Travel
Knowing whether it’s COVID-safe to travel can be hard. If the trip you're planning has some risk, your COVID tools can help keep you safer on the road. If you're planning to travel and want to know if your trip might put you at risk of catching COVID, take the COVID Risk Quiz.
Travel Basics
If there's a lot of COVID in the places you're going to or traveling through, these questions can help you figure out how risky your planned trip is.
Riskier | Less Risky | |
---|---|---|
Are most people vaccinated there? | No | Yes |
Does this area have a mask requirement? | No | Yes |
Will I need to take an airplane, train, bus, or other public transportation? | Yes | No |
If so, are masks and/or proof of vaccination required on the public transportation I'll be using? | No | Yes |
Do the places I'm traveling to or through require testing? | No | Yes |
How much time will I have to spend in hubs like airports, train stations, or bus stations? | More time | Less time |
Will I spend lots of time indoors with others or in crowded outdoor places? | Yes | No |
Your COVID tools can help make travel less risky:
Staying up to date on vaccines.
Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask.
If possible, spending less time on public transportation such as airplanes, trains, or buses.
Staying out of crowds as much as you can.
Spending as little time indoors in public places as you can.
Avoiding small indoor spaces without a lot of fresh air.
If you feel that the travel is too risky, it’s always okay to decide not to go.
Some airports have mask mandates — you'll need to check the rules for the ones you'll be visiting before you travel. Once a plane is running, the air inside it is carefully filtered. However, the air isn't filtered in the jetway or in the plane while it's sitting on the tarmac. Dr. Joseph Allen, an expert on air quality, explains how airplane air filtration works in this thread. You can improve your own safety by using your COVID tools:
Being up to date on vaccines.
Making sure your mask is high quality and fits well.
Wearing your mask during boarding, and keeping it on until the plane starts moving.
Staying farther away from other people while in the airport.
Avoiding touching your eyes or nose.
Getting tested 3 - 5 days after returning from travel — or earlier if you develop symptoms.
Each time you use a home test for COVID, report your result at MakeMyTestCount.org — whether you test positive or negative.
If you had symptoms, you can travel once 5 full days have passed since your positive test, as long as:
You're feeling better, and
You're fever-free without using medication, and
You can wear a good mask whenever you're around people indoors in public and on public transportation.
If you did not have any symptoms, you can travel after 5 full days have passed since your positive test, as long as you can wear a good mask whenever you're around people indoors in public and on public transportation.
Learn more about when you can stop isolating.
You can find a free testing site near you on the CDC's No-Cost COVID Testing locator. Tests available at these sites may be rapid tests or PCR tests.
Uninsured or underinsured adults can get free at-home tests and access to telehealth appointments through the US government's Home Test to Treat program.
If you need a PCR test you can get low- or no-cost testing at community health centers and pharmacies around the US. (Find a community-based testing location here.)
You may be able to get free tests through your local health department.
The Rockefeller Foundation's Project ACT program is offering free at-home COVID tests to individuals in certain ZIP codes while supplies last.
If you spent time without a mask in crowded places, especially indoors, consider getting tested when you come home from a trip. That's especially important if COVID levels were high in the place you visited.
Take the test at least five days after the last time you were in a crowded place without a mask.
If you get symptoms before then, go ahead and test right away.
If you test negative on a rapid test, test yourself again 48 hours later. To be safest, take a third test 48 hours after that.
Each time you use a rapid test, report your result — whether you test positive or negative.
Travel in the US
Everyone traveling in the US should consider taking a test no more than 3 days before they travel, especially if they live in areas where COVID levels are high. The closer the test is to the time you leave on your trip, the better. It can be either a PCR test or a rapid test. Some tourist activities may require testing, too. Each time you use a rapid test, report your result — whether you test positive or negative.
In the US, each public transportation system has its own rules regarding masks. Hubs like airports and train stations have their own rules, too. Your air, rail, bus, or cruise carrier may also have its own requirements. If there's a lot of COVID going around the place you’re traveling to — or traveling through — you can improve your COVID safety by using your COVID tools:
Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing high-quality, well-fitted masks when you're indoors in public places or outdoors in a crowd.
Staying outside in public areas when possible.
Staying farther away from other people.
Avoiding touching your eyes or nose when in public.
It's also a good idea to have a back-up plan in case you test positive for COVID while you're traveling, which could delay your return trip.
The CDC COVID County Checker has up-to-date information on COVID levels around the US, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. You can find information about other US territories on the map in the CDC's COVID Data Tracker.
If you spent time without a mask in crowded places, especially indoors, consider getting tested when you come home from a trip. That's especially important if COVID levels were high in the place you visited.
Take the test at least five days after the last time you were in a crowded place without a mask.
If you get symptoms before then, go ahead and test right away.
If you test negative on a rapid test, test yourself again 48 hours later. To be safest, take a third test 48 hours after that.
Each time you use a rapid test, report your result — whether you test positive or negative.
International Travel
Very few countries require travelers to test before entering. However, some change their policies when surges happen.
The US government no longer tracks this information. As a starting point, you can check a travel site such as Sherpa or Wego for maps or lists of countries that require COVID testing for entry. Be aware that things may have changed since these sites were last updated, though. If you want to be sure, contact the US embassy for your destination.
If there's a lot of COVID going around the place you’re traveling to — or traveling through — can improve your COVID safety by using your COVID tools:
Being up to date on vaccines.
Wearing high-quality, well-fitted masks when you're indoors in public places or outdoors in a crowd.
Staying outside in public areas when possible.
Staying farther away from other people.
Avoiding touching your eyes or nose when in public.
It's also a good idea to have a back-up plan in case you test positive for COVID while you're traveling, which could delay your return trip.
Go to Our World In Data's Coronavirus Country Profiles and search for the country or countries you'll be visiting. Then scroll down to see the daily number of confirmed cases.
Important note: Most countries aren't tracking COVID cases as closely as they were from 2020 through the end of 2022. That means information about virus levels is a lot less reliable.
Very few countries require travelers to test before entering. However, some change their policies when surges happen.
The US government no longer tracks this information. As a starting point, you can check a travel site such as Sherpa or Wego for maps or lists of countries that require COVID testing for entry. Be aware that things may have changed since these sites were last updated, though. If you want to be sure, contact the US embassy for your destination.
No
You don't have to test before coming into the US. But if you spent time without a mask in crowded places during your trip, especially indoors, consider getting tested when you come home from a trip. That's especially important if COVID levels were high in the place you visited.
Take the test at least five days after the last time you were in a crowded place without a mask.
If you get symptoms before then, go ahead and test right away.
If you test negative on a rapid test, test yourself again 48 hours later. To be safest, take a third test 48 hours after that.
Each time you use a rapid test, report your result — whether you test positive or negative.