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Americans to be welcomed back to Ireland without quarantine beginning July 19

June 02, 2021
•
3 min read
Dublin, Ireland November 2015.
Americans to be welcomed back to Ireland without quarantine beginning July 19
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Americans will soon be able to visit Ireland and its famous rolling, green hills and charming libraries without having to endure a quarantine -- if they are vaccinated. In fact, they won't even need a predeparture test.

Dublin, Nov. 2015. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

Reuters was the first to report Ireland will rollout new digital vaccine passports on July 19. According to the transport minister, Americans and British citizens will be able to come in at that time as long as they have proof of vaccination. From the Ireland government website, "The approach to travel outside the EU/EEA will also apply to travel to and from Great Britain and the U.S."

Prime Minister Micheál Martin made the announcement last Friday and also said restaurants and bars would begin serving customers indoors again as of July 5.

United Airlines is already celebrating the news saying in a Tweet that it will add a nonstop flight from Chicago to Dublin beginning in July.

Related: Country-by-country guide to reopenings

Americans have been allowed to visit Ireland but must have proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within three days of arrival and until May 28 they had to quarantine for two weeks at their own expense at a government-sanctioned hotel. Currently, Americans can go with a negative test, but they still have to spend five days in self-isolation until a second test is taken and comes back negative. Those restrictions are going away as of July 19, as long as you are vaccinated.You will still need to have a negative test.

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The Irish government says, "Ireland will operate the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) for travel originating within the EU/EEA," but the rules will also apply to the United States and the United Kingdom.

Related: Everything you need to know about EU vaccine passports

A Digital COVID Certificate will show if a passenger:

  • is vaccinated against COVID-19;
  • has recovered from COVID-19; or
  • has a negative test result

More information on visiting Ireland can be found here.

Related: Visiting Dublin and Edinburgh

And a reminder from the U.S. embassy in Ireland, "all airline passengers to the United States ages 2 years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel." That means you'll need to get a COVID-19 test before you return to the States.

Don’t miss TPG’s Ireland hub — it’s got everything you need to know about traveling to the Emerald Isle.

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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Why We Chose It

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  • 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.