The CDC just relaxed mask guidance — but they’re still required on airplanes, for now
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its mask-wearing guidelines on Friday, allowing most Americans to forgo masking while indoors in public.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
The new guidance introduces an updated framework for how local officials can assess the risk of the virus when setting community guidelines or restrictions. Rather than focusing solely on case counts as the metric for determining masking recommendations, the CDC now advises localities to focus on three measures: new coronavirus-related hospitalizations, the percentage of hospital beds filled by COVID-19 patients and the rate of new cases per 100,000 people.
Those with symptoms or confirmed cases are still advised to wear masks regardless of local rules.
While the new federal guidelines are effective immediately, it remains largely up to local authorities to determine when to impose or lift mask mandates.
But know that masks will continue to be required, at least in the immediate future, on airplanes and at airports.
The guidelines do not affect the federal mask mandate that applies to public forms of transportation and transit hubs, including in airports and aboard aircraft. That mandate is dictated by the TSA.
The mask mandate is slated to lift on March 18 unless it is renewed before then.
It was not immediately clear whether the mandate would be renewed or if it would be allowed to expire.
This isn't the first time the CDC has relaxed mask guidance while the TSA has left the mask mandate in place. In May of 2021, as the vaccination rate climbed and case counts dropped, the CDC said that unmasking indoors was safe for vaccinated people while the air travel mask mandate was left in place. The mandate was eventually extended — and the CDC tightened its guidance again — when the delta variant emerged.
A surge in disruptive and violent passenger incidents aboard flights, some of which began with disputes over the mask mandate, has led to fines and criminal prosecutions, along with discussions of a new federal "no-fly list" for unruly passengers.
Related: Air rage crisis: Congress gets an earful on unruly flyer incidents aboard US flights
As of Feb. 22, there have been 607 reports of unruly passengers in 2022, of which 397 incidents were related to the mask mandate, according to the FAA. The agency has opened 144 investigations and 80 enforcement cases.
While the overall number of incidents has been low — just 13 incidents per 10,000 flights at the height of the problem in mid-January to February of 2021 — about 85% of flight attendants in a recent survey said they had encountered disruptive passenger behavior on flights in 2021, and nearly 1 in 5 said they had either witnessed or been subject to violence.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
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
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
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
Rewards Rate
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
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
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