Holiday Travel & Omicron: Does Anything Change?

If the new Omicron COVID variant has you thinking twice about holiday travel this year, we’re right there with you. 

Experts believe that this strain is more contagious than any mutation that we’ve seen thus far. We can’t imagine a more inviting petri dish for this virus than a crowded airline cabin, filled to the brim with perfectly viable carriers.

If you’re traveling internationally this holiday season, some of these new guidelines might come into play for you. The good news: you’ll be free to fly as long as you’re fully vaccinated, COVID-negative, and traveling in from anywhere but South Africa and a few other countries where Omicron has already been able to establish itself viably. 

Christmas Isn’t Necessarily Canceled 

Over the course of ten days during Thanksgiving week, US airport personnel screened 21 million patrons nationwide. Plenty of people were able to travel and visit their loved ones, and this was right when the Omicron variant was first detected.

A slew of new COVID travel restrictions was released this week, all outlining a dangerous new game. These rules were written to contain Omicron, preventing its spread across borders. 

New Omicron Travel Restrictions

According to CNN^[1], this latest COVID variant is prompting public health experts and world leaders to reconsider what’s best for holiday travel in 2021. The United States Centers for Disease Control has issued a mandate requiring any travelers entering the US to be fully vaccinated, with no exceptions. Yes, this even includes natural-born US residents.

On November 29th, President Biden officially barred incoming travelers from the following countries due to the Omicron mutation:

• South Africa
• Lesotho
• Eswatini
• Botswana
• Namibia
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Zimbabwe

This development has come only weeks after his legislation lifted a much tighter ban covering thirty foreign nations. What else is in store for us?

COVID Testing Requirements for Travel

Additionally, inbound visitors to the United States will also be subject to a much stricter pre-testing requirement before being permitted to enter the country. This covers not only foreign nationals but US citizens, as well. 

In order to fly^[2], you’ll need a negative COVID-19 viral test on hand and ready to submit. This test must be no older than the day before you plan to travel internationally. If you have already contracted the coronavirus and have recovered sufficiently, however, you may still be permitted to travel. 

This exception pertains mostly to those who have dealt with COVID personally in months prior, but who may not be infectious anymore. You’ll need:

• A positive COVID test less than ninety days prior to the day of your flight
• A letter from your physician, approving you for travel

Either an antigen or a nucleic acid amplification COVID test will fit the bill. You may provide these documents in the form of a print-out, a photo of the document, or through verifiable digital records^[3].

This provision goes one way: once you board, you won’t be tested after landing in the United States, and it doesn’t include those entering the country via a land crossing. Many major airports in the country will be able to accommodate free, voluntary COVID testing on-site for those especially worried about Omicron far from home, however.

Children under two years of age, federal law enforcement, those flying in service of the military, and patrons flying in from any US territory will also be exempt from this requirement. If you or a loved one are abroad and are hoping to reunite this Christmas, we recommend making all of these arrangements well in advance.

Other COVID Travel Restrictions for Holiday 

These new rules join the rest of the ordinary COVID measures we’re already more than used to. Your travel plans, obviously, will include a required face-covering in any public area. This applies to you whether you’re fully vaccinated or not.

If you find yourself at a terminal this holiday season, you’ll see employees sanitizing points of frequent contact every hour, on the hour. Cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, plexiglass dividers, facemasks, gloves, and other forms of personal protective equipment will all be on-hand, in use, and readily available for concerned patrons on the go on your holiday.

The CDC urges travelers who are feeling symptomatic to consult their physicians and to get tested before boarding. Warning signs to look out for include fever, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, loss of taste or smell, nausea, and a feeling of pressure in your chest.

Can You Travel With Omicron in the Air?

The sad truth is that if you’re entering the United States from abroad, you might not be able to fly in this Christmas if you’ve contracted the coronavirus, Omicron variant, or otherwise. 

If you worry that COVID might prevent you from traveling for the holidays this year, we recommend consulting your airline of choice directly. You can find the latest from several major air carriers below:

• Delta Airlines (including links to attestation forms for both residents and international travelers)
• American Airlines (they even offer a handy online test to determine your eligibility requirements)
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines 
• JetBlue
• Spirit Airlines

Nearly all of the links above offer a portal into each airline’s cancellation and re-booking center. If your plans have changed, many airlines are currently offering reimbursement vouchers for flights, some even including reservations booked as far back as 2020.

Home for the Holidays: Omicron, COVID-19, and Everything Else You Need to Know

If you’re just traveling domestically and are totally COVID-negative, you should be able to travel anywhere this holiday season, no problem at all. International travel, on the other hand, might be more complicated. If you’ve successfully avoided contracting the coronavirus and are totally up-to-date on your vaccination series, however, you should be clear for take-off.

The Omicron scare has all of us on our toes, but COVID isn’t the same mystery that it was last holiday travel season. Armed with the knowledge that we need to protect ourselves, these new COVID travel guidelines will hopefully be enough to keep the Omicron variant at bay this Christmas.

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