With an ever-increasing number of vaccinations in the U.S. has come a dramatic increase in travel planning, as everyone who has had limited/no travel in the past year now gets ready to make up for all that missed vacation time. If you’re one of those who are now happily contemplating traveling this year, you likely have questions too, because the pandemic has changed how we travel, and it’s important to know what to expect. And at the top of your list of questions is probably this one:
“How does my vaccination status affect my travel plans?”
So let’s take a look at that today.
Travel in the United States. As with much about post-pandemic travel, where you are going – as well as where you live – has a lot to do with how vaccinations will affect your travel. If you live in the U.S. and are headed to another U.S. destination, being vaccinated probably won’t make much of a difference one way or the other. Now, there are some exceptions to this, as some states who have quarantine restrictions are looking at waiving those quarantines for vaccinated travelers. Hawaii for example, currently requires a pre-travel negative COVID test in order to waive the self-quarantine, for both trans-Pacific and island travel. However, the state wants to start accepting vaccination proof in the near future to waive the quarantine without taking the pre-travel test.
What About Flying? Now this is where things start get interesting, because there are all kinds of conversations about airlines requiring vaccination proof in order to fly. While it seems unlikely (at the moment at least) that domestic flights will require vaccinations, there are definitely some indications that this might be something required for international travel. Airlines and many countries are eager for travelers to be able to avoid quarantine at their destination and for the elimination of blanket travel bans between countries – and vaccination requirements may be the key to both of these things. Qantas already announced last fall that they plan to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all passengers flying to or from Australia, and more airlines could follow suit. And even if the airlines don’t, some international governments may. Which brings us to….
What About the Country I am Visiting? Being vaccinated in order to visit another country could very likely affect your travel plans, as there are a number of countries that are already mandating them as a way for visitors to avoid restrictions such as quarantine. (And this is not actually unprecedented, as a number of countries already required certain vaccinations well before COVID arrived.) So it’s not unreasonable to expect that COVID-19 vaccinations will be required in many countries – and if not required, then quarantining will be.
What About Cruising? While cruising has not yet re-started in the U.S. for ocean-going vessels, it has begun again internationally in Europe and several of the major cruise lines have plans to begin sailing again this summer from Caribbean and Bahamian ports. While each cruise line is making their own policy, mandatory vaccines for all crew and adult guests generally seems to be the requirement across the board. While children are currently not required to be vaccinated (and can sail with a negative COVID test), this policy may change once a vaccine for children under age 16 becomes available. It’s expected that once ocean bound ships begin sailing from the U.S, mandatory vaccinations will be a requirement as well. So while you may not need a vaccine to board a plane to get to the port you will probably need one to board the cruise ship.
Is There Going to be a Vaccine Passport and Will I Need One? Probably, and maybe. There are several of these already being considered by various organizations and countries. Several airlines are currently in the testing stage of different digital “health passports” that could reliably prove someone’s negative test results and eventually their vaccination status. VeriFLY works like a health passport, allowing international visitors to verify that they’ve tested negative for COVID-19 — which is currently required of all international airline passengers entering the U.S. The International Air Transport Association is also in the process of developing a health app, the IATA Travel Pass, that will allow travelers to store verified test or vaccination results on their mobile devices. It’s being tested by more than a dozen international airlines, including Australia’s Qantas and Air New Zealand. Another possibility is CommonPass, designed to establish a registry of trusted health care providers and a standard format for reporting results, which will presumably include vaccination status at some point.
There are certainly many questions around all of these vaccine passport options, and how they will ultimately be implemented, but it is evident that some countries are looking to utilize some kind of vaccine passport to expedite things. In January, Iceland became one of the first countries to provide vaccine certificates to its citizens to help them avoid certain border restrictions, and it will also recognize the vaccine passports from other countries, allowing visitors to skip COVID-19 testing or quarantine rules if they show proof of full COVID-19 inoculation. Sweden and Denmark are also working on similar vaccine passports. And interestingly, one country with the most developed immunity passport is Israel, with its Green Pass that allows fully vaccinated residents to skip quarantine after international travel. As for the United States, the federal government is exploring COVID-19 vaccine certifications for use internationally and domestically. While a vaccine passport may be required in the future for international travelers entering the U.S., the government does not plan to impose a federal requirement for domestic purposes.
So that’s what we know about vaccinations and travel – so far at least. As with pretty much everything related to travel and the pandemic, the bottom line here is that there are two things that are certain:
- Things can get complicated.
- Things can – and will – change.
How do you keep up with it all then? You get some help from someone whose job it is to keep up with it all! Your trusted travel advisor is the single best way to make sure you are informed, prepared, and ready to arrive at your destination without any issues, so that you can start enjoying that long-awaited and well-deserved vacation!
Learn how the FREE services of a travel agent can make planning your vacation simple and STRESS FREE!
Planning a vacation this year? Get your questions answered in my FREE guide: What You Need to Know About Traveling in 2021
