2 popular European destinations drop testing requirement for vaccinated travelers
Two more popular tourist destinations have made it easier for vaccinated travelers this week, including Greece, which announced Friday that fully vaccinated visitors with an EU Digital COVID Certificate no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 test to enter the country starting next week.
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Since December, the Greek Health Ministry has required all travelers over the age of 5 to present results of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours, or a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours, of arrival in Greece. As of Monday, Feb. 7, "entry into the country for those who have an active European certificate will be done without a mandatory test," Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris said in a statement.
Although we are waiting on additional guidance to be released by Greek authorities, the updated rules should also apply to travelers vaccinated in the U.S. holding a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-issued vaccination card, based on previous assurance from the Greek Tourism Ministry that the CDC card is accepted for entry into businesses restricted to those who are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from COVID-19.
Note that all travelers regardless of vaccination status may be subject to random COVID-19 testing upon arrival, per the Greek Tourism Ministry, which also notes that travelers must complete an online passenger locator form before entering the country.
Your vaccination status remains valid for entry to Greece as long as your final dose was administered within the previous 270 days or nine months.
Also this week, Portugal said it will scrap arrival testing requirements for air passengers with a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate, although further details have not yet been released regarding the implementation.
Read more: TPG editor’s choice award: Why Greece is the top travel destination of the year
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- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
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| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
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Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases