The rules you need to follow will depend on your age, whether you’re fully vaccinated under a UK-approved vaccination programme, and whether you've travelled through a red list country in the previous 10 days. Check gov.uk/travel-abroad for detailed information. As of 7^th January 2022, there are no countries on the UK’s red list.

If you need a helping hand with testing options and providers, please refer to our travel advice.

All travellers, including those transiting through the UK, must complete a UK Passenger Locator Form (PLF) within 48 hours before you arrive in the UK.

If you’re fully vaccinated you must book a lateral flow test to take after arrival in the UK. This arrival test can be taken as soon as you land (defined as Day 0) and no later than the end of Day 2 in the UK. Our testing partner Prenetics offers a Day 0-2 lateral flow test for £17, which can be delivered straight to a UK address by post.

If you do not qualify as fully vaccinated you must:

• Provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 2 days of departure to the UK

• Make plans to quarantine in private accommodation for 10 full days after arrival (or full duration of stay if less than 10 days)

• Book tests to take on day 2 and day 8 of quarantine. You can also take an optional PCR test on Day 5 (as part of the Test to Release scheme) to end your self-isolation early with a negative test result.

Your arrival test(s) must be booked before you depart to the UK as you’ll need the test booking reference that your test provider will give you to input into the UK Passenger Locator Form. Fully vaccinated customers can also upload proof of vaccination to the PLF.

Arriving from a red list country

If you have visited a country on the red list you must book a managed quarantine hotel. You can only enter England if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK. You must enter through a designated port of arrival. More details of what to do if arriving from a red list country (or if you've travelled through a red list country in the previous 10 days) can be found here.

All arrivals will need to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days. Please remember you must book and pay for a Managed Hotel Quarantine Package, citing the invoice reference number in your UK Passenger Locator Form.

Check the devolved nations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales for their entry rules, which largely mirror the entry rules for England.

Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine

Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice

Wales: https://gov.wales/arriving-wales-overseas

You can check here on GOV.UK for full definition of fully vaccinated and who qualifies. Travellers who will qualify as fully vaccinated include those vaccinated under a UK-approved vaccination programme with a full course of the Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax (Nuvaxovid and Covovax), Janssen, Covaxin, Sinovac-CoronaVac or Sinopharm Beijing vaccines from a relevant public health body in a country or territory recognised and listed by the UK Government.

You must have had a complete course of an approved vaccine (1 of 1 / 2 of 2 doses) at least 14 days before you arrive in the UK. More details can be found on GOV.UK if you are unsure about your eligibility to be deemed fully vaccinated.

Note: Even if you are not fully vaccinated, the fully vaccinated rules apply if you are aged 17 or under.

When you fly to the UK you must be able to prove that you have been fully vaccinated (plus 14 days) with a document from a national or state-level public health body that includes, as a minimum:

• Forename and surname(s)

• Date of birth

• Vaccine brand and manufacturer

• Date of vaccination for every dose

• Country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer

If your document from a public health body does not include all of these, then you will not qualify as fully vaccinated and will need to follow the rules found here. If not, you may be denied boarding.

Examples of recognised vaccine certification include:

• NHS COVID Pass via NHS app

• NHS COVID Pass (PDF or letter) obtained via NHS.uk or phoning 119 (note: the NHS vaccination record card is not accepted)

• Original CDC card US state-issued digital vaccine certificate for New York, California and Washington

• EU Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC)

For more detailed information please visit gov.uk/travel-abroad and gov.uk/guidance/countries-with-approved-covid-19-vaccination-programmes-and-proof-of-vaccination.

Official information sources include:

• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/travelrequirements
• US Embassy: https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/u-s-visa-and-travel-faqs/
• UK FCDO Travel Advice for the US: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

This entry to the USA infographic also provides a quick-reference guide, along with this CDC decision-tree flow chart for travellers arriving in the US by air.

The US Passenger Disclosure and Attestation is a mandatory form that every traveller (aged 2 years or older) arriving by air to the United States must complete within the 72 hours before departure. A parent or other legal guardian may attest on behalf of a passenger aged 2 to 17 years.

If you and all the travellers in your party are fully vaccinated, you can fill in the attestation form online: Digital Passenger Disclosure and Attestation form.

If you or member(s) of your travelling party are unvaccinated, please print and complete the form in advance and bring it with you to the airport. US citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents and US immigrants can use this version and non-US citizens and non-US immigrants use this version. Alternatively, you will be directed to complete a form during check in at the airport.

If you’ve recovered from a documented COVID-19 case within the past 90 days (regardless of vaccination status) you may use documentation of recovery from COVID-19 as an alternative to the pre-departure test i.e. your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you are cleared to travel.

For purposes of travel to the United States, vaccines accepted include the following FDA approved or authorized and World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use listed (EUL) vaccines:

Single dose

• Janssen/J&J

2-dose series

• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Moderna
• Oxford-AstraZeneca
• Covishield
• BIBP/Sinopharm
•  Sinovac
• Covaxin

Foreign national

If you are an unvaccinated adult foreign national and you do not meet the exception criteria, you will not be allowed to board a flight to the United States.

Limited exceptions to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement apply:

• Children under 18 years of age
  
• Persons on diplomatic or official foreign government travel
• Persons with documented medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
• Participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials 
• Persons issued a humanitarian or emergency exception 
• Persons with valid visas [excluding B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas] who are citizens of a foreign country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability 
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age)
• Sea crew members traveling with to a C-1 and D non-immigrant visa 
• Persons whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, or Secretary of Homeland Security (or their designees).

There are a very limited set of circumstances where a non-vaccinated adult foreign national can enter the US. If you’re sure you meet the criteria, you must bring documentation as applicable, confirming eligibility.

US national, US citizens, Lawful Permanent Resident or US immigrant

You will be able to travel, providing you do an FDA-approved COVID-19 test (including PCR, LAMP or antigen e.g. lateral flow) within 1 day before departure and complete a Passenger Disclosure and Attestation form.

All customers aged 2 and over are required to present evidence of a negative PCR, LAMP or Antigen test*.

Pre-departure tests for the US can be at-home/remote, providing it’s via a telehealth service affiliated with the test manufacturer (i.e. video-observed) or administered in-person by a health professional.

Fully vaccinated adults and unvaccinated children (17 years and under) travelling with fully vaccinated parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must test within 1 day prior to departure.

Unvaccinated adults and unvaccinated children travelling alone or with unvaccinated adult(s) must also test within 1 day of departure.

Please see the CDC website for details about the requirement for proof of negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19 when arriving in the United States.

Find out how to book a COVID-19 test with our recommended providers. A pre-departure video-observed lateral flow test from Project Screen by Prenetics, which meets the US entry criteria, is £27 for Virgin Atlantic customers.

*If you’ve recovered from a documented COVID-19 case within the past 90 days (regardless of vaccination status) you may use documentation of recovery from COVID-19 as an alternative to the pre-departure test i.e. your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel.

Unvaccinated foreign nationals who are entering the United States because they are exempt from the vaccination requirement must take a Covid-19 test 3-5 days after arrival in the US and confirm that they have made arrangements for this on their disclosure and attestation form.

For fully vaccinated travellers and unvaccinated US citizens, US nationals, Lawful Permanent Residents and US immigrants the test 3-5 days after arrival is recommended but not required.

Please see the US Department of Health & Human Services to source a Covid-19 arrival test in the United States. Low-cost tests are available at health centres and select pharmacies nationwide.

Only unvaccinated foreign national adults (18 and above), who are entering the US as an exception, will be required to self-quarantine for 7 days at the place they are staying (e.g. hotel). Self-quarantine does not apply to unvaccinated foreign nationals aged 17 and under.

Yes, if eligible under the US Visa Waiver Program, you’ll still need to apply and obtain an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) for travel, in addition to any Covid-19 requirements.

To ensure you can book with confidence we have a flexible booking policy so that if things change, we’ve got you covered. We do understand that the Covid-19 situation remains dynamic and ongoing restrictions may pose difficulties to our customers with upcoming travel plans. If you are unable to travel for any reason, we offer as much choice and flexibility as possible to help you amend your plans. 

If you booked directly with us, you can use our Rebook my flights form. We'll check availability for your chosen destination and dates, and if there's no fare difference to pay, we’ll update your booking and email your new eTicket. If we need to speak to you about anything, we'll get in touch via WhatsApp or SMS within 7 days to complete the process. 

Not ready to rebook?

If you haven’t yet decided on new travel dates, you can convert your booking to a Travel Voucher until you’re ready. Your new travel dates can be any time up to 31 December 2023 and the same flexible booking policy applies.

You’ll need to use the full value of your open ticket. If your new ticket price is lower, we can’t refund the difference.

We continue to review our flight schedules regularly and monitor the Covid-19 situation closely. We will be in touch with any customers affected by a rescheduling or cancellation, prioritising those with the most imminent travel plans. You can also check the check the status of their flights here.  

Where a flight is cancelled, we’ll be in touch with you and you can rebook your flights for a new date all the way until 31 December 2023, convert your booking to a travel voucher, or of course request a refund. More information on your options when a flight is cancelled can be found here. If you made your booking through a third party or travel agent, please contact them directly to discuss your options. 

The requirement for a pre-departure Covid-19 test, will depend on the country you’re flying to and its protocols, which may differ according to vaccination status. If you do need a test you can find details of recommended Covid-19 test providers here. If your destination accepts at-home tests, we also have easy and convenient testing bundles available with our partner Prenetics via this dedicated microsite, where you can search the country you’re flying to and it will present all the tests you need, in one simple purchase, delivered to your door. 

As travel restrictions continue to ease for many countries, we’re ready to welcome you back to some of your favourite destinations, ensuring all our customers fly safe and well.
 

The health and safety of our customers and crew remains our number one priority and we continuously review all our health measures. We do require all customers and crew to continue to wear face masks for the duration of their flights and continue to adhere to and often exceed the guidance and regulation of the relevant authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Public Health England (PHE), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as well as the Covid-19 protocols set by the governments in the countries we operate to.
 

From mask-wearing at the airport and on-board to the personal Health Packs that every single customer will receive, more information about how you're in safe hands can be found here along with our award winning cleaning onboard, recognised by a recent Diamond status award in Health and Safety from APEX and Simpliflying.

We’re following the latest government advice and regulations by requiring face masks or face coverings to be worn at all times onboard and throughout the airport, which is also adhered to by our cabin crew.

For most flights, we expect all customers aged 12 above to wear a facemask. If you’re on a flight to or from the United States, then customers aged 2 and over must wear a face mask, in order to comply with slightly different rules set by the US authorities.

You may remove the face mask for only the following reasons:

1. To avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others

2. To eat or drink where it is reasonably necessary to do so, or removing your face covering to take medication.

You may also be exempt from wearing a face mask or face covering if:

1. You cannot put on, wear, or remove a face covering without severe distress, or due to any physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010)

2. You are travelling with, or providing assistance to, another person who relies on lip reading to communicate

If you believe you are exempt from wearing a face mask or face covering, you must contact and notify our Special Assistance team at least 48 hours before you are due to travel. You can get in touch using our online contact form or via email at Special.Assistance@fly.virgin.com. Please have your booking reference to hand when you contact us. Our team may ask you to show a formal notification of your exemption in the form of a certificate or letter signed by a suitably qualified health professional when you arrive at the airport. If you travel without formal notification of your exemption, and choose not to wear a mask at the airport or onboard, you may not be permitted to travel with us at this time.

Find out more about face mask exemptions

If you booked with a third party such as a travel agent, you'll need to contact them directly to discuss any queries you may have with your travel arrangements, such as rebooking, as they are best placed to help.

Our flexible booking policy gives you the freedom to book with confidence, knowing you can make changes if you need to, without any admin charges

To find out more, please read our full Flexible Booking Policy here.

All Virgin Holidays customers with a booked travel date up until 31 December 2022 may rebook up until 31 December 2023 with the date change fee waived, or convert your booking to one of our holiday vouchers.

To simplify the options and to provide immediate peace of mind for customers whose holidays are cancelled, we’re automatically providing a digital voucher for the value of your trip, redeemable up until 31 December 2023, which you can use to rebook a package holiday, departing any time before 31 December 2023. This can either be to the same destination or we can look at alternatives, as well as different times of the year. Of course, where a holiday is cancelled, you can also request a cash refund. 

We continue to review our holiday schedules regularly and monitor the Covid-19 situation closely. Rest assured if there are any changes to your holiday then we will be in touch, prioritising those due to depart soonest. 

To simplify the options and to provide immediate peace of mind for customers whose holidays are cancelled, we’ll automatically provide you with a digital voucher for the value of your trip, redeemable up until 31 December 2023, which you can use to rebook a package holiday, departing any time before 31 December 2023. This can either be to the same destination or we can look at alternatives, as well as different times of the year. Of course, where a holiday is cancelled in these circumstances, you can also request a cash refund.

We understand that the Covid-19 situation remains dynamic and ongoing restrictions may pose difficulties to our customers, which is why we offer as much flexibility and choice as possible so your holiday is in safe hands. We’re committed to supporting our customers’ travel plans so if you’re a Virgin Holidays customer with a booked travel date up until 31 December 2022 you can amend your existing holiday booking up until 31 December 2023 with the date change fee waived, or convert your booking to one of our holiday vouchers. Please check our standard terms and conditions for more information.

If your destination is added to the Red list, unfortunately we will have to cancel your holiday and will be in touch with your options.