We are approaching the first weeks of fall here and looking to travel and take advantage of the cooler temperatures. It is possible to travel throughout the United States and some parts of the world. As is the theme of travel in 2020, you'll need to check whether you need to quarantine upon arrival.
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Tri-State Quarantine
The most extensive mandatory self-quarantine in the continental United States is the “tri-state quarantine” of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
This list continually updates as the number of positive cases and tests for each state changes. For most of the summer, about 30 states and territories are on the list at any time.
Below is the current list of restricted states (as of 09/15/2020):
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Porto Rico
- Caroline from the south
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
If you are arriving from one of these states and staying at least one night, you must complete a Traveler Health Form. The airline will provide the form if you are traveling to the tri-state area. Amtrak and hotels can also provide the document. There is a potential fine of $2,000 if you do not submit the form.
After completing the form, you will need to quarantine for 14 days or for the duration of your stay, whichever is shorter.
Visitors to Connecticut can opt out of the 14-day quarantine by having a valid negative PCR test result within 72 hours of arrival. New York and New Jersey do not currently have this opt-out option.
New England
The various New England states have some sort of self-quarantine order in place. These orders could impact your fall foliage touring plans. You can most likely avoid quarantine if you are coming from an adjacent state. Some of the New England states with the strictest self-quarantine orders include:
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
New Hampshire has the most lenient self-quarantine orders. If you are arriving from outside the New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont), the state requires you to quarantine for two weeks.
Hawaii
Hawaii's quarantine doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon and continues to renew itself monthly. The current quarantine expiration date will most likely extend beyond the current end date of October 1, 2020.
Quarantine in Hawaii is more stringent than New York, as violating the mandatory 14-day quarantine is a criminal offense. If you go, you will need to quarantine in your accommodation for the first 14 days.
Beginning October 1, 2020, Hawaii plans to offer visitors the option to opt out of self-quarantine by taking a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival. This option was originally scheduled to launch in July, and the rollout date continues to lengthen, such as the mandatory 14-day self-quarantine.
As the number of new daily cases is still relatively high in Hawaii, self-quarantine is also required for most inter-island travel, although you will not have to quarantine if you are traveling to Oahu. However, you must quarantine if you travel between Kauai, the Island of Hawaii, or Maui County (Maui, Molokai, Lanai).
It also appears that tourism authorities are exploring the concept of “resort bubbles“Kauai is the first island to receive government approval for this travel option. You can avoid mandatory quarantine by staying within resort boundaries. You will need to wear a GPS monitor to verify that you do not leave the bubble.
Canada
Canada's land border likely won't reopen until November as soon as possible. According to unnamed U.S. and Canadian officials, the opening could take place after Thanksgiving weekend (11/26-11/29).
But we don't know the potential effects of winter weather and the spread of the pandemic. It is likely that the border will not fully reopen until 2021 for long-distance travelers.
Foreign nationals can only travel to Canada for essential reasons or if they are an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Mexico
We could see the land border between Mexico and the United States reopen soon. The continued land border closure currently expires on September 21, 2020. There is no announcement of an extension yet, but U.S. state departments have reduced Mexico from Level 4 “Do Not Travel” travel advisory » at level 3 “Reconsider travel”.
If the land border opens to non-essential travel, you should still research local policies, as some Mexican states are more open to tourism than others.
For now, the best way to access Mexico remains to fly to beach destinations, including Cancun, Cozumel, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. There is no mandatory quarantine and you probably will not have to provide a negative PCR test result.
Caribbean
It is also possible to travel to most Caribbean islands from the United States. Some of the friendliest islands include:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bermuda
- Barbados
- Jamaica
- St. Barth
- St. LUCIA
- Saint-Martin
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Many Caribbean destinations require prior authorization before entry. You will likely need to produce a negative PCR test result to also gain permission to enter the island nation.
It would be best if you avoided the Bahamas at this time, as there is a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine unless you have a valid negative PCR test result. The Bahamas also requires that you apply for a health visa before arrival.
Latin America
Parts of Latin America are open to non-essential travel. Colombia will begin accepting limited international flights on September 21, 2020. Belize International Airport is planning a reopening date of October 1, 2020.
As much of Latin America has strict limits, most countries are not open to international travel. It is best to avoid much of Latin America at this time, as non-essential travel is not welcome.
Europe
Much of Europe is off-limits to Americans, as the United States is not yet on the EU's safe travel list. Many EU countries, including Spain, are experiencing an increase in cases. You may be able to fly directly from the United States to Balkan countries like Albania and Croatia.
You can enter a neighboring country or the Western bloc if you are staying on the continent for an extended period of time to avoid the 14-day self-quarantine requirement.
Israel
A trip to the Holy Land this fall may have to wait. Israel announced nighttime closures as part of a second lockdown that will last at least three weeks. This new travel ban comes as religious travel shifts into high gear for many pilgrimages.
Maldives
Although it is one of the most difficult places to reach, catching a flight to the Maldives is a far-flung global destination worth visiting. You will need to stay in a qualifying resort island without mandatory quarantine, but you will also have to prove a negative PCR test result.
For added peace of mind, you may appreciate that the Maldives has a Safe Travels stamp from World Travel and Tourism Council.
Summary
Traveling to local states or to a Mexican beach are your best travel options for a short getaway that doesn't require mandatory quarantine. Otherwise, travel bans today are similar to those in early summer when the world began to reopen.
FAQs
Can I travel to Canada now?
Canada is only open to air travel for essential reasons. You may also be able to participate if you are an eligible immediate family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Going to Canada for tourism is not going to happen anytime soon. U.S. and Canadian land borders may not reopen until November or later.
Do I need to quarantine after flying to the United States?
In most cases, you do not need to quarantine on US domestic flights. There are some exceptions because each state has different requirements. For example, you will need to quarantine for the duration of your stay for up to 14 days if you are traveling to Hawaii or New York. Other states in the northeastern United States have similar policies.
Are the Maldives open for tourism?
Yes, the Maldives is one of the few international destinations open for tourism.
There are a few caveats for your next exotic beach trip:
- Must stay at an approved resort for your entire stay
- Will submit a health declaration form listing the details of your stay
- Must present a negative PCR test result (as of September 10, 2020)
As always, you should travel if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with an infected person in the past 14 days.
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