State by state and International Travel Restrictions

The United States Department of State (DOS) recently lifted it’s global “do not travel” advisory. Since travel restrictions have been decreased, this means that US non-essential workers can travel internationally to locations that are deemed “safe”. Naturally, not every country is deemed “safe”, and DOS is now ranking countries individually by levels 1-4 based on how each country is addressing COVID-19.

International Travel

If you do plan on traveling internationally, also remember that many places have a ban on American travelers, including the EU. Returning US travelers and others authorized to enter the US will be limited to certain airports for arrival from overseas. Those airports include:

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – Georgia

• Boston-Logan International Airport – Massachusetts
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Illinois
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – Texas
• Detroit Metropolitan Airport – Michigan
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport – Hawaii
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport – Florida
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport – Texas
• John F. Kennedy International Airport – New York
• Los Angeles International Airport – California
• Miami International Airport – Florida
• Newark Liberty International Airport – New Jersey
• San Francisco International Airport – California
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport – Washington
• Washington-Dulles International Airport – Virginia

State by State Travel

When traveling domestically, remember to recognize and adhere to each state’s rules. States have tried their best to balance controlling the outbreak of COVID-19 and reopening their economy, all to different degrees of success. Each state has its own ways of handling out-of-state travelers when screening for COVID-19. Some states, like New York, have very strict restrictions when traveling into the state from outside the state; others, like California, have no statewide travel restrictions. New York, for example, has created a list of several dozen “hot spot” US states – any travelers from or passing through those states may be subject to a mandatory quarantine period before being allowed to enter New York.

Strict States for outside travelers

Of the states listed with airports open for returning US travelers, many states require a similar 14-day self-quarantine period upon arriving in the state if from a state or country deemed “high risk”. Many of those states also have severe fines and even jail time for those who do not self-quarantine. Those places that require a 14-day quarantine include:

• Washington D.C.
• Hawaii
• Massachusetts (or show proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours)
• New Jersey (also travelers must fill out a survey)
• New York (police have checkpoints to make sure people are obeying the self-quarantine rules)

Lenient States for outside travelers

The remainder of the states with designated screening airports open for returning US travelers do not have statewide restrictions, though it may vary per city or county. For example, Illinois does not have any statewide quarantine rules for travelers, but in Chicago, travelers from “high-risk” states must self-quarantine for 14-days if they stay in the city for more than 24 hours.

For any additional information about travel restrictions or legal counseling, reach out to us via social media or at charlotte@bridgehouse.law

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Also, check out the full list of all state by state restrictions here.