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Executive Order on Promoting COVID- ⁠ 19 Safety in Domestic and International   Travel

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1.  Policy.  Science-based public health measures are critical to preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by travelers within the United States and those who enter the country from abroad.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Surgeon General, and the National Institutes of Health have concluded that mask-wearing, physical distancing, appropriate ventilation, and timely testing can mitigate the risk of travelers spreading COVID-19.  Accordingly, to save lives and allow all Americans, including the millions of people employed in the transportation industry, to travel and work safely, it is the policy of my Administration to implement these public health measures consistent with CDC guidelines on public modes of transportation and at ports of entry to the United States.   

Sec. 2.  Immediate Action to Require Mask-Wearing on Certain Domestic Modes of Transportation.

(a)  Mask Requirement.   The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)), the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard), and the heads of any other executive departments and agencies (agencies) that have relevant regulatory authority (heads of agencies) shall immediately take action, to the extent appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require masks to be worn in compliance with CDC guidelines in or on: 

(i)    airports; 

(ii)   commercial aircraft; 

(iii)  trains; 

(iv)   public maritime vessels, including ferries; 

(v)    intercity bus services; and

(vi)   all forms of public transportation as defined in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.

(b)  Consultation.   In implementing this section, the heads of agencies shall consult, as appropriate, with interested parties, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials; industry and union representatives from the transportation sector; and consumer representatives.

(c)  Exceptions.   The heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions to policies developed under this section, consistent with applicable law, to the extent that doing so is necessary or required by law.  If the heads of agencies do make exceptions, they shall require alternative and appropriate safeguards, and shall document all exceptions in writing.

(d)  Preemption.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, the heads of agencies shall ensure that any action taken to implement this section does not preempt State, local, Tribal, and territorial laws or rules imposing public health measures that are more protective of public health than those required by the heads of agencies. 

(e)  Coordination.  The Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) shall coordinate the implementation of this section.  The heads of agencies shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (c) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter.  The heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.

Sec. 3.  Action to Implement Additional Public Health Measures for Domestic Travel. 

(a)  Recommendations.   The Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA and the Commandant of the Coast Guard), in consultation with the Director of CDC, shall promptly provide to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator recommendations concerning how their respective agencies may impose additional public health measures for domestic travel.

(b)  Consultation.   In implementing this section, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall engage with interested parties, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials; industry and union representatives from the transportation sector; and consumer representatives.  

Sec. 4.  Support for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Authorities.  The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation and the heads of any other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing and physical distancing on public modes of transportation, consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.

Sec. 5.  International Travel. 

(a)  Policy.   It is the policy of my Administration that, to the extent feasible, travelers seeking to enter the United States from a foreign country shall be: 

(i)   required to produce proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test prior to entry; and 

(ii)  required to comply with other applicable CDC guidelines concerning international travel, including recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after entry into the United States.

(b)  Air Travel.  

(i)    The Secretary of HHS, including through the Director of CDC, and in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, assess the CDC order of January 12, 2021, regarding the requirement of a negative COVID-19 test result for airline passengers traveling into the United States, in light of subsection (a) of this section.  Based on such assessment, the Secretary of HHS and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take any further appropriate regulatory action, to the extent feasible and consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.  Such assessment and regulatory action shall include consideration of: 

(A)  the timing and types of COVID-19 tests that should satisfy the negative test requirement, including consideration of additional testing immediately prior to departure; (B)  the proof of test results that travelers should be required to provide; (C)  the feasibility of implementing alternative and sufficiently protective public health measures, such as testing, self-quarantine, and self-isolation on arrival, for travelers entering the United States from countries where COVID-19 tests are inaccessible, particularly where such inaccessibility of tests would affect the ability of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to return to the United States; and (D)  measures to prevent fraud.

(ii)   The Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), shall promptly provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a plan for how the Secretary and other Federal Government actors could implement the policy stated in subsection (a) of this section with respect to CDC-recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after a flight to the United States from a foreign country, as he deems appropriate and consistent with applicable law.  The plan shall identify agencies’ tools and mechanisms to assist travelers in complying with such policy.

(iii)  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (including through the Director of CDC), the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA), and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall seek to consult with foreign governments, the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association, and any other relevant stakeholders to establish guidelines for public health measures associated with safe international travel, including on aircraft and at ports of entry.  Any such guidelines should address quarantine, testing, COVID-19 vaccination, follow-up testing and symptom-monitoring, air filtration requirements, environmental decontamination standards, and contact tracing.  

(c)  Land Travel.  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of CDC, shall immediately commence diplomatic outreach to the governments of Canada and Mexico regarding public health protocols for land ports of entry.  Based on this diplomatic engagement, within 14 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of HHS (including through the Director of CDC), the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry.  The plan should implement CDC guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account the operational considerations relevant to the different populations who enter the United States by land.

(d)  Sea Travel.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Commandant of the Coast Guard and in consultation with the Secretary of HHS and the Director of CDC, shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports.  The plan should implement CDC guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account operational considerations.  

(e)  International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.  Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), in coordination with any relevant international organizations, shall assess the feasibility of linking COVID-19 vaccination to International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) and producing electronic versions of ICVPs.  

(f)  Coordination.  The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall coordinate the implementation of this section.  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter.  The heads of all agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.

Sec. 6.  General Provisions.   (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE, January 21, 2021.

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• Press Releases

Starting Today Fully Vaccinated Travelers Permitted to Enter U.S. via Land and Ferry Border Crossings

WASHINGTON – Starting today, foreign nationals who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate documentation will be permitted to enter the United States via land ports of entry (POEs) and ferry terminals for non-essential reasons such as tourism. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds these travelers to be prepared to (1) provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the  Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  website; and (2) verbally attest to their reason for travel and COVID-19 vaccination status during a border inspection.

“Today, after more than 18 months of pandemic-related travel restrictions, DHS is taking a critical step toward resuming normal travel,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Travelers who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate documentation are now permitted to enter the United States via our land and ferry border crossings for non-essential reasons such as visiting friends and family and engaging in tourism. DHS continues to work closely with our international partners and domestic public health experts to sustainably resume travel while protecting our communities and economic security.”

DHS’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is working to prevent long lines at land POEs and ferry terminals as normal travel resumes. However, long lines are expected in the initial days following pent-up demand, and CBP will adjust resources as needed, while continuing to facilitate lawful trade and travel and protect our national security. Travelers are advised to expect longer-than-normal wait times, familiarize themselves with the new guidelines , and have appropriate documentation ready during a border inspection.

U.S. citizens are reminded to bring a  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative  (WHTI)-compliant document, such as a valid U.S. passport, Trusted Traveler Program card, Enhanced Driver’s License, or Enhanced Tribal Card, when re-entering the United States and should be prepared to present a WHTI-compliant document if requested by a CBP Officer during a border inspection. Any non-citizen attempting to enter the United States through illegal means or without appropriate documentation may be subject to expulsion or removal.

To help reduce wait times and long lines, travelers can take advantage of  facial biometrics  and the  CBP One™ , which is a single portal for CBP mobile applications and services.

To learn more about the updated requirements for travelers, review the DHS fact sheet .

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The Office of International Affairs

Covid vaccine and test requirements for u.s. entry.

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Published on Oct 29, 2021

On October 25, 2021, President Biden issued  Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-⁠19 Pandemic , which, effective November 8, 2021 , will lift the four current geographic travel ban restrictions , and replace them with a global requirement that "noncitizens who are nonimmigrants" traveling to the United States by air from any part of the world establish that they are fully vaccinated, with some limited exceptions.

A separate CDC order will also continue to require all air travelers to show results of a negative coronavirus test performed on a specimen taken three days (if fully vaccinated) or one day (if not fully vaccinated and entering under an exception) preceding their flight's departure from a foreign country traveling to the United States.  Updated - all travelers to the U.S. must now show proof of a negative viral COVID test not more than one day before departing for the U.S. For more:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html 

"Noncitizens who are nonimmigrants" who are traveling by air will have to show both the negative COVID viral test and documentation that they are either fully vaccinated or are eligible for an exception to the vaccination requirement.

These U.S. entry vaccination requirements and testing updates will go into effect at 12:01am EST on November 8, 2021. This proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the U.S. that departed prior to 12:01am EST on November 8, 2021.

This proclamation will replace the current geographic travel ban restrictions with new air travel vaccination requirements, which will be applicable not only to travel from one of the countries formerly subject to a geographic travel ban, but to travel to the U.S. by air, by nonimmigrants from any part of the world. 

Exceptions and Exemptions

U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders) and those entering on an immigration visa are exempt from the these vaccination requirements. The proclamation contains a number of important exceptions to these requirements, including:

• Diplomats, employees of international organizations, and similar
• Citizens of a foreign country where the availability of COVID-19 vaccination is limited
• Noncitizens who are children under 18 yeras of age, or noncitizens for whom a COVID vaccination is contraindicated or inappropriate
• National interest (as determined by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designee - NOTE: these "national interest" exceptions are not related to NIE's that have previously been issued for F-1 students, J-1 students and scholars, etc.

According to CDC FAQs  there are no exceptions under the proclamation and the CDC order for religious or other moral convictions. If you qualified for an exception to the University's vaccination requirements for students, this exception will not be recognized for the purposes of entry to the U.S. under the proclamation and CDC order. 

Acceptable Vaccines and the Meaning of Fully Vaccinated

The CDC webpage Requrement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers lists the following vaccines as acceptable. Please note this list of vaccines mirrors the University's list of acceptable vaccines per institutional requirements. The acceptable vaccines are:

• AstraZeneca
• Covishield/Serum Institute of India
• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson 
• Pfizer/BioNTech

Vaccination with a vaccines not on these lists would not satisfy the proclamation requirements until the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) adds the vaccines to their lists. 

The CDC webpage Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers describes the meaning of "fully vaccinated." 

Proof of Vaccination

CDC Technical Instructions Types of Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination state that "airlines or aircraft operators msut confirm that every  covered individual (unless excepted) has presented proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the U.S. from a foreign country. The above linked CDC Technical Instructions and Table 1. Acceptable Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination describe acceptable proof and provide examples. 

Negative COVID-19 Viral Test Condition

Presidential Proclamation of October 25, 2021 does not institute new negative COVID-19 test requirements. Rather, in addition to being subject to the new proof of vaccination requirements nonimmigrants who are entering the U.S. through will also continue to be subject to CDC rules that require all travelers ( regardless of citizenship ) to present proof of receiving a negative pre-departure viral test result for COVID-19. Nonimmigrants subject to Presidential Proclamation of October 25, 2021 will have to show both proof of being fully vaccinated (or qualify under one of the narrow exceptions) and proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test. Briefly:

• Fully vaccinated individuals: The viral test must be conducted on a sample taken no more than 3 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country. Updated on Dec 2: viral test must be taken no more than 1 day before flight departure.
• Not fully vaccinated: The viral test must be conducted on a sample taken no more than 1 day before the flight’s departure from a foreign country if the traveler does not show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This also includes nonimmigrants who are not fully vaccinated, but who are requesting admission to the U.S. under an exception.

For more, visit the CDC webpage Required Testing Before Air Travel to the U.S.

OIA will continue to update this page as additional information becomes available. Students and scholars alike are encouraged to check with their airlines to ensure they are up-to-date on required documentation before boarding.

• For additional information related to travel while at the University of Chicago on an F-1 or J-1 student visa, please visit our Travel webpage for students .
• For additional information related to travel while at the University of Chicago while on a J-1, H-1B, TN, or other employment-based visa classification, please visit our Travel webpage for scholars .

Important links to additional information:

• Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Releases Additional Detail for Implementing a Safer, More Stringent International Air Travel System
• U.S. Department of State: FAQ's on COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing for International Travel
• U.S. Department of State: Safely Resuming Travel by Vaccine Requirement and Rescission of Travel Restrictions on Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the United Kingdom
• CDC: Technical Instructions for Implementing Presidential Proclamation
• CDC: Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Travelers
• CDC: Required Testing Before Air Travel to the U.S.
• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: Briefing on COVID Vaccination and Testing Requirements

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Caution when booking far in advance - GATE 1 TRAVEL

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We booked a tour to Peru for August 2024. The booking was great! The problem has been with contact... read more

The Douro river boat is a dump. I have been on 4 cruises with them previously. I also have 2... read more

Caution when booking far in advance

As a warning to others: At least three months ago I booked a 15 day round trip of Spain with Gate 1. Two weeks ago I was called and notified that the trip was cancelled due to not enough participants and was offered the same tour a week later. I was unable to do that as I had already bought flight tickets for the tour booked. Their attitude simply was sorry, there was nothing that they could do. I asked about some sort of credit for future trips due to this inconvenience and was told that the fine print stated that they could cancel tours up to sixty days out without and further actions. I also pointed out that I considered it odd that they had these tours booked a week apart given that they are two week tours, pointing out that I wondered if this was a ploy to make sure that one of them went---no comment. So, bottom line is that I was out of luck. As an aside, I also booked another tour for September. In this tour I have already been notified that there has been one hotel change (an obvious downgrade) and that one of the places on the itinerary won't be visited because they're closed that day. Really, they didn't know that? Felt people should know downfalls of working with this company.

We booked a trip to France and made 100% percent of the payment upfront. It has been more than 3 weeks and Gate1 is yet to confirm our trip. Gate1 says it has a problem with one hotel accomodation. If it is not available, Gate1 will return the money. But, until the trip is confirmed, we are unable to book our flights because we will lose a lot of money on flight tickets if trip is not confirmed. Gate1 says it will hold the money and confirm the tour only a day before. Gate1 will not allow us to cancel the trip at this time even though they have not confirmed our tour and will not confirm until the day of tour.. Gate1 behaves like a 3rd rate tour operator trying to bilk customers

We have been traveling with Gate 1 since 2014 and have been very satisfied. We booked a trip with them last month. We are unvaccinated and we’re thinking that things would slowly return to normal. And after reading Gate 1’s website statement: “ we require all travelers to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 prior to starting their trip. This requirement will remain in place until guidance changes from health organizations and governments. The second part is the key statement: “this requirement will remain in place until guidance changes from health organizations and governments”. Yesterday, March 13th, several European nations dropped their vaccination requirement for entry, but in my conversation with Gate 1 today, I was told that the vaccination requirement was a Gate 1 requirement. Something here smells really bad. Is Gate 1 discriminating against the unvaccinated?

1. I was charged $400 single supplements fees for a 7 day/5 nights hotel stay. The $400 fees supposed to gave me 1 double room for single use for 5 nights. The first 2 nights in Amsterdam, Hotel Leonard Boutiques city center, I was put in a single room for 2 nights. I compared my room with the single room posted at hotel websites. They were identical. Gate 1 Travel refused to refund me 2 nights of supplements. 2. I prepaid both hotel transfers. My inbound flight back to California was very early in the morning. In order to catch the boarding time of 8 am comfortably I requested to have hotel transfer at 4:00am. It took one hour driving from hotel to airport. The tour manager refused to reschedule from 5 am which he had scheduled to 4am. I had to call taxi and Gate 1 refused to reimburse me the taxi fare. 3. The day before departure We paid €32 to have Covid Rapid Antigen Test done at 8 am in hotel lobby. By 8:30 pm we had not received the QR code. We tried to locate the tour manager, we couldn’t fine him. We reached out hotel desk for further assistance. Hotel clerk had advised that the tour manager had (1) no hotel room (2) no email address on file (3) the cellphone number he posted on the bulletin board was non-working number, a fake number (4) he was no where to be found!

We just finished our 13 days tour to Israel and Jordan with Gate 1! it was AMAZING! We spent six days with Tsidki Yona in Israel. From Tel-Aviv, Caesarea, Upper Galilee, Golan Heights, Beit She’an, Jerusalem New City, Bethlehem, Masada to the Dead Sea. Tsidki was a great guide. His knowledge of history, geography, bible stories and the culture of the region enriched our experience of being there, by giving a context to the many places we visited that would have been missing without having him with us. His open, fun and kind personality made it easy to ask questions and always get more information back than we bargained for! not only exceptional in his knowledge of the history of Israel and its neighbors, including all the diverse cultures and political challenges, but he is also undeniably passionate about what he does. This was a really special experience for a non-Christian in the Holy Land! Following Israel, we spent six AWESOME days touring Jordan. The sites we visited were spectacular, the site of Jesus’s baptism by John the Baptist in Bethany, Petra, Kerak Castle, Little Petra, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum jeep Safari, to camel caravan expedition and Amman. Omar Bani Hani from Gate 1 was our OUTSTANDING guide as we traveled throughout Jordan. He felt like a member of the family to me, only one with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history, culture, politics, and geography of Jordan and surrounding countries. He was patient with our group of 27 and was able to instantly pivot our scheduled site visits to accommodate the inclement weather in the itinerary hence optimized our visit remarkably! His constant smile and humor brightened our trip every day. Omar was also a "one stop shop" from handling visa to Covid tests. He did it all seamlessly. Omar made our trip informative, safe, worry-free, and most of all enjoyable. He is an ASSET to Gate 1. We would definitely recommend Gate 1 for anyone traveling to Jordan. The hotels accommodation were all fine exceptions were the hotel in Tel Aviv (the hotel Metropolitan) and in Tiberias (Restal Hotel). both were in a great location but desperately needing renovations. All other accommodations: Holiday Inn Dead Sea, Old Village Hotel in Petra and Movenpick hotel in Amman are solid four star hotels. Last but not least, we made lifelong friends during this tour. It was a fabulous trip! it would earn five stars if not for the two hotel accommodations that were not at par with the tour.

If you ever thought about going to see Victoria Falls and go on safaris in southern Africa this is the time to go. Tours are just starting back up after COVID and tour sizes are smaller, which means more personal time with the guides and tour manager. We just returned from a 14 day (we added a day) trip to South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. We started in Johannesburg and went to Soweto and learned about Nelson Mandela and how Apartheid ended. We then traveled by air to Zambia, where we took a Sundowner cruise on the beautiful Zambezi River where we saw hippos, crocodiles, and other wildlife. Next day, we visited Victoria Falls on both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides of the Falls. It is impossible to capture in words how beautiful, majestic, and powerful the Falls are. They are so massive it is almost unbelievable. As an extra, my wife and I took a helicopter ride over the Falls, while a friend we made on the tour went horse back riding. Our accommodations in Livingstone were superb! We then went to Chobe National Park in Botswanan where we took a river boat ride and saw buffalo, hippos, impala, and elephants. The next morning we enjoyed a fantastic safari game drive through the national park. Our next major stop was to the Okavango Delta for game drives to see other animals. On this trip we saw individual and a journey of giraffes, lions, elephants, ostrich, antelope, zebra, hyena, impala, warthogs, and a large variety of birds. This time we stayed in permanent tents. What a fun adventure. These tents are like hotel rooms. They have indoor toilets and outside showers with plenty of warm water. They also had the most comfortable beds! From there, on to the beautiful and lively Cape Town, where we took a tram up Table Mountain, walk through the vibrant V & A shopping and entertainment center, spent a day visiting three wineries (on a double decker train), and spent a day traveling down the western coast where we saw South African penguins and took a Funicular to the old lighthouse perched up on a mountain. We are avid travelers, but this trip through Gate1 was truly one of the best adventures that we have been on. Our Tour Manager was Desire Pringle and we couldn't have asked for a better person to guide us. She is extremely knowledgeable about all of the areas that we travel to, the historic sites in each place, and wild game that we saw. She was extremely professional and friendly. She truly cared about our enjoyment and in getting a quality experience at every destination on the tour. She does an incredible job and should be requested if you take this tour.

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A very disappointing and demeaning tour - GATE 1 TRAVEL

• United States    
• District of Columbia (DC)    
• Washington DC    
• Washington DC - Things to Do    
• GATE 1 TRAVEL

We booked a tour to Peru for August 2024. The booking was great! The problem has been with contact... read more

The Douro river boat is a dump. I have been on 4 cruises with them previously. I also have 2... read more

A very disappointing and demeaning tour

My husband and I took two recent trips with Gate 1 Travel, one to Iceland in January and one to Spain and Portugal from March 15 to 25,2023. The first one, to Iceland, was a wonderful experience in every way. The second, to Spain and Portugal, was an awful experience filled with anxiety and needless difficulties. What was the difference between the two trips? It was the tour managers. Our experience with Nico in Spain and Portugal has convinced us that we cannot count on Gate 1 for any future travel. Here’s an outline of why. —I have a condition in which I experience extreme nausea sitting in the middle or back of buses. I actually throw up in such situations. This condition is verified by doctors. —When traveling to Iceland, our tour manager there accommodated my request to sit at the front of the bus throughout the tour. Another member of our group had similar needs and was also accommodated. This accommodation caused no trouble among the rest of the members of our group. —Because I could see that Gate 1’s written policy states that tour members must rotate in their seats and there are no exceptions to this policy, before our next trip (to Spain and Portugal) I contacted Gate 1 multiple times to check whether accommodations could be made for me to sit in front of the bus. I was told that such decisions are at the discretion of the tour manager, and I understood this to mean that accommodations are possible even if not guaranteed. My further inquiries about this were unanswered. —At the beginning of our tour in Spain and Portugal, I told Nico of my needs and offered to show him a medical certificate I brought with me. He did not want to see the certificate, and he told me that he was instructed by the home office that he could not make exceptions to the seat rotation rule and that his directive was to maintain harmony among the members of the group. If he was indeed told this by the home office, it indicates a contradictory policy in the company because the directive doesn’t match what I was told earlier that tour managers have discretion. —In any case, Nico did exercise discretion and did make an exception for me (apparently contradicting the directive he said he was given) and allowed me to sit in the front seat next to him during much of the tour. But he made sure to tell me that he reported the fact that the tour manager in Iceland had made an accommodation for me. Nico told me that that tour manager would be fired for doing so. This caused me great distress and set the tone for the remainder of the tour. —During the tour, Nico told a tour guide not to answer my questions, saying that I ask too many questions. He told the guide this in Spanish. My husband speaks Spanish and overheard it. On another occasion, Nico told another tour guide, also in Spanish, to be careful what he said because my husband could understand Spanish. The fact that such conversations occurred further damaged our trust. —In Barcelona, Nico said I would not be able to sit in the front seat with him during the trip to the Gaudi Monuments — the most highlighted and popular attraction in the city — because he would need the space so he could do paperwork during the journey. As a result, I could not ride on the bus for that trip and missed out. —At another point, we wanted to take a train to a destination but did not want to do so if it would mean taking all of our luggage. Nico told us that he would be able to keep our large luggage on the bus. Because he told us this, we were willing to book the train, and Nico helped us book it. But just before the train trip, Nico told us that he would not be able to keep our luggage for us after all. Later, we met another group that was also on a Gate 1 tour. The members of that group had taken the train to their destination and all of them were able to leave their luggage on a bus. So there was a contradiction between how Nico handled us and how another tour manager handled a separate group. These are just a few points among several that could be made. I have tried to be brief in my description of what happened, and as a result, the full sense of how unpleasant our experience was may not be completely apparent. But it indeed was. The way Nico dealt with us left us feeling demeaned and relegated to nuisance status.

I would give Gate 1 an excellent rating because of the superior service I received on my recent trip to Thailand. I love that they take care of every detail - all I need to do is relax and enjoy my trip. My tour guide Kit was everything you would want in a guide - funny, informative, thoughtful. She was constantly bringing local treats on to the bus to share with us. The hotels we stayed in were top notch. The cities were visited were all really interesting and showed us different aspects of Thailand. I can't say enough about how great this trip was!

We loved Italy with our tour guide Patricia! However, several weeks before our trip we received a call from Gate1 stating that Delta had cancelled our Jacksonville to Boston leg ( which we had paid more for) and they needed to rebook all of the flights to and from Italy as they cancelled the entire flights. They found us new tickets for an extra 2200 plus we would need to pay an extra 220 dollars for a hotel as we would need to arrive a day early. The Affordable Trip to Italy is no longer affordable. I asked for my money back and was told I could only get 50 percent back. My husband found a flight out of Miami for an extra 450 dollars. We had to drive 6 hours to get there but it was more affordable. We have asked to speak to a supervisor several times but have yet to speak to someone. The agent gave us 50 a piece (credit) because someone closed our request to speak to a supervisor. Just know, you do not own the tickets(even though you paid for trips months before) .

Gate 1 has left me stranded in foreign countries 2 times now without any support or assistance getting a new flight home. This happened in Equador and Africa. I had to find my own new flight snd ride to airport, even though everything was originally booked thru and by Gate 1. You cannot rely on this agency to get you home. Horrible service.

Loved Sri Lanka. The tour was very nice and the staff was some of the best I have experienced. Our guide, Shyam was awesome, very considerate and worked very hard to accommodate so many weird request.. always with a smile. His verbal history of Sri Lanka really helped us understand the nature of their country. I will for sure return for the Northern tour. Great choice of hotels, staff and points of interest. Thank you so much for this experience. Judy

I have been on two Gate1 tours, to Mexico in Aug 2022 and to Egypt in Feb 2023. I thought the Mexico trip was a great value for money, the Egypt trip of average value for money. For both tours, I was very pleased with the destination tour manager and local tour companies. The hotels and motor coaches at least met my expectation for quality and sometimes exceeded expectations. Included meals were okay, neither bad nor in any way exceptional. The biggest disappointment is Gate1's US staff's below average customer service. The US office is consistently bad. They are VERY hard to reach by phone and provide no email address. Their website looks to be 15 years out of date and is useless for resolving issues. If you can reach them by phone, maybe they can help, but it's far from assured. For one of the trips, the one to Egypt, the tour price included R/T flights--both JFK to/from Cairo and two flights internal to Egypt. Gate1 bought group tickets on EgyptAir but failed to enter travelers' frequent flier numbers or arrange for specialty meals, despite having the information on hand. EgyptAir, which also has pretty poor customer service, said all this had to be arranged by Gate1, since these were group ticket and, of course, Gate1 doesn't answer the phone. Had to walk to ticket counter in Cairo and walk in to a ticket office in Aswan to get frequent flier numbers entered and meal choices.

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International travelers to the US will be able to skip proof of COVID vaccine, WH says

The Biden administration will lift the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for inbound international air travelers on Friday.

"As we continue to monitor the evolving state of COVID-19 and the emergence of virus variants, we have the tools to detect and respond to the potential emergence of a variant of high consequence," President Joe Biden said in a proclamation Tuesday. "Considering the progress that we have made, and based on the latest guidance from our public health experts, I have determined that we no longer need the international air travel restrictions that I imposed in October 2021."

Biden announced the change last week , along with the end of vaccine requirements for federal employees and contractors, foreign nationals at the land border and others. The requirement for air travelers will lift at midnight Thursday as the coronavirus public health emergency ends. Biden previously  signed a bill ending the COVID national emergency  in April.

So, what does that mean for travelers? Here's what we know.

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Is there still a vaccine requirement for international travelers coming to the US?

Not as of later this week.

Currently, all "non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrants traveling to the United States by air" must show proof of vaccination with limited exceptions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's  website .

Industry group the U.S. Travel Association, which had called on the Biden administration to  end the vaccine requirement  for inbound international visitors and argued the rule was an impediment to tourism, applauded the change when it was announced last week.

“Today’s action to lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward," Geoff Freeman, the organization's President and CEO, said in a statement last week. He also called on the federal government to "ensure U.S. airports and other ports of entry are appropriately staffed with Customs and Border Protection officers to meet the growing demand for entry."

The U.S.  lifted a requirement  that air travelers coming from China show proof of a negative COVID test in March. The policy took effect in January amid a surge of cases in China.

The U.S.  dropped its COVID testing rule  for international flyers in June.

Do travelers need a vaccine to cross the Mexico or Canada borders to the US?

The Department of Homeland Security also said in a news release that it will no longer require non-U.S. travelers coming into the country by land or at ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated or show proof of their vaccination status.

Do US travelers need to be vaccinated against COVID to travel internationally?

That depends. Many destinations have dropped their vaccination and testing requirements for travel, though some still have rules in place. The Philippines, for example, still requires travelers to be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID test in order to visit, according to the  U.S. Embassy in the Philippines .

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The CDC also recommends travelers be up to date on their COVID vaccinations before leaving the country. The agency defines up to date as having one updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine for people age 6 and up, which "protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5," according to its  website .

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].