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US Travel Association urges repeal of inbound testing requirements

May 06, 2022
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3 min read
COVID testing airport notification
US Travel Association urges repeal of inbound testing requirements
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The U.S. Travel Association sent an open letter to the Biden administration yesterday urging an end to the COVID-19 testing requirement for inbound vaccinated air travelers.

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USTA — a lobbying group made up of 1,100 travel industry members, including airlines, airports, hotels, theme parks and tourism groups — sent the letter to Dr. Ashish Jha, the national coronavirus response coordinator, encouraging him to "immediately remove" the testing requirement. USTA says the requirement is no longer needed due to "the wide range of public health tools to effectively manage COVID-19."

Airlines for America, an airline-focused trade association, sent a separate letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky.

Related: No sign of U.S. ending testing rules

Citing current business travel spending numbers, which are down 56% from 2019 levels, and a significant drop in international travel spending, which is 78% below 2019 figures, USTA and Airlines for America say the testing requirement is inhibiting international travel, resulting in high economic costs impacting their bottom line.

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The USTA letter further justifies the removal of the testing requirement by noting that many other countries "with similar infection, vaccination and hospitalization rates" have removed the testing requirement, including Canada, Germany and the U.K. Additionally, the May 5 letter references the decision by the U.S. earlier this year to scrap testing requirements for people entering the U.S. via land borders.

Related: Canada ends testing requirements

The Points Guy conducted a recent survey showing that the U.S. inbound testing requirement is having a negative impact on outbound travel as well. More than half of survey respondents indicated they would be more likely to travel internationally if the testing requirement was removed. Many U.S. travelers are concerned that they may be prevented from returning home after testing positive while abroad, thus facing additional costs and scheduling headaches from being placed in quarantine, according to the survey.

The recent removal of mask requirements for domestic flights signals other potential changes may continue to come as the world attempts to create a "new normal" of living with COVID-19.

Nevertheless, the CDC travel requirement remains unchanged since it was last updated on January 27. It states that all inbound air passengers to the U.S. age 2 years and older "will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than one day before you travel by air into the United States." Documentation of recent recovery from COVID-19 is also acceptable for entry.

Related: A country-by-country guide to where testing is not required

Featured image by Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

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.