State Department and CDC advise against travel to Spain and Portugal
Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG UK. Originally from Australia, he is the primary points and miles writer for the U.K. site.
July 27, 2021
•
2 min read
State Department and CDC advise against travel to Spain and Portugal
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State Department have both warned Americans against traveling to the popular European destinations of Spain and Portugal, as well as Cyprus and Kyrgystan.
The State Department has issued "Do Not Travel" advisories, while the CDC has raised its travel advisory to "Level 4: Very High" for these countries.
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The new advice comes as a result of increased cases of COVID-19 in these countries, though current rates remain much lower than spikes over the past winter, which sent most European countries into strict and prolonged lockdowns.
Spain and Portugal would normally welcome thousands of American tourists during their busy summer tourist seasons. Both countries had been allowing tourists from the U.S. since June of this year — Spain currently does not require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for entry for U.S. citizens traveling to Spain.
Portugal allows entry U.S. citizens entry for tourism purposes on the presentation of a negative COVID-19 test (or proof of recovery from COVID-19 in the previous 90 days), regardless of vaccination status.
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Related: Airlines are rushing to add preflight COVID testing. Here’s why it matters
Advice for Americans traveling to Europe this summer continues to change regularly. Despite England removing most social distancing restrictions on July 19 as a result of its successful vaccination rollout, the CDC and State Department at the same time advise against travel to the United Kingdom.
Anyone planning to travel to anywhere in Europe should check both CDC and State Department advice regularly before commencing travel.
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Apply for Chase Sapphire Reserve®
at Chase's secure site
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 10x | Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 5x | Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 3x | Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. |
| 1x | Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®80,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
$550Recommended 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
If you are looking to take your premium rewards to the highest level, this card is really a no brainer in our eyes. Chase's Ultimate Rewards make points easy to redeem, with a wide range of 10 airline and three hotel transfer partners and a friendly user interface. Despite the high annual fee, Chase is consistently adding new benefits to keep the card competitive in a fierce premium rewards field.Pros
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
- Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners
- Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
- 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
- Steep $550 annual fee
- May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
- You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
- No automatic hotel elite status
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,200 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more