Your ultimate guide to international travel in 2021
- After a year with little international travel, some countries are reopening to tourists.
- Insider rounded up the top tips to guide anyone who is ready to travel internationally.
- From vaccine passports to safety tips, traveling abroad may look different in this new normal.
With coronavirus vaccinations ramping up across the globe, many Americans are thinking about international travel again.
Traveling internationally has been taboo and in many cases off-limits since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020. But as countries reopen and more people get vaccinated, the dream of traveling internationally again is becoming more of a reality.
To help guide you through the return to international travel, Insider compiled everything you need to know before you book a trip.
Decide where you want to go
The world won't reopen all at once, and while some countries, like Iceland and Guatemala, are welcoming some visitors back, others, like Australia and New Zealand, are keeping their borders a little tighter.
As of Wednesday, the European Union agreed to lift all COVID-19-related travel restrictions and allow all non-essential travel from the US, a European source with knowledge of the discussions confirmed to Insider.
The EU's latest announcement means both vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers will be able to take European trips this summer from the US. However, individual countries can still require coronavirus tests or quarantine upon arrival. A formal decision will be made by Friday, according to the same article.
Tools like interactive maps from United Airlines and Sherpa show you in real-time where in the world Americans can travel and what restrictions they may face.
Read more:
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Figure out how you want to get there
Once you know where you want to go, you'll need to decide whether you want to travel by plane, train, or cruise ship.
If you're not vaccinated yet, be aware that cruise lines and airlines are increasingly announcing vaccination requirements, Insider reported.
Qatar Airlines became the first airline to operate a fully vaccinated flight on April 6, and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told NBC News in March that the airline would likely require proof of vaccination on international flights.
Major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean have announced fully vaccinated cruises to set sail starting in late spring, Wiley reported.
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If you plan to fly, take precautions
Though people are getting COVID-19 vaccines, the virus isn't gone, so it's still important to take safety precautions while traveling.
If you're partially vaccinated, you may be able to travel to some areas, but health experts recommend avoiding crowds and indoor dining. If you're fully vaccinated, you may not need to quarantine when you arrive, but some experts told Insider you should still be getting tested before and after traveling.
All travelers should still wear a mask and follow social-distancing guidelines as much as possible.
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Figure out where you want to stay
Accommodation rules are constantly changing.
Lodging companies like Airbnb have restricted one-night and last-minute stays as the summer approaches.
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Gather your documents
A vaccine passport is documented proof that a person is vaccinated or recently received a negative test result.
While the US doesn't require proof of vaccination to travel, some countries have required some sort of vaccination documentation for decades.
And while the US will not federally mandate vaccine passports, proof of COVID-19 vaccination will likely be required for some international travel. For some cruises, it's already a requirement.
Travel, tech, and political leaders in the US and abroad are working on vaccine-passport programs as the summer approaches; some are in trials or up and running.
Read more:
You may need proof of COVID-19 vaccination to travel internationally soon
What the COVID-19 vaccine could mean for the future of travel
Plan your activities
Many activities will still be closed, and the ones that are open have varying risks depending on whether you're vaccinated, in a crowd, or outdoors.
Use expert tips to figure out what activities are available to you and safe as the world reopens.
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Plan your return
Do everything you can to ensure the safety of yourself and others as you get home.
Health experts have different advice about testing and quarantining depending on whether you've been vaccinated, traveled with vaccinated people, avoided crowds, or live with immunocompromised people.
Before you leave, refresh yourself on how to travel safely during the pandemic with Insider's guides and personal experiences.
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