US extends Europe travel ban to include the UK and Ireland
Following a 30-day travel ban to large swaths of Europe, Vice President Mike Pence has announced at a press conference on Saturday that the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland effective Monday, March 16, at midnight ET. The vice president said this decision was made based on a "unanimous recommendation" by White House health experts.
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf added: "We have issued new directives denying foreign nationals who have been in certain affected countries — that's been 28 countries to date — from entry into the U.S. Today the president made the decision due to the rising number of cases in the UK to apply these restrictions to the UK and Ireland."
Pence reiterated that, "Americans in the U.K. or Ireland can come home. Legal residents can come home...They will be funneled through specific airports and processed." Which airports they will be funneled through is not yet known.
The original ban on travel from Europe, which did not include Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales, went into effect Friday, March 13 at midnight.
Related reading: Can I cancel or change my award ticket due to coronavirus travel waivers?
Pence said these travelers are "being screened at some 13 airports as we speak." He continued: "If they are identified as being symptomatic for any illness there is additional response on site, but those Americans are being encourage to return home and self quarantine for 14 days."
During the press conference, President Trump also added, "If you don't have to travel, I wouldn't do it. We want this thing to end, and end as quickly as possible."
When the president was asked whether or not the White House is considering additional travel restrictions, including domestically, he responded saying, "Specifically from certain areas, yes we are," adding that he'd be "working with the states" when considering other restrictions.
The cruise industry was also commended during the briefing for making the decision Friday to suspend cruise line operations for a period of 30 days. "We're going to be working very vigorously over the next 30 days to implement new policies that'll ensure that when the cruise lines start back up they'll be safer and healthier places than ever before," added Vice President Pence.
Related reading: What to know about trip cancellation and interruption protection offered by select credit cards
We will be updating this post with additional information as it comes in.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.