The CDC approves travel for fully vaccinated people in the US

Apr 2, 2021

1 MIN READ

Australia has an oversees travel ban in place © Getty Images/iStockphoto

Australia has an oversees travel ban in place © Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alex Butler

Writer

Dublin

I’m a packing-cube enthusiast, always trying to cram one more thing into my backpack before I hit the road. My dream trip would start in an amazing city where I can soak up the culture, followed by some relaxation in nature. Some of my favourite destinations have been Sri Lanka and Croatia. I'm originally from Canada, but since joining Lonely Planet in 2016 I’ve called Dublin home - or at least my home-base between trips.

People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can travel domestically in the US, according to new guidelines released by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The new public health recommendations note that fully vaccinated people are less likely to contract and spread the virus, and can therefore travel domestically without the need to get tested before or after a trip, or self-quarantine afterwards. Vaccinated travelers also don’t need to be tested for COVID-19 before leaving the US—unless it is required by their destination.

While domestic travel is back on the table, the CDC advises anyone interested in international travel to pay attention to the public health situation in their destination of choice before traveling “due to the spread of new variants and because the burden of COVID-19 varies globally”. Some countries are starting to open their borders to vaccinated travelers, however the rules around travel are still rapidly changing in many destinations.

Read more: What countries can I travel to if I’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine?

While this opens more doors for vaccinated travelers who are eager to hit the road, things won't be completely back to normal. Even those who have received the vaccination are still required to wear a mask on all forms of public transportation, and in airports and stations. Fully vaccinated air passengers heading to the US—including US citizens—must still have a negative test result or a documentation showing they have recovered from COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the US. Travelers are encouraged to still get a test three to five days after traveling, regardless of their vaccination status.

Find out more here.

You may also like:

How to prove you've received the vaccine and can travel
Ask LP: I got the vaccine - can I travel now?

Take your United States (USA) trip with Lonely Planet Journeys

Time to book that trip to United States (USA)

Lonely Planet Journeys takes you there with fully customizable trips to top destinations – all crafted by our local experts.

Explore related stories