The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that all travelers test negative for coronavirus before flying to the US, amid pressure from airlines that viewed the measure as excessive and blamed it for depressing ticket purchases.
The change will take effect just after midnight on June 12 and be reassessed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 90 days, according to a senior administration official who requested anonymity to detail the plan before it was formally announced.
Under existing policy, international travelers flying to the US are required to present proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within a day of their departure flight to the US. Foreign nationals will still be required to be vaccinated against coronavirus to enter the country, with limited exceptions.
The health agency may decide to reinstate the requirement if a new, concerning variant of the virus emerges, the official said. The administration will continue to recommend testing before air travel but believes that coronavirus vaccines and new treatments made it possible to ease the requirement.
The U.S. Travel Association estimated that eliminating the requirement could bring 5.4 million visitors to the US and an additional $9 billion in travel spending through the remainder of the calendar year.