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Iceland is finally ready to welcome eligible Americans -- for real this time

March 17, 2021
•
3 min read
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Iceland is finally ready to welcome eligible Americans -- for real this time
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Update 3/17/21: Iceland has updated its document requirements, so CDC-issued certificates and U.S. laboratory results should now be accepted for entry.

Back in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iceland famously tossed out the welcome mat to American tourists before quickly rolling it back up.

The country's flag carrier, Icelandair, listed and sold flights to a large variety of U.S. cities, but never actually operated most of them, leaving customers to fight for refunds — which, in my case, only came after I filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT).

This time, things feel a bit more official. Beginning tomorrow, March 18, 2021, eligible U.S. Citizens will officially be permitted to enter the country.

Entry permission will be granted to any eligible visitor who can present proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, including vaccinations manufactured by AstraZeneca, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.

Visitors can present an official paper or electronic vaccine certificate, and Iceland's requirements have now been updated to match what's listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) certificate. Iceland removed a previous requirement that a nationality and passport number be listed, which do not appear on the CDC card.

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Additionally, visitors who were previously infected with COVID-19 will be able to enter Iceland without a requirement to quarantine. Acceptable documentation there includes a positive PCR test result that's older than 14 days or a positive antibody test. Note that rapid tests are not accepted.

This is a notable improvement from Iceland's previous entry restrictions, which required visitors to be citizens of EU/EEA countries, present a negative test result before departure, a second negative result upon arrival, quarantine for five days and then test negative a third time before being permitted to venture out from their hotel.

U.S. flights are incredibly limited at the moment, but could be expanded soon. (Photo courtesy of Icelandair.)

One remaining challenge is actually getting to Iceland. Currently, Icelandair is only operating flights between Keflavík International Airport (KEF) and Boston (BOS), departing the U.S. on Monday and Thursday evenings at 9:00 pm and arriving in Iceland at 6:05 am the following morning. Return flights are scheduled on Sundays and Wednesdays, departing Iceland at 5:15 pm and arriving in Boston at 7:05 pm.

Assuming a surge in demand follows the country's relaxed entry policy, it's likely that Icelandair will expand its flight schedule significantly, and return to other U.S. cities as well. Additionally, Delta and United previously flew to Iceland — if demand recovers quickly, we could see those carriers return to KEF as well, perhaps as soon as this summer.

Featured image by 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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  • Recommended Credit

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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.