United States: COVID Travel Restrictions

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United States covid travel restrictions

United States COVID Travel Restrictions for Business Aviation

This article covers the latest United States COVID travel restrictions impacting business aviation, including testing, quarantine, and entry requirements. Ask your Universal Trip Support team for a Feasibility Guide to get detailed intelligence for your destination of interest.

March 30, 2022

Summary info only. Detailed intelligence available – Pre-arrival testing requirements, health forms, quarantine details, local curfews, and scenario-specific info have been omitted from this overview. Ask your Universal Trip Support team for a Feasibility Guide to get detailed intelligence for your destination of interest.

See updated FAA NOTAM regarding ban on Russian travelers.

  • All air passengers 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative COVID-19 viral test taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, prior to boarding a flight to the United States (including Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii and Alaska). The CDC has approved several at-home tests (like Abbott BinaxNow, Qured, Ellume, etc.) that can be used for this, but they do need to be supervised via telehealth. Air passengers will also be required to confirm in the form of an attestation that the information they present is true. The CDC has created a helpful guidance process flow chart and FAQs.
  • The current Presidential Proclamation remain in effect. You can find our summary of the new rules on our blog. The main highlights include:
    • Foreign nationals must be fully vaccinated to enter, with few exceptions.
    • ALL VACCINTATED TRAVELERS (U.S. citizens included) must provide proof of negative test taken no more than 1 day prior to departure.
    • U.S. citizens who are not fully-vaccinated must provide proof of negative test taken no more than 1 day before departure.
    • Active crew are exempt from these requirements.
  • The CDC has developed a handy entry quiz to help travelers determine entry eligibility for the U.S.
  • Applications for signatory carrier status under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are still being processed. CBP is now requiring physically signed contracts rather than electronic, which means it will be roughly 30 days before you receive approval. All U.S.-based operators (including some international companies with U.S. subsidiaries) and non-U.S. commercial operators are eligible to apply. If you are not a signatory carrier and qualify, we recommend you apply to increase your operating flexibility. We can help.
  • The U.S. STEP Program is an important risk mitigation program that U.S. nationals should be using on every international trip, especially now with COVID. When the first wave hit and we saw the massive wave of lockdowns, this program helped get people on the U.S. Embassy’s evacuation list to return home. It has a whole host of other benefits like if you lose your passport or have medical issues, if there is a terrorist incident or civil unrest, etc. Our Global Regulatory Services team offers an optional, turnkey STEP Registration Service for your trips with us.
  • Any operator entering the U.S. from the south should be taking advantage of the CBP’s Border Overflight Exemption (BOE) program to avoid having to make an extra stop at the first designated AOE when returning home. A BOE is good for 2 years, and it greatly increases your operational flexibility. We can take care of this for you.
  • Non-U.S. charter (non-scheduled commercial) operators flying to/from the U.S. with less than 12 flights per year MUST have a DOT Part 375 Ops Permit and/or Special Authorization. We can assist.
  • Hawaii –
    • As of March 26, there is no COVID-related requirements for arriving domestic passengers. Travelers arriving in Hawai‘i directly from international airports must still comply with U.S. federal requirements.
    • Hawaii aligns with federal international requirements.
    • COVID tests don’t have to be done with Trusted Travel Partners under the new international federal requirements, but they do have to be done with a Trusted Travel Partner for unvaccinated domestic travel.
    • Fully-vaccinated domestic travelers are exempt from quarantine and testing but must still create an account in Safe Travels Hawaii, enter their trip details, upload their vaccination documentation, sign the legal attestations, and within 24 hours of departing to Hawaii, complete the online health questionnaire. More information available at: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel/faqs/.
  • Puerto Rico – No pre-testing required or proof of fully vaccination for travelers from the U.S., regardless of vaccination status. Travel declaration form required for all travelers. See details at www.travelsafe.pr.gov or www.viajaseguro.pr.gov.
  • USVI – Proof of negative COVID test result no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers from the mainland U.S. with proof of full vaccination. Visit the USVI Travel Screening Portal and fill out the info requested in advance. Our preferred ground handler at TIST, Standard Aviation, has parking availability and can provide air transfers to neighboring Caribbean islands.
  • Alaska – Alaska’s travel mandates and orders are now just travel advisories. Full entry details online.
  • California – Effective April 1, requirements for vaccine verification or proof of negative test for Indoor Mega Events will be lifted and move to a strong recommendation.

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