Table of Contents
Can I travel to Seattle during the COVID-19 pandemic?
With a current vaccination rate of 86%, Seattle and King County are safely welcoming back visitors. Travelers to Seattle—and all destinations—should continue to observe the health recommendations of national and local public health officials, as they plan to travel, while in transit, and while visiting any destination.
What is the risk of getting coronavirus on a plane?
Because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on airplanes. Although the risk of infection on an airplane is low, travelers should try to avoid contact with sick passengers and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer that contain 60%–95% alcohol.
For more information: Exposure Risk During Travel
Can an airline deny boarding a passenger if they don’t have a negative COVID-19 test?
Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.
Do I need to get another COVID-19 test if I have a connecting flight?
If your itinerary has you arriving to the US via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within the 3 days before the departure of the first flight.
Should I travel during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Do NOT travel if You are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test. You had close contact with a person with COVID-19 and are recommended to quarantine. Do not travel until a full 5 days after your last close contact with the person with COVID-19. It is best to avoid travel for a full 10 days after your last exposure.
Are you required to get a COVID-19 test to fly back to the U.S.?
Air passengers traveling to the US are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery. Airlines must confirm the negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding.
How long do COVID-19 particles remain in the air?
Aerosols are emitted by a person infected with coronavirus — even one with no symptoms — when they talk, breathe, cough, or sneeze. Another person can breathe in these aerosols and become infected with the virus. Aerosolized coronavirus can remain in the air for up to three hours.
Why does traveling increase the spread of COVID-19?
Individuals who travel may be at risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, before, during, or after travel. This could result in travelers’ spreading the virus to others at their destinations or upon returning home.
What happens if there is a sick passenger on an international or domestic flight during the COVID-19 pandemic?
See full answer
Under current federal regulations, pilots must report all illnesses and deaths to CDC before arriving to a U.S. destination. According to CDC protocols, if a sick traveler has a contagious disease that is a risk to others on board the airplane, CDC works with local and state health departments and international public health agencies to contact exposed passengers and crew.
Be sure to give the airline your current contact information when booking your ticket so you can be notified if you are exposed to a sick traveler on a flight.
For more information, see the CDC webpage Protecting Travelers’ Health from Airport to Community: Investigating Contagious Diseases on Flights.
Do I have to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to enter the US?
Air passengers traveling to the US are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery. Airlines must confirm the negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding.
Can I fly in the US if I do not qualify for a COVID-19 innoculation?
If you are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you will NOT be allowed to board a flight to the United States, unless you meet the criteria for an exception under the Proclamation and CDC’s Order.
Oct 25, 2021.
Can a COVID-19 test taken before departure from the US be used to return within the 1-day or 3-day time frame?
If a trip is shorter than 1 day, a viral test taken in the United States can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Order as long as the specimen was taken no more than 1 day before your return flight to the U.S. departs. If your return travel is delayed longer than 1 day after the test, you will need to be retested before your return flight.
If you are considering this option, you should additionally consider, as a contingency when making your travel plans, the availability of testing capacity at your destination and the time frame needed to obtain results.
Do I need a COVID-19 negative test if am travelling between US states but transit through a foreign country?
If you booked an itinerary from a US state or territory to another US state or territory and the itinerary has you taking a connecting flight through a foreign country, you do not need to be tested. An example of this situation is an itinerary booked between the Northern Mariana Islands (a US territory) and the US mainland via Japan.
What happens if my connecting flight is delayed past the 3-day limit for the COVID-19?
If the connecting flight in your trip is delayed past the 3-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is less than 48 hours past the 3-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 48 hours past the 3-day limit, then you will need to be retested.
What happens if I skip the second COVID-19 vaccine shot?
If you’ve already had COVID-19, you might actually react more strongly to the first dose because your body has already seen the spike protein from your previous infection. In this case, your first dose is acting like your second dose. That said, it’s still recommended that you get the second shot.
Feb 25, 2022.