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Order: Requirement for Airlines and Operators to Collect Contact Information for All Passengers Arriving into the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an Order on October 25, 2021 requiring airlines and other aircraft operators to collect contact information for passengers before their arrival into the United States from a foreign country, retain the information for 30 days, and transmit the information to CDC upon request. The purpose of collecting this information is to identify and locate passengers who may have been exposed to a person with a communicable disease for public health follow-up.

Airlines, other aircraft operators, and passengers are required to comply with the order by November 8, 2021.

View the Order [PDF – 34 pages] . This Order will be published in the  Federal Register . On November 10, 2021, CDC reposted this Order to correct minor grammatical and typographical errors. The legal substance of the Order remains the same.

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This Order applies to:

• All airlines and operators conducting any passenger-carrying operations into the United States from a foreign last point of departure
• All passengers and crewmembers flying into, or transiting through, the United States from a foreign last point of departure

Within 72 hours before their flight to the United States departs, passengers are required to provide the following information, to the extent it exists: full name (as it appears on their passport), address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address.

Passengers also have to:

• Acknowledge that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement and that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties, and
• Confirm the information they provided is complete and accurate.

Airlines and passenger-carrying operators are required to collect each passenger’s full name, address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address, to the extent this information exists, within 72 hours before the flight’s departure. Airlines and operators must maintain these data elements for crew members. Airlines and operators must also maintain, to the extent the data are already available and maintained by the airline, the following information for each passenger and crewmember:

• date of birth
• airline name
• flight number
• city of departure to the United States
• departure date and time
• city of arrival in the United States
• arrival data and time
• seat number

The airline or operator needs to retain this information for 30 days after the flight’s departure unless the airline or operator has chosen to transmit the information securely to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via their established data systems. Data that has not already been transmitted to DHS must be transmitted to CDC within 24 hours upon request.

Airlines and operators must also notify passengers of the intent and purpose of the information collection and obtain from each passenger an acknowledgement that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement, that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties, and confirmation that the information provided is complete and accurate.

This Order follows the February 2020 Interim Final Rule  that authorized CDC to require airlines and other aircraft operators to collect certain contact information from passengers before they board a flight to the United States, and to provide the information to CDC within 24 hours of an Order from CDC.

Air passengers are required to provide the following information, to the extent that it exists, within 72 hours before their flight’s departure:

• address while in the United States
• primary contact phone number
• secondary or emergency contact phone number
• and email address

Full name should be the name that appears on a passenger’s passport. Address while in the United States should be a complete address including street address, city, state or territory, and zip code. A U.S.-based phone number is preferred for primary contact phone number. The email address provided should be one that will be routinely checked while in the United States.

Passengers must also:

Airlines and operators must collect the information from passengers within 72 hours of their flight’s departure. Airlines and operators may choose the format or means for collecting the contact information from passengers. Many passengers that use online booking systems or mobile phone applications (apps) will receive a prompt from their airline to provide or confirm their contact information via email or an app. For example, when checking in for a flight through a mobile phone app, passengers may have to check boxes confirming their contact information and completing the acknowledgement.

Once an airline or operator collects the information, it will either be shared directly with CDC upon request or it will be shared with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through their established data systems. Information transmitted to DHS will be transmitted to CDC upon request. All data transfers will be secure to protect passengers’ information.

As may be necessary for public health follow-up, CDC may share the information securely with relevant state, local, and territorial public health authorities at a passenger’s destination. The data collected will enable CDC and the relevant health departments to contact those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 or other communicable diseases. Follow-up can include:

• Monitoring travelers for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases
• Offering preventive care when available and indicated
• Quickly identifying anyone with symptoms and their contacts
• Asking symptomatic persons to isolate and their contacts to self-quarantine
• Ensuring any travelers who develop symptoms receive appropriate medical evaluation and care
• Educating travelers about how to take steps to care for themselves and help protect others in their home and community

Personally identifiable information (e.g., names, addresses) provided to CDC is stored on secure CDC servers and shared securely with health departments at passengers’ destinations. The personally identifiable information is accessible only to CDC staff and other public health officials who need the information for official public health purposes. CDC will retain, use, delete, or otherwise destroy the designated information in accordance with the Federal Records Act, the applicable Privacy Act System of Records Notices , and other applicable law.

For data transmitted by airlines and operators via an established DHS data sysetm, DHS may use the data for any use permitted by the applicable Systems of Records Notice . DHS may share passenger data with other law enforcement and national security partners pursuant to agreements with those partners.

Passengers without access to a phone or email while in the U.S. should list the email and phone number of the accommodation where they will be staying at their destination. This can be the phone number and/or email of a friend or relative with whom passengers will stay with during their visit, or a hotel, as long as the passengers themselves can be reached at that phone number and/or email.

Passengers should indicate the address of the first location where they will be staying (e.g., hotel, hostel, friend or relative home, etc.) while in the United States, unless passengers intend to stay at subsequent locations for longer periods of time.

Yes, all passengers are required to provide this data, to the extent it exists, to their airline or operator. Parents or guardians of minor children may provide the required data on behalf of their minor children. An authorized individual may provide the required data for another passenger, if that passenger is unable to provide the information on their own behalf (e.g., because of age or physical or mental impairment).

Passengers should provide a primary phone number at which they can be contacted while in the United States and a U.S.-based phone number is preferred. Passengers who will use an international phone as their primary phone should ensure they will have service while in the United States. Passengers who will use an international phone as their primary or secondary phone must include the country code and any additional codes needed to reach the phone while the person is in the U.S. (e.g., country code and area code or carrier code).

Passengers, including those only transiting through a U.S. airport to a foreign country destination, must provide, to the extent the information exists: their full name, address while in the United States, primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address.

In-transit passengers are unlikely to have an address while in the United States, and should select the applicable “in-transit” option if provided by their airline. Passengers should contact their airline for additional guidance on how to provide the required data.

This Order applies to all passenger-carrying operations conducted on airplanes arriving into the United States from a foreign last point of departure (including flights with intermediate stops in the United States between the flight’s foreign point of origin and the final destination).

The Order becomes effective on November 8, 2021. CDC encourages airlines and operators to begin collection and retention or transmission of the required information on the effective date. CDC will exercise its enforcement discretion for airlines or operators that need additional time to comply with the requirements of the Order.

Airlines and operators must collect the following information, to the extent it exists, from each passenger:

• email address

Airlines and operators must maintain the information above for crewmembers.

For each passenger and crewmember, the airline or operator must additionally maintain, to the extent that such data are available, the following information:

• city of depature to the United States
• depature date and time
• arrival date and time

Airlines and operators must obtain the following from each passenger (“acknowledgment”):

• Acknowledgement that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement and that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties, and
• Confirmation the information they provided is complete and accurate.

Airlines and operators must notify passengers (“acknowledgement”):

• of the purpose and intent of the information collection,
• that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a United States Government requirement, and
• that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties.

A template with language that airlines and operators must include when collecting the required information is available here [PDF – 2 pages] .

Airlines and operators must collect the contact information and acknowledgement from passengers no more than 72 hours before their flight’s departure.

Airlines and operators are required to maintain contact information for crewmembers and provide it to CDC upon request. Airlines and operators do not need to collect contact information from crewmembers before every flight, but should have available the relevant information for each crewmember on any given flight.

Airlines may use whatever means or format they choose to collect the data elements from passengers and obtain the acknowledgement. This may include a check box for the acknowledgement.

CDC understands passengers transiting through the U.S. to a foreign destination will not have an address in the U.S. CDC requests that airlines and operators provide a way for passengers to indicate that they are only transiting through the U.S. (e.g., drop-down or “radio button” option for “in transit” for the address) in order to receive acknowledgment from passengers that they have provided as much information as possible.

Airlines and operators are required to retain the information required by the Order for a minimum of 30 days after the flight unless all of the required information has already been transmitted to the U.S. Government.

See the Technical Instructions for CDC’s Contact Information Collection Order  for information about transmitting data to CDC. Airlines may alternatively transmit data through established DHS data systems.

No, airlines and operators are encouraged to establish a SAMS account early to avoid any delays in transmitting data upon request by CDC. See the Technical Instructions for CDC’s Contact Information Collection  for information on setting up a SAMS account.

The Order requires airlines and operators to collect the data elements to the extent it exists. CDC understands that some passengers may not have a secondary phone number or an email address. A complete physical address, including the street address, city, state, and ZIP code should reasonably exist for any passenger with a destination in the U.S. CDC requests that airlines and operators provide a way for passengers to indicate that they do not have the contact information (e.g. option for “N/A” for secondary phone) in order to receive acknowledgment from passengers that they have provided as much information as possible.

Airlines and operators may, at their discretion, use reasonable efforts to verify the information provided by passengers. For example, airlines and operators could compare the data provided by the passenger to the data that the passenger provided to receive trip updates and boarding passes for that trip. This is not a requirement of the Order.

Airlines and operators are required to obtain from passengers: acknowledgment of the purpose and intent of this collection; acknowledgement that the obligation to provide complete and accurate information is a U.S. Government requirement; that failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in criminal penalties; and confirmation that the information provided is complete and accurate.

Airlines and operators may obtain this acknowledgement in any of the following formats:

• Verbally – airlines and operators may have an employee obtain verbal confirmation from passengers that they understand the purpose and intent of the Order and that they have provided complete and accurate information. Airline or operator employees must read the italicized script under the verbal instructions provided in the template [PDF – 2 pages]  when obtaining verbal confirmation.
• Digitally – airlines and operators that digitize the acknowledgement must include the statements provided in the template and may use check boxes, for example, at the time a passenger provides their contact information. The Privacy Act statement, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number, OMB expiration date, and the Burden Statement provided in the footer of the template [PDF – 2 pages]  must be included when digitally collecting the required data elements (full name, address while in the U.S., primary phone number, secondary or emergency phone number, and email address) and the
• Paper Copy – airlines and operators may combine the acknowledgement with the attestation in a paper copy format or they may obtain written acknowledgement from passengers separate from the attestation. Acknowledgements in this format must include the Privacy Act statement, OMB Control Number, OMB expiration date, and the Burden Statement provided in the template.

Any airline or operator that enters into a contract with the U.S. Military service to provide transportation to persons designated by the U.S. Military service is exempt from this Order for flights covered under the contract. The U.S. Military service typically collects and retains the designated information and conducts any necessary public health follow-up for passengers on the aircraft that operate in accordance with the U.S. Military service contract with the airline or operator.

Any airline or operator that enters into a contract with another U.S. Government agency may be eligible for an exemption on a case-by-case basis with approval from the CDC Director. Any request for this exemption must be made to CDC via email at [email protected] and is subject to any requirement or limitation established by the CDC Director, including that the U.S. Government agency that is a party to such a contract shall conduct any necessary public health follow-up for passengers and crew.

Any airline or operator designated as state aircraft under international law (1) by an appropriate United States federal government department or agency, or (2) by a foreign government and granted diplomatic clearance to enter U.S. airspace.

For technical questions about transmitting information securely to CDC, contact [email protected] .

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Contact Tracing

Nothing is more important to Delta and our partner airlines across the globe than the health and safety of our customers and employees. In accordance with an order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all travelers entering the United States, including U.S. citizens and residents, must provide their contact information while in the U.S. Customers can provide this information using Delta FlyReady. Find out more about how Delta is sharing information with our partners at the CDC via U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Delta FlyReady

Contact tracing is a process already being used in many countries and communities around the world to identify and alert those who have come into close contact with the COVID-19 virus to help reduce exposure and transmission. This is mandatory for all travelers entering the U.S., including U.S. citizens and residents. 

You will be asked to provide your address while in the U.S. and a phone number. This information, in addition to contact information you provided during ticket purchase or at check-in, will be shared with the CDC via U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).*

If there is a suspected case identified on board after your flight, the CDC will work directly with local health departments to contact you and provide follow-up instructions for testing and/or potential quarantine. 

Follow-up of travelers is at the discretion of health departments and may be considered by jurisdictions implementing safety measures.

*Please refer to  Delta’s Privacy Policy  for details. For more information, go to  www.CDC.gov , or  www.CBP.gov , or see  CBP’s Privacy Impact Assessment for the Advance Passenger Information System . 

Delta and our global partners are working diligently with our respective government agencies, health officials and aviation authorities to offer safer travel at every point in your journey.

Contact tracing is required for everyone traveling to the U.S. as their final destination or connecting through, including U.S. citizens and residents.

For other international travel, you and those in your itinerary can voluntarily participate if you are traveling on a Delta operated flight or flying on a global partner airline ticket with a Delta operated segment.

The CDC requires that contact tracing information is submitted for anyone entering or connecting through the U.S. We recommend before traveling that you check with your local origin and destination governments to ensure you have the latest information.

When you participate in contact tracing, the CDC will work with local health departments to alert you to help reduce further exposure.  

Follow-up of travelers may include: 

• Contacting travelers 
• Providing instructions for what travelers should do if they develop illness compatible with COVID-19 
• Possible intermittent check-in during the two weeks after arrival 

To support contact tracing, Delta is asking passengers to provide their destination address while in the U.S. and a phone number. This information, in addition to contact information you provided during ticket purchase or at check-in, will be shared with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) via U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) utilizing established channels for the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). We will retain this information in our systems for no longer than is necessary to achieve the contact tracing objectives, or as required by CBP.


Please refer to Delta’s Privacy Policy for details. For more information, go to CBP.gov or CDC.gov , or see CBP’s Privacy Impact Assessment for the Advance Passenger Information System .

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Delta Launches Contact Tracing for Travelers Returning to U.S.   

Delta is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep international customers informed of potential COVID-19 exposure through contact tracing. Along with our nine global airline partners, we are working with government agencies, health officials and aviation authorities to offer safer travel at every point in your journey.

Beginning Dec. 15, Delta will become the first U.S. airline to ask customers traveling to the U.S. from an international location to voluntarily provide five pieces of data to aid contact tracing and public health follow-up efforts, including:

• Email address
• Address in the U.S.
• Primary phone
• Secondary phone

Customers and those in their itinerary can voluntarily participate in our contact-tracing program if they are:

• Flying on any Delta-operated flight
• A foreign national and/or a U.S. passport holder traveling to the United States as your final destination

Under the new process, we are working with the CDC to streamline contact-tracing efforts by directly and securely transmitting the five requested customer data points to the CDC via U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This will give the CDC access to the data in moments, dramatically decreasing the time it takes to notify affected customers via local health departments.

By connecting with customers more quickly and providing public health follow-up, health authorities can help reduce instances of potential exposure and slow the spread of the virus.

Currently, in the event of confirmed COVID-19 case with travel while infectious, the CDC requests a passenger manifest from Delta to identify all customers seated two seats around the confirmed case. This information is then transmitted to the appropriate local health departments for follow-up, with each department taking responsibility for passengers in their own jurisdiction.

CONTACT TRACING REQUIRED FOR OUR ATLANTA-ROME TESTING PROGRAM

Last week we  announced our partnership  with the Aeroporti de Roma and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to launch a first-of-its-kind trans-Atlantic COVID-19 testing program that will enable quarantine-free entry into Italy. Participating customers who are eligible to travel will be granted an exemption from quarantine restrictions on arrival into Italy.

As part of this pilot program, contact-tracing information collection will be mandatory for all customers flying to the U.S. This pilot and our ongoing contact-tracing efforts are crucial steps to resuming international travel safely.

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U.S. Airlines to Begin Contact-tracing Programs for International Travelers

Requests for contact information from international travelers are voluntary.

More U.S. airlines have pledged to collect contact tracing information for passengers traveling from overseas to help reduce the time it would take for the CDC to contact travelers in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak,

Airlines For America, a trade group, announced Friday that its members — which include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines — would pass along passenger information to the CDC to assist in fighting COVID-19.

"We are hopeful that this measure, coupled with existing testing requirements for passengers flying to the U.S., will lead policymakers to lift travel restrictions so that international travel can resume and the social and economic benefits of that travel can be realized," Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio said in a statement.

The requests for contact information will remain completely voluntary and passengers will not be required to share in order to enter the country. Information collected will include their legal name, two phone numbers, an email address and the address of where they will be staying while in the U.S.

Airlines have resisted implementing contact tracing programs because they said that they do not have passenger information from those who purchased their airfare from third party sellers, like online travel agencies, according to The Associated Press . Airlines also said that gathering the information from passengers would require costly upgrades to their computer systems.

However, both United and Delta launched contact tracing programs in partnership with the CDC back in December. Most international passengers aboard United have voluntarily provided their contact information since the program's launch.

All international travelers are required test negative for COVID-19 upon arrival to the US.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram , or at caileyrizzo.com .

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U.S. Government Accountability Office

Contact Tracing for Air Travel: CDC's Data System Needs Substantial Improvement

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects information on air passengers to help local public health authorities trace the potential spread of communicable diseases (e.g., COVID-19 ).

But some of the ways in which CDC collects and manages passengers' information make it harder to effectively facilitate contact tracing. For example, the outdated data management system CDC uses doesn't allow it to connect related cases or easily report the number of passengers exposed to a single infected person on a flight.

We recommended ways to improve CDC's air passenger data system.

What GAO Found

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plays a key role in contact tracing for air travel—the process of identifying and notifying passengers who may have come into contact with a person infected with a communicable disease during a flight. However, several factors affect CDC's ability to collect timely, accurate, and complete air passenger information to support contact tracing by local public health authorities. For example, airlines may not have accurate and complete information about passengers to share with CDC because the contact information provided to book a ticket may be for a third party, like a travel agent, not for passengers. Further, because no single, complete, and reliable source of passenger information exists, CDC often conducts research to fill in gaps, extending the time it takes to share information with local public health authorities.

Overview of Process for Collecting Air Passengers' Contact Information

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC has taken some actions to improve the quality of information it collects. For example, since November 2021, CDC has required airlines to collect certain information—including name, phone number, email, and physical address—no more than 72 hours before departure from passengers traveling on flights into the United States and to transmit the information to CDC in a defined format.

However, limitations in how CDC collects and manages air passengers' contact information—including CDC's use of an outdated data management system—hinder the agency's ability to monitor public health risks and facilitate contact tracing. The data management system—developed in the mid-2000s—was not designed for rapid assessment or aggregation of public health data across individual cases. For example, CDC is unable to quickly and accurately identify the number of passengers exposed to a specific infected passenger on a flight. Nor does the system contain the necessary data fields to assess the quality of air passenger information CDC receives, such as a field to determine the timeliness of airlines' responses to CDC's request. Consequently, CDC is not positioned to efficiently analyze and disseminate data to inform public health policies and respond to disease threats. Nor is it positioned to evaluate its performance in collecting and sharing quality passenger information.

Why GAO Did This Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of public health measures aimed at controlling the transmission of communicable diseases. Air travel can play a role in quickly spreading communicable diseases across the world and throughout communities. Given this potential, contact tracing for air passengers is an important measure for protecting public health.

GAO was asked to examine CDC's process for collecting and managing air passengers' contact information to facilitate contact tracing. This report addresses: (1) the factors that affect CDC's ability to collect this information, (2) recent actions CDC has taken to improve the quality of the information it collects, and (3) how effectively it collects and manages this information.

GAO reviewed relevant federal documentation, including regulations, orders, technical guidance, and public comments, as well as available CDC data. GAO also interviewed officials from CDC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Aviation Administration, and selected representatives from the aviation, travel, and public health industries.

Recommendations

GAO is making three recommendations, including that CDC redesign its data management system for air passenger information or deploy a new one. CDC concurred with the recommendations.

Recommendations for Executive Action

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Senate Approves Bill to Reauthorize F.A.A. and Improve Air Travel

The Senate also passed a short-term extension of the current F.A.A. law to give the House time to clear the longer-term package early next week.

By Kayla Guo

Reporting from the Capitol

The Senate on Thursday passed legislation to reauthorize federal aviation programs for the next five years and put in place new safety measures and consumer protections for passengers, at a moment of intense uncertainty and disruption in the air travel system.

The bill , which still must win final approval in the House before becoming law, would provide more than $105 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration and another $738 million to the National Transportation Safety Board for airport modernization, technology programs and safety. It would also bolster the hiring and training of air traffic controllers, codify airlines’ refund obligations to passengers, ensure fee-free family seating and strengthen protections for passengers with disabilities.

“Aviation safety has been front of mind for millions of Americans recently, and this F.A.A. bill is the best thing Congress can do to give Americans the peace of mind they deserve,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, said on the Senate floor on Thursday evening.

It passed in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 88 to 4, just one day before the current law is scheduled to lapse. The Senate also unanimously approved a short-term extension to allow time for the House to take up and clear the longer-term package next week, a step that would send it to President Biden.

The legislation is a bipartisan compromise negotiated over months by the Senate and House committees with jurisdiction over the F.A.A., after Congress authorized several short-term extensions of the agency when lawmakers failed to meet earlier deadlines. The House passed its version of the bill almost a year ago in a lopsided vote of 351 to 69.

Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, chairwoman of the Commerce Committee, celebrated the bill’s provisions on consumer protections, aviation safety, air traffic controllers, airport infrastructure and work force development on the floor after passage.

“This is a big moment for aviation,” Ms. Cantwell said. “We have had safety issues and concerns that we need to make a big investment. This legislation is that investment — in safety standards, in protecting consumers and advancing a work force and technology that will allow the United States to be the gold standard in aviation.”

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, said: “This legislation is a strong, bipartisan, bicameral bill that includes hundreds of priorities for senators and representatives, both Republican and Democrat. This bill gives the FAA the safety tools it needs at a critical time.”

As one of the few remaining bills considered a must-pass item this year, the F.A.A. package, which prompted several regional disputes, became a magnet for dozens of amendments and policy riders that threatened to delay it in the Senate.

With the legislation threatening to stall, the House on Wednesday approved a one-week extension for the F.A.A. before leaving Washington for the weekend. The Senate followed suit on Thursday, steering around lingering disputes that had threatened to scuttle the effort and cause a brief lapse for the F.A.A.

The debate came at a time of acute uncertainty about the aviation system, which has had a recent spate of concerning episodes such as dangerous near collisions on runways, plane malfunctions and thousands of flight delays and cancellations.

It was unclear for much of Thursday whether the Senate would be able to push through the legislation and the extension, as senators demanded votes on amendments or threatened to block speedy passage. No amendments were ultimately brought to a vote.

The most intense regional fight was over a provision in the bill that would add five round-trip long-haul flights out of Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington. Proponents, which include Delta Air Lines, have said they want to expand access to the nation’s capital and increase competition.

The proposal incensed lawmakers representing the area , who argued that the airport maintains the busiest runway in the country and cannot support additional flights. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia and Benjamin L. Cardin and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, all Democrats, filed an amendment to strike the new flights.

Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner threatened to hold the bill up if they did not receive a vote. But Mr. Cruz blocked an effort to bring up a compromise amendment that would have given the transportation secretary the final say on new flights after considering any effects they would have on delays and passenger safety.

“The Senate abdicated its responsibility to protect the safety of the 25 million people who fly through D.C.A. every year,” Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner said in a statement. “Some of our colleagues were too afraid to let the experts make the call. They didn’t want to show the American people that they care more about a few lawmakers’ desire for direct flights than they care about the safety and convenience of the traveling public. That is shameful and an embarrassment.”

The senators from Virginia and Maryland were the only votes against the bill.

Another group of senators failed to secure a vote on a proposal to halt the Transportation Security Administration’s expansion of facial recognition technology at airports and restrict it where it is in use.

Senators had also proposed adding a number of unrelated bills, including one that would compensate people harmed by exposure to the nation’s nuclear weapons program , legislation to fully fund the replacement of the collapsed Francis Key Scott Bridge in Baltimore, and a credit card competition measure. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, and Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, were pushing for a vote on their bill to protect minors online into Thursday. None of them made it into the final product.

Kayla Guo covers Congress for The New York Times as the 2023-24 reporting fellow based in Washington. More about Kayla Guo

A Divided Congress: Latest News and Analysis

Mike Johnson: The House speaker easily batted down an attempt  by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia to oust him from his post, after Democrats linked arms with most Republicans  to block the motion.

Antisemitism Hearing: A Republican-led House committee turned its attention to three of the most politically liberal school districts  in the country, accusing them of tolerating antisemitism, but the district leaders pushed back forcefully .

Legalizing Marijuana: Senate Democrats reintroduced broad legislation to legalize cannabis on the federal level, a major policy shift with wide public support , but it is unlikely to be enacted this year ahead of November’s elections and in a divided government.

Ukraine Aid Bill: Some House Republicans who supported the aid package braced for a backlash, but they have encountered little resistance from G.O.P. voters , who have been far more willing to embrace it than right-wing lawmakers.

Censure Effort: Representative Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska, said that he was drafting a resolution to formally rebuke  Representative Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, for comments in which she suggested that some Jewish students were “pro-genocide.”

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].

247 episodes

We celebrate the fun & positive side of miles, points & travel while talking to the most interesting people in the space. Get inspired to travel, find out the latest tricks and learn how to maximize travel rewards. Save money, accomplish your goals and form memories that will last a lifetime! Shawn Coomer has spent the last 17 years globetrotting with his family and has been professionally covering the miles & points space since 2013 when he launched Miles to Memories. He earns and burns millions of miles per year through welcome offers & spending from his Amazon side hustle. By interviewing some of the best & most interesting voices in the miles & points space we aim to bring you a wide range of knowledge, different perspectives and enjoyable conversation. Come learn how miles & points can enrich your life in so many ways. Want to dive deeper into miles & points? Check out our private Diamond Slack community - http://www.milestomemories.com/diamond

Miles to Memories - Conversations About Miles, Points & Travel Shawn Coomer

• Society & Culture
• 4.6 • 277 Ratings
• MAY 9, 2024

Time for Some Big Announcements!

Episode Description On this episode Shawn and Joe recap the Denver MtM Diamond meetup including some tips for your next Denver trip and how the Grand Hyatt is holding up. They also announce some exciting changes and are joined by a special guest for one more thing. Episode Notes Subscribe to 20 Minute Travel! 20 Minute Travel on Youtube Apple Podcasts - Spotify - TMT Podcast Feed   Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

• MAY 2, 2024

Demystifying Hilton Brands, Hilton Honors Insights & Southwest’s Big Change?

Episode Description On this episode Shawn and Joe discuss Shawn’s recent trip to Nashville and all of the takeaways from his time spent there. They go over why there are so many brands these days and how consumers are changing. Plus will there be more changes to Hilton credit cards and how will they integrate all of their upcoming partnerships into the program? Joe also discusses his Spirit adventure and why Southwest may be finally moving away from their cattle call boarding. Episode Notes 0:00 - Flying Spirit 8:06 - DOT forcing airlines to pay penalties 10:55 - Southwest boarding changes 16:26 - What Shawn learned at Hilton 29:55 - The Conrad brand 33:04 - Hilton brand expansion 37:05 - Hilton credit cards 41:09 - Hilton experiences Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

• APR 25, 2024

Evolution of the Miles and Points Space, Extreme Tracking & Picking Cards with Grant Thomas

Episode Description In this episode, Shawn and Grant discuss their experiences in the miles and points hobby. They talk about the evolution of the space, the changing credit card landscape, and strategies for maximizing rewards. They also touch on the importance of organization and tracking, especially when it comes to credit card offers and free night certificates. Finally they dive behind the scenes of upcoming trips, share their love of Scandinavia and discuss how cruise hacking has become such a good opportunity lately.  Episode Notes 0:00 - Introduction to Travel with Grant 7:58 - Keeping up with the changing game 16:29 - Keeping track of credit cards and various offers 21:51 - Dealing with free night certificates 28:17 - Are Hilton cards changing again? 32:06 - Higher annual fees are a challenge 35:04 - Why people shouldn't underestimate InKind 38:21 - Behind Grant's upcoming bookings 44:03 - Enjoying tons of free cruises   Shawn's InKind referral Grant's InKind NYC Article   Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

• APR 18, 2024

Maximizing 0% APR Offers, Turning Down An Amazing Retention Offer & Is Chase's Disney Offer Good?

Episode Description In this episode of the Miles to Memories podcast, Shawn and Joe discuss their experiences recording on the road and share some travel hacks for setting up recording equipment in different environments. They also talk about their missed opportunity to see the solar eclipse and the impact of the eclipse on wildlife. The conversation then shifts to regional food chains like Bojangles and Waffle House, and the excitement of these chains expanding to new locations.   On the credit card side of things, a new offer for Chase Disney Visa cardholders has been released, but is it actually good? Other topics discussed include: turning down an amazing Amex retention offer, the importance of doing the math to determine if the annual fee on a credit card is worth it, a 250K Amex welcome offer, the strategy of using 0% APR offers to earn interest on money while avoiding interest charges on credit cards and Shawn shares his upcoming trip to Nashville with Hilton and his plans to explore their different hotel brands.   Episode Notes 0:00 - Recording on the road & Eclipse FOMO 8:56 - Chase Disney Visa card offer - Is it good? 13:36 - Changes to Disney's Disability Access Service - More planning required 19:58 - Turning down an amazing Amex retention offer 23:41 - 250K targeted Business Platinum Offer 26:15 - Interesting Amex referral offers you shouldn't overlook 28:12 - Pursuing credit cards without a sign-up bonus 32:28 - Taking advantage of 0% APR offers & why what is old is new again 35:35 - Preview of Nashville & meeting with Hilton Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

• APR 11, 2024

Global Entry Price Increase, Spirit Airlines Booking and Wynn Status Matches

Episode Description We discuss Shawn’s experience with the Wynn status match, Hilton buying the Nomad brand, increases in Global Entry fees and much more! Plus some quick deals to help you along your way. Episode Notes 0:00 - Eclipsing 7:05 - Wynn status match experience 12:07 - Joe booked a Spirit flight 28:04 - Nomad hotels are going under the Hilton brand (except Vegas) 31:50 - Global Entry and NEXUS costs increasing 38:13 - Quick deals Benjy’s Choice Hotels article Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

• APR 4, 2024

Down a Hilton in Vegas, Amex Changes Again, 3% Everywhere Coming & More!

Episode Description Joe’s back from an epic Disney trip, Shawn visits the Tropicana before it closes and a ton of credit card news in this week’s podcast. Plus, Joe considers booking Spirit and we discuss what’s going on with the blogosphere and Google’s negative SEO changes (negative for independent people, that is). Episode Notes 0:00 - Joe just got home and is Disneyed out 6:43 - Tropicana closing 10:01 - Booking Spirit Airlines 18:41 - Amex updates Delta card rules to minimize churning? 23:11 - Amex Hilton Business updates 26:26 - Chase Sapphire Reserve removes Priority Pass 30:13 - Robinhood 3% card 35:10 - Founders Card and Caesars 39:32 - The value of the Swan Reserve 44:36 - How Google is hurting independent blogs Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at [email protected].  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know! Music: Rewind by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomeday Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

• © Copyright 2019-2023 ESR Media, LLC

Customer Reviews

277 Ratings

In my weekly podcast list

Always enjoy your podcast. Very good banter between you both. I like the different perspectives you give on topics such as cards with no SUBs, cashing out MRs etc ( not that I would but I enjoy hearing about different situations to keep any open mind ). I keep checking when you have any available space in your Diamond group but it’s always full. This Benji person intrigues me too.

Informative

Enjoy listening to their podcast. They have many pearls of wisdom that I have absorbed. Thank you!

It’s only or the best

I think one of the easier more fun travel podcasts to listen to. I think they are class A in small talk. Keep it up friends!

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511 Travel Info

News releases

May 9, 2024

Latest news releases

Detour starts on Highway 23 Bock to Ogilvie Monday, May 13

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Those who travel on Highway 23 between Bock and Ogilvie should prepare for delays as the road closes and detours May 13 through late June, advises the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Crews will close Highway 23 from Mille Lacs County Road 24 east of Bock to north junction Highway 47 in Ogilvie. Motorists will detour (Figure 1 below) along Mille Lacs County Road 24 east of Bock, Kanabec County Road 26 to Highway 47, back to Ogilvie (adds 14 miles to trip).

Highway 23 will remain open to those who live, work or visit those along the work zone; however, expect changes and use of alternate accesses. Hard closures will occur to replace box bridges. Follow signs and enter/exit the nearest to your destination to avoid delays.  

The work is part of a larger $6.5 million project between Mille Lacs County Road 2 in east Milaca and the Groundhouse River east of Ogilvie, Kanabec County, that will:

• Resurface 12 miles of asphalt road, includes turn lanes and shoulders
• Realign 100th Avenue/ County Road 101 east of Milaca and install left turn lanes on Highway 23
• Install left turn lanes on Highway 23 at 90th Avenue/Mille Lacs County Road 144
• Replace three drainage structures:
• Pipe between 78th Avenue and 165th Street, west of Bock
• Box bridge east of Cable Street/Kanabec County Road 52, east of Bock
• Box bridge at South Fork Groundhouse River between 50th Avenue and Bear Street, east of Bock

Once the first segment is complete and open, work will begin in early July between Mille Lacs County Road 2 in Milaca and Mille Lacs County Road 24 east of Bock. More details to become available closer to start.

For your safety and ours— please stay out of barricaded areas, be prepared for delay, add time to your commute or seek alternative routes; expect slow moving trucks entering/exiting work areas in the work zone.

For more information, to view detour maps, sign up for email updates or contact MnDOT, visit the Highway 23 project web page: www.mndot.gov/d3/projects/h23milacatoogilvie/ . When all lanes open in late September, motorists will benefit from a smoother road surface, updated drainage, and improved access and safety along 12 miles of Highway 23.

For current road conditions in central Minnesota, visit 511mn.org.

Figure 1: Map of Highway 23 detour and work zone between Bock and Ogilvie from May 13 to late June 2024.

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