Testing Requirements for Travel to the U.S.? Heres What to Know

The requirement to test for Covid before flying to the United States is hated by many travelers and the U.S. travel industry. But the government shows no sign of getting rid of it.

As countries, including Canada and Britain, have lifted their Covid testing requirements for vaccinated visitors in recent months, some Americans are irate that they still have to show a negative test to board a flight back to the United States.

Jason Miller, a 37-year-old software engineer who lives in Texas, is so frustrated with the rule that he recently sent letters to the White House and several lawmakers and began encouraging others to do the same. I support the C.D.C., still wear a N95 mask when in crowds and when I travel, he said. But, he no longer feels that the rule provides value, in large part because the testing has not stopped variants from entering the country.

Other travelers have posted similar comments on social media, and a good portion of the travel industry in the United States has made clear it feels the same way.

But they have gotten little satisfaction from the Biden administration and public health officials.

On May 6, Jen Psaki, then the White House press secretary, said she was not aware of a timeline for ending the testing requirement and that the administration would base its decision on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation. As to what, specifically, the C.D.C. is using to determine whether testing is still necessary, an agency spokeswoman offered the vague explanation that it is looking at different indicators and evaluating all guidance and orders based on the latest science and state of the pandemic.