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U.S. COVID-19 Testing Entry Requirements for International Travel

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U.S. Entry Requirements

Starting on January 26, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will require, opens in a new window  all customers ages 2 and above traveling to or connecting through the United States to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days before departure and sign an attestation confirming a negative result.

Nothing is more important to us than the health of our employees and customers. These new measures add an additional layer of protection for all. A number of countries around the world have similar orders in place, aimed at protecting the health of fellow travelers and airline employees. Please check back regularly ahead of travel. Delta will continue to publish updates regarding any changes to the CDC’s COVID testing requirements for entry into the U.S. here.

Important Details to Know:

  • Customers without their negative COVID-19 test results and signed attestation will be denied boarding in accordance with the CDC order 
  • Approved COVID-19 tests include a nucleic acid amplification test (e.g. PCR test) or a viral antigen test that is approved by the local health authority
  • If your itinerary includes a connecting flight, the COVID-19 test must be taken within 3 days of the initial flight departure, and connections cannot be longer than 24 hours
  • Customers who have recovered from COVID-19 can travel with a positive test (taken within the past 90 days before travel) and a letter from a licensed health provider or public health official stating that the customer has been cleared for travel
  • Customers who wish to change their flight can do so in My Trips without incurring any change fees
 

Testing Resources
If you will be traveling to or connecting through the U.S. requiring a negative test, we recommend consulting local health authorities to find out where to get tested for COVID-19 before travel. Keep in mind some international resorts are offering testing options so be sure to check your accommodations as well. Please contact testing locations directly for detailed information on costs, location, sample collection and results notification. We know that testing requirements can be challenging, so we've helped make them a little easier by identifying local testing resources outside of the U.S. through our Testing Resources page.
 

Frequently Asked Questions
Beginning at 12:01 am ET on Jan. 26, 2021, all flights entering the U.S. will require all customers ages 2 and above to have proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of departure and signed attestation form.

The accepted test types are:

  • Molecular test
  • Nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)
  • RT-PCR test
  • LAMP test
  • Antigen test

Note: Antibody tests are not accepted.

Learn more about approved tests on the CDC’s website, opens in a new window.

Customers are responsible for the cost of their pre-departure tests.

If a customer is arriving on a direct flight to the U.S., the negative test must occur within 3 days of the direct flight’s departure.

If a customer’s itinerary includes one or more connecting flights, the negative test must occur within 3 days prior to the departure of the initial flight, and the connection time cannot exceed 24 hours.

For example: If a customer boards a flight in Berlin on Friday, Jan. 29 with a 14-hour layover in Amsterdam before a connecting flight to New York, the customer could take his or her COVID-19 test on Tuesday, Jan. 26 (3 days before the initial departure from Berlin).

Customers who have not completed a test and/or do not have a negative test result will not be allowed to board their flight to the U.S. in accordance with the CDC order.

To provide you with flexibility in your travel plans, you can modify or cancel your itinerary via MyTrips or on the Fly Delta app without incurring any change fees. Visit our Can I Cancel/Change My Flight Without Fees page for more details.

Customers who receive a positive test result will not be able to fly and are advised to follow the guidelines in the country where the test result was received. CDC guidelines, opens in a new window state that any customer who tests positive should self-isolate and delay travel to the U.S. until they have recovered from COVID-19.

Trip Protection, provided by Allianz Global Assistance, offers protection in a number of commonly covered travel situations. Certain, limited claim accommodations, opens in a new window, are also being made, such as if you get sick with COVID-19 and can’t fly. Already booked your flight? You may still be able to protect your trip on your My Trips page. Terms apply; coverage may vary in some countries or regions. Review full details.

As a reminder, Delta’s Health Acknowledgment requires that for the safety of our employees and other customers, customers must wait at least 14 days from receipt of a positive test result before commencing travel.

The CDC order requires that customers whose test has been taken outside of the 3 days before departure requirement must be re-tested and obtain a negative result prior to departure to the U.S.

Yes. Customers who have received the COVID-19 vaccine must still present evidence of a negative test result taken within 3 days before travel and sign an attestation confirming a negative result.

Proof of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine does not exempt customers from testing requirements or from Delta’s face mask policy.

Yes. Customers who have had a confirmed COVID-19 case within the past 90 days can travel to the U.S. if they present the positive test result (taken within 90 days before travel) and a letter from a licensed health provider or public health official stating the customer has been cleared for travel.

For more details on what is required, customers should review CDC’s order, opens in a new window.

Please keep in mind that Delta’s Health Acknowledgment at check-in requires that customers must wait at least 14 days from receipt of a positive test result before traveling again.

The required attestation form is a document certifying that you possess a negative COVID-19 test result taken within the past 3 days and do not have COVID-19. Customers without a completed and signed attestation form will be denied boarding in accordance with the CDC order.

Documentation of tests results can be in paper or electronic form, but the attestation must be printed. Customers can find the attestation form here.  

Customers are advised to print and complete the attestation form in advance and take it to the airport. Copies will also be available at check-in for customers to complete. Forms must be handed in at the gate prior to boarding. The attestation will be available in English, French, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

Customers will be asked for proof of their negative test result prior to departure and should retain their test results for possible inspection upon arrival in the U.S.

The below list includes those who are exempt from the testing requirement:

  • Children under 2 
  • Federal law enforcement and military personnel on orders  
  • Customers returning from U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, U.S.V.I) 

Additionally, for the negative test requirement does not apply to customers who recently had COVID-19 and can provide both a positive COVID-19 test result dated within 90 days prior to travel and a letter from a healthcare provider or a public health official that states they are cleared to travel.

Customers flying from the U.S. overseas territories of the USVI and Puerto Rico are not subject to this requirement.
Yes. All customers, including U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, aged 2 and over flying from an international destination to the United States must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result within 3 days of departure and confirm their negative result by signing an attestation form.

We are continuously monitoring safety and security protocols to ensure you have the latest information for your destination's specific entry and exit requirements. 

We strongly encourage you to review the latest travel requirements and restrictions to learn more about current travel restrictions and for resources to help you arrive prepared. Please also confirm any requirements for connecting airport destinations if applicable to your itinerary.

Yes, if a customer’s trip is shorter than 3 days the customer may resubmit the negative test result used for the outbound trip for their return trip back to the United States. Any travel that is longer than 3 days will require customers to retake a COVID test.

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