(CNN) – Earlier this week, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that, as of Tuesday, January 26, all air passengers older than two years must submit negative Covid-19 test evidence to enter in the United States.
The new rule includes U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.
“The order created a lot of anxiety, partly because the time frame from the announcement until when it will go into effect is very short and partly because it was not clear exactly what it meant,” he says.
Both US residents who are currently abroad or plan to travel abroad and return on January 26 or later, and international travelers who are scheduled to fly to the United States have numerous questions about what they need to do to ensure their entry into the country, says Harteveldt.
In addition, some resorts and local governments are struggling to prepare to offer tests to airmen bound for the United States.
The questions – from what type of negative Covid-19 test you need to the documentation you must present when you are at the airport, and to whom – are addressed below:
US test questions answered
What type of Covid-19 test is considered acceptable for travelers?
How far in advance can I take the test before entering the country?
The trial period is a maximum of three days before your flight.
CDC spokeswoman Caitlin Shockey says that if you are flying on a connecting flight to the United States, a valid test is one that is done no more than three days before your flight leaves for the United States, but only whether the entire trip was booked on a single passenger record.
In addition, each wait between these connections cannot exceed 24 hours.
If your connecting flight to the USA was booked separately or if you have a longer connection, you will need to take the test three days before your final flight leaves for the USA.
If you are flying out of the country for less than three days, you can do a test in the USA before leaving and use it for your return or do a quick test before your return flight.
If your flight is delayed beyond the three-day window, you must take another test to board.
What will happen if I am traveling internationally now and return after January 26th?
It doesn’t matter when you left, according to Shockey: If you return to the United States on or after January 26, you will need to be tested and provide proof that Covid-19 is negative before you can board.
I am visiting a United States territory, do I need to take the test?
No. U.S. territories and U.S. possessions are exempt, according to the CDC.
If I am a US resident and have to pay for a test while abroad, will my health insurance cover this?
It depends on your insurance plan, says Zach Honig, the general editor of the travel site The Points Guy.
But Honig says you should definitely ask for a refund. “It never hurts to ask,” he says.
Who is checking the test results at the airport?
It depends on the destination, but you will likely be asked to document a negative test result from the first airline employee you come into contact with at the airport, says Harteveldt.
This can be at the ticket counter, if you are checking your bags, or with the gate agent, if you have no checked baggage.
Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers prior to boarding and must deny boarding to anyone who does not provide Covid-19 negative test documentation or recovery documentation, according to the CDC.
Honig says the new term may mean that you will not be able to check in online for your flight to the U.S. “You will have to check in at the airport, so arrive early to have enough time to do this,” he says.
I’m flying to the USA on a private plane. Does this new requirement apply to me?
Yes, the order is valid for commercial and private flights, according to the CDC.
What kind of documentation do I need to show?
The CDC requires airmen to have a printed or electronic copy of the negative test results.
Harteveldt strongly recommends that travelers have a printed copy of the negative test results, rather than just having them on their phones.
“It can be difficult for an agent to read the document on your phone, and you don’t want to give him an excuse not to embark on you,” he says.
I already had Covid-19. What kind of documentation do I need?
If you have recovered from Covid-19 in the past three months, you will need proof that your test was positive in the last three months before your flight and a letter from your doctor stating that you are cleared to travel.
If you recovered from the virus more than three months ago, CDC Shockey says that you will need to test again and present evidence of negative results before you can board the plane.
People who have been vaccinated still need a Covid-19 test before entering the United States.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
I got the Covid-19 vaccine. Do I still need to test?
Yes, the same requirements apply.
How do I find a local test site while abroad?
This varies by country, but Honig strongly recommends that you test your destination before leaving the USA. “It can be challenging to test in some places, so it’s important to get confirmation of the location before the trip,” he says.
You can find a test site by asking your hotel before your trip or by checking the destination’s official tourism website.
In addition, last week, an increasing number of hotels, especially in destinations popular with American travelers, began offering on-site testing.
In Saint Lucia, for example, more than 20 properties and villages will offer free rapid trials.
The Baha Mar in the Bahamas has rapid tests for $ 25 and PCR tests for $ 125. At La Colección Resorts across the Dominican Republic and Mexico, the quick test is free. And at Curtain Bluff in Antigua, the test costs $ 250 per person for PCR or rapid test results.
The return time for the test results varies depending on the property.
Are airlines allowing passengers to change their flights so that they can arrive in the U.S. before the test requirements take effect?
Some are allowing free changes, including waiving the difference in the fare.
Delta, for example, is waiving the fare difference until February 9 for customers who have booked to travel internationally to the US by February 9, if they rebook to start on or before January 25.
American Airlines and United Airlines are also waiving fare differences for customers due to new requirements.
With American, customers who have scheduled flights from January 12 to February 9 can make a new reservation free of charge if they are departing and arriving at destinations with their original ticket. However, travel must begin on or before January 25.
With United, the fare difference will be waived for passengers who re-book international tickets purchased on or before January 12 for scheduled trips to the U.S. through February 15.
My test result was positive. What now?
Shockey says you should isolate yourself and delay your trip if your symptoms develop or the result of a pre-departure test is positive until you recover from Covid-19.
Top photo: Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images