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It's time to drop COVID-19 testing for international travel

Feb. 10, 2022
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3 min read
Preparing for travel in new normal
It's time to drop COVID-19 testing for international travel
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Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, published his perspective on the state of COVID-19 testing for international travel in his Feb. 5, 2022 newsletter. Subscribe to receive his weekly newsletter every Saturday.

As countries around the world start to realize that COVID-19 isn’t going away, some of the strictest countries have begun to ease up on their COVID-19 restrictions. For example, the United Kingdom will end COVID-19 testing for vaccinated travelers and reduce testing requirements for those that are unvaccinated beginning Feb. 11.

Find out what travel could look like as COVID-19 becomes endemic here.

Last week, the travel industry encouraged the White House to do the same and I completely agree with them.

Not all tests are created equal

Today there’s a huge risk to traveling abroad. If you test positive while abroad, you could be forced either to pay for a costly quarantine or, in some cases, be required to go to a government quarantine facility for an unspecified amount of time.

We all know that testing isn’t perfect. In fact, this week I took an at-home BinaxNow test that came back positive for COVID-19 even though I had no symptoms, am vaccinated and boosted. But when I went to get a PCR test later that day, I was negative. If that BinaxNow test was done while I was abroad, I would have been unable to come home even though I don’t actually have COVID-19 per the more strenuous and reliable PCR test.

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Read what happened when TPG tested four popular COVID-19 tests here.

Air travel and international travel

Traveling on a plane where masks are still required — and I agree they should be required, at least for a little while longer — and where transmission has been proven to be very low thanks to HEPA filters is one of the safest places to be. Requiring people to test before you go on a plane where you’ll be wearing a mask the whole time doesn’t really accomplish a whole lot besides adding undue stress to travelers, including the cost to find testing.

International travel isn’t going to rebound until we make it as easy to travel out of the country as it is to travel domestically. Today you could go from one COVID-19 hot spot in the U.S. to another without needing to take a test first, so why should you be required to test when you’re in other countries? Especially when a lot of other countries have lower rates of COVID-19 than we do here in the U.S. To me, it’s security theater.

I think everyone needs to protect themselves, wear their masks on planes and get vaccinated. But I agree that it’s time that the U.S. government stops punishing international travelers with the requirement to test before returning to the U.S., especially when the tests aren’t 100% reliable.

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.