The US government will begin on January 26, 2021 to require all international airline passengers to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test before boarding flights to the US.

Travelers arriving on international flights to the US will need to get tested within three days of flying. Airlines will be required to deny boarding to anyone without documentation of a negative test. This new order exempts airline crew, military personnel and passengers under the age of 2 years old.

According to a statement recently released by the CDC, they believe that testing combined with other precautions such as wearing masks will make travelling safer.

The CDC order for universal testing of passengers includes US citizens returning from abroad, comes weeks after an initial order applicable to passengers arriving from the UK only. In the UK, and probably soon elsewhere, passengers will be able to get the COVID test via their airline.

Passengers still need to follow the state rules for quarantine once they arrive in the US – which may differ based on the state.