesture to fellow passengers. “Wearing a mask during travel can also help protect others who cannot avoid being in crowded places when they are traveling,” said the CDC. 

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

Travel requirements

Getting ready for your next trip? The requirements for travelling may differ for each destination. To help you travel with peace of mind, we’ll give you an overview.

Check requirements

Want to make sure you have every document you need to board? With KLM’s TravelDoc tool, you can easily check the requirements for your trip. Make sure to check it shortly before departure, as they can change quickly.

Rules and regulations

Covid-19 tests, do i need to get tested on covid-19 before my flight.

We advise checking the embassy website of the country you’re visiting. Next to that, you can check our TravelDoc tool to see what you need to prepare for your trip.

Go to KLM’s TravelDoc

Are you travelling to, from, or via the Netherlands?

Check the website of the Dutch government for up-to-date information.

Visit the website of the Dutch government

When arriving in the Netherlands, you may be asked to show the needed documents to airport staff or the designated (medical) authorities, such as the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. If you cannot show these documents, you may be denied entry into the Netherlands.

I am already vaccinated for COVID-19. Do I still need to get tested?

Please check TravelDoc to see what applies to your trip. Be sure to check which type of vaccine is accepted and what the minimum time is between the date of your last injection and your date of arrival. In addition, check if your destination allows vaccines from the country in which you have been vaccinated.

Note: scanning the QR code is not yet possible at all airports. Please make sure to bring your vaccination certificate, negative test result, or recovery certificate with you on paper.

Where can I find a testing centre?

If you need a negative COVID-19 test result before departure, please check the below-mentioned websites for test locations all around the world. Or scroll down this page and select your country.

View KLM Health Services for test locations in the Netherlands

View global rapid and PCR test locations on the website of the Dutch authorities

What type of COVID-19 test do I need for travel?

The type of COVID-19 test required varies by destination. Visit TravelDoc to find out which test you will need to take before you can travel.

When do I need to get tested to travel?

The validity period for COVID-19 tests is short: usually a few days before departure or arrival depending on the country. Visit TravelDoc to find out when to get tested before you can travel.

Does my child need a COVID-19 test to travel?

Testing requirements for children depend on the destination country. Please consult TravelDoc to find out if your child needs to be tested for your trip.

I’ve received my test results. What document do I need to show at the airport?

Some countries require a test certificate in digital or printed format, which may include a QR code. This certificate may be different from the result sent by your lab. Visit TravelDoc to verify which document to show at the airport.

Because of a delayed flight, my COVID-19 tests are no longer valid. What should I do now?

Please check TravelDoc for more information, as the requirements differ per country.

Additional travel requirements

I have been vaccinated against covid-19. do i still need quarantine upon arrival.

Different measures apply to each country. Please check TravelDoc to see which type of vaccine is accepted and what the minimum time is between the date of your last injection and your date of arrival. In addition, check if your destination allows vaccines from the country in which you have been vaccinated.

Travelling (back) to the Netherlands? You can also check the website of the Dutch government.

Do I need to submit a quarantine declaration when travelling to, from, or via the Netherlands?

Currently, there are no countries with a new virus variant of concern. Self-quarantining is no longer required, and you do not have to fill in a declaration. If you are travelling back from a country where a new virus variant of concern is emerging, you will be required to self-quarantine upon your return. Do the travel check if you want more information about travelling (back) during corona.

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Need to transfer to another flight? Watch our video and find out what to do to smoothly continue your journey.

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Worldwide test locations.

Do you need a negative (rapid) test result for travel? Please select the country of your departure below to find a test location near you. Are you looking for a test location in another country? Select another country from the list.

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What is COVID-19?

Who can get covid-19, can i travel if i recently had covid-19, what can travelers do to prevent covid-19, more information.

CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance has been updated. The content of this page will be updated soon.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. The virus spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets and small particles produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. The virus spreads easily in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor settings.

People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms   – ranging from no or mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2–14 days after exposure to the virus. Possible symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, new loss of taste and smell, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Anyone can get COVID-19. However, some people are more likely than others to get very sick if they get COVID-19. These include people who are older, are  immunocompromised , or have certain  disabilities , or have  underlying health conditions .  Vaccination, past infection, and timely access to testing and treatment can help protect you from getting very sick from COVID-19.

Yes, you can travel once you have ended isolation . Check CDC guidance for additional precautions, including testing and wearing a mask around others. If you recently had COVID-19 and are recommended to wear a mask, do not travel on public transportation such as airplanes, buses, and trains if you are unable to wear a mask whenever around others.

Get  up to date  with your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel and take steps to protect yourself and others . Consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas, including on public transportation and in transportation hubs. Take additional precautions if you were recently exposed to a person with COVID-19. Don’t travel while sick.

If you have a  weakened immune system  or  are at increased risk for severe disease talk to a healthcare professional before you decide to travel.  If you travel, take multiple prevention steps to provide additional layers of protection from COVID-19, even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. These include improving ventilation and spending more time outdoors, avoiding sick people, getting tested for COVID-19 if you develop symptoms, staying home if you have or think you have COVID-19, and seeking treatment if you have COVID-19.

Consider getting travel insurance in case you need medical care abroad .

Consider getting a COVID-19 test if you:

• Develop COVID-19 symptoms before, during, or after travel.
• Will be traveling to visit someone who is at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.
• Were in a situation with a greater risk of exposure during travel (e.g., in an indoor, crowded space like an airport terminal while not wearing a mask).

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare professional, and tell them about your recent travel.

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Q&A: America’s new COVID-19 rules for international travel

President Joe Biden waves as he walks towards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to New York ahead of a United Nations General Assembly meeting. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

White House press secretary Jen Psaki arrives at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is rolling out new international travel policies affecting Americans and noncitizens alike who want to fly into the U.S. The goal is to restore more normal air travel after 18 months of disruption caused by COVID-19.

The across-the-board rules, which will take effect in November, will replace a hodgepodge of confusioning restrictions. Some details of the plan announced Monday are being worked out, but here are some questions and answers about what to expect:

WHAT IS THE NEW POLICY IN A NUTSHELL?

All adult foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. will be required to be fully vaccinated before boarding their flight. This is in addition to the current requirement that travelers show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

Once the vaccination requirement is put in place, the White House will ease all the country-specific restrictions on international travel that have prevented noncitizens who have been in the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil or South Africa in the prior 14 days from entering the U.S.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT AMERICANS?

Fully vaccinated Americans will only need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

WHAT ABOUT UNVACCINATED AMERICANS?

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are not fully vaccinated will still be able to fly to the U.S., but they will see tougher testing and contact tracing protocols. They will need to be tested within 24 hours of boarding a flight to the U.S., as well as undergo testing upon return to the country. It remains to be seen, though, how the federal government will enforce the testing requirement upon return.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT CHILDREN?

The new U.S. policy only requires adult foreign nationals to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the U.S. The White House did not immediately say whether unvaccinated children will face different testing protocols when flying into the country.

WHICH VACCINES ARE ACCEPTABLE?

The CDC says the U.S. will accept full vaccination of travelers with any COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, including those from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson used in the U.S. Other vaccines are also approved by the WHO and used widely around the world, including from AstraZeneca and China’s Sinovac, with varying degrees of effectiveness against COVID-19 and its more transmissible delta variant. The WHO is reviewing Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine but hasn’t approved it.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT AIR FARES?

Adit Damodaran, economist for the travel-research firm Hopper, predicted that growing demand is likely to cause higher airfares on flights from Europe, although the rush to book flights could be slowed by the delta variant and high COVID-19 rates in the U.S. If fares rise, it would mark a turnaround in prices since the start of the pandemic.

WILL AIRLINES COLLECT DATA ON PASSENGERS?

The CDC will require airlines to collect information about passengers and provide it to the health agency if it needs to conduct contact tracing. The airlines had resisted a similar change last year, when it was proposed by the CDC and eventually blocked by the Trump administration.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL OVER LAND BORDERS?

The administration’s restrictions on crossing land borders from Mexico and Canada into the U.S. are to remain unchanged for now. That means that in some cases fully vaccinated people from the two American neighbors will soon be able fly to the U.S., but may not be able to make the same journey by car.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY?

Analysts and industry officials think it will help. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said lifting the current restrictions on international travelers will contribute to a durable recovery for the U.S. economy. Before Monday, the U.S. was on pace to lose $175 billion in export income from international visitors this year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

HOW HAVE THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTED INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL?

They have made it easier for Americans to visit Europe than the other way around. U.S. international travel in August was down 54% compared with two years ago, and arrivals by non-U.S. citizens were off 74%, according to Airlines for America.

HOW WILL THE CHANGES AFFECT BUSINESS TRAVEL?

There is pent-up demand among business travelers from Europe. Foreign executives who have been vaccinated will no longer have to prove that their travel to the United States serves the U.S. “national interest″ — a time-consuming process.

Koenig reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Mike Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.

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An Engineering Experiment to Cool the Earth

A new technology is attempting to brighten clouds and bounce some of the sun’s rays back into space..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Katrin Bennhold. This is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

After failing for decades to cut carbon emissions enough to stop the planet from dangerously overheating, scientists are increasingly looking at backup measures, some that would fight the warming by intervening in the climate itself. Today, my colleague Christopher Flavelle on the efforts to engineer our way out of the climate crisis.

It’s Friday, April 5.

So, Chris, you’ve been covering climate change for a while, but recently you’ve been focused on a very special project. Tell us about this.

Yeah, two things have been happening in climate change recently that are really important. Number one, records have been falling at alarming rates. Last year was, again, the hottest year on record. Much the world surpassed the important threshold of 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels. So the world is getting warmer at an alarming rate.

At the same time, emissions aren’t falling. The message of the last generation has been, we need to cut emissions really to almost zero by the end of this century. And in fact, the reverse is happening. Emissions are continuing to rise.

At the same time, the number and characteristics of weather disasters have become really alarming. So the effects of that warming have become really clear. And it’s clear that the world is struggling to adapt to those effects.

So the other thing that’s happening at a high level is there’s more research and more consideration of OK, what if we can’t cut emissions fast enough? What if we’re going to have this really severe degree of warming? Can we do something else, maybe temporarily, to buffer those effects? And that’s led to this question of, what kinds of changes can we make deliberately to the atmosphere, to the environment that will maybe produce some sort of artificial cooling in the meantime?

So earlier this week I was able to watch, as scientists did, the first outdoor tests in the US on a technology that will aim to do just that. It’s called marine cloud brightening.

So what is this idea of brightening the clouds? Where did it originally come from?

So everyone I talked to pointed back to one really important moment in 1990 when a British physicist named John Latham was taking a hike in Wales with his young son. And they were looking out at the clouds over the Irish Sea.

And as Dr. Latham later told it, his son asked him, “Hey, why are clouds bright?” And Dr. Latham said, “Well, because they reflect sun right back in the sky.” And his son said, “So they’re like soggy mirrors.”

And Dr. Latham went on to write a letter in 1990 that was published in the Journal Nature, saying, you know what, if we can deliberately manipulate these clouds, maybe we can make them more reflective and actually counteract the effects of global warming. That was the inception point for this idea, and it led to decades of research culminating in this week’s test.

So the idea is if you can make clouds more reflective, you can reflect more of the sun’s heat back into space. So it won’t get trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere in the first place.

Exactly. That’s what they’re trying to do.

That’s a very simple, and at the same time, a very powerful idea. I love actually that they were hiking in Wales. That’s where I am right now, and we sure have a lot of clouds here, rain clouds. But tell me more about what you saw at the testing site.

So this Tuesday, a little after 7:00 in the morning, I pulled up in a parking lot on a dock at the edge of Alameda.

I’m standing at the gangplank to the USS Hornet, a decommissioned aircraft carrier in San Francisco Bay here for the first test in the US of a machine that was designed to try to brighten clouds, a way of maybe temporarily cooling the Earth.

And I made my way up one of the massive gangplanks and came in to find a cluster of some of the top atmospheric scientists in the world.

Have you met Sarah?

How do you do?

Hi, Rob. How are you?

Looking really excited. And they accompanied me out to the flight deck —

Here we are.

— of this aircraft carrier.

Pretty epic.

It’s pretty great.

Which was a bit like a party. They’d set up a little table on the side with some coffee and some sandwiches, and people were chatting and saying hi to each other. And I asked them why they were excited.

So I know a thousand of what you know, and I still find this exciting. You guys, walk me through. Is this like a big day for you or just like one more test?

No, this is a big day for me.

And they said this was actually a huge day in their research.

Just looking at it, going, yeah, this is the culmination of years of work, right?

Wow, and tell me about what exactly they were so excited about and what they were doing on the ship.

Yeah, the thing everyone was excited about was this machine set up at the far end of the flight deck of this aircraft carrier. It’s blue. It’s shiny. It looks a bit like a snow maker or maybe like a spotlight.

This machine is a sprayer. What it does is it sprays really, really, really small aerosol particles, in this case, smashed up sea salts, a long distance at just the right size and just the right volume. Because in theory, at some point, you could use this machine to change the size and number of the droplets in the clouds. You can make them brighter conceptually it’s possible. The question is, technologically, can we do it?

Yeah, the particles are coming out in a super concentrated there. So whatever’s coming out of that circle there is basically going to be huge by the time it gets to the cloud.

And so the goal with this test was they spent years building this sprayer that can use really high pressured air to smash salt particles into super small bits, about 1,700th the size of a human hair.

What they didn’t know, until this week, and they’re trying to find out right now, once you spray it, do those aerosols that are so finely tuned stay that size? In theory, they should.

What they don’t know is, things like wind and humidity and temperature could potentially cause them to coagulate, to regroup, which would throw the whole thing off. If the aerosols you’re shooting into clouds are too big, you can backfire the whole purpose. You can wreck what you’re trying to do because you make clouds less reflective, not more reflective.

So the whole goal of the experiment is, OK, can they make the spray just so, so that even in outdoor conditions, the aerosols that are so finely sized remain the size you want them to be. And that’s what they’re trying to find out.

And you watched the actual test of this. What did you see? What happened?

Those instruments are emitting a slight hum.

So operating the sprayer is not straightforward.

And they’re filling the tanks with the salt water that’ll be used to produce the mist.

There was somebody crouched on the control deck, the panel of instruments at the side of the sprayer. So I went over and tried to sit next to him and watch him as he turned a series of knobs and careful sequence.

OK. Yeah, everybody, we’re going to run some air. So the — ... We need two minutes here just to have power on this.

And after a series of tests to make sure the valves were clear —

OK, ear protection, please.

— finally the moment came, and he got an all clear over his walkie-talkie. And he turned on the water —

Water on, copy, over.

— and the air.

[COMPRESSOR ACTIVATING]

Since the sound of the compressor pushes pressurized air through the sprayer, it’s making a dull, throbbing sensation. You can feel it a little bit through the deck of the ship.

We all had ear protectors. And even with the ear protectors, it was really loud. And then you can almost feel the spray bursting out of this machine and watch it travel really hundreds of feet down the deck of the aircraft carrier.

OK, water off, fan off. Good job.

Awesome, guys, you’re done. Thank you. Excellent.

First test is done.

My first signal that things have gone well was I looked up when the spraying machine was turned off and saw some scientists high-fiving down the deck.

What’d you think?

It’s beautiful.

Is it what you thought it would be?

It’s better. And I’m optimistic that it will tell us a lot about what these things do. This made me really optimistic.

And the idea is to do several short bursts like that through the day?

And everyone seemed really excited that this thing they’d worked on for years was finally happening in this really important outdoor test.

OK, so it sounds like this test was a success.

Yeah, they stressed that they need a lot of time to really go over the results. They’ll be doing this test again and again in different weather conditions. But the initial reaction seemed positive. They seemed to think that the numbers they were getting were what they were hoping to see.

And so now the goal is, can they maintain the right size aerosols even in different conditions down the deck of this aircraft carrier? That’ll give them some confidence that if they decided one day to try and do this on the open ocean to actually brighten clouds, they’d have the ability to do it.

So, Chris, if all of this works, how and when do these researchers anticipate that this would actually be used?

Well, here’s a great example. In the month of February, a version of this testing was also happening in Australia, off the Coast of Australia, where researchers were testing whether marine cloud brightening could be used to cool the ocean just a little bit around the Great Barrier Reef.

Really high ocean temperatures are causing bleaching of that coral reef. The idea was, could they use marine cloud brightening to save some of those reefs from dying? And that’s probably a good idea of the fairly localized situation, where you could, in theory if you do it right, have a fairly quick degree of cooling that could maybe try to avert or mitigate something pretty acute like a heat wave or a stretch of warm weather that would kill coral. But the science is probably too new at this point to talk about the right situations to use it. Those conversations are all down the road as researchers look at these and other ideas for what they could do if things get really bad.

We’ll be right back.

So, Chris, when I think about solutions to climate change, it usually involves these very hard things we need to do, like, change the way we live, the way we drive, what we eat. We need these international treaties. We need carbon taxes regulation. There’s lots of hard stuff, and we haven’t gotten that far.

But here you’ve just told me about this technology that, if it ends up working, could actually help cool the planet without anyone needing to do any of these hard things. It sounds great.

It does sound great. Now, we’ve got to say, first of all that whenever anybody working on this stuff talks about it, the first thing they say is this is not an alternative to reducing emissions. This is looking for ways to buy time as we try to cut emissions. There’s no way to really deal with climate change that doesn’t entail burning less fossil fuel and quickly.

But yes, in addition to brightening clouds, there’s other ways to try to bounce more sunlight back into space and other ideas. My colleague David Gelles wrote the first piece in our series looking the idea of removing carbon dioxide directly from the air, reversing our past emissions.

Other ideas include finding ways to suck up more of the CO2 in the oceans. There’s even ideas that my colleague Cara Buckley covered of could we build a sort of a giant parasol way out in space that would reflect or scatter more of the sunlight and prevent some of that sunlight from even reaching the Earth in the first place?

So there’s a huge number of ideas that until very recently seemed just so bizarre and/or so expensive and/or so dangerous that they were hardly worth pursuing seriously. And what’s changed really quickly in the last really year or two is all of a sudden those ideas have switched from being too wild to spend much time on to being so important because the situation is so dire that we can’t not look at them. And that’s the pivot that my team has been trying to cover.

And what characterizes all these initiatives is that rather than reducing our own emissions, we’re now trying to intervene in the climate in a proactive way, engineering the climate in a way.

Yes, and you hear the phrase geoengineering to describe these ideas collectively. And what people who research this will stress is, we’re already geoengineering. For more than a century, we’ve been geoengineering in the sense of putting climate changing pollution into the atmosphere that’s caused the planet to change by trapping more heat in the atmosphere. So the question is, do we want to deliberately geoengineer in a way that will ease that pressure rather than just making it worse?

Of course, there some controversy attached to this. And there are some pretty valid concerns about what the consequences might be if we keep on pursuing these ideas.

And why are they controversial?

Well, the first concern that you hear is this idea of moral hazard, that if people come to think that there are ways of addressing climate change that don’t require them to change their lifestyle or sacrifice conveniences or change the kinds of cars they drive or how their power is generated that they will lose interest in those tough changes. And the momentum, such as it is, towards cutting emissions will fade even more. But we don’t know yet whether politicians or governments or companies or just people will misuse these ideas to try to shirk the harder work of reducing the amount of greenhouse gases we emit.

Another really important argument you hear is, OK, side effects. Do we really know what would happen if we tried these things? Marine cloud brightening is one of those situations where there are known unknowns and unknown unknowns, as they say.

The known unknowns are, well, what would happen to things like ocean circulation? What would happen to precipitation? What would happen to the effect on the amount of energy reaching the ocean? What would happen to the fisheries industry? We don’t really know, and researchers are trying to find out, what those effects might be.

Then there are the unknown unknowns. If you start deliberately changing the cloud system, well, what else might happen that we haven’t anticipated? Do you move the location of where rainfall happens? Do you perhaps upset the monsoon cycle in India? Do you change the ability to grow food in parts of the world?

So if you do this at a bigger scale, the consequences of those potential side effects get more and more severe. And I talked to environmentalists who said that’s a real concern. You just can’t model those risks. And you, to a degree, by pursuing this, have to accept that risk is real and almost roll the dice.

And I guess much like climate change, where you have a group of countries that is most responsible for CO2 emissions that have caused the global warming and then a whole other group of countries that are probably suffering the worst consequences, even though they haven’t contributed to those emissions nearly as much, you might see a situation where this kind of interference with the climate at the initiative of some countries, presumably the wealthy countries that have that technology, would then have unintended consequences in countries that have no control over this. So that’s tricky.

That’s right. And that takes us to a third category of concerns, which is, OK, let’s assume that things are bad enough, that collectively societies want to take those risks of those side effects. Well, then who chooses, who decides when we get to that point? Is there even a mechanism that would allow you to get informed consent from everybody who’d be affected?

And if these would affect everybody, it’s hard to imagine how you would build a governance mechanism that would allow you to say, before we push the button, are we sure everybody is OK with this? The only counter to all of these concerns is compared to what? And this is the point that researchers make.

OK, this is dangerous. OK, it presents challenges, but compared to what? Their point is, don’t compare it to a situation where everything’s fine. Compare it to a situation we’re actually in, where the trajectory of global warming is so serious and isn’t looking like it’ll get better any time soon. Well, compared to those risks, how do these risks compare?

And the question is, would you rather have a world of basically uncontrolled warming? And we have an idea of what that brings, wildfires and drought and sea level rise and storms and diseases. Is that better than some of these more perhaps controlled risks associated with deliberately tinkering with the environment?

So it’s almost like pick your poison. What sort of threats do you want to embrace? And that’s the overwhelming dilemma that we face with this technology.

In a way, what it makes me think, is that these crazy initiatives that we’ve been hearing about from you are yes, they’re testament to our failure in a way to combat climate change so far, because they’re such a last resort, really, such as an act of desperation. But at the same time, it seems like this urgency has actually unleashed a lot of energy and money to tackle the problem.

Yeah, and there’s good news in this. The good news is, the research we’re talking about demonstrates the really amazing capacity of scientists to come up with new ideas, develop new technologies, test them quickly, and at least build some options.

So if there’s any rays of hope around climate change, it’s that humanity’s capacity to innovate and find new ideas is almost endless. So the question is not, are we pursuing the wrong research ideas? The question is, can we find good ideas fast enough to avert the really serious consequences of climate change that we’re already facing?

Chris, I just remember that scientist we heard in the tape from your visit. And she was so excited. And she said that she was really optimistic. I wonder, how are you feeling?

I think the frustration that you’ll hear among climate reporters, and I’m in this group, is that most people seem not to appreciate the severity of the situation that we’re in. There seems to be a view that we’re dealing with this. People are buying electric cars, and we’re getting more solar power and wind power. And things are going the right way, and this will be OK.

Things are not going the right way. Not only are we on the wrong trajectory in terms of emissions, we are so far away from being on the right trajectory for emissions that it’s hard to imagine us cutting emissions globally at a rate anywhere near fast enough to avoid almost unbearable consequences of global warming. So that’s the downside.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Here’s the good news, though. I do think, and this again I think is a view among other climate reporters, the capacity of scientists and of companies to change track and to find new products and apply new ideas is really impressive. It just doesn’t feel like there’s a connection yet between the urgency of the situation and the way people and companies and governments are responding.

And so I guess if the question is, how I feel about this? I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity of the researchers I come across in my job every day. What I don’t yet know about is whether or not society will move fast enough to adopt and apply those ideas before the conditions that we face from climate change become almost unbearable.

Well, Chris, on this cautiously optimistic note, thank you very much.

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a tense phone call with Israel’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, President Biden called the airstrikes that killed seven aid workers this week unacceptable and threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It was the first time that Biden explicitly sought to leverage American aid to influence Israel’s conduct of the war against Hamas. But the White House stopped short of saying directly that the president would halt arms supplies or impose conditions on their use as some fellow Democrats have urged him to do.

And a centrist group called No Labels has abandoned its plans to run a presidential ticket in this year’s election after failing to recruit a candidate. The group, which last year said it raised $60 million, had planned to put forward what it called a bipartisan unity ticket in the event of a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump but in recent months suffered a string of rejections from prominent Republicans and Democrats who declined to run on its ticket.

Today’s episode was produced by Michael Simon Johnson, Eric Krupke, Luke Vander Ploeg and Rachelle Bonja. It was edited by Patricia Willens, contains original music by Rowan Niemisto, Elisheba Ittoop, and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

“The Daily” is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Yang, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, MJ Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Michael Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schroeppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez, and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Special thanks to Lisa Tobin, Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, and Nina Lassam.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Katrin Bennhold. See you Monday.

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Hosted by Katrin Bennhold

Featuring Christopher Flavelle

Produced by Michael Simon Johnson ,  Eric Krupke ,  Luke Vander Ploeg and Rachelle Bonja

Edited by Patricia Willens

Original music by Rowan Niemisto ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Marion Lozano

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Decades of efforts to cut carbon emissions have failed to significantly slow the rate of global warming, so scientists are now turning to bolder approaches.

Christopher Flavelle, who writes about climate change for The Times, discusses efforts to engineer our way out of the climate crisis.

On today’s episode

Christopher Flavelle , who covers how the United States tries to adapt to the effects of climate change for The New York Times.

Background reading

Warming is getting worse. So they just tested a way to deflect the sun .

Can we engineer our way out of the climate crisis ?

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Katrin Bennhold is the Berlin bureau chief. A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold

Christopher Flavelle is a Times reporter who writes about how the United States is trying to adapt to the effects of climate change. More about Christopher Flavelle

Luke Vander Ploeg is a senior producer on “The Daily” and a reporter for the National Desk covering the Midwest. More about Luke Vander Ploeg

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