Israel mulls ban on all leisure travel as COVID-19 cases spike again
Despite having more than 63 percent of its residents with at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, Israel is concerned enough about the uptick in new cases that it is discussing a major new crackdown on travel.
One of the more extreme options being considered is a ban on all non-essential travel out of the countries primary airport, Ben Gurion Airport (TLV).
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The Israeli Health Ministry reports that 10 percent of all recent cases are related to people returning from overseas travel. An Israeli television news report said the government is looking at a number of possibilities to help curtail the spread of new COVID cases. One is to require mandatory 7-day quarantine for all returning travelers, and also to only allow fully-vaccinated people, or those recovered from COVID-19 to travel.
Related: Israel to reopen to fully vaccinated tourists from May 23
Israel's updated guidelines will now require all arrivals from 15 countries deemed to have high infection rates to quarantine for seven days with a negative test result. The countries are:
- United Arab Emirates
- Seychelles
- Ecuador
- Ethiopia
- Bolivia
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Zimbabwe
- Zambia
- Namibia
- Paraguay
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Tunisia
As of Friday, July 23, the following countries will be added to the list: the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Turkey, Georgia, Uganda, Myanmar, Fiji, Panama, Cambodia, Kenya, and Liberia.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has urged Israelis not to travel this summer. Despite this request, 22,000 people flew out of Ben Gurion Airport in a single day on 18 July.
Israel is one of the most vaccinated countries in the world, and was held up as a gold standard for its rapid vaccine rollout plan. The fact that it is considering implementing new protocols shows the level of concern about a possible new surge, which is due to the highly contagious Delta variant.
If they resume limiting travel, it stands to reason other countries could follow suit to try and prevent another coronavirus surge.
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- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
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| 10X | Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 5X | 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel. |
| 2X | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day |
Intro Offer
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
- Excellent welcome offer worth 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023