Switzerland could begin welcoming vaccinated visitors on June 28
Switzerland is about to become the latest European country to begin welcoming back vaccinated international travelers, according to a Bloomberg report.
Beginning June 28, vaccinated tourists from the U.S. and other countries are expected to be permitted entry, just in time for the busy Fourth of July travel period.
While it seems likely that Switzerland will reopen soon — neighboring countries France and Italy already have — the Swiss government has yet to finalize its plan. The country is expected to make a final determination on June 23, so I would wait until after that date to book any nonrefundable trips.
Unlike its neighbors, Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. Still, the country is part of the Schengen Area, permitting free travel across its land borders.
Technically, COVID-19 entry restrictions still apply, however, so I'd recommend waiting for the policy update to become official before crossing into the country.
Related: Want to travel to Europe this summer? Here's what you need to know
Once travel is officially permitted, you'll be able to fly nonstop to Geneva (GVA) or Zurich (ZRH) from a handful of U.S. gateways.
Swiss International Air Lines offers the most flight options, with nonstops from cities like Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO). American Airlines, Delta and United all fly between the U.S. and Switzerland, too. As of this writing, nonstop flights are available on many dates from between $600 and $800 round-trip.
Switzerland is a fantastic year-round destination — while it may be too late for some travelers to visit this summer, with alternative trips already locked in, the country could be a great option for winter travel.
Personally, I'm eager to return to Zermatt — one of my favorite ski destinations, and the future home of what's sure to be an incredible Ritz-Carlton resort.
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month