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Americans Must Travel Through One of 13 Airports When Returning from COVID-19 Restricted Countries

American Airlines aircraft at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. American is laying off tens of thousands of workers once CARES Act provisions expire at the end of September. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Greg Linton)

Following President Trump’s March 11, 2020, proclamation suspending entry to the United States for certain foreign nationals who have been in certain COVID-19 restricted countries. The Department of Homeland Security has announced that American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their families returning from COVID-19 restricted countries must travel through one of 13 airports when returning home.

The restricted countries include China, Iran, and the Schengen Area of Europe. The Schengen Area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The 13 airports American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their families returning from COVID-19 restricted countries must travel through include some of the nation’s largest airports. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the 13 airports are Boston Logan International Airport; Chicago O’Hare International Airport; Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport; Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; John F. Kennedy International Airport; Los Angeles International Airport; Miami International Airport; Newark Liberty International Airport; San Francisco International Airport; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; and Washington-Dulles International Airport.

When arriving at one of the 13 airports, returning American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their families will undergo standard customs processing. In addition to that, they will be asked questions about their medical history, current medical condition, and asked for contact information for local health authorities.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, they will then be given written guidance regarding COVID-19 and directed to proceed to their final destination. They will also be instructed to quarantine themselves at home in accordance with the Center for Disease Control’s best practices.

The requirement for American citizens, legal residents, and their families to travel through one of the 13 airports listed above begins with flights taking off at 11:59 p.m. EDT on March 13, 2020.

Jordan Green

Author

  • Jordan Green

    Jordan joined the AG team in 2018 after attending AAviationDay in Philadelphia. He is actively pursuing his private pilot certificate and has been an aviation enthusiast since childhood. An attorney by trade, Jordan jokingly refers to himself as a “recovering litigator” and now focuses on subcontracts management. Jordan focuses his writing on innovations in commercial aviation, aviation history, and other interesting topics he feels are worthy of discussion in the community.

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