Travel to New York City during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go
CNN Staff
If you’re planning to travel to New York City, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The basics
Nearly all pandemic travel restrictions were lifted in June in New York state (including New York City) as 70% of New Yorkers 18 or older had received the first dose of their Covid-19 vaccination series.
However, a new “Key to NYC” vaccination requirement becomes effective on Tuesday, August 17, requiring proof of vaccination for patrons and employees of the city’s indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues in response to the Delta variant surge.
Compliance will begin being enforced on September 13, according to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Some of the venues of interest to travelers that are part of the requirement include restaurants, nightclubs, concert halls, museums, performing arts theaters, movie theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, casinos, cabarets, fitness centers, pools and coffee shops with indoor dining.
The mayor has endorsed CDC guidance recommending masking indoors, regardless of vaccination status, but has not issued a mask mandate.
New York City was the US epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, with hospitals struggling to cope with the influx of patients. But in 2021, it’s shown a strong recovery.
What’s on offer
This is the ultimate city break. New York has the greatest city skyline in the world; culture from the Guggenheim to MoMA; spectacular food from Chinese delicacies in Flushing to Italian delights in the Bronx; and the green sweep of Central Park to the busy Lower East Side.
Who can go
New York is subject to US government rules, meaning travel from Brazil, China, the European Schengen Area, India, Iran, Ireland, South Africa and the United Kingdom is not permitted. Exemptions are available for US citizens, family members or permanent residents. Travel from all other countries is allowed.
All air travelers entering the United States are now required to have a negative Covid-19 test result.
What are the restrictions?
Asymptomatic travelers entering New York from another country, US state or territory are not required to test or quarantine.
New York officials still recommend quarantine for all travelers who are not fully vaccinated or have not recovered from Covid-19 during the previous three months. Testing three to five days after arriving in New York is also recommended for these travelers.
Every air traveler entering the United States needs a negative Covid-19 test result. Passengers are required to get a viral test within three days before their flight to the US departs and to provide documentation of their lab results or documentation of having recovered from Covid-19.
What’s the Covid situation?
As of August 16, more than 33,660 total confirmed and probable deaths and more than 1,004,000 total confirmed or probable cases were registered. There’s been a test positivity rate of about 3.63% in the past 28 days, a rate that’s been increasing in recent weeks.
What can visitors expect?
Restaurants, movie theaters and other venues are open — but only to fully vaccinated patrons starting August 17.
The city is strongly recommending masking indoors, but has decided not to make it a mandate. The “Key to NYC” vaccine mandate will begin being enforced by the city on September 13, giving businesses and venues a few weeks to work out details before penalties for noncompliance set in.
Broadway remains set to fully reopen in September, and tickets are now on sale. You can see a listing of shows at Broadway.com. The Empire State Building’s 86th floor Observatory is open.
Cautions do remain in place though. and you’ll need to remain flexible. For instance, the Metropolitan Museum of Art still requires visitors to wear a mask, even if you’re fully vaccinated.
A trip to NYC could cost you less now, too. Mayor de Blasio signed an executive order eliminating the 5.875% hotel room occupancy tax rate through August 31.
Getting in and out of the often-dreaded LaGuardia Airport might be easier this summer with the early completion of Terminal C’s new outer roadway system, part of a massive overhaul of the airport that will eventually include a mass transit link to Manhattan.
The state of New York has launched the Excelsior Pass, which allows people who have received a negative test or a vaccination in New York state to provide proof of their status. The digital pass is not a requirement for venues or events that require testing or vaccinations to enter, so a traveler from another state could use their own vaccination card or lab test result to enter.
Useful links
New York State Covid-19 microsite
Our recent coverage
There are two new attractions added to the NYC roster. Read about Little Island, which sits in Hudson River, and a spectacular elevator at One Vanderbilt tower.
Check out our New Yorker’s guide to eating out safely during the pandemic, or read about the bar Dante, which was named the second best in the world this year.
Consider a post-pandemic stay at the first hotel on Roosevelt Island, a sliver of an island in the East River with a notorious past.
Want to eat great Indian food? You’ll find it across the water in New Jersey. Or salivate over New York cheesecake in our list of the world’s best desserts.
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Joe Minihane, Julia Buckley, Kristina Sgueglia, Marnie Hunter and Forrest Brown have contributed to this report.
