Your summer trip to Iceland might be back on — with a catch
Iceland will welcome international travelers back "no later than June 15," Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said during a Tuesday press conference.
Since March 20, foreigners (excluding EU citizens, U.K. citizens, EFTA citizens and people living in the Schengen Area) have been forbidden from entering Iceland, except for essential reasons, according to Iceland's Directorate of Immigration.
At this time, only travelers from within the approved areas may travel to Iceland, and they must immediately enter a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. But on Friday, Iceland will begin to slowly ease travel restrictions.
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The first phase will allow travelers from the Faroe Islands and Greenland to visit Iceland without enduring a quarantine period, according to The Reykjavík Grapevine, an Iceland-focused magazine and website.
Though precise details are still in development, Iceland expects to ease entry restrictions for visitors from overseas by mid-June.
When an expanded set of travelers are again permitted to visit Iceland, hopefully by June 15, Bloomberg reported that travelers will be able to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival at Kevlavík International Airport (KEF) and, if the results are negative, enter without the mandatory two-week quarantine. Without taking the test, the 14-day quarantine period would still be required.
According to The Reykjavík Grapevine, travelers will also be asked to install a contagion-tracing app.
Travelers would be tested at the international terminal, and then be allowed to head to their hotel or other accommodations while awaiting the results, which could arrive on the same day.
Related: How to plan a trip to Iceland using points and miles
So, who will pay for those tests? An AFP report published by Barron's said the testing expense will initially be covered by the government, but that travelers will later be asked to repay the cost.
Another possibility for entry without quarantine is that travelers could seek out a clean bill of health from their healthcare provider or a travel clinic prior to departure. If Iceland's health officials approve of the certificate, visitors may be able to avoid both the on-site testing and the two-week quarantine.
Visit TPG’s guide to all coronavirus news and updates
Iceland's strategy seems similar to that of Austria, which recently introduced on-site coronavirus testing at Vienna International Airport (VIE). The results, Skift reported, are available within two to three hours and — if negative — allow travelers to skip the requisite 14-day quarantine. The tests cost 190 euros (about $206). Travelers can also provide a health certificate from home that shows a negative test result. Only travelers from within the Schengen Area and exempt individuals are allowed to travel to Austria at this time.
On-site testing for COVID-19 may be the key to reopening borders around the globe.
“Iceland’s strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating have proven effective so far,” Iceland's tourism minister, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, said in a statement, according to Reuters.
The U.S. News and World Report called Iceland a "world leader in mitigating the threat from COVID-19" earlier this month. Approximately 15% of the population has been tested, and the coronavirus has been declared nearly eliminated.
Feature photo by DieterMeyrl / Getty Images.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees