US airlines scramble to respond to coronavirus-related travel ban to Europe
Airlines were left scrambling Thursday morning after President Trump announced new restrictions on travel to the U.S. from certain E.U. countries.
The new policy was presented during an Oval Office address Wednesday night, and is set to go into effect at 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday. The president said the restrictions are meant to stem the spread of coronavirus in the U.S.
American, Delta and United — the three U.S.-based carriers that serve destinations in Europe — seem to have been caught off guard by the restrictions.
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"At this point, all I can say is that we will comply with the administration's announcement," United Airlines spokesperson Frank Benenati told CNN shortly after the news broke Wednesday night.
By Thursday morning, all three of the big U.S. carriers said they'd meet the directive, though none had immediately detailed any new changes to their European operations.
“We are in contact with the federal government to understand and comply with this directive," Ross Feinstein, a spokesperson for American Airlines, said in a statement to TPG. "The health and safety of our customers and team members remains our highest priority.”
Broadly speaking, both American and United seem to be maintaining previously-announced waivers that cover affected travelers. Those policies generally allow passengers a free, one-time change to their itineraries for all new travel booked from early March through the end of the month, or for previously-booked reservations set to begin by April 30.
More: President Trump restricts travel from Europe for 30 days over coronavirus outbreak
Delta had announced a new policy for travelers to and from Europe by Thursday morning, allowing passengers scheduled to travel on all flights to or from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom between Feb. 25 and May 31 to change their itinerary once for free by Dec. 31, so long as the new itinerary begins by that date.
What is the new travel policy?
It's a multi-part restriction. The broadest strokes of the policy state that any foreign citizen who has visited a country in the Schengen Area of Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) in the last 14 days before their flight will be barred from entering the United States for 30 days once the restrictions go into effect on Friday.
More: Can I cancel or change my award ticket due to coronavirus travel waivers?
For U.S. citizens and some authorized travelers, including foreign citizens on official government business, certain visa holders and close family relatives of U.S. citizens, the broadest part of the new restrictions doesn't apply. Those qualified travelers simply need to enter the U.S. through select airports, and should expect to undergo additional screening prior to entry.
The approved airports, according to American Airlines, are:
- Atlanta: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Dallas-Fort Worth: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Detroit: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
- Newark, New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Honolulu: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
- New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Los Angeles: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Chicago: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Seattle: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- San Francisco: San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Washington, D.C.: Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)
More: Some airlines cut back on inflight service to combat coronavirus. Will those changes stick?
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.