Clarification on New US Testing Rules: It’s Not 24 Hours Before You Fly

There’s a lot of bad information being passed around these days, and it’s really unfortunate.

With the Omicron variant top of mind, the Biden administration yesterday announced new rules for anyone flying into the United States from another country. All flights departing after 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, December 6 will have to abide by new testing rules set out on Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I’ve seen several stories by state that travellers need to be tested with 24 hours of their flight. But that’s not correct.

The CDC website that shows the new rules states explicitly that tests must be taken the day before your flight, not within 24 hours. There’s a huge difference.

“If you plan to travel internationally, you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States,” the CDC states. “You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight.

“The 1-day period is 1 day before the flight’s departure,” the CDC explains. “The Order uses a 1-day time frame instead of 24 hours to provide more flexibility to the air passenger and aircraft operator. By using a 1-day window, test acceptability does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test sample was taken.

“For example, if your flight is at 1 pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday,” the CDC states.

Technically, that means the window is as much as 47 hours and 58 minutes. If you had a test taken at 12:01 am on a Thursday, you could depart for the U.S. as late as 11:59 p.m. on Friday and still meet the guidelines. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it could be done.

To suggest, as some major Canadian news outlets have done, that the requirement to be tested “the day before” a flight is the same as having to take a test “within 24 hours” is just plain wrong. It’s also a disservice to travellers who are already confused about the rules.

That being said, the rule does make things trickier for Canadians and others heading into the U.S. on an international flight. Travellers definitely have to do their homework and make sure they can get tested at the right time in their destination.

For example, if you plan to fly to the U.S. to visit family on Boxing Day, which I know some people are hoping to do, you’ll need to be tested on Christmas Day. And that could be tricky.

Switch Health, which has partnered with Air Canada for at-home or in-destination testing, is one solid option. A spokesman told me today that their telehealth staff “are available 24/7 and will be available on the upcoming holidays for people with kits.”

“In addition, we will have our departure clinics available on Christmas Day at various airports (biggest one at Pearson) for those needing antigen tests to travel to the US.”

That’s great information for travellers, for sure.

As if flying wasn’t complicated enough, the new rules that are (understandably) popping up make things so much more difficult.

I read a story this morning where one U.S. expert said it isn’t so much the presence of the virus that’s making people reluctant to travel, but all the different testing and quarantine rules and regulations that pop up at a moment’s notice and continually change.

For some folks, it might not be a big deal. But I fear that many would-be travellers will simply throw their hands up and say, “It’s not worth the hassle.”

As a long-time observer of the travel industry, I do think it’s important to keep a few things in mind when we plan our vacations or business trips.

First of all, know the rules as best as you can. It can be confusing, but you really do need to do your homework before you travel. Get to know the travel rules for the country you’ll be visiting. Do you need to fill out an on-line form before you go? Do you need to show proof of vaccination? Does that vaccination have to have taken place within a specific time frame? Do you need to be tested before you fly? If so, what kind of test does your destination require? Is there a quarantine requirement in your destination?

The problem, of course, is that the rules keep changing. You could conceivably get stuck in a country and find that Canada or the U.S. has changed its requirements.

One great idea, I think, is to use a travel agent. Travel advisors are paid to know what’s going on. They know the rules, especially if they specialize in a particular destination. They also know the flight schedules and can help you get home. If there’s a problem with your ticket or an airline booking, they know who to call. If there’s an issue with your hotel, they know how to fix it. The best agents might even know the concierge with all the right connections.

Travel agents often don’t charge customers for their services, but make their money on commission. Which means that all those years of expertise and all the knowledge they have are at your disposal at no cost. Given the tenor of the time, that’s more valuable than ever.

Travel does so much to break down barriers between people in this troubled world. It’s a shame it’s become so much more difficult.