Dubai loosens COVID-19 entry rules for unvaccinated teens
It’s just got easier for families to visit Dubai, following news that the popular Persian Gulf city has eased entry requirements for unvaccinated children.
Previously, youngsters aged between 13 and 16 without vaccines were required to take a PCR test if they didn’t have proof of recovery from COVID-19. For thousands of families, it was an extra hurdle to contend with on their arrival in the country.
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Thankfully, however, the government has relaxed this COVID-19 entry requirement, bumping the minimum age for unvaccinated travelers who need to take a PCR test to 16.
“Travelers to the UAE do not need to take a Covid PCR test before they travel if they are fully vaccinated or they hold a Covid recovery certificate with a QR code dated within 30 days of departure; they are under 16 years of age for arrivals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai; they have severe disabilities,” read the freshly updated guidelines from Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C.
The update also states that any travelers who do not fit into those categories “must still have a negative Covid PCR test, taken no more than 48 hours before departure, and present the certificate at check in.”
Related: ‘Unlimited’ caviar in first class and refreshed cabins: Emirates touts $2B in upgrades
Since the start of the pandemic, the UAE has had over 1 million cases but registered a low 2,341 deaths. Also, while the infection rate and death rates have subsided massively, officials in the region have been keen not to become complacent, even if it’s occasionally given vacation-goers an extra headache.
Summer vacations might have returned to normal for most of us in recent weeks. However, there are tens of thousands of families who will have had to change plans due to remaining COVID-19 restrictions in popular destinations, be it picking another destination afar or even staying on U.S. shores.
Looking back on 2022, it seems that unvaccinated children have fallen through the gaps. The last two years of stop-start international travel have been a little trying for everyone, especially when the youngest citizens were often the last to receive a vaccine during the peak of the pandemic.
Even this month, with airport terminals once again bustling, it’s not been all that straightforward for families to know where to head for the first proper summer vacation since the age of lockdown.
A quick PCR test might not sound like a big deal. However, if there’s even the slightest chance your family’s dream vacation could rest on the toss of a coin (or swab) it’s no surprise many chose to book elsewhere.
You’ll certainly find few destinations as popular this summer as Dubai — its gilded hotels, implausibly luxurious hospitality and first-rate shopping options draw travelers back time and time again.
A recent report revealed that Dubai International airport (DBX) is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year, with around 7.8 million fliers excepted each month by the final quarter.
Mind you, if Emirates’ unlimited caviar option for first class passengers comes to fruition soon, expect this number to increase tenfold.
Featured Photo by Rasto SK/Shutterstock.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees