Guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer air travel for passengers

How to travel safely in airports and on aircraft during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

From:
Department for Transport
Published
11 June 2020
Last updated
29 March 2021 — See all updates

Travel restrictions

Because of coronavirus, travel restrictions apply in the UK.

You can only travel internationally if you have a legally permitted reason.

Check the rules that apply for:

It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays.

NHS test and trace

As well as following any national or local restrictions, you must not travel if you have been advised that you must self-isolate by the NHS test and trace service:

You should not travel if you:

  • are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms or have in the last 7 days
  • are self-isolating as a result of coronavirus symptoms
  • are sharing a household or support bubble with somebody who has experienced coronavirus symptoms in the past 10 days

If anyone in your household or support bubble, where relevant, has symptoms of coronavirus you should self-isolate.

Declaration form for international travel – England only

You must complete a form to declare your legally permitted reason for international travel if you are travelling outside the UK from England.

Before booking a flight – travel restrictions

Going abroad

You can only travel abroad for legally permitted reasons. It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays.

Other countries also have restrictions on travel and what you can do when you are there. For example, you may need proof of a negative coronavirus test to travel to some countries.

If you need proof of a negative coronavirus test to enter another country, you must use a private test provider. The NHS Test and Trace testing service cannot provide you with the documents you will need for travel.

Before you book a flight, you should:

Where possible, your airline will inform you on measures to minimise transmission of coronavirus.

In line with other medical conditions, airlines have the right to refuse travel to anyone they believe is not fit to fly.

Travel to the UK

You must have proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test to travel to the UK.

Check travel restrictions in the UK:

Online check-in

Where possible, check in online to avoid face-to-face contact at the airport.

You are strongly encouraged to check in baggage to the aircraft hold and minimise any hand baggage. This will speed up boarding and disembarking and minimise the risk of transmission.

Make sure any luggage you intend to check in does not contain any lithium batteries (in equipment such as laptops, or stand-alone batteries such as powerbanks), valuable or essential items (such as cash, credit cards, keys and medicines), or other prohibited items.

Follow the safer travel guidance during your journey to the airport.

Arriving at the airport

Follow any national or local restrictions in place:

Enter the airport on your own, unless you are flying with members of your household or, where relevant, support bubble.

You must follow social contact rules.

Non-passengers should only enter the airport where needed. For example, accompanying or picking up a passenger requiring assistance, such as a disabled person or an unaccompanied child.

In England, Scotland and Wales, you must wear a face covering in airports.

In Northern Ireland, it is recommended that you wear a face covering in airports.

Read more about:

Treat staff and other passengers with respect.

Follow instructions from airport and airline staff, which may include:

  • where to sit
  • how to queue at check-in, security or when boarding the aircraft
  • instructions on screens, barriers or floor markings
  • requests to move to less busy areas

At check-in

Where possible, avoid touching surfaces in the airport. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after using self-service check-in, luggage trollies and other frequently touched surfaces.

Depending on the airport you fly from and where you are flying to, you may need to have your temperature checked before flying.

At the security checkpoint

Follow advice in the airport to prepare for security checks.

At the departure lounge/ terminal airside area/ arrival areas

Avoid walking around the airport and mixing with people you do not normally meet. Follow the rules on social contact.

In shops at the airport, wear a face covering, follow social distancing measures and, where possible, pay by contactless card.

On board the aircraft

The UK has a wide range of aircraft flying to many different international and domestic destinations. Measures to control coronavirus transmission will depend on:

  • the technical features of your aircraft
  • any specific requirements of your destination
  • the individual risk controls identified by your airline

Your airline will advise you on measures in place for your flight.

In England, Scotland and Wales, passengers must wear a face covering onboard aircraft. In Northern Ireland, it is recommended that passengers wear face coverings onboard aircraft.

You can remove your face covering to:

  • communicate with someone who relies on lip reading
  • avoid harm or injury
  • take medication
  • eat or drink, if reasonably necessary

During the flight, you should:

  • remain seated as much as possible
  • follow instructions and guidance from crew
  • use contactless payment where possible
  • be aware there is likely to be a reduced food and drink service
  • make the cabin crew aware if you become ill

Before travelling to the UK

Check what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK.

You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (the ‘red list’) in the past 10 days, unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.

Book your coronavirus tests and find out how to quarantine

If you’re travelling to England you must:

  • take 2 coronavirus (COVID-19) tests after you arrive in England – you’ll need to book these before you travel
  • either quarantine in the place you’re staying or in a managed quarantine hotel for 10 days when you arrive in England

What you need to do depends on where you travel in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

If you travel in or through a country on the banned travel list (the ‘red list’) in those 10 days, you will need to quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel. If you do not travel in or through a country on the banned travel list in those 10 days, you will need to quarantine in the place you’re staying.

Find out which countries are on the banned travel red list.

If you’ll travel in or through a country on the banned travel red list, find out how to book a managed quarantine hotel and your coronavirus tests.

If you will not travel in or through a country on the banned travel red list, find out how to quarantine and book your coronavirus tests.

Find out what to do if you’re:

Provide your contact details

You need to provide your journey and contact details in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. You must do this by completing the online passenger locator form.

You’ll need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border.

Provide a negative coronavirus test to travel to the UK

You must have proof of a negative coronavirus test to travel to the UK – even if you’re a UK citizen.

If your test result is positive you must not travel. You must follow the local coronavirus rules and guidance.

The test must be taken in the 3 days before you depart. The results must be in English, French or Spanish.

You’ll need to show the test results when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry. You may also be asked to show them when you arrive.

You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative coronavirus test.

When you do not need to provide a negative coronavirus test

You do not need a test if you’re travelling:

  • within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey
  • from Ireland
  • from Ascension, Falkland Islands, Myanmar or St Helena

Children under 11 do not need a test.

There are other reasons you might not need a test, for example:

  • you have a job on the ‘exempt jobs’ list
  • you’re travelling to the UK for medical reasons
  • you’re travelling from a country where you cannot access testing facilities

Read the guidance about:

You must still follow the rules for self-isolating when you arrive in the UK.

On arrival in the UK

On arriving in the UK, you must comply with border and immigration requirements.

At the UK border, you may be required to show:

This applies to people entering the UK from all countries. It applies to UK residents and visitors.

You should leave the airport as quickly as possible. Access to the terminal is limited to passengers, crew members and staff.

Non-passengers should only enter the airport where needed, for example when accompanying or picking up a passenger requiring assistance or unaccompanied children.

Self-isolation and quarantine

If you’re travelling to England, you must:

  • take 2 coronavirus (COVID-19) tests after you arrive in England – you’ll need to book these before you travel
  • self-isolate in the place you’re staying or quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel for 10 days

What you need to do depends on where you travel in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

If you travel in or through a country on the banned travel list (the ‘red list’) in those 10 days, you will need to quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel. If you do not travel in or through a country on the banned travel list in those 10 days, you will need to self-isolate in the place you’re staying.

Find out which countries are on the banned travel list.

If you’ll travel in or through a country on the banned travel list, find out how to book a managed quarantine hotel and your coronavirus tests.

If you will not travel in or through a country on the banned travel list, find out how to quarantine in the place you’re staying and book your coronavirus tests.

Find out what to do if you’re:

You may be fined if you do not quarantine in the place you’re staying or in a managed quarantine hotel when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay on time.

The government will use the details you provide in your passenger locator form to check you’re quarantining in the place you’re staying or in a managed quarantine hotel.

Ending quarantine early through Test to Release – England only

You may be able to end self-isolation early through the ‘Test to Release’ scheme if you pay for a private coronavirus (COVID-19) test.

This is in addition to the tests that everyone must take on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 of their quarantine period.

You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (the ‘red list’) in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

Transiting through the UK

Before travel to the UK

If you will be transiting through the UK, you need to do the following before you travel to the UK:

If you will be transiting landside through the UK, you need to do the following when you complete your passenger locator form.

  • select ‘Stay in the UK’ under the Your travel plans section
  • reply ‘No’ to any questions about whether you are required to complete COVID-19 tests on arrival
  • reply ‘No’ to the question ‘Have you visited a Red List country within the past 10 days and/or are required by law to quarantine in a government approved facility?’

When you transit through the UK

You do not need to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test on arrival or on day 2 and day 8.

This applies if you are transiting ‘airside’ or ‘landside’.

There are different rules for Scotland.

If you are transiting landside (entering the UK from outside the Common Travel Area), you must be entering the UK for the sole purposes of continuing a journey to a country outside of the Common Travel Area. You must either:

  • remain within your port of entry until your departure from England, or
  • travel directly from your port of entry to another port of departure in England

Red list countries

If you are transiting within the CTA, and you have been in a red list country in the previous 10 days, then you are required to enter into managed quarantine at your port of entry. This applies whether transiting airside or landside.

Travelling within the UK

Because of coronavirus, there are restrictions in place on what you can do, including restrictions on travel. For details, and for information on national and local restrictions, check:

Social distancing

The risk of transmission increases the closer you are to another person with coronavirus and the longer you spend in close contact. Wherever possible and practical, you should:

  • keep 2 metres away from people outside your household or support bubble, where relevant
  • minimise the time you spend near other people

Read more about:

Social contact

There are different rules about social contact in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Read more about:

Hand washing

Washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. You should:

  • wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after touching surfaces, for example, luggage trolley handles, self-service check-in and security trays
  • use hand sanitiser if hand washing facilities are not available
  • be aware of the surfaces you touch
  • be careful not to touch your face, mouth or eyes
  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing
  • consider bringing your own supply of hand sanitiser for the flight, within the hand luggage restrictions for liquids

Face coverings

At the airport

In England, Scotland and Wales, you must wear a face covering in airports.

In Northern Ireland, it is recommended that you wear a face covering in airports.

Read more about:

On board aircraft

In England, Scotland and Wales, you must wear a face covering on board commercial air flights.

In Northern Ireland, it is recommended that you wear a face covering during commercial air flights.

People who don’t have to wear a face covering

Some people don’t have to wear a face covering, for reasons of health, age or equality. See more information about:

Government and some operators have produced cards and badges that you can choose to wear or carry to show you are not required to wear a face covering.

There is no requirement to do this, though, and transport staff should not ordinarily ask for such evidence.

Some transport staff may also not be required to wear a face covering depending on the applicable regulations.

You should remove your face covering if asked to do so by police, border control or airport security.

It is important to use face coverings properly. Wash or sanitise your hands before putting them on and after taking them off. Store face coverings hygienically when not in use.

You should bring your own face covering for use throughout your journey. Bring spare face coverings for longer journeys.

Bring plastic bags to store used face coverings and dispose of them properly. Use a ‘black bag’ waste bin or litter bin to dispose of face coverings. You should not put face coverings in a recycling bin or drop them as litter.

Some international destinations may require different face coverings or masks to the UK – you should check before you travel.

Be aware that wearing a face covering may make it harder for people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound to understand.

Red list countries

If you have been in or through any of the countries on the entry ban red list in the previous 10 days, you will be refused entry to the UK.

If you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK, you will be able to enter. You must quarantine in a government approved hotel for 10 days.

Published 11 June 2020
Last updated 29 March 2021 + show all updates

  1. Travel restrictions update to reflect roadmap out of lockdown.

  2. Link to declaration form for international travel from England added.

  3. Link to roadmap out of lockdown added.

  4. New testing, self-isolation and quarantine rules from 15 February.

  5. Information about coronavirus testing before travel to the UK.

  6. Added information about coronavirus (COVID-19) testing before travelling to England.

  7. Requirement to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival in UK replaced by 10 day requirement.

  8. Local tier restrictions apply in England.

  9. National restrictions information added.

  10. New rules on social gatherings of more than 6 people.

  11. Change to rule on wearing a face covering in airports.

  12. Linking to the list of countries and territories on the travel corridors exemption list.

  13. Changes to face covering rules in Scotland.

  14. Updated to reflect the new requirement for passengers to wear face coverings on aircraft in England.

  15. First published.

Contents

Part of Travel abroad: step by step

  1. Step 1 Plan your trip

    1. Check foreign travel advice for the country you're travelling to or transiting through

    Find out what you need to do if you're travelling during coronavirus (COVID-19).

    1. Check the latest COVID-19 travel restrictions
    2. Complete the travel declaration form for international travel
    3. Check if you need a negative test result to enter your destination or if you need to quarantine upon arrival
    4. Get a COVID-19 test through a private provider in the UK, if you need one

    From 17 May, you'll need to follow different rules when travelling to England from abroad.

    1. What you need to do if you're travelling to England on or after 17 May: rules on red, amber and green list countries

    Find out what you need to do:

  2. Step 2 Get your passport, visas and permits ready

    How much time you need on your passport depends on the country you're visiting. Check the entry requirements for the country you want to travel to.

    1. Check your passport has enough time left on it for the country you're visiting
    2. Renew or replace your passport
    3. Get a passport for your child

    You may also need a visa to enter some countries.

    1. Check if you need a visa or permit

  3. Step 3 Get travel insurance and check if you need vaccinations or inoculations

    1. Get travel insurance
    2. Check what vaccinations or inoculations you may need

  4. Step 4 Travel safely and check for travel disruption

    1. Find out how to travel safely in the UK during coronavirus (COVID-19)
    2. You are currently viewing: Check guidance for safer air travel during COVID-19
    3. Check if there are travel disruptions because of COVID-19

  5. Step 5 Going through border control

    You may need to show paperwork such as your passport or visa, or a negative coronavirus test result at the point of entry.

    1. Check the entry requirements for the country you are travelling to or transiting through

  6. Step 6 When you are abroad

    1. Follow the local coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions

    Find out what to do if:

  7. Step 7 Return to the UK

    There are different coronavirus (COVID-19) rules if you're:

    1. Check if the country or territory you are travelling from is on the red (banned) list due to COVID-19

    Follow the correct quarantine process for England:

    1. Get a private test before you return to England (pre-departure test)
    2. Book a COVID-19 test if you want to reduce your quarantine period (‘Test to Release’)
    3. Complete a passenger locator form
    4. Follow the rules for entering the UK

    There will be different rules to follow from 17 May when travelling to England from abroad.

    1. What you need to do if you're travelling to England on or after 17 May: rules on red, amber and green list countries

    Check if you want to:

  8. and When you arrive in the UK

    1. Follow the latest coronavirus restrictions
    2. Declare goods and pay tax and duty to UK customs